London - Copenhagen - Hamburg - Bremen

So had Anna´s Church Charity Ball on Friday 6th, was back up to Newcastle and home again in just over 24 hours. On Sunday I went to London to see the GC girlies. We had picnic lunches in Green Park, wandered to Buckingham Palace, went shopping in Debenhams and John Lewis on Oxford St, stopping for J2Os in the cafe in JL and went to Westminster and had McFlurries cos it was boiling.

Then on Tues morning, I flew to CPH from Bham - it was that morning that I learnt Donald Trump is a distant relative of mine!!!! Had a little explore once Id found my hostel, went to a supermarket for a few snacky things and chilled out in the hostel with Youri (French-British) and Arthur (Romanian) - and met Micah from the US as well as 2 US girls and a Canadian guy. On Wedsnesday, the weather was crap - I still managed to do the walking tour all the same, stopping at a cafe or 2 along the way for shelter. In the eve I went out for another explore and to 2 bars with Micah and we ended up in Pasta Basta for tea around 10pm!

On Thurs, went to Christiania with Micah and saw the clock in the Radhus. There was a free party for an hour or 2 in the main square where i drank a bit of free wine and beer, and got 3 free sausages - took an age to queue though. It was thrown by the council to celebrate the fact that CPH is the Worlds Best City according to some magazine.Then had falafel from a stand and went to Heidis bar and The Moose with Micah and Subramani, originally from Dubai, now living in Washington DC. Also went to the Frihedsmuseet at some point and spent a long time in Tourist Information, didnt manage to have a BBQ with Arthur or go some club where he works.

Got to Hamburg around 2pm yesterday. Got the shock of my life when I looked up from my book on the train to see that wed rolled onto a ferry! Had to get off for 45 minutes to go up to the deck where I had a disgusting spag bol for lunch. Hamburg hostel was v sterile and the staff werent v helpful but otherwise was ok, didnt do anything yesterday evening really - spent an hour booking hostels as far as Constance and have just spent an hour and a half now booking the rest. Wondered round the HUGE station, had a much-needed nap and read. This morning I checked out and wondered from the Hauptbahnhof to the Kunsthalle, to the Rathaus, to St Nikolai Church, where I went up in the lift, to St Michaelis Church to Landungsbrucken port area, to the St Pauli Fischmarkt, where I completely accidentally left the cafe without paying for my sandwich - oops. Every now and then I have to remind myself to remember to pay after my meal, since they dont charge you when you order - even if you go up to the till, like I did. Have only had 2 sit-down meals so far, which is still more than I was anticiapting by this stage.

Stopped for a yummy cheap white chocolate moccha, and then went to Reeperbahn (redlight district) tried to wander down the illegal Hebertstrasse, but a hooker eventually stopped me - everyone else was, blatantly tourists too! Also ended up in some free temporary funfair thing, but never found out what it was in aid of. That took less time than I expected so since Id already checked out and there wasnt much else for me to do - I did all that was suggested to me and more at Tourist Information - I went back to my hostel at Konigstrasse on the metro and caught an earlier train here. (I got a train at 3.30 instead of 8.30) Hostels here were all booked out tonight so Ive had to go for a hotel!!!! I obviously considered staying on an extra night in Hamburg so as not to have to stay in the hotel here tonight, but all the hostels were booked up in Hamburg tonight too! Its cheap here I suppose as far as hotels go, but Im not v happy. 59 euros. Although I do get my own room and a TV. But I went for shared bathroom, obviously cos its cheaper.

Have plans to see Anmarkt, Rathaus, Dom-Museum St Pedri, Bottcherstrasse, Schnoorviertel, Wallanglen, Kunsthalle, St Martini Kirsche and maybe Ostertorsteinweg near Am Dobben tomorrow before my morning train to Cologne on Monday. So Im moving to a hostel just down the road tomorrow morning. I tend to just admire things form the outside cos a) its quicker and so I see more and b) I dont want to pay entrance fees. Unless its meant to be spectacular, or free, I dont go inside, so I just walk round and round cities for a few hours.