bike day 1

i decided to Take a Break from research because it was making me sad. so i rented a bike for the weekend, mostly for a longer ride on sunday because the weather was sketchy on saturday. my goals for saturday were to find Hafen City, because the italians from the first night told me to. i explored a lot on the way. immediately after getting on the bike, i felt so much better! lifted spirits, etc.





 going the wrong way (typical) down a path on the Elbe, i found my first sand beach in Germany.












around the Fischmarkt. i thought it was enough to go here during the day, but i was wrong.




I did really want to try the fish, which is that little biscuit thing there. it was actually reeeeaally good, and i wish i got a less fast-foody meal of it, hahaha.




10 minute downpour, unter der Brücke.




Hafen City is an area of really new and modern buildings built between canals, where one of the largest ports in Hamburg used to be. it's obviously really new and a lot of work has been put into it, but the area was really dead. i had some really amazing ice cream (even by european standards) there though.






meandering back, i found myself at the rathausmarkt for like the 5th time this week. i happened to run into the middle of hamburg's gay pride festival! i love how if you go straight on any road for a while, something interesting will get in your way eventually.

and then, trying to avoid the Reeperbahn area, i happened upon something that pretty much made my night:



the BIERBIKE. this is a bar that is also a vehicle! it drives down the street! drinking! driving! all these dudes were leisurely pedaling under the table while drinking and having what was obviously a really awesome time (judging by how enthusiastically they were saying HALLO! HALLO! to me). their good night was contagious, and also i think this is hilarious, because...only in germany, right?