Hamburger Häuser

Hamburg, like any urban center, is decorated with an appealing variety of houses. Renting in Germany is favorable for a tenant because it is terribly (or wonderfully) difficult for property owners to raise rent. Because of this it is common to rent and never buy property. A second thing that transcends culture is the cost of property in a city. So, Hamburger (yes, you read that right) apartments vary from the ever-so-not-funny shoebox-size to lavish and sprawling. Reg and I are on the hunt for something in between to call home once we move from our temporary housing. Our hunt has taken us to the far corners of Hamburg. On the way we've stumbled upon some gorgeous homes. Some fit into the shoebox category but are supported with a bustling streetlife just underneath, others deserve their own street.

Certainly, I have to give these beauties credit for being stunning. But, at the risk of sounding like a stickler, without AC they're no Miss America. It has been H-O-T in Hamburg this week and even the places that boast those two letters Americans have grown conditioned to expect (small pun intended)--AC--don't have much to offer in terms of helping Hamburgers to keep heatstroke at bay. Windows are an option, yes, but since screens are essentially nonexistent in Germany I hesitate because I have no idea how to handle German creepy crawlies. But, a steamy 95F on Saturday forced me to break down and leave all the windows open through night. The verdict: Germany has a lot less mini-flying creatures than Michigan does. Phew.