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It’s impossible to be depressed in Hamburg because they get it.

They get music. (Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, where we heard Kammerorchester der Neuen Philharmonie Hamburg with violinist
Vladik Otaryan perform a program that included Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for a delighted audience who demanded three encores before allowing the exhausted musicians to leave.)

They get classic waterfronts. (Waterfront, River Elbe & canals,
Hamburg)

They get classic cars and cobblestone roads.

And classic fun cars.

They get classic buildings. (Hamburger Rathaus/City Hall, and Laeiszhalle, Hamburg’s classic musical venue

And they get the new classics (including quirky buildings plus Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s stunning modern music venue).

They get that an empty wall (or a flat surface) is an artistic challenge.

They do not always get our attempts to order in German. So sometimes, we get an incredible fruit spritzer, most of a duck, fabulous local beer, or elderflower mousse with blueberry compote and almond brittle. 

And sometimes, we get an entire cauliflower.

But no matter what, we get to see old friends and new things in a magical city. In a world where so much seems to be going wrong, it’s good to be reminded that some places get it right.

⇒UPDATE: I’ve been reminded that I should confess this wasn’t my first attempt to visit Hamburg. For all the ways NOT to go to Hamburg, see my post “I can’t let you board this plane”. You’ve been warned.