Today is blog day (: for catching up

on posts and relaxing with host

family; I am working on shorter
posts with images/bullet points
Around 2:00 pm went on a walk
around the neighborhood with
Markus and one of his
crime+social-political commentary
writer/poet colleague Christoph[er]
- we sat at a table outside a small
cafe/dessert shop and discussed
American and German politics,
history, writing with coffee and
lemon cake
From his friend, I learned more
about Markus band and knack for writing fiction stories - It seems Mr. Frederici is a man
of many diverse talents (coaching womens volleyball teams, playing music, directing
exchange/study abroad programs,
and secretive crime writing)
Markus parents visited in the
evening for more cake and coffee
(from the bakery)
Afterwards they left to a music hall
near the University for a
performance of a German
composer/musician popular with
older generations.
For dinner, Justus and his friends
had prepared Indian curry with rice
that they shared with the rest of the family. It was very good cooking with flavorful spices
and sauce.
When Markus left to pick up his parents after the concert, he
dropped me off in HafenCity by the International Maritime
Museum to meet with our group of UNC student teachers
visiting the Lange Nacht der Museen Hamburg at 22:00 Uhr.
The city at night is lit with colored lights that reflect off the
water and bridges in a fairly remarkable way.
http://www.langenachtdermuseen-hamburg.de/english/
Student discount price was 10 euros for unlimited museum
visits from 6:00 - 2:00 am with buses driving routes to the
different museums
We (Alex, Hannah, Kara, Ashley, Libby) visited the
Internationales Maritimes Museum in Hamburg. Lots of model
ships, pirates, lighthouses, rope knots, cannons and world
history explorers http://www.internationales-maritimesmuseum-hamburg.de/
Next we took a bus (301) to a plaza with German-American music and concessions
stations (pretzels, warm drinks, etc.) nearby an art gallery (kunst) and walked inside to a
small cafe. The buses were packed with people eager to visit all the museums. We took

the S Bahn from Landungsbrucken, near the famous watchtower by the harbor. Alex and
Libby had to return for a ride to Bergedorf with host families.
The final museum Hannah, Ashley and I visited was the Great Emigration Museum
(BallinStadt) Port of Dreams which traced the paths (lives) of individuals who were
influential in China, Japan, and the
United States (e.g. John Rabe).
The museum was set up in 6 pods
(original 19th century emigration halls)
that one travels between. However only
2 of the halls were open in condensed
format due to restorations the museum
was conducting. Luggage/suitcases
and two large scale models of the ships
emigrants took from Hamburg and
Germany were on display in glass cases. Large colorful posters/biographies showed the
progression over time of individuals and their families who were case studies for learning
about influential German emigrants, experiencing the War and adjusting to life in foreign
countries to promote international friendship and peace. The personal stories are
relayed through audio, pictures, displays, artifacts, historic documents, photographs and
art. Black and white film footages from the actual historical period and places like Ellis
Island (NY) were playing in two corner stations. The floor had a see through glass level
with a large floor plan/diagram of the emigration halls beneath it that you could walk
over.
We met Kara and Aundrea, who had looked for us in the museum, at the Veddel station
waiting for the train to return to homes. A few more transitions at Hbf, Altona, and
Ostmarchen and the trip was complete!