Day 04: From Hamburg to Flensburg

Date	05 Dec 2025
Today's Distance:

Total Jutlandica:
Total Germany 2025
Total Spain 2025	245 miles.
Total All Caminos:	2353 miles
Lodging:	Jugendherberge Flensburg @ 96 € for 2 nights
Total Lodging:	$ 229
Airplane(s):
Total Airplane(s) / Insurance:	$ 1020 / $ 132
Buses / Trains / Taxis & Rides:	€ 3 S-bahn € 34 DB Flensburg € 6 Bus
Total Transportation:	$ 80
Food:	€ 10 soup & Glühwein € 7 subway tmr lunch € 12 Rewe groceries
Total Food:	$ 111

On the Road

Up at 7:45 a.m. for a shower, then breakfast down in the cafeteria and check out.

Had a small issue understanding how to get to the train station. A very nice gentleman on the rapid transit system walked with me partway to make it easier to get to the train station.

So I'm now on the train to Flensburg.

Arrived in Flensburg on schedule. The youth hostel is approximately 2 mi from the train station. Since the most interesting part of the city is on the way, I'm going to take some time to explore.

Made it into the altstadt (historical part) of the city and walked around for a while. It has the old city traditional European charm. Through the main shopping district which is pedestrian only. Boutique shops, restaurants and other kinds of stores. Lots of street vendors and decorative sheds add to the atmosphere.

About 1 p.m., I wanted to get to the hostel to get cleaned up. It was a long walk, but I took a break alongside one of the many marinas and finished my bratwurst and roasted almonds from yesterday. The view was beautiful. Then continued on the road to the the hostel.

Checked in and quickly discovered that I had left mine power adapter back in Hamburg.

The receptionist helped me figure out how to catch a bus back into town since it was a long distance. That went smoothly. I found the upscale shopping mall and found an electronic store inside where I was able to buy another adapter.

Since I was back in the city center, I decided to visit a couple of the sites.

So first I want to send Nikolai church but it was under construction and not open. Somewhat disappointing as I was in the mood to sit and reflect for a couple of minutes.

Walking down the street towards the ship museum, I came across another church that coincidentally happened to be open.

So I stepped inside and discovered it to be a simple but meaningful experience inside this less decorative, but still beautiful church.

I discovered that there were ship models inside the church. Not precisely sure the significance.

From there, I made my way to the ship Museum where I saw an enjoyable film and the history of flensburg and 16 and 17th century Trading. Turns out to be a mixed history of commercial success and involvement with the slave trade.

I saw a 20-minute movie in english depicting the awful life of people in those times, just trying to survive, and that one of the escape routes was to become a sailor. However, that meant you spent half your life away from home in order to support your family, all the while being subject to attacks from pirates, naval forces of other countries and of course brutal weather.

By the time I got back to the hostel, I had three additional roommates. The man is from France. One woman is from Switzerland, and I haven't met the other woman yet.

Took a quick trip to the supermarket REWE down the street. Noodles with ham and pineapple. Bread with melted cheese. Cut pineapple. Mineral water. That's dinner.

This hostel in Flensburg is more basic than in Hamburg. At this one the showers and WC are down at the end of the hall.

Lots of German practice today: taking the train, buying the adapter, at the museum, on the bus trips, in the hostel, talking with a man with his dog, and shopping for food.

Meaningful Moment

It's interesting to me how I've had three experiences that brought back memories of my time in the Navy.

Starting with the U-Boat tour in Hamburg yesterday, then today with blind luck coming across a church somehow related to shipping, and then visiting the Ship Museum where I saw the film on the life of sailors in the 16th and 17th centuries.

It's been 30 years plus since I retired from the Navy. Sometimes I can barely remember those times, and sometimes I can't get those times out of my head.

I think I can safely say say that my time in the Navy was the best of times and the worst of times.

In the end it was worth it all.

I can't imagine trading or giving it up for anything. I have been so many places, seen so many amazing things, live through so many amazing experiences and so on and so on.