Trip to Hamburg October, 2008

I had to go to a conference in Hamburg Germany and give a presentation on advanced oxidation technology in the production of carbon fiber. While I was there I took a day to walk around and see the town.

The best thing to do in Hamburg is visit a store called "Baeren Treff". It is a store that sells only the best gummi candy on the planet. No exageration. I got the idea off of trip advisor and stopped by to get some gummy bears. I purchased a bag called fruit salad, and then didn't try it till I got home. Those were the best candies I have ever had. Next time I am in Hamburg, I will buy many bags.

Here are some select photos of Hamburg.

















Hamburg is known for its harbor. It is probably the most important thing to the city and the number one attraction. I dont really know why as it is just a harbor.
















The number two attraction is the Reeperbahn, which is translated into "mile of sin". I confess I did walk this section of town, but it was at 11am on a Monday. Not much happening here at this time. This picture is one stop on the mile. Imagine an entire mile of shops like this. This is a happening place at night. I was warned about getting a $30 cup of coffee (it comes with a bit more than coffee). Good thing I dont drink coffee...

This is St. Nicholas's Cathedral. It did not survive WW2 as well as some buildings. They have restored it as a memorial. You can see that the tower is still erect and now houses an elevator. the rest of the church is an open air park. The statue give you the impression of how they must have felt after the church was destroyed.

Trip to Prague, September 27th 2008

Here are pictures of my trip to Prague in September. I was only there for a single day, but I had the chance to take a walking tour and to explore around town. There was some beautiful buildings and bridges (Charles Bridge). The most amazing thing about Prague is that there was no fighting here during WW2. All the buildings are very old and in great condition.


The food here is wonderful. I ate at a restaurant at night and had beef in gravy with potato dumplings. The rest of the time I stopped by markets to pick up food to eat while I walked. I love fresh bread rolls and a piece of fruit while hiking around.


Well here are some photos of things I liked in Prague.

















This is a view from Prague Castle. There were many artists here painting views of the old city.


















This is Charles Bridge. It is the famous bridge with all of the statues on it. My walking tour included a boat ride down the Vltava river. There is better pictures of Charles Bridge available on the web. The best is the photos at dawn and dusk.



















In the old town square there is a church (Tyn Cathedral) that has the most beautiful towers. This is probably my favorite gothic church I have seen yet. At night the towers are lit green and the windows glow bright orange. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera when I went out at night.























This is the astronomical clock. This is pretty impressive seeing these were built in the 15th century to keep track of seasons, moon phases and the month and day of the year.






















When the sun is low in the western sky, the rossette in the Chapel in Prague castle (St. Vitus's Cathedral) illuminates and casts a brilliant red glow throughout the cathedral.

You can see the outside of King Wenceslas tomb inside the catherdral at Prague Castle






















This is the tomb of Good King Wenceslas (from the Christmas carol)

This is a view of the west bank of the Vltava river looking into the sunset. You can see the Castle on the hill.