Yesterday was a day off in Hamburg, and boy did we make use of it. After Ben and I jogged through Hammer Park we met up with the others and we all hopped on the public transit to head to The Reeperbahn. The Reeperbahn is a popular area where the Beatles played in the early days and where you can get sexual favors for money. Years ago some dudes took Bobby and I to the area and we had a great time-- it's one of these places you hear about but don't think is real. Well, that shit is real. Really fucking real.
We walked around the shops, bars, and found a place that resembled Tom's Tavern back home so we popped in for a few. It was great to have a beer and hang with Ben, talking about music, football, and our ladies.
After that place we found another cool bar and it turns out Tim Holehouse, a guy that Ben knew, was playing. He plays a sorta one man blues and has that gravelly Scott Harrison voice. It was another thing that felt like home and I was yelling encouraging 'woos' and having a great time. It made me miss my good friend Scotty.
After that place (called the rabbit or pink bunny due to the sign of a bunny out front) we went to Onkel Ottos, a place Ben used to go in his punk youth. There we had another beer and talked punk. It was funny to watch Skip play drumbeats at a thousand miles an hour with his fingers on the table. He does that all the time. This time though it was to the tune of Crass and Discharge, bands I know nothing about but most everyone else did.
Along the way I saw a poster for Negative Approach and although I don't know John Brannon that well I have a lot of time for the guy. I like seeing he's still out there doing it.
We passed the Kaiserkeller, one of the famous places the Beatles honed their chops and did God knows what else.
We ended our Reeperbahn journey getting another bratwurst and walking down the red brick road, the place where the hookers are sitting in windows and men 'go shopping' for a good time. It was bizarre, to say the least. Women are forbidden to walk down the road, which I thought was sad. Locking eyes with the ladies in the windows was even more sad.
We all walked back to the hotel and had pizza and another round and finally called it a night. This morning Ben and I woke before the others for another brisk jog through Hammer Park in Hamburg. It was nice seeing families walking around, couples with children playing-- it made me miss my girlfriend and my family. Ben pushed me to run my furthest yet, 6.36 miles. He keeps upping the distance on me daily, reminding me of when Henry Ford pumped up the assembly line speed on his workers. Ben is no Ford, though, thank god. Ok, I hear soundcheck calling me.
All the best,
eddie
Skip's Current State: hungover.
