Sunday, September 20, 2009
Week 3 - Critical bar review
Strand Pauli
Hamburg seems to be tailor-made for beach clubs. A metropolis located in the north of Germany, though miles away from the ocean; has mastered the implementation of several prosperous beach clubs throughout the city. If you would like to exchange the big city life for a moment of relaxing atmosphere, the best bar to go to is the Strand Pauli Beach Club.
Also called the “gateway to the world” based on its vital harbor and economic activity, the nevertheless very green city is one of the most beautiful ones of Germany. Hamburg is modern, friendly, cosmopolitan and full of contrasts. One of the poorest but also most colorful districts is Sankt Pauli; located next to the harbor and home of the famous Reeperbahn, also called the ‘most sinful mile of Germany’. This is not at least the reason why the area is popular for many rustic taverns, bars, pubs, live clubs, discotheques, and cafes in which already the Beatles performed.
Strand Pauli, as the name reveals already, is located in this district and placed directly on the Elbe river. It is only 350 meters from the train station ‘Landungsbruecken’ and on the opposite site of dock 10. With the view over the harbor, giant ships, its unique relaxing atmosphere and mostly self-made facilities, the club is definitely without a set target group and enjoyable for everyone. In comparison to its closest competitors, Hamburg City Beach Club, Largo Bay, and Del Mar, on the top of a parking level and only minutes away, which are said to be far more trendy and chic.
A number of places to sit down, lay down, swing in or to rest in the sand, invite together with bonfires and an exceptional mixture of jazz, blues, and soul to forget about the big city life. Despite its informal ambiance, the bar offers a high variety of special events that can be enjoyed with a cool cocktail under palm trees. Every night is presented under a different theme, for example are there BBQ nights, tango evenings, or live music by guest musicians. A feature is also that the location is rentable for special occasions.
The Strand Pauli beach club is the best bar to go to in Hamburg to enjoy a cool drink and feel the sand between your toes. The rather casual alternative with snow white sand beach, bast sunshades and wooden benches, persuades not least because of its great choice of music, but also for the blend of people that are coming to relax. The bar is no longer a secret or insider tip, and therewith enjoyed by many people.
‘Hamburg und Umgebung fuer Hamburger’ by Marco Polo
(a travel guide) says about Strand Pauli that it is “unrivalled beautiful” and the view to the harbor is “magnificent”. (page 142)
Beachclubs in Hamburg - StrandPauli by TVenty (watch a review on youtube)
Strand Pauli
Hafenstrasse 89
20359 Hamburg
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 12pm – 11pm, Saturday 11am – 12am, Sunday 10am – 12am
Special events:
Tuesdays from 7:30pm – Tango (also for beginner)
Wednesdays & Sundays from 7pm – Hamburg music live
Sundays after 10am – Breakfast on the Elbe
For more information visit the webpage of the beach club:
See this page for other beach clubs in Hamburg:
http://www.hamburg.de/beachclubs/ (available in English)
For more impressions about Hamburg ‘Hamburg, the movie’:
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Week 1 - Book review
Book Review
A Short history of nearly everything
By Bill Bryson
Copyright © Bill Bryson 2003
Doubleday edition published 2003
Black Swan edition published 2004
A Black Swan Book/ ISBN 0552151742
Winner of the aventis prize for science books 2004
I came to the book after having read several brilliant travel books of the author
(for example „In a sunburned country“) already, and therefore associating his
name written on a book cover with an high amount of entertainment.
In contrast to his previous books is this book about "how it happened – in particular,
how we went from there being nothing at all to there being something, and then how
a little of that somehow turned into us, and also some of what happened in between
and since." (p. 20)
Bill Bryson is questioning science about how we know, what we know and how we
discover the known. It took him about three years to write this book, in which he truly
impressively indeed covers nearly everything. From the big bang to geology, chemistry,
thermodynamics and much more.
He accomplished to not only write about famous scientists and discoverer, but also about
obscure people with strange theories. The book has been visibly written with interest,
curiosity and humor and is even though it covers a usually dull topic, good to read. In fact,
I could not stop reading about microbes, atoms and cosmology and felt rather impressed than discouraged by the huge amount of information. Not least because he is not using a jargon,
the strength of Bill Bryson is that he started his curiosity with knowing pretty much nothing
about these topics. The book he then wrote close to the understanding of an average reader
and holds his hand throughout the entire reading time.
Therewith, Bill Bryson achieved to place his book, with a rather less popular topic like
science, nevertheless on the bestseller list and wrote an oeuvre that I do not want to miss in
my book shelve anymore.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune says, "A Short History of Nearly Everything is everything a
book should be -- informative, engaging, well styled, rewarding both for the information it
provides and the art that shapes it."
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