#Hamburg

Two days in Hamburg highlights below!

Upon our arrival in Hamburg from Stuttgart, we were immediately greeted by the Hamburg Central Station (Hamburg Hauptbahnhof). It serves as a railway network for both local (S-Bahn) )and high-speed Intercity-Express (ICE) train services, which we noticed parked adjacent to our platform. Its construction was a significant engineering and architecture achievement: a vast iron and glass shed covered the tracks.

After dropping off our luggage at our hotel, we embarked on a 1.5-boat tour. My attention was immediately drawn to the building: the Hamburg Concert Hall (Elbphilharmonie Hamburg), located in the City quarter of Hamburg. This building features three concert halls, a hotel, residential apartments, and some public spaces that offer panoramic views of the city and harbor. Known for its architectural splendor and acoustical excellence, the construction of the Elbphilharmonie is also marked by significant financial over-budget and delays, like Stuttgart 21 we saw just a few days prior.

Next, we encountered the second-largest container ship in the world, operated by the HMM company, which was based in South Korea. This ship can carry astounding 24,000 containers at once.

On the second day morning, we visited the H&R petrochemical company. They are known for refining crude oil into a variety of byproducts. Currently, they are actively seeking partnerships to source their recycled raw materials from end-of-life plastics and tires, showcasing their commitment to sustainability. What truly amazed me was learning that H&R is among the top three or four players globally engaged in researching and developing hydrogen fuel. This cutting-edge work is aimed at revolutionizing future transportation, with potential applications in both airplanes and vehicles. Moreover, H&R announced their plans to produce the first volumes of e-diesel from their pilot plant in Hamburg by 2024, with ambitions to start a commercial-scale e-kerosene facility by 2027, which marks a significant leap towards cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions.

Lastly, we visited the Hamburg Townhall (Hamburger Rathaus)this morning, which is located in the heart of Hamburg, Germany. This impressive building serves as the seat of Hamburg’s government, housing the city’s Senate and Parliament. According to the signs, this new Town Hall was built to replace the old city hall, which was destroyed in the great fire of 1842.

Wir sehen uns in Berlin!!