Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Eisenbahnmuseum Lokschuppen Aumühle sits in a historic locomotive shed from 1906 on the edge of the Sachsenwald near Hamburg, and it is run by a volunteer association dedicated to preserving regional rail history. It began life as part of the old railway facilities in Aumühle, and today it serves as a hands-on museum for northern German local and suburban transport.
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The Sachsenwald near Aumühle is a large forested area east of Hamburg, shaped less like a wilderness and more like a historic cultural landscape, with paths, estates, railway links and memorial sites woven through it. Today it is one of the best places near the city for a walk that combines nature, history and a very distinct North German sense of place.
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The Gedenkstätte Kinder vom Bullenhuser Damm in Hamburg stands as one of the most haunting memorial sites from the final phase of the Second World War. Hidden within a modest school building in the Rothenburgsort district, it witnessed an unspeakable crime. In April 1945, only days before Germany’s surrender, twenty Jewish children – ten boys and ten girls aged between five and twelve – were brought there from the Neuengamme concentration camp, where they had previously been subjected to brutal medical experiments. The school’s basement became the scene of their final moments.
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The Tour d’Energie in Göttingen has grown into one of the most prominent cycling events in central Germany, renowned for its lively atmosphere and excellent organisation. As a Jedermann-Rennen – meaning an event open to all – it attracts a diverse field of cyclists, from ambitious amateurs to seasoned enthusiasts. 5,500 people were attending this year. What makes the race particularly endearing is the sense of community surrounding it. Entire families line the streets, cheering participants on. It’s as much a festival of cycling as it is a test of endurance.
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Nestled in the charming village of Ebergötzen in Niedersachsen lies the Wilhelm-Busch-Mühle, a picturesque watermill steeped in cultural history. Surrounded by gentle countryside and framed by the rhythmic whisper of its millstream, this restored site evokes the atmosphere of 19th-century rural Germany. It’s more than just a museum – it’s a living tribute to the friendship between Wilhelm Busch and Erich Bachmann, the miller’s son, with whom the young Busch spent lively days exploring the forests and meadows nearby. The mill still retains its rustic authenticity, allowing visitors to imagine the clatter of cogs and the scent of fresh flour that once filled the air.
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The Europäisches Brotmuseum in Ebergötzen is a specialist museum devoted to the story of bread, showing how grain cultivation, milling and baking developed over many centuries. It presents this theme as a cultural history of ‘from grain to bread’, with exhibits ranging from the earliest farming communities to modern times.
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The Bismarck-Denkmal in Hamburg stands as one of the city’s most imposing and controversial landmarks. Otto von Bismarck, the so-called ‘Iron Chancellor’, was the leading political architect of German unification in 1871 and served as the first Chancellor of the German Empire. Known for his diplomatic skill and pragmatic statecraft, he forged alliances that shaped European politics for decades. In Hamburg, a city proud of its independence and Hanseatic traditions, the decision to honour Bismarck reveals both admiration for his national achievements and a degree of local identification with his strong, determined character.
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A friend managed to get us tickets for a Champions League night at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in White Hart Lane, Spurs against Atlético Madrid, and the anticipation already felt almost electric as I pictured walking up the High Road towards the ground. The area may have changed over time, but that sense of a tight-knit football neighbourhood, with the stadium looming over rows of terraced houses, still defines matchdays there in my mind. Knowing how much European nights have always meant to Spurs supporters, this fixture feels like stepping directly into a living piece of the club’s history rather than just attending another big game. Even before kick-off, there is that awareness that countless unforgettable evenings have unfolded on this same patch of north London turf.
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Tucked into the old flower market building in Covent Garden, the London Transport Museum uses the story of buses, trams and trains to explain how London itself has grown and changed over the last two centuries. The collection traces the city’s journey from horse‑drawn omnibuses and early steam locomotives through to the modern Underground and today’s smartly branded transport network. The setting feels very much part of the experience: the ironwork, glass and open galleries give it a slightly industrial atmosphere that fits the subject perfectly.
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I first encountered Uyghur cuisine during a trip through Kazakhstan, where the cultural influences of Central Asia blend seamlessly. Among the many dishes I tried, one in particular stayed with me – Laghman, a rich, spicy noodle dish that seemed to combine the best of East and West. So, imagine my delight when I discovered a small Uyghur restaurant tucked away near the office where I sometimes work in London. The smell of sizzling lamb and hand-pulled noodles took me straight back to the evenings spent in bustling Central Asian markets.
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