Hamburg, Germany (12/13/2017 - 12/17/2017)

Hamburg was a city on my to-visit list for the longest time, given how many good things I've heard about it over the years. It did not disappoint.  It is Germany's second largest city, with a rich history (having once been an independent city state and still a major trading port), and really pleasant architecture.  It is also the (contested) origin of the hamburger.

We arrived to Hamburg by train, which was a bit strange considering there was a body of water between Denmark and Germany on our route. It turns out, the train went onto the boat, which was the first time I've ever seen such a thing.

Like in Copenhagen, there was one clear attraction that made Hamburg extremely memorable, and that's the Miniatur Wunderland - I thought I'd visit for an hour and leave, and ended up spending half a day. The meticulous attention to detail and sheer amount of work put into this was staggering.

Hamburg itself was great - very walkable, nice architecture (some of which on the canals reminded me a little of Chicago), and good food.  A very livable city and understand why some of my good friends call it home.

Miniatur Wunderland