Last saturday, around 7:00 in the morning, a loud sound that we have never heard at this particularly time of the day woke us up: a Ship horn. It lasted around 5 minutes (that felt like hours at that time of the morning), but we fell asleep again. Later that day, I asked my wife if she had heard the sound as well. Yes she had, she told me. It was strange, as we do not live near the port and it was the very first time we have heard that, since we arrived in Hamburg. Of course we have heard the ship horns when we were around the port area, but not when we were at home.
On saturday night, we went to the port to see a parade of ships, part of the Cruise Days event. In fact, days before, the Queen Mary 2 was here, and I got some photos of this huge cruise, but that's a subject for another day. Anyway, the parade included 2 or 3 of the bigger cruises from Germany: the Deustchland (which my wife told me appears in a TV program in Germany), and the AIDA, the biggest cruise from Germany.
We left a bit late from our place, and when we arrived at the Port, it was crowded. People from everywhere wanted to see the show. (In fact when the Queen Mary 2 arrived, at 02:00 in the morning, around 20,000 people were there to see it). But we managed to get a relatively good place to see the parade, almost at the front.
It started 15 minutes after we arrived. First a Russian Ship (old style, very nice), the Deustchland, later, and in-between, smaller ships. And then we heard it again: the ship horn from the morning. My wife and myself look at ourselves and said: aaahhh!! that was it!!! It was the Ship Horn from the Aida.
But this time was different. I realised how much I liked the sound. It was loud but really nice. It gave me goosebumps. I have never thought of the power of such a sound. At least for me. It felt like something huge, majestic, omnipotent. I don't know, it makes you think of the sea, of sailing long distances, I just can't describe it.
I did record a small video of the Aida Cruise and the sound of the Ship Horn. Up there it is.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Hamburg Cruise Days and the Aida Cruise
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2 comments:
I clicked over to your site from the FT's expat blog. Love your stories of Hamburg life.
We travel there to visit relatives as much as possible from LA, (not easy w/4 kids). Wish we could afford to retire there!
Mönckebergstraße -
http://render-2.snapfish.com/render2/is=Yup6aQQ%7C%3Dup6RKKt%3Axxr%3D0-qpDPfRt7Pf7mrPfrj7t%3DzrRfDUX%3AeQaQxg%3Dr%3F87KR6xqpxQQQaxQllxaa0xv8uOc5xQQQGGJJaoleQPqpfVtB%3F*KUp7BHSHqqy7XH6gX0QPG0%7CRup6lQQ%7C/of=50,590,442
Dear Kendall
Thank you very much. It is nice to read that someone likes the blog. And the photo of your kids is great.
In fact, now that I have a job, my wife and me are planning to have family the next year. We already have a name if is a girl. =)
Consider yourself lucky you are in LA, the winter here can be cold and a little bit depressing.
Best regards!
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