On my orientation trip thru European ports in 1964, one stop was the port of Hamburg, Germany on the River Elbe. Hamburg was one of the original Hanseatic States - the people are aggressive with a Prussian bent - contrasted with the Bremeners in Bremen who are a little softer but still competitive. After a day on the docks in Hamburg I had an escort give me a walking tour of the Reeperbahn - the Red Light District. He was a fitness buff and walked very fast which was a blessing as one didn't dawdle or linger in this area to ogle the ladies in the windows. It reminded me of how fast I would walk down 42nd street in Manhattan before Guiliani cleaned it up. The term "two mark alley" reflected the price the sailors would pay the ladies for "companionship" - this long before the Euro. The cafes on the strand had little telephones on the tables for conversing with neighboring tables. And then I was off to my next port of call before I could get in any trouble. But I always wondered if those ladies are still sitting in the windows - winking and smiling.
Auf Wiedersehen, my dear.
tjs
Next - Just Friends
No comments:
Post a Comment