A Winter Weihnachtsmarkt Land

It is really, really cold in Hamburg these days--so cold that there really is only one thing that can make up for the frustration this evil weather causes. Luckily, that one thing is spread thickly all over heat-deprived Hamburg transforming our chilly city into a spectacular celebration of all-things Christmas.

Weihnachtsmarkts (Christmas markets) decorate Hamburg like bulbs on a tree. I have been waiting for these precious shops prior to our arrival and am ecstatic that they are finally here. I attended the first one I could find the first hour it opened. It was organized by the Scandinavian Churches of Hamburg and was a stunning collection of gluhwein, the nearly famous warm, sweet red wine enhanced perfectly with holiday spices, and so many handmade goods that the experience brought on a seriously-powerful jaw-dropping moment.

These super duper cute spinning candle holders are in many of the markets. Their cuteness comes with a cost: I've seen them anywhere from 80-300€ ($100-$400). It seems to be that seasons' greetings aren't free in this city.

The biggest market I've stumbled across/found with GPS in hand is at the Rathaus Market, Hamburg's Town Hall building and square. The building alone is a sight to be seen, but add to it's square lots and lots of Christmas trees and more lights than the Griswalds' abode and you've got a yule-tide lover's dream.

Oh my gosh I know--spectacular, isn't she?

At the Rathausmarkt Weihnachtsmarkt you can eat, drink, shop, and freeze your bunnies off until your bags and belly are content. It truly does numb the pain of the almost-arctic weather we've got going on over here.

The endless good eats include grunkohl--kale cooked with pork sausage and various seasonings--as well as the obvious market food: sausage, potatoes in every imaginable form, and various sandwiches.

And, of course, there's dessert:

Dessert goes far beyond cookies. For those that don't love pistachio marzipan as much as I do, there are cookies, cakes, chocolate, and candies galore to be enjoyed.

The markets have become a common stop for lunch, dinner, and gluhwein, for Reg and I and our friends.



Nothing says Christmas in Germany like gluhwein.



While most of the shopping is done outside, inside market shopping exists as well. Not only does this posh holiday haven have a roof, but it boasts some of the most darling must-haves you can find.


Like these.



And these.




And these hand-made mangers.



And these cutie-pie minis.



And aaalllllllllllllll these.

These markets have been going strong for over a week now, allowing me nearly a month of market madness before our trip home. The cold doesn't seem nearly as dreadful with all these fun-having possibilities in front of us.

Better, Worse, and Just Different

My "It's not better or worse, it's just different" mantra can be applied to just about anything I come across. But, like anything in life, there are always exceptions. I still discover a lot of things that fit into my just different category, but recently I have noticed that some German things are better than what we would find at home, and of course, some are just plain worse.

First, eggs. Not something that can really be too different from continent to continent, right? Sure, except that in Germany they're not refrigerated in stores.

Hold your gag. Much to your surprise no fridge = no problem. Though it looks strange and freaked me out initially, the unrefrigerated endcap won't make you sick. Because of this, unrefrigerated eggs are "just different."

Also in the just different food category is German breakfast. Like most Euro day-starters the German breakfast typically consists of coffee with bread, butter, jam and Nutella, and deli meat and cheese. You can, of course, have eggs, but boiled is more common than scrambled and omelettes. Though standard
Euro breakfasts don't appeal to me, food tastes are too subjective for me to judge, so I'll toss it into the just different category.

Some food found in Hamburg deserves rank in the better category. Though most of the McDonald's menu in Hamburg looks and tastes the same as in MI, McD's here offers local wurst-y treats and more exotic items such as citrus lime grilled chicken sandwiches, pesto salads, and spicy shrimp snack wraps. It seems that McD's "tries out" their flashy new ideas in Germany before setting them into stone in The States. McCafes, which are quite popular in Michigan now, have been popular in Germany for far longer. Not only are they older, but they're bigger, flashier, much more enticing, and a member of the better list.

McCafe's have an abundance of the delicious cakes and sweet treats that many Hamburgers enjoy with their coffee each afternoon. This afternoon time-out for cake and coffee happens to be the next item on the better list.



In order to make time for this peaceful pause, there must be some kind of break in the afternoon, right? Like a quiet time away from distraction for just a couple of hours? You guessed it! According to our contract, 13:00-15:00 (1-3pm) in our apartment is quiet time. No showering, no laundry, little movement at all aside from--the chewing of cake and sipping of coffee. An afternoon break exists in some eateries as well, just a little later in the day. Two hours of sweet silence is well received by me and though I'm usually not home to enjoy it, is a quick addition to the better folder.


While two hours is appreciated, an entire Sunday--every Sunday--is not. No shopping of any kind--including grocery shopping, no museums, no touristy stuff. Restaurants are open, but that's it. I understand the need for forced relaxtion and family time, I do, but it's a hassle and with stores closing between 6 and 8pm weekdays getting all the things bought and done that you need to before Sunday isn't always possible. Once a month or so some stores are open select hours on a Sunday and though we've learned to manage, sometimes you just need one quick thing. Sorry, Hamburg, this is one inconvenience that goes into the worse category.



The final just different entry is plugs.




This situation looks harmless enough, and it is--aside from the fact that in order to plug in any US appliance you need an adapter...or more. In order to plug in the super-awesome-dream-come-true Vita Mix Blender Reggie bought me for Christmas last year we need a special converter and since blenders aren't needed for survival, the blender sadly sits unused until we get one.

 My mind remains open to the surplus of new things around me, but even open-minded folks are allowed to have better, worse, and just different categories...and these lists are getting longer every day.

More Than Just a Taste of Home

I love Kraft Spirals Mac and Cheese--always have, always will. Skim milk and margarine won't do--no, this powdery processed snack deserves the real stuff. Only then can spiral serenity be attained. It took me many years to perfect my preparation method and now that I've finally got it spot on I occasionally look forward to making this lazy day treat...only in Hamburg I have no spirals to work my magic on. Ouch.


While there is a list of American goods I would pay a hefty sum to have at my disposal while living abroad, credit must be given to Hamburg vendors for their effort to bring a taste of home to us expats. In Karstadt, the mother of all Hamburg department stores, us lucky Americans have an entire half an aisle dedicated to filling our bellies with memories of home. And, if you live in a state where Tex-Mex is big, you get both halves of the aisle.

Going into the grocery store and only recognizing these brands used to be intimidating--especially because I didn't buy these products when I lived in the US. But, something about just knowing Campbell's soup is available is comforting. All this and still no baking soda, self-rising flour, chocolate chips, brown sugar, or vanilla extract. I'm not too let down, though--this gives me a good excuse to take a break from baking for a bit.

Lots of high-quality grocery shopping exists in Hamburg so I am able to find just about anything I need. Produce is a cinch, obviously, but some spices and condiments require the very expensive guess-and-check method. While English is all around us in many ways, it's not always there when you need it in the grocery store.


Unless you visit this shop:

A ten-minute walk from our apartment and owned by a British man, this shop sells cake mixes, self-rising flour, and heaps of teas, candies, and chips that I haven't seen in other shops.

 They also have a van that reads, "British Food and Drink, Lifestyle and Curiosity Shop. The 'curious' bit makes me curious. You, too?

To enhance the British experience you can also visit this English spot:

 The owner also has an English book shop next door. A few months ago he down-sized the book shop and a few friends and I stocked up on our reading material while it was on sale, each leaving with a bag full of books. Now it's much more crowded and more difficult to navigate, but technically is still in existence. It's a good thing, too, because though small English-sections exist in the many bookstores in Hamburg and there is a mediocre English-section at the mammoth library, finding good English books for good prices is just plain tough.

This teensy English books section (only including Teens' books) is all that exists in a very large and busy bookstore right around the corner from us.

"ich liebe es" translates literally to I love it, the German way to say  "I'm lovin' it."

No surprise to anyone, McDonald's is ever-present throughout Europe and if we need a taste of home we can stop there for a bite. The fries taste the same as I remember and though they offer local eating options such as wurst burgers and dinner rolls, the concept is the same as it is throughout the US.

It's common to see menus, ads, and other signs in both English and German.

Of course, there are more prepared American meal offerings than old McD's. At California 101, started by an American woman living in Hamburg, you can enjoy highly-recommended California-cuisine. Many folks go just to get a taste of root beer--something impossible to find anywhere else in Hamburg. On the weekends they prepare American-style omelettes, another thing that can only be found at select breakfast spots.


For more Cali-style snacks you can visit Malibu Surf, owned by an American and German. They offer fruit smoothies, shakes, wraps, Mexican pizza, and more. Score. This cute little shop reminds me of a smoothie shop my sister and I sometimes visit in South Florida. And, with many thanks to the owners, the menu and signs are in English. Double score.

Graceland, a restaurant serving Elvis-friendly American-style BBQ just outside of Sternschanze, is another spot we can journey to when feeling homesick for food.

Hamburg has made an effort to give Americans more than just a taste home. If we so desire we can have our nails done American style: 

Germans are more than familiar with American television, music, and movies. In fact, Reggie and I never realized how hysterical Two and a Half Men is until we got to Hamburg. Now we watch it quite often. It's so popular in Hamburg that Reggie has heard the theme song used as a ringtone.

There are three movie theaters in Hamburg that play original version movies (OV means in English and not-dubbed). One of these theaters, called Streit's, plays OV movies and also offers sneak previews of OV movies--the only catch is you don't get to choose what you're going to see. Your Sneak ticket will cost 5€ ($7) with it you gain entrance into an OV movie, the title of which you'll learn when you get there. I've learned over and over again that you must buy your tickets at least a few days in advance or it will sell out, which is, of course, a huge bummer.  

American music is everywhere. It is rare to hear a song that is not in English in a cafe, shop, or restaurant. The current Deutschland chart toppers are all American songs, number one being Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Somewhere Over the Rainbow, which was big when I was in college. Soon I will be in my glory watching Kings of Leon perform in Hamburg, along with a bajillion other happy Hamburgers.

I didn't discover all these great homesickness remedies on my own. I had lots of help from the various organizations dedicated to expat assistance. First, there was Toytown, an immeasurably helpful site dedicated to helping English-speakers live in Germany. Here is where I found my gig at Seedlings, Ernesto the mover, and many of the restaurants and English book shops I know love.



Without Toytown I would most likely be unemployed, bored, and maybe even hungry.



Young-germany.de is another site dedicated to helping English-speakers survive/enhance their experience while living in Germany, as is spottedbylocals.com/hamburg which is written in English by Hamburg natives. These fine folks review events, nightlife, cafes, and eateries and I carry their recommendations with me. Meetup.com is a worldwide site used by people looking new meet new faces and have a good time by organizing group outings and meals.

While these super sites have taught me a lot about Hamburg, The American Women's Club has introduced me to some fabulous new friends. AWC is 120-ish members strong and welcomes American women, women that have lived in America, or women interested in the American way of life--and boy do they serve us well. I met my first Hamburg friend, Mary, at the AWC 4th of July BBQ and we've all had lots of fun together since. Among many other things, the AWC holds monthly ladies night out get-togethers, dinners, gallery tours, movie nights, and scrapbooking sessions.

AWC publishes a news magazine called Currents and they also published a super helpful book called Hamburg in Your Pocket. It helps a ton with all the legal stuff (my visa fiasco mos def deserves its own post) and includes a line that I now live by, "...don't wait for a nice day to do anything." With the heaviness that is Hamburg weather we would be in our flat 24/5 if we waited for a nice day to go out and get things done. So we pile on the rain gear and venture out into the gray gloom, finding lots of English and other tastes of home along the way.

 

Hamburg has the most consulates in Europe, and the fourth most in the world. There are people from all over the world living in Hamburg and more than just a taste of home is available to them, too, so I suppose I'm lucky I can find even half an aisle of America-food. Though certainly not the only language spoken in Deutsch-world, English is everywhere. It is mixed in with German in ads and signs, it is used for store names even when the store is totally Euro...

 
...and it is spoken by many, many Germans, who in public schools start learning our universal language in grade five and continue learning it through school. Many corporations, including Susat, hire English teachers to teach their employees. They understand that speaking English is practically a must, and lucky for them there's only one form of 'the' in English. So why ever would I struggle through German, you wonder. Well, because I want to...I think? But really, now that I fully understand the power English has on the world, doesn't it just make more sense to practice my English to make sure it stays nice and sharp?

The Schanze

The Schanze in the summer is as crowded as Hamburg's central station between 7:30 and 8am weekdays.

The 'hoods of Hamburg are as diverse as the city's sausage selection. Our temporary apartment was in an area that neighbors the happenin' hood of Sternschanze. Just a few nights in The Schanze and we quickly invented a motto for it: "There's always something happening The Schanze." It's tried and true--we've never been let down by a visit to this unrefined and current quarter.

I have had a LOT of good food in Hamburg. A LOT. If I was to take the time to analyze and determine which neighborhood I have had the most food in, I'm willing to bet the long, mundane, and unnecessary search would result in a landslide winner: The Schanze.

Reggie and I discovered Oma's early on. When we lived closer to it we visited it at least once a week and if Oma's all-star dinners weren't as heavy a bag full of German bread, we'd frequent this delicious depot more frequently.

Of all the things happening in The Schanze, this is one of the best. Spinach and gorgonzola sauce over grilled chicken with pan-fried potatoes and a wee salad couldn't taste better if J Alexander had made it himself. Now that I have wisened up I order the sauce on the side to ward off a heart attack. All this scrumptiousness, including the Roseschorle (Rose wine with sparkling water), totals a measly 9€ ($12). Reggie's go-to grub at Oma's looks almost just like this but with a to-die-for black pepper cream sauce with black peppercorns. I think I can actually hear you smacking your lips.

If we smile nicely will you bring us our huge helpings of happiness faster? Please?

As much as we crave Oma's, Reg and I know that branching out to other local eateries is healthy. Except, of course, when you order--and eat an entire--flammkuchen at the oh-so-amazing Hatari.



Arugula and parmesan: the best combination since Saturday and Sunday--and delicious to boot!



Hatari leaves little to be desired. I go for the most scrumptious veggie burger and salad a veggie burger-lover ever did see and Reg goes for the organic burger with a mound of perfect fries. Mmm...mmm...mmm!

Cute, huh? Come visit us and we'll take you there.

Or, we'd gladly take you to the another of our favorite delicious Schanzen diners: Olympisches Feuer.

Here we are greeted by a waiter that knows us, English menus (which we no longer need...hooray), and the best gyros and greek salad in Hamburg. And, on some nights, only elbow room due to the many, many, many furied futbol fans gaping at any flat screen within gaping-distance. Olympisches Feuer is in The Schanze which borders Sankt Pauli--the district that houses FC Sankt Pauli, the Saint Pauli soccer team. Needless to say, Reg and I saw a few pumped up FC Sankt Pauli tees last time we got our gyros-fix.



Delicious food aside, The Shanze offers outstandingly edgy boutique shopping. 

'Narrow' is in the definition of 'Schanzen boutique.'

Look at this color, people! Hard to believe, isn't it? I thought so myself. Leave it to The Schanze to live outside the box.







Shabby chic is in in The Schanze these days, making vintage re-salers like me happy as a Hamburger in a bakery.

Like restaurants, many shops offer clothing and jewelry at modest prices. Certainly, there are always exceptions:

Don't let Lille's grafitti covered face fool you--she won't let a pair of jeans go for under
80€ ($110+). Apparently in this part of The Schanze neither vandalism nor highway robbery are frowned upon.

In Love is another hip shop boasting too-high prices (and black, brown, gray, and a splash of navy).

If the odd combination of graffitti-tattoed yet majorly over-priced boutiques exhausts you, you can stop for a cup of coffee at this cutie-pie cafe:  

Tucked away in this brick hideaway is a perfectly Parisian cafe, stocked with enough midday cakes to feed all of Hamburg.

For free entertainment, strolling Schanzen streets offers a dynamic experience:



Pretty and old next to not-so-pretty and and newer.



There are many galleries in The Schanze, but this is the first outdoor one I have come across.

Decorated with litter and graffitti and completely unrefined, Sternschanze never fails to provide a memorable meal and interesting scenery.