Stade

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We were away by 7.30 again. This was going to be an interesting day just trying to get through Hamburg and further along the Elbe

The tide was out as we rode along the waterside bikeway. This is the 3rd time we’ve passed through Hamburg and I’d forgotten just how ugly it can be in the city centre
The world heritage listed Speicherstadt was once the shipping warehouse centre of the city. It is now used for appartments and most of the cities museums
At one end of the block is the head office of Der Speigel. The largest newspaper company in Germany .quite a contrast !
The city cycleways are suburb and more people were using them to commute than cars I think. That old cast iron railway behind Christine, is still in use.

The downside of all the bike riders is they are all hurrying to get to work and it can be quite dangerous. Stressed us out !

Here it is. The Elbetunnel. It will hold a horse and cart

The tunnel has been in use since 1911 and was built to get the thousands of dockside workers across the river to the dock lands . In winter fog and ice made ferry crossing erratic . It’s just been refurbished with 360,000 tiles in each tunnel either replaced or polished .

450 metres long and 23 metres below sea level. We rode to the other side and back
From there we went up to St Paulis red light district to look up the Indira club It was here the Beatles first performed. Ewen’s request !
Beatles Platz . We found the boys but this area is so sleazy now with homeless people lying around that we couldn’t be bothered looking for the club. Sorry Ewen
Paul McCartney was playing where just 20 years earlier , this Paul was being taken away to a concentration camp. A group of people have endeavoured to put a plaque outside every Jewish house where the people were taken away all over Europe
We were advised to take the ferry downstream to Finkenwerder to avoid a bad piece of path. Then we had to take one BACK again to the north side of the river
The rivers getting wider as we bike on to Weddel. This is the 3rd yacht club we’ve passed along this stretch. I counted 50 Optimist yachts in these racks and another 40 in the next club along
Trouble is although the river is wide, the shipping channel is just 150 metres off shore . Those ship captains must have one hell of a job weaving in and out of those kids
Coffee . Hallelujah! There were more ships going by than cars!
Then we were at Weddel. This will be our last Ferry crossing over the Elbe. I’ve lost count of how many it’s been
Weddel calls itself the welcoming point to Hamburg. Each ship that passes on its way up to the port get a LOUD ‘Welcome to Hamburg’ then they play the national anthem of the ships home country. So Funny!
Luhe
This lady was on board with us and was on her way to Stade as well just to see a friend. Her trip was 20km with the bike ,or 86 if she took her car. She actually beat us there
Stade. We’ve had the raincoats on and off all afternoon so it’s good to arrive
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