Hamburg - Day 1
Leaving for this trip to Germany felt quite different from my last visit. Previously, I had spent just eight full days there, but this time my journey would stretch to sixteen—excluding travel days. My flight from DIA was a red-eye to Heathrow, departing at 6:30 p.m. Conveniently, right across from my gate was Williams & Graham, a surprisingly elegant speakeasy-style bar tucked inside the airport. I stopped in for a cocktail and a comforting bowl of French onion soup before boarding.
A very sleepy Ashley landed in Heathrow—disoriented, lost, and running on fumes. After weaving through the terminal for what felt like forever, I realized everyone was being funneled into yet another security line. Apparently, I had to go through screening again. Of course, I still had a full tumbler of water, and the security agent was less than kind about it. She insisted I either drink the entire thing or toss it. Since it wasn’t a disposable bottle, someone eventually took pity on me and dumped it out. I was exhausted and irritated, counting the hours until my connection.
After a six-hour layover, I finally boarded my flight to Hamburg. Once I arrived, I made my way to my hostel, where the man at the front desk kept apologizing as he checked me in. He said he hated putting women in “those rooms.” I quickly found out why—four rooms shared a single toilet and a mixed-gender shower.
The next morning, still jet-lagged, I climbed down from the top bunk and accidentally startled the guy sleeping below me. He let out a loud scream, and honestly, I couldn’t help but laugh—it made me feel just a little better about the whole situation.
When I travel, I like to plan plenty of things to do—but I keep those plans flexible. They’re more like ideas than a strict itinerary, leaving room to follow whatever feels right in the moment. Thankfully, my hostel was conveniently close to a train station, which made it easy to get around Hamburg.
That morning, I started the day with a pastrami bagel and a delicious cup of coffee before heading out to explore. I wandered along the Landungsbrücken piers, admiring the mix of old and modern architecture and taking in the impressive Elbphilharmonie from the outside. From the waterfront, I watched container ships and boats move gracefully along the Elbe River—a perfect, easy start to the trip.
One of the spots I was most excited to visit was the International Maritime Museum. The building itself feels like a treasure chest—nine “decks” filled with more than 38,000 miniature ships, along with oil paintings, nautical instruments, old uniforms, maps, telescopes, and all kinds of maritime memorabilia. My favorite find was a yellow model ship displayed in front of a painting; when I snapped a photo, it looked like the ship was sailing right into the artwork. Only on a closer look could you tell they were two separate pieces—a perfect little illusion that captured the magic of the place.
I’ve always loved photographing street art, and Germany does not disappoint—there seemed to be vibrant graffiti around every corner, each piece more creative than the last. Later that day, back at the hostel, I met one of my roommates, Oualid, an Algerian beekeeper on his way to Copenhagen for a conference. We ended up going out that evening for drinks at a nearby bar, swapping stories and laughing over how random travel connections can turn into some of the best memories.
