Hamburg—Honestly, I’m not sure how Hamburg ended up on this list of places we might retire. Mi Esposa and I sat together one Saturday night at a table on the square here in Decatur and made a list of places to consider, and Hamburg was on there. So I’m diving in.
But like Manhattan or Philadelphia, it looks much more like a place to retire from, not to.
That’s not to say Hamburg isn’t a great city. It’s a vibrant, culturally rich metropolis which can make legitimate claims as the birthplace of everything from Brahms to the Beatles. It’s got it all, but it’s fast, grey, and expensive.
The Naughty Bits
In fact, the Beatles time in Hamburg sounds pretty emblematic for the city overall—four one-hour sets every night, seven days a week. Four hours of the Beatles in one night sounds like a lot of fun, but doing it seven days a week also sounds kind of exhausting. George Harrison called it the “most naughty city in the world.”
I think “naughty” has a darker overtone for that Liverpudlian than it does for us here in the US.
The city’s population of 1.7 million is about the same as Manhattan. Sitting about 70 miles upriver on the Elbe from the North Sea, Hamburg is Germany’s largest port city and its gateway to the world’s oceans.
It has been a major cultural crossroads for most of its twelve-century history, but is most noted these days for its classical, opera, and jazz scenes. Of course, there’s a thriving independent music and club scene that has little in common with the world-famous Elbphilharmonie concert hall. As an international hub, it also features some of the best dining in the world.
One of my evaluation categories is the need for a thriving aldstadt. Hamburg certainly has one, but in a city as modern and international as this, it comes off as a Six Flags Over Hamburg affair.
But it doesn’t offer much in terms of scenery. Of course, the North Sea is a short drive or cruise away, and that’s beautiful in an Ingmar Bergman kind of way, but there’s not much as far as mountains and vineyards to be had.
Let’s check the board.
Overall score: 3.89
I’m not surprised by the overall low ranking. Hamburg looks like a Mercedes convertible. Sure, it’s a gorgeous car, but that high-tech engine does no good to someone who seldom tops 75 mph. I’m interested in a vibrant cultural scene, but I imagine living in a place like Hamburg would mean that there was some vibrant culture happening every damned day and night. And most nights, I’d rather Netflix and chill. And by “chill,” I mean fall asleep on the couch. I already live in a busy, hectic international city.
And although I dislike the heat in the South, Hamburg’s grey winters don’t seem like much of a draw. Hell, I grew up in Buffalo, New York, and I have a sentimental, nostalgic appreciation for them, but Mi Esposa has a touch of seasonal affective disorder, and a home on the North Sea seems like a bad choice.
Like that Mercedes, it’s also very expensive. In many ways, this feels like evaluating a move to New York City.
I think Hamburg is for engaging, weeklong visits during the summer, but I’m voting no.
Song of the Week
You thought there was a Beatles song coming, but no.
For something around fifteen of the last twenty years, I’ve posted Bob Dylan’s Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts to Facebook around this time of year.
This year is no different.
It’s a ritual for me. As a professional festival director, I am forever grateful to Dylan for opening one of his best, most intriguing songs with the line, “The festival was over, and the boys were all planning for a fall.”
This past Saturday, we held Ideas Festival at the Emory’s Oxford Campus. It was a lot of fun, and we all got to close out the day with a singalong with Rosanne Cash to Will the Circle Be Unbroken.
As you might expect, the days after a festival present an interesting opportunity for someone whose work is tied to an annual event. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but I do make post-festival commitments. It’s a time to reset and refocus on what’s important. In some ways, it’s like working a night shift. You set your schedule differently than the rest of the world. The morning after you wrap up a festival, the rest of the world goes back to work, and I sit down with a pad and write down the things I want to make happen in the coming year. I think of it as the starting gun for a year’s worth of “I should try that someday” stuff. Jack of Hearts Day is my own private holiday—it’s like Festivus, but without the airing of grievances.
It's just as important to know what you don't want as much as what you do.
I hope your Festival of Ideas was a grand success. May the Circle Be Unbroken.
Hamburg sounds a lot like Hibbing. Great story, Daren! ❤️