Day 14: From Brunsbüttel to Hamburg

Date	15 Dec 2025
Total Spain 2025	245 miles.
Total Germany 2025	97 miles.
Total This Camino:	255 miles.
Total All Caminos:	2450miles
Lodging:	Jugendherberge Hamburg auf dem Stintfang @ € 47
Total Lodging:	$ 979
Total Airplane(s):	$ 1020 / $ 132
Buses / Trains / Taxis & Rides:	€ 5 bus to Itzehoe € 10 train to Hamburg Dammtor € 3 s-bahn
Total Transportation:	$ 151
Food:	€ 12 @ hostel
Total Food:	$ 381

On the Road

1:50 p.m. On the bus to Itzehoe where I change mode of transportation to the train to Hamburg. 

On the bus going over the Kiel Canal, using a super high bridge that I walked under this morning. Kind of ironic.

2:30 p.m. Arrive Itzehoe.

3:00 p.m. Depart Itzehoe. Must say the train station was not attractive. Really had a run down, homeless feeling.

On the train back, remembering all the fields and pastures and beaches and water that I've seen over the past 10 days.

4:10 p.m. Back in Hamburg

5:00 p.m. Arrived the hostel. 

5:30 p.m. Showered and unpacked. Time for a beer.

We're so very close to the winter solstice, that it is already night time in Hamburg.

6:15 p.m. Slamming down the the food here at the hostel cafeteria. It's the kind of  stuff I'm used to. It's a big variety of items, but the price is lower and the quality and presentation is a little lower, but I don't care. I'm stuffing myself.

     Along with having an Astra Urtyp, a Hamburg beer.

Meaningful Moment

Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do in Hamburg for 2 days.

Just booked a walking tour for 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.

Was going to do one for the afternoon, but there's nothing really available in English. There's a man that does tours in Spanish, but I am so not up to tackling another language. 

Now if Deb were here with me, you can bet that's the one she'd want to do 🙂

Hamburg Stroll

After having dinner in the hostel, went up and laid down for a little bit and then decided to take a night time stroll. 

Riverwalk

Started with the nearby Riverwalk because that's where the hostel is located.

Very pretty. Lots of really pretty ships, decorated out in lights. The Riverwalk itself is very well designed. Lots of terracing with seating and very convenient to get up and down to all the wharfs. Very nice. 

Business office area

After about half an hour, I turned left and the streets were fairly deserted. 

So after about another 15 minutes I turned another left into an office district, but looking at my map, I could see that I would eventually end back in the neighborhood of the youth hostel.  This is also where I spent my first two nights in Hamburg, so at least I will know where I am if I decide to head back.

St Michaelis Main church

It is around here that I walk past St Michaelis Main church. It is all lit up from the inside, which gives it a very distinct appearance from buildings lit up from the outside. It's quite beautiful.

It is a baroque Lutheran church known for its 132m-tall copper-covered spire, with city views from the top. 

If I have time, I'd like to visit.

St. Paulie district and the Reeperbahn. 

However, there are all kinds of lights up ahead so I continue walking straight on into the St. Paulie district and the neighboring Reeperbahn. 

St. Paulie is a party district. 

The Reeperbahn is a sex district. 

St. Paulie district 

There are people out and about strolling the streets and stuff. 

I came across the St. Paulie Weihnachtsmarkt so I thought I'd check it out. Turns out that it's has a very different vibe from the other Christmas markets I've been to. 

This Christmas Market has a spirit more in tune with the St. Pauli district and the neighboring Reeperbahn. 

I'd say about a third of the kiosks, instead of serving wine and bratwurst and and assorted foods, were oriented towards sex toys and sex games and various erotic things such as clothing and ornaments.

One stand was called "Oh holy Mary", and the drink servers were dressed as nuns. 

Others simply offered up very heavily erotic toys and stuff. lol 

Reeperbahn. 

So anyway, I have left the St. Pauli Christmas Market and am headed into the Reeperbahn district now. Can only go downhill.

Still in the Reeperbahn district. The continuous strip club after table dance after strip club atmosphere is a little tedious. 

I made it back to the Beatles Plaza which I found on my second day in Hamburg.

I've come full circle.

Heading home

It is after 10:00 p.m. and I'm ready to call it a night.

The great thing about the city rapid transit system is that the trains for both directions use the same platform, just opposite sides. 

Since I just took the train in the wrong direction, all I need to do was get off and walk 10 feet to the other side of the platform and wait. lol 

On subways you usually have to exit the platform, go up and over and come back down on the other side.

And that's it for the night. Back at the hostel and crawling into bed.