Weekend Walks 9/2013

Urban Idyll
My used-to-be living quarter, another nostalgic walk

My first walk took me to Ottensen, a part of Hamburg
which used to be my home for almost 20 years,
from 1983 until 2003.

The charme of this quarter is influenced by the mix
of living houses and small factories and workshops.

One of the characteristics is a large number of19th century
buildings in the style of neo-renaissance.

Most of the old workshops and factories have become
living houses or small media companies for graphics,
computer jobs, and art.

The backyards are a shady idyll, the houses get renovated
and equipped with new balconies.

During the late 19th and early 20th century
factories looked like cathedrals and expressed
the pride on Prussian industry -- Prussian,
because this place was not part of Hamburg
until 1937.

Even poorer people lived in houses with a certain
"palazzo"-appeal, some until today.

No color manipulation! These buildings shine in radiant
hues and are living buildings and small art or dance
workshops.

Some of these backyards have become remote, well-renovated
and probably expensive apartments.

The same place, about 2001. I took this picture from about
the same angle.

The house in this place, broken down in 1895, was called
"Long Misery". In the backyard of this house, the
cholera epidemy of 1892 started, due to infected water-
pumps. Today's views of the place were taken where
the small group of people are standing.

Rural Peace
On Sunday, we explored our living quarter in bright sunshine and cool wind.

Horses and geese are dining in harmony.

 Some come to see if we bring them goodies, alas -- we don't.

So they keep grazing underneath the big oaks, loaded with acorn.
As the wind shakes the oak, the fruit hit the grazing horses;
the white one panics, dashes away and complains about
evil treatment. He blames us.

Looks of reproach from his friends.

We  try to explain, but cannot convince.

An Open Air Museum in the North of Hamburg

Rural life in North Germany until early 20th century is reflected in a museum in Volksdorf, a northern suburb of my hometown.

 This is a rebuilt farmhouse, typical for the region.
See the intricate pattern of bricks.

 The hall contained a fireplace and was the room
where family and farm workers met.

 The male goat has found a very practical way to reach his food...

 A millstone, leaning to the wall

 This is the method how walls were built, mostly inside the house. The German word for wall, "Wand" was taken from the "winding" method of willow crops. The gaps were filled with a clay plaster.

 Museum entrance

 Goat watching a rooster

A typical farmhouse with a thatched roof and moss on it

 Bees were kept in such hives, made more or less in the same way
that houses were built

This boulder probably was an offering stone from pagan times. Liquids like milk or beer were probably poured into the ditch to please the gods.

And this is how milk was offered until the middle of the 20th century.