Christmas is a special occasion in the year spent with very special people. Normally one celebrates the season with loved ones such as the family and special friends. This is how most of my holiday seasons were spent for the past years. As I normally cannot be with my family who are scattered all over the world, I stay with close friends in Europe. This time I joined Jonas Hermes in Hamburg, Germany. Jonas has been a close buddy to me as we have spent a year in Brazil together. He was doing his social service for the German government in the same seamen’s centre where I was doing my PhD fieldwork. From then on we have been inseparable.





It was a good opportunity to join him as both of his parents and sister were away in Singapore. We celebrated Christmas in the house of his Grandma Irmgard together with his Aunt Dorita. It is a cozy home where Jonas’s father spent his childhood. The house was fully-adorned with decorations making one feel the strong presence of Christmas.

The Hermes family is a closely-knit one. It was a pleasure being with them this season. This was my very first Christmas in Germany. As in any other place in Europe, the season is white with snow. I realized this is how Christmas is always portrayed globally as shown by cards in the Philippines. Despite the cold, white Christmas will always be cherished.





Christmas Eve was first spent in the church. Germany has a strong Christian tradition. Churches are full of people making the place festive. It reminded me of how we celebrate Christmas in the Philippines. Christmas dinner followed. Grandma Irmgard prepared a sumptuous meal complete with appetizers, main dish and desert. That was indeed a lovely dinner. Of course, the night won’t be complete without the traditional gift-giving. I received an assortment of presents to my delight. I was a bit ashamed though since I was not prepared for the tradition thus I didn’t have anything for them. With all the gifts I received and a new family I gained it was worth spending the yuletide with the Hermes family.

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We headed out to town the following day to visit Hamburg. Despite the fact that I have been here a few times before it always brings pleasure to visit again. It is because Hamburg is a port city with a lot of maritime history. It is the third largest port in Europe and the eighth in the world. A few years back I was here to do some research when I was writing a chapter for a book on maritime health.





Hamburg is rich and an important home to numerous industries. As a city-state the mayor functions more like a state leader. Thanks to its vibrant past and its proximity to the North Sea and Baltic Sea which made it an important trade route making the city wealthy. It’s domination of the transatlantic trade further built its assets and importance in trade and migration. This is one reason why it is a seat of global shipping and maritime industry. Now that the EU has enlarged, it plans to remain the largest deep-sea port in that region as it has easy access to Eastern Europe. All of the past and present maritime infrastructure can be seen as one walks along the port. Landungsbrücken is one of these tourist attractions.





With Hamburg’s religious past, observance of Christmas becomes a tradition. It is a Catholic seat and an important Protestant city. It was a centre of the Lutheran movement and received Protestants (and Jews) from other countries when they were expelled before. There are many churches attesting to this past. Though some of these were bombed during the war such as the famous ruins of St Nicholas which used to be the tallest building in the world for a certain period. St Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors.

Hamburg is a big city and is the second biggest in Germany and seventh in the EU. It is a major tourist destination thus making it a major industry. A typical visit brings tourists to the port, churches, museums and other places of historical importance—the red light district included. As many businesses and rich people settled in the city, many grand buildings were built adding to its beauty.

Hamburg remains one of the famous cities of the world. But never look for hamburgers. As German writer Siegfried Lenz said, “in Hamburg it's hard to find a native Hamburger”.

Happy holidays to one and all!

 

 

Munting Nayon News Magazine