Five Things I Miss About Hamburg

Moving to a new place always means adjustments. In my first few weeks in Munich there are a few differences I’ve noticed that will take a little time for me to work through.

These remind me of those thermometers
used during fundraising campaigns.
These two are rare, in that they show the
whole line. In many stations, you only get
half the thermometer, and have to search the
station for a map to confirm the direction
in which you need to travel.

Transportation System

I will admit a bias in this regard. Hamburg’s system of rail, bus, and ferry had become very familiar, and therefore easy for me to navigate. 

So much so, that I have found myself in these first few weeks in Munich just showing up at the local U-Bahn station and realizing I have no idea how to get to where I want to go! 

To its credit, Munich has more flexible fare options for casual travelers. But the signage in stations could use some help, especially the ones that serve as route “maps” for the trains.

Cost of Living

As I pointed out in my previous blog, Hamburg has a huge advantage on pricing with things that come in bulk through the port. 

Not so in Munich. Housing is more expensive, groceries are more expensive, and the Kaufinger Straβe area in Munich is one of the top 10 most expensive shopping districts in the world.

Enjoying time on the grand canal at Munich's
Schloss Nymphenburg. More of this, please!

Waterways

Munich has the Isar River, which is lovely, and the surf channel in the English Garden, which is cool. 

But in Hamburg you’re never too far from the Elbe, the Alster lakes, or the city's extensive canals and multitudes of ponds.

Somehow, it made the city feel incredibly alive and soothingly at rest at the same time.

FC St. Pauli Fervor

FC Bayern Munich is the German soccer team. They’ve been around more than a century, they’re one of the most successful European teams on the international front, and they have their own TV channel. Yet the local fervor I’ve seen for them (so far) does not match the fervor for Hamburg’s second-tier soccer team. 

Maybe it’s that FC Bayern is now an institution, and FC St. Pauli still feeds underdog dreams. There was a strong populist vibe around everything St. Pauli, and it was a nice counterpoint to Hamburg's usual outward reserve.

I guess that yearning is universal, because I was walking through downtown Munich this week and saw, amidst the many FC Bayern, souvenir, and Lederhosen and Dirndl shops, a store devoted to...FC St. Pauli.

Uncongested Exploration

Even though Hamburg beats out Munich as Germany’s second-largest city, Munich is clearly the more popular tourist destination. 

While there are some benefits to that, the major downside for me is…more tourists. 

When I avoided traveling during rush hour in Hamburg, I could enjoy crowd-free days of wandering the city. 

In Munich, the trains are, shall we say, “well-populated,” and we’re not even in high tourist season yet. Hopefully I can hit most of the big attractions before summer arrives!

My minor, picky grumbles aside, I feel a excitement about exploring in Munich and beyond. I’ve already discovered many things I enjoy about the city, including an inspiring undercurrent of energy. 

In that, I'm not alone. Last week, we had dinner with some of Larry's colleagues. One man was touting the many great things about living in Munich, so I asked if he grew up here. 

He looked at me in mock indignation and said, "I grew up in Germany, not Bavaria!"

He laughed, but it's not the first time I've heard a hard line drawn between life here and the rest of the country. 

I'm definitely looking forward to discovering what makes this place tick!