For two weeks we had been in Münster, learning the city and settling in. Then suddenly it was time for our first class excursion. All 11 students in tow of Professor Steding headed to Hamburg on a Thursday morning. The two-hour train ride there showed a wet and cold German winter day. Despite being across the ocean from the fields of Iowa a few members of the group started calling the area “wet Iowa” because of the resemblance to the flat farm outland that borders the bluff country. After two hours of admiring inundated fields we arrived in the Hamburg area. The city is a very small area considering it is one of the 16 German federal states and has the second most residents in Germany behind only the capital Berlin.

On our first day we made a whirlwind tour of the inner city led by our fearless leader Professor Steding. From walking under the Alba River to seeing the famous city hall of Hamburg it felt like we had seen everything there was to see. What did we need all the upcoming days for? The short answer is a lot. Hamburg is a very old but also a very rich city. Existing as an independent and sovereign state until the unification of Germany in 1871, the city prospered as a trading city, and the maritime tradition continues into modern times. Hamburg boasts many museums filled with great works of art and intriguing exhibits. The leading two favorites of the group are the miniature wonderland, a collection of model-sized scenes and buildings from around the world, and the Hamburg art museum, where we were able to see pieces from Goya and David Friedrich along with the extensive modern and medieval art collections.  

Sundays are slow days in Germany. Most shops are closed in accordance with German laws and public transit runs on a reduced schedule. With constricted options in the city this was an excellent opportunity to go on a trip away from our trip. The island of Sylt has been described to me as the Martha’s Vineyard of Germany. Surrounded by the north sea Sylt is full of vacation homes of the rich and famous, a sandy beach, and a quaint city around the main train station for the island. This island is known as a great summer vacation spot but it isn't too bad in the winter either. It was supposed to rain the entirety of the day but luck was on our side and it stopped early enough that some of us got our feet wet and one even went for a full swim in the 4°C sea.

Leaving Hamburg was harder than I imagined. It was a city so full of things to see and do it seemed like there was not enough time to see and do everything. The class trips are introductions to the city in addition to being an educational experience. One of the great things about the Münster Semester is the three-day weekends, which gives opportunities for small groups or individuals to travel back to places like Hamburg.