Over the MLK, Jr. holiday, we took a train up to Hamburg.  This was our third visit to the city and we’ve concluded that this is a great place, even in the middle of winter.  It’s windy and cold, but seeing the ships docked and knowing the North Sea is so close just makes it fun.  Hamburgers seem to be a special kind of people, fiercely independent and full of fun.

A perfect example of this spirit is the Sunday morning “Fish Market” down by the wharf.  This market is open every Sunday morning from 7:30-10:30am in the winter and from 5:00am in the summer.  Naturally, there’s fresh fish for sale from the local vendors.  But there are also vegetable sellers and sellers of all kinds of stuff.  And, of course there’s live music inside the pavilion with early morning beer flowing.  Some of the folks are still in full swing from Saturday night, having migrated over to the market from nearby Reeperbahn, the hub of Hamburg nighttime entertainment.