Neumünster and Kiel
Oct. 18th, 2026 11:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lupestripeThis weekend saw what will probably be my last major trip of the year before the weather turns bad. I headed up to the northern Bundesland of Schleswig-Holstein to attend the Fusselschwarm Open Day. This was announced on Bluesky a few weeks ago and when I mentioned that I was thinking of attending, they pretty much encouraged me. When I discovered my friend Zuko lived in the region too, it was too good an opportunity to miss, despite my financial situation. Indeed, it did turn out to be a rather cheap weekend as I booked slightly inconvenient trains and there was a decent cheap hotel, oddly run by the Coffee Fellows people, a chain of local coffee shops, which I managed to snag for €55.
The negative was that I was booked on the 08:20 train out of Spandau, which necessitated some drinking the night before, if only to help me sleep. As I wasn't going to see Wolfie over the weekend, as he was staying here, I suggested going over to McDonald's after finishing work and then swinging by the Fuerst Wiacek brewery. The weather on Friday was 19C and even though come nightfall it did dip, it wasn't too unpleasant being sat outside. Knowing that this would likely be our last opportunity this year - and maybe forever if we end up moving back to the UK over the winter - it was too good to turn down. Our McDonald's was as average as usual, although I was a little upset I had to swap out the Blood Orange Fanta drink with the Strawberry Melon one I'd had before. This didn't come until I was halfway through the 'meal' and even then I had to ask them for it as they'd failed to deliver it. Anyway, once done, we headed over to the brewery. The usual Middlesbrough guy wasn't on, it was some bloke who worked logistics, but we got to know him toward the end of the evening as he was telling us about all his big plans for the brewery for next year. We ended up having a few here, so much so that I forgot to pay the tab and had to go back, although this was partly due to confusion with Wolfie as he'd bought himself a few beers for drinking over the weekend. Anyway, we got back at about midnight and I crashed shortly after, getting around five to six hours sleep.
The train journey up was fine until Hamburg, then it went awry. For some reason, the RB70/RB7 services to Neumünster were only starting from Pinneberg, necessitating a long, crowded journey on the S3 to get there. The crowds on the train were nothing compared to those at the station though, with construction work meaning it took us a full seven minutes just to leave the platform. There were no signs either so finding the right train proved to be difficult. With a four-minute layover, I highly expected the train to shoot off, but fortunately it waited and I got to my destination shortly after midday.
Fortunately, Fusselschwarm, unlike nearly anywhere else in Germany, wasn't opening late so I had a few hours to look around Neumünster. To be honest, there's not much here. Its mix of old and new architecture very much reminded me of Hannover, while the number of City Play Spielhalles were noticeable. Approaching the main Großflecken square, I noticed there was a moderately-sized anti-fascist demonstration which had a heavy focus on Nigerian rap. It was all rather peaceful, but the number of riot police was perhaps a little excessive. Later on, while I was walking up Christianstrasse on my way to the Anscharkirche, I was met by a phalanx of officers and had to turn back. The city centre was quite compact though, allowing me to see most of the main sights pretty swiftly. This included the rather glorious Rathaus, with its brick turrets and stained glass windows, and the Alte Post building which was of similar style. I was delighted to notice that the local SPD and CDU offices were literally across the road from each other and I wondered whether they had political turf battles. There were also a number of really impressive, imposing brick churches, not just the Anscharkirche but also Vicelinkirche (this one, a light sandstone building, has two lines of the Lord's Prayer above the two entrances - Dein Reich Komme and Dein Wille Geschehe - and I couldn't help but think of the Oomph! song Gott Ist Ein Popstar) and the Kirche St. Maria St. Vicelin, the latter of which is just by the station. More highlights included the various mascot characters advertising local businesses. This included a lion for the Croque Royal sandwich business, the lion tearing meat off a spit for the appropriately named Löwen Spieß, and the odd swan character in the shopping mall which had a mustache, a distended fanny, and said how exciting things can be when you go searching for things. There were quite a few bakeries in here, but none were appealing, meaning I had to resort to a standard salami sandwich for a belated lunch from one of the concessions at the train station.
There is quite a large amount of parkland in Neumünster too, which showcased the wonderful autumn foliage. Rencks Park was a particular delight, as was the water feature set in the middle of town, even if it did scream 1960s concrete. Around here is situated the Museum Tuch + Technik, reflecting the cloth and weaving heritage of the city. I could have gone in, but I am from the Leeds area and have already seen all of that. Despite this, the highlight here was the nearly 30-meter-long public art piece named "die 19" which enshrines the first 19 articles of the German Basic Law, which guarantee fundamental rights, in big metal plaques. It's a very neat idea and a very powerful public monument.
Having exhausted things to do and the centre being quite police heavy, I headed out of town to check out the Herbert Gerisch-Stiftung sculpture park. This was about a 20-minute walk in the grounds of an impressive house. I was asked to put my bag in a locker - initially, I didn't realise they were lockers and was just going to leave my bag in the visitor centre - before I was let loose. There was an exhibition upstairs that I skipped, favouring the sculptures in the garden. These were all quite average if I were being honest, although the uncomfortable bench that lights up when you walk past it was pretty neat. There was also a gallery in here with some pretty mediocre art too. Outside the main entrance, there is an interesting fox-like sculpture sitting on a tall stool, while I also enjoyed the gas-mask type military man, the metal pyramid of tortoise skulls, and the two metal birds kissing. Ultimately, though, it was just an excuse to walk around a beautiful garden in the autumn sun. It was also a good way of passing an hour.
Once it got to 2:15pm, I knew I should probably head towards Fusselschwarm. Annoyingly, they were on the other side of the city, so I had to walk back to the main railway station to catch a bus there. It was here where I got my salami sandwich and noticed that the Neumünster crest is basically a swan with a fallen crown around its neck - that explained the swan mascot in the shopping centre asking for experiences. When I was waiting at Bus Stand A for the number 4 up there, I tried to spot the furries. I had my suspicions on eight of them, but only one other got out, and that was at the bus stop after the one I got off at because Google Maps lied to me. Fusselschwarm is on an industrial estate around the back of an Edeka, but it was pretty clear where to go. At their front door, I was greeted to the purple-coloured banner that they have at furcons and although their business took a little finding once inside, I soon found my way. As I entered, I saw there were two pink-coloured fursuiters getting changed in the corridor (by which I mean the fursuits were pink, I have no idea whether they were), while by the front door there was a small table of refreshments. I made a beeline for the bookshelves and was delighted to see so many rare or no longer published titles. I spent a good 20 minutes perusing, largely ignoring all the German speaking going on around me. I clammed up a little in all honesty, but once I took my books to the cash register (I ended up buying three), Mr. Fusselschwarm asked me whether I'm Packwolf Lupestripe and said 'why didn't you say so before?'. We then spent a good while just chatting books, editing, and furry fiction in general. I was very much made to feel welcome and it was a huge confidence boost knowing that he knew some of my stories are in the books he was selling. He lamented that I did not bring my fursuit with me, and I promised to bring it next time as he wants to take a picture of me by the bookshelves. Indeed, this is what the two pink fursuiters ended up doing, as well as walking up and down the car park near the Edeka. It was a really chill vibe in there and there was maybe 10-15 people present while I was there. Apparently, it is quite a positive thing for Fusselschwarm and I hope to come back. I certainly left there both very impressed and happy.
It was around 4:20pm by this point and to get to Zuko's, I had to go back into the city centre to come out again. I thought I'd miss the bus, but seeing the number 4 parked there was a revelation. I did ask the driver to make sure he was going to Hauptbahnhof as when I'd gotten off the bus, this hadn't been the right destination. He was a bit rude, saying 'it says that on the front of the bus' but I have been duped before. Soon enough, we were trundling through various delightful suburbs of Neumünster, but it didn't take us long to get back to the centre. Then, I had to wait on the number 77 bus to get down to Zuko's, getting there shortly before 5pm. When I arrived and got inside, the door was answered by one of his friends. Zuko was slaving over burgers, which he kindly cooked for me from scratch, and soon enough we were sat down enjoying their deliciousness. He cooked two for me, one with feta cheese and the other standard, while the spicy orange sauce really made them. Then, his friend left, and we spent the next hour or so chatting. Zuko put the Lord of the Rings on, then immediately turned it off when I told him I'd yet to see it, in the end putting on some plane-based zombie series that I think was called The Pilot but may not have been. We then donned into gear - Zuko his fursuit/petsuit combo and me my pony gear - then we snuggled for the best part of two hours. It was really therapeutic and relaxing, although strange juxtaposed with a TV show that had a lot of screaming in it. I wasn't facing it though so I could largely ignore it.
Time seemed to pass at its own rate and I really wanted to stay longer. Alas, the bus service gets shaky quite early and I had to get up to Kiel, which is where I'd booked my hotel. At 9pm, we broke away, with me realising that I had to leave by 9:08pm or I'd have to wait another hour. It was a quick change and goodbye, regrettably, then I had to pelt it up the road to get to Neumünster Süd station to catch the 9:23pm service back to the city centre. There, it was a four-minute changeover to get the train to Kiel. I had to make sure I was in the right half of the train - I didn't want to go to Flensburg - and soon enough I hit the capital of Schleswig-Holstein shortly before 10pm. There was torrential rain when I arrived, so I just headed straight to the hotel, calling at a Spati en route where they overcharged me for a bottle of coke by 25 cents. This meant I didn't have any alcohol at all on Saturday. Upon arriving at the Hotel Berliner Hof by Coffee Fellows, I was asked by the check-in lady whether I was xxx, and I confirmed that to be true. Apparently, I was the last person to check in that night, so it was good I got there when I did. I got my key card, had a quick shower, and decompressed. I could have gone to a bar, but I was on my own and the weather was awful, so instead I just rested. I'd been feeling knackered all day in all honesty, so it was definitely the right thing to do. It was a fantastic day though and I am really going to have to see both Fusselschwarm and Zuko again.
Sunday dawned thick with cloud, while the wind made it feel like winter rather than autumn. I checked out at 11am and left my bag at the hotel, determined to do some exploring of this former Hanseatic city. Indeed, it is quite similar to Lübeck in architectural style (particularly the brickwork), but there is a melange of old and new buildings all rammed against each other. Again, this makes it have something of a Hannover feel. The Hauptbahnhof is about 10 minutes' walk from the Altstadt and in hindsight, I should have probably gone there and picked up some food before setting out. In the end, I waited nearly four hours and had to go with a Bifi Roll from a Spati in one of the less salubrious parts of town. Indeed, it was right by the harbour and had various erotic shops, adult bars, a casino, and Capt'n Pollock's Fish Bar or something. I dunno. This was just before I went to the Kiel Maritime Museum. Set in the former fish market, this building has hugged the main Kiel Fjord since 1910. It's quite a distinctive place and there was outcry when the main fish auction hall moved elsewhere and they threatened to tear it down. It later became the museum and is quite a comprehensive offering for such a small space. With explanations in German and English, it details the history of Kiel, focusing both on its fishing heritage and its importance as a port, both mercantile and militarily. The building of the Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee Kanal) that links the North and Baltic Seas was also covered. This was fascinating. Built between 1887 and 1895, it has been widened and deepened in a few stages since. It cuts around 800km out of a journey, avoiding the need to go around Jutland, and it proved to be a vital link for the German Empire. The citizens of Kiel didn't really benefit though, as the museum goes into, while the various aspects of 20th century history were fascinating too. Indeed, Kiel built proto-U-Boots in World War One, was banned from much shipbuilding during the Weimar years due to the Treaty of Versailles, then became a centre of the Nazi navy building operation. Indeed, Kiel hosted the sailing events for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, with the Nazis co-opting their Kieler Sailing Week for propaganda purposes. Interestingly, Kiel also hosted the sailing events in the 1972 Munich Games, with a lot of memorabilia in the museum. Another thing the museum has is paintings. Countless paintings of ships, while there was also a small section dedicated to echo location and other technology. Pride of place in the centre, there is an 18th-century fishing boat made from a hollowed out tree trunk, the oldest surviving boat from the region. Speaking of fish, there was also an engaging section about the history of the fish industry from small communities on the east bank in the late 1800s to the industrial canning companies of the 1920s and 30s. There was also a cool stereoscopic display showing old timey photographs in 3D form, most of which coming from the 1890s when they built and inaugurated the canal. Apparently, such technology was huge back then, the cinema of its day, with these machines being rented out to various cities for exhibitions.
This was probably a better museum than where I had been earlier, which was focused more on the canal. For some reason, I had walked the 6km up there in the hope of seeing the canal, then got cold feet when I realised (unsurprisingly) it was quite industrial. The museum smelled of cheese and everything was in German, but I did understand the section about the Kiel Mutiny, which forced the abdication of the Kaiser in November 1918, just prior to the end of World War One. There was a dedicated part of the exhibition in the Kiel Maritime Museum and it was fascinating to see just how quickly public support swung behind the military men who refused to fight the English at that time, feeling it was a suicide mission. The postcards mocking the lack of food among the populace were a smart piece of propaganda and what happened seemed to precipitate the swifter ending of the war. There was some interesting stuff around here though, like the Anscharpark, with its late 19th century buildings. I can only assume these were built for canal workers or something, but they definitely had a feel of a community of homes built for a specific purpose, like Saltaire or Bournville in Britain. There was a modest cafe in Petruskirche Kiel Wik, where I probably should have gotten some food prior to the Bifi Roll, but I was a long way from the centre of Kiel by this point with irregular bus services. In fact, I was very much at the end of the routes as I saw a few electric buses being charged on one of the streets. Seeing the canal would have been good and I regret getting cold feet, but time was pretty tight due to my need to get back to Hamburg to get the train home. Trusting Deutsche Bahn is not wise these days.
Prior to all this, I just walked around the town for a bit. The Altes Rathaus is a stunning piece of architecture, dominating the square upon which also sits the opera house. The Neues Rathaus, near the station and docks, is less stunning and fits snugly in 1960s-style brick box. In one corner of Rathausplatz (where the Altes Rathaus is), there is a bronze semi-naked man brandishing a sword, and I was delighted to see that someone had painted his toenails pink. The Olympic Flame from 1972 is here (and I saw a building up towards the canal brandishing the Olympic Rings - maybe it was the athletes' village as it's just a block of flats now) - but sadly it wasn't lit. Around this area, there are two pretty lakes - Kleiner Kiel and Ratsdienergarten - with quite a few grand buildings including the white and brown facade Justice Ministry. Hiroshima Park also hugs one side of Kleiner Kiel too.
Heading into the Altstadt, there are a few rather nice churches, including the St. Nikolai Church, which is the oldest building in Kiel, having been constructed in 1242. Alas, it was not open for visits on a Sunday and I didn't want to battle the faithful pouring out, which meant I couldn't see Pomeranian Tapestry, which depicts King Christian III of Denmark, who was also Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, and the Ghost Fighter (whoever he is).. However, it is notable for Der Geistkämpfer, a plastic statue of a sorrowful angel holding a sabre while standing on the back of a pretty pissed-off looking wolf. Constructed in 1928, it was removed by the Nazis in 1937 as it was described as 'degenerate art'. It returned in 1954 and is pretty striking, even if it does depict the wolf as the bad aspect of the metaphor good triumphing over evil. This made me think about wolves throughout the day and how useless they would be in a work environment. The keyboards would be too big for their paws and they would just mash everything up. Around this area, there were also concrete bollards with painted fruit sculptures on top of them, which added a pleasant touch. On a concrete bollard anyway.
Down the road from here is the castle, which really isn't much of a castle. The tower is still there, as are a few other buildings, but one part of Schlossplatz is now a concrete concert hall and bridge which connects it to the Maritime Museum. Indeed, the only thing that really survives is the former gardens, which made for a pleasant place to walk and rest my barking paws. Around this area, there is a tribute to Der Buchwaldscher Hof, a huge estate house where the Kieler Frieden (Kiel Treaty) was signed to end the Napoleonic Wars in the northern territories. This gave Norway to Sweden, much to the annoyance of the Norwegians, so it's amazing to think that now all that's here is flats.
After the gardens, I decided to take a walk along the Fjord. I had already done this earlier, strolling past the docks and seeing a huge Stena Line and AIDA cruise ship in port. Apparently, Kiel is quite big on the Scandinavian cruise circuit and the port was quite busy. The Schwedenkai - the clue is in the name - is quite futuristic, with the white brick and glass building sporting the Stena Line livery being built in quite a jaunty angle. Over the fjord, you can see the more industrial side of the city, which still has a ship making industry. The light blue crane sporting the phrase 'German Naval Works' (in English for some reason) was dominant while at the Maritime Museum, they did list all of the ship building companies that did and still do exist here. This industry's influence on the city is in decline though, with the tourists and cruises having more prominence. Anyway, the main thoroughfare along the fjord is the Kiellinie. It used to be called Hindenburgufer, but in January 2014 it was renamed, largely due to Hindenburg being a sympathiser of, then enabling, the rise of Adolf Hitler. The Schleswig-Holstein flag is everywhere here, and I like it as it's an upside-down version of the Dutch flag. The history of the region is fascinating too, with the northern part of Schleswig now Danish. Holstein (which is where Holsten Pils comes from - I didn't try it unfortunately) was always German as it was part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Schleswig problem, though, lasted for something like a century.
There were various food concessions down here - many of them fish-related - and I couldn't help feel they were being somewhat optimistic. It was 12C with thick cloud, but the wind was strong, making it feel much like a winter's day. There were a group of silly sods in the water swimming, while it was noticeable that the Kiel Maritime Museum had already shut its boat tour exhibit for the winter, with last Wednesday being the last day of their summer season. I enjoyed the stroll despite the bitter cold though, spying cool things like the Landtag building, which I just happened to stumble across. Built as a marine academy in 1888, the state government took it over in 1950. In 2003, a glass hall was stuck on the front, and it looks horribly out of place against this red-bricked building. There were lots of sailing boats moored in the fjord, and sailing and rowing clubs too. There is even an aquarium that looks incredibly dated. The sea lion exhibit does go outside, but alas there were no sea lions to see today. This did me a sad. Still, it was a pleasant two-hour walk nearly all the way to the canal, and it was good watching ships going in and out of it. There were also a few military ships kicking about, alongside a barracks too, which I walked alongside.
For some reason, I have discussed this backwards so after the Maritime Museum, I opted to go back to the hotel and pick up my bag. This was 4:30pm, but with a 7:51pm train to Berlin out of Hamburg, I knew I had to start travelling south (as I say, don't trust Deutsche Bahn). There was a 4:37pm train, which I was surprised I made, and soon I was hurtling towards the Hanseatic Stadt. The journey was an hour and 20, but I decided to get off at Dammtor rather than Hauptbahnhof. The main reason for this was that I knew I had two hours to kill now and wanted some food. Five Guys seemed a good option as I knew it was open, wouldn't be too busy that I couldn't wile away some time, and wasn't too far away from the station. En route, I caught the CCH and Radisson. It was odd being here without the colourful furries, made even more stark by the darkness of the gloaming and the thick autumn clouds. It was only 6pm and yet it was already getting dark. I also saw the Kinder Transport memorial here - I'm not sure whether it was there before, but it is certainly a powerful reminder of what happened in the days prior to the start of the Second World War. I then made my way to Five Guys where I had the usual, pairing it with cherry-vanilla Coke Light then lemon Coke Light. When it was time, I walked to Hauptbahnhof, eschewing the usual S-Bahn as I wanted to be in full control. I also hadn't walked to Hauptbahnhof before, so it gave me the chance to explore parts of the city I hadn't yet visited. They were alright, lots of tall imposing department stores mainly, and a Thalia where Earl Spencer will be giving a talk on Princess Diana next month. I am surprised there is that much demand here, but there you go.
I got to the train station about 20 minutes ahead of time and ended up finding a wonderful secret viewing gallery over the platforms. Watching the trains come in and out was definitely one of the better experiences I've had at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, one of the worst train stations in all of Germany. This was only confirmed when a Flix Train came in 10 minutes late, and there was a huge pile-on, causing much frustration to all station staff. This delayed my ICE slightly, which came in on the 'opposite' platform. Once on board, I realised I was in one of those cabins rather than a usual saloon coach. I was also sharing with a big hairy man who refused to listen to his phone on headphones. He also smelled of cheese. I put my headphones in and tried to ignore him, but it was a struggle. He did, fortunately, get off at Wittenberge, leaving me in peace for the final 45 minutes of the journey. We got into Spandau pretty much on time - a rarity for Deutsche Bahn - and as I was leaving the station, I saw police cars and an emergency helicopter taking off from the middle of the main crossroads I have to cross to get home. I assume there was a huge accident and someone needed urgent medical attention. I hope they're okay.
The negative was that I was booked on the 08:20 train out of Spandau, which necessitated some drinking the night before, if only to help me sleep. As I wasn't going to see Wolfie over the weekend, as he was staying here, I suggested going over to McDonald's after finishing work and then swinging by the Fuerst Wiacek brewery. The weather on Friday was 19C and even though come nightfall it did dip, it wasn't too unpleasant being sat outside. Knowing that this would likely be our last opportunity this year - and maybe forever if we end up moving back to the UK over the winter - it was too good to turn down. Our McDonald's was as average as usual, although I was a little upset I had to swap out the Blood Orange Fanta drink with the Strawberry Melon one I'd had before. This didn't come until I was halfway through the 'meal' and even then I had to ask them for it as they'd failed to deliver it. Anyway, once done, we headed over to the brewery. The usual Middlesbrough guy wasn't on, it was some bloke who worked logistics, but we got to know him toward the end of the evening as he was telling us about all his big plans for the brewery for next year. We ended up having a few here, so much so that I forgot to pay the tab and had to go back, although this was partly due to confusion with Wolfie as he'd bought himself a few beers for drinking over the weekend. Anyway, we got back at about midnight and I crashed shortly after, getting around five to six hours sleep.
The train journey up was fine until Hamburg, then it went awry. For some reason, the RB70/RB7 services to Neumünster were only starting from Pinneberg, necessitating a long, crowded journey on the S3 to get there. The crowds on the train were nothing compared to those at the station though, with construction work meaning it took us a full seven minutes just to leave the platform. There were no signs either so finding the right train proved to be difficult. With a four-minute layover, I highly expected the train to shoot off, but fortunately it waited and I got to my destination shortly after midday.
Fortunately, Fusselschwarm, unlike nearly anywhere else in Germany, wasn't opening late so I had a few hours to look around Neumünster. To be honest, there's not much here. Its mix of old and new architecture very much reminded me of Hannover, while the number of City Play Spielhalles were noticeable. Approaching the main Großflecken square, I noticed there was a moderately-sized anti-fascist demonstration which had a heavy focus on Nigerian rap. It was all rather peaceful, but the number of riot police was perhaps a little excessive. Later on, while I was walking up Christianstrasse on my way to the Anscharkirche, I was met by a phalanx of officers and had to turn back. The city centre was quite compact though, allowing me to see most of the main sights pretty swiftly. This included the rather glorious Rathaus, with its brick turrets and stained glass windows, and the Alte Post building which was of similar style. I was delighted to notice that the local SPD and CDU offices were literally across the road from each other and I wondered whether they had political turf battles. There were also a number of really impressive, imposing brick churches, not just the Anscharkirche but also Vicelinkirche (this one, a light sandstone building, has two lines of the Lord's Prayer above the two entrances - Dein Reich Komme and Dein Wille Geschehe - and I couldn't help but think of the Oomph! song Gott Ist Ein Popstar) and the Kirche St. Maria St. Vicelin, the latter of which is just by the station. More highlights included the various mascot characters advertising local businesses. This included a lion for the Croque Royal sandwich business, the lion tearing meat off a spit for the appropriately named Löwen Spieß, and the odd swan character in the shopping mall which had a mustache, a distended fanny, and said how exciting things can be when you go searching for things. There were quite a few bakeries in here, but none were appealing, meaning I had to resort to a standard salami sandwich for a belated lunch from one of the concessions at the train station.
There is quite a large amount of parkland in Neumünster too, which showcased the wonderful autumn foliage. Rencks Park was a particular delight, as was the water feature set in the middle of town, even if it did scream 1960s concrete. Around here is situated the Museum Tuch + Technik, reflecting the cloth and weaving heritage of the city. I could have gone in, but I am from the Leeds area and have already seen all of that. Despite this, the highlight here was the nearly 30-meter-long public art piece named "die 19" which enshrines the first 19 articles of the German Basic Law, which guarantee fundamental rights, in big metal plaques. It's a very neat idea and a very powerful public monument.
Having exhausted things to do and the centre being quite police heavy, I headed out of town to check out the Herbert Gerisch-Stiftung sculpture park. This was about a 20-minute walk in the grounds of an impressive house. I was asked to put my bag in a locker - initially, I didn't realise they were lockers and was just going to leave my bag in the visitor centre - before I was let loose. There was an exhibition upstairs that I skipped, favouring the sculptures in the garden. These were all quite average if I were being honest, although the uncomfortable bench that lights up when you walk past it was pretty neat. There was also a gallery in here with some pretty mediocre art too. Outside the main entrance, there is an interesting fox-like sculpture sitting on a tall stool, while I also enjoyed the gas-mask type military man, the metal pyramid of tortoise skulls, and the two metal birds kissing. Ultimately, though, it was just an excuse to walk around a beautiful garden in the autumn sun. It was also a good way of passing an hour.
Once it got to 2:15pm, I knew I should probably head towards Fusselschwarm. Annoyingly, they were on the other side of the city, so I had to walk back to the main railway station to catch a bus there. It was here where I got my salami sandwich and noticed that the Neumünster crest is basically a swan with a fallen crown around its neck - that explained the swan mascot in the shopping centre asking for experiences. When I was waiting at Bus Stand A for the number 4 up there, I tried to spot the furries. I had my suspicions on eight of them, but only one other got out, and that was at the bus stop after the one I got off at because Google Maps lied to me. Fusselschwarm is on an industrial estate around the back of an Edeka, but it was pretty clear where to go. At their front door, I was greeted to the purple-coloured banner that they have at furcons and although their business took a little finding once inside, I soon found my way. As I entered, I saw there were two pink-coloured fursuiters getting changed in the corridor (by which I mean the fursuits were pink, I have no idea whether they were), while by the front door there was a small table of refreshments. I made a beeline for the bookshelves and was delighted to see so many rare or no longer published titles. I spent a good 20 minutes perusing, largely ignoring all the German speaking going on around me. I clammed up a little in all honesty, but once I took my books to the cash register (I ended up buying three), Mr. Fusselschwarm asked me whether I'm Packwolf Lupestripe and said 'why didn't you say so before?'. We then spent a good while just chatting books, editing, and furry fiction in general. I was very much made to feel welcome and it was a huge confidence boost knowing that he knew some of my stories are in the books he was selling. He lamented that I did not bring my fursuit with me, and I promised to bring it next time as he wants to take a picture of me by the bookshelves. Indeed, this is what the two pink fursuiters ended up doing, as well as walking up and down the car park near the Edeka. It was a really chill vibe in there and there was maybe 10-15 people present while I was there. Apparently, it is quite a positive thing for Fusselschwarm and I hope to come back. I certainly left there both very impressed and happy.
It was around 4:20pm by this point and to get to Zuko's, I had to go back into the city centre to come out again. I thought I'd miss the bus, but seeing the number 4 parked there was a revelation. I did ask the driver to make sure he was going to Hauptbahnhof as when I'd gotten off the bus, this hadn't been the right destination. He was a bit rude, saying 'it says that on the front of the bus' but I have been duped before. Soon enough, we were trundling through various delightful suburbs of Neumünster, but it didn't take us long to get back to the centre. Then, I had to wait on the number 77 bus to get down to Zuko's, getting there shortly before 5pm. When I arrived and got inside, the door was answered by one of his friends. Zuko was slaving over burgers, which he kindly cooked for me from scratch, and soon enough we were sat down enjoying their deliciousness. He cooked two for me, one with feta cheese and the other standard, while the spicy orange sauce really made them. Then, his friend left, and we spent the next hour or so chatting. Zuko put the Lord of the Rings on, then immediately turned it off when I told him I'd yet to see it, in the end putting on some plane-based zombie series that I think was called The Pilot but may not have been. We then donned into gear - Zuko his fursuit/petsuit combo and me my pony gear - then we snuggled for the best part of two hours. It was really therapeutic and relaxing, although strange juxtaposed with a TV show that had a lot of screaming in it. I wasn't facing it though so I could largely ignore it.
Time seemed to pass at its own rate and I really wanted to stay longer. Alas, the bus service gets shaky quite early and I had to get up to Kiel, which is where I'd booked my hotel. At 9pm, we broke away, with me realising that I had to leave by 9:08pm or I'd have to wait another hour. It was a quick change and goodbye, regrettably, then I had to pelt it up the road to get to Neumünster Süd station to catch the 9:23pm service back to the city centre. There, it was a four-minute changeover to get the train to Kiel. I had to make sure I was in the right half of the train - I didn't want to go to Flensburg - and soon enough I hit the capital of Schleswig-Holstein shortly before 10pm. There was torrential rain when I arrived, so I just headed straight to the hotel, calling at a Spati en route where they overcharged me for a bottle of coke by 25 cents. This meant I didn't have any alcohol at all on Saturday. Upon arriving at the Hotel Berliner Hof by Coffee Fellows, I was asked by the check-in lady whether I was xxx, and I confirmed that to be true. Apparently, I was the last person to check in that night, so it was good I got there when I did. I got my key card, had a quick shower, and decompressed. I could have gone to a bar, but I was on my own and the weather was awful, so instead I just rested. I'd been feeling knackered all day in all honesty, so it was definitely the right thing to do. It was a fantastic day though and I am really going to have to see both Fusselschwarm and Zuko again.
Sunday dawned thick with cloud, while the wind made it feel like winter rather than autumn. I checked out at 11am and left my bag at the hotel, determined to do some exploring of this former Hanseatic city. Indeed, it is quite similar to Lübeck in architectural style (particularly the brickwork), but there is a melange of old and new buildings all rammed against each other. Again, this makes it have something of a Hannover feel. The Hauptbahnhof is about 10 minutes' walk from the Altstadt and in hindsight, I should have probably gone there and picked up some food before setting out. In the end, I waited nearly four hours and had to go with a Bifi Roll from a Spati in one of the less salubrious parts of town. Indeed, it was right by the harbour and had various erotic shops, adult bars, a casino, and Capt'n Pollock's Fish Bar or something. I dunno. This was just before I went to the Kiel Maritime Museum. Set in the former fish market, this building has hugged the main Kiel Fjord since 1910. It's quite a distinctive place and there was outcry when the main fish auction hall moved elsewhere and they threatened to tear it down. It later became the museum and is quite a comprehensive offering for such a small space. With explanations in German and English, it details the history of Kiel, focusing both on its fishing heritage and its importance as a port, both mercantile and militarily. The building of the Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee Kanal) that links the North and Baltic Seas was also covered. This was fascinating. Built between 1887 and 1895, it has been widened and deepened in a few stages since. It cuts around 800km out of a journey, avoiding the need to go around Jutland, and it proved to be a vital link for the German Empire. The citizens of Kiel didn't really benefit though, as the museum goes into, while the various aspects of 20th century history were fascinating too. Indeed, Kiel built proto-U-Boots in World War One, was banned from much shipbuilding during the Weimar years due to the Treaty of Versailles, then became a centre of the Nazi navy building operation. Indeed, Kiel hosted the sailing events for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, with the Nazis co-opting their Kieler Sailing Week for propaganda purposes. Interestingly, Kiel also hosted the sailing events in the 1972 Munich Games, with a lot of memorabilia in the museum. Another thing the museum has is paintings. Countless paintings of ships, while there was also a small section dedicated to echo location and other technology. Pride of place in the centre, there is an 18th-century fishing boat made from a hollowed out tree trunk, the oldest surviving boat from the region. Speaking of fish, there was also an engaging section about the history of the fish industry from small communities on the east bank in the late 1800s to the industrial canning companies of the 1920s and 30s. There was also a cool stereoscopic display showing old timey photographs in 3D form, most of which coming from the 1890s when they built and inaugurated the canal. Apparently, such technology was huge back then, the cinema of its day, with these machines being rented out to various cities for exhibitions.
This was probably a better museum than where I had been earlier, which was focused more on the canal. For some reason, I had walked the 6km up there in the hope of seeing the canal, then got cold feet when I realised (unsurprisingly) it was quite industrial. The museum smelled of cheese and everything was in German, but I did understand the section about the Kiel Mutiny, which forced the abdication of the Kaiser in November 1918, just prior to the end of World War One. There was a dedicated part of the exhibition in the Kiel Maritime Museum and it was fascinating to see just how quickly public support swung behind the military men who refused to fight the English at that time, feeling it was a suicide mission. The postcards mocking the lack of food among the populace were a smart piece of propaganda and what happened seemed to precipitate the swifter ending of the war. There was some interesting stuff around here though, like the Anscharpark, with its late 19th century buildings. I can only assume these were built for canal workers or something, but they definitely had a feel of a community of homes built for a specific purpose, like Saltaire or Bournville in Britain. There was a modest cafe in Petruskirche Kiel Wik, where I probably should have gotten some food prior to the Bifi Roll, but I was a long way from the centre of Kiel by this point with irregular bus services. In fact, I was very much at the end of the routes as I saw a few electric buses being charged on one of the streets. Seeing the canal would have been good and I regret getting cold feet, but time was pretty tight due to my need to get back to Hamburg to get the train home. Trusting Deutsche Bahn is not wise these days.
Prior to all this, I just walked around the town for a bit. The Altes Rathaus is a stunning piece of architecture, dominating the square upon which also sits the opera house. The Neues Rathaus, near the station and docks, is less stunning and fits snugly in 1960s-style brick box. In one corner of Rathausplatz (where the Altes Rathaus is), there is a bronze semi-naked man brandishing a sword, and I was delighted to see that someone had painted his toenails pink. The Olympic Flame from 1972 is here (and I saw a building up towards the canal brandishing the Olympic Rings - maybe it was the athletes' village as it's just a block of flats now) - but sadly it wasn't lit. Around this area, there are two pretty lakes - Kleiner Kiel and Ratsdienergarten - with quite a few grand buildings including the white and brown facade Justice Ministry. Hiroshima Park also hugs one side of Kleiner Kiel too.
Heading into the Altstadt, there are a few rather nice churches, including the St. Nikolai Church, which is the oldest building in Kiel, having been constructed in 1242. Alas, it was not open for visits on a Sunday and I didn't want to battle the faithful pouring out, which meant I couldn't see Pomeranian Tapestry, which depicts King Christian III of Denmark, who was also Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, and the Ghost Fighter (whoever he is).. However, it is notable for Der Geistkämpfer, a plastic statue of a sorrowful angel holding a sabre while standing on the back of a pretty pissed-off looking wolf. Constructed in 1928, it was removed by the Nazis in 1937 as it was described as 'degenerate art'. It returned in 1954 and is pretty striking, even if it does depict the wolf as the bad aspect of the metaphor good triumphing over evil. This made me think about wolves throughout the day and how useless they would be in a work environment. The keyboards would be too big for their paws and they would just mash everything up. Around this area, there were also concrete bollards with painted fruit sculptures on top of them, which added a pleasant touch. On a concrete bollard anyway.
Down the road from here is the castle, which really isn't much of a castle. The tower is still there, as are a few other buildings, but one part of Schlossplatz is now a concrete concert hall and bridge which connects it to the Maritime Museum. Indeed, the only thing that really survives is the former gardens, which made for a pleasant place to walk and rest my barking paws. Around this area, there is a tribute to Der Buchwaldscher Hof, a huge estate house where the Kieler Frieden (Kiel Treaty) was signed to end the Napoleonic Wars in the northern territories. This gave Norway to Sweden, much to the annoyance of the Norwegians, so it's amazing to think that now all that's here is flats.
After the gardens, I decided to take a walk along the Fjord. I had already done this earlier, strolling past the docks and seeing a huge Stena Line and AIDA cruise ship in port. Apparently, Kiel is quite big on the Scandinavian cruise circuit and the port was quite busy. The Schwedenkai - the clue is in the name - is quite futuristic, with the white brick and glass building sporting the Stena Line livery being built in quite a jaunty angle. Over the fjord, you can see the more industrial side of the city, which still has a ship making industry. The light blue crane sporting the phrase 'German Naval Works' (in English for some reason) was dominant while at the Maritime Museum, they did list all of the ship building companies that did and still do exist here. This industry's influence on the city is in decline though, with the tourists and cruises having more prominence. Anyway, the main thoroughfare along the fjord is the Kiellinie. It used to be called Hindenburgufer, but in January 2014 it was renamed, largely due to Hindenburg being a sympathiser of, then enabling, the rise of Adolf Hitler. The Schleswig-Holstein flag is everywhere here, and I like it as it's an upside-down version of the Dutch flag. The history of the region is fascinating too, with the northern part of Schleswig now Danish. Holstein (which is where Holsten Pils comes from - I didn't try it unfortunately) was always German as it was part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Schleswig problem, though, lasted for something like a century.
There were various food concessions down here - many of them fish-related - and I couldn't help feel they were being somewhat optimistic. It was 12C with thick cloud, but the wind was strong, making it feel much like a winter's day. There were a group of silly sods in the water swimming, while it was noticeable that the Kiel Maritime Museum had already shut its boat tour exhibit for the winter, with last Wednesday being the last day of their summer season. I enjoyed the stroll despite the bitter cold though, spying cool things like the Landtag building, which I just happened to stumble across. Built as a marine academy in 1888, the state government took it over in 1950. In 2003, a glass hall was stuck on the front, and it looks horribly out of place against this red-bricked building. There were lots of sailing boats moored in the fjord, and sailing and rowing clubs too. There is even an aquarium that looks incredibly dated. The sea lion exhibit does go outside, but alas there were no sea lions to see today. This did me a sad. Still, it was a pleasant two-hour walk nearly all the way to the canal, and it was good watching ships going in and out of it. There were also a few military ships kicking about, alongside a barracks too, which I walked alongside.
For some reason, I have discussed this backwards so after the Maritime Museum, I opted to go back to the hotel and pick up my bag. This was 4:30pm, but with a 7:51pm train to Berlin out of Hamburg, I knew I had to start travelling south (as I say, don't trust Deutsche Bahn). There was a 4:37pm train, which I was surprised I made, and soon I was hurtling towards the Hanseatic Stadt. The journey was an hour and 20, but I decided to get off at Dammtor rather than Hauptbahnhof. The main reason for this was that I knew I had two hours to kill now and wanted some food. Five Guys seemed a good option as I knew it was open, wouldn't be too busy that I couldn't wile away some time, and wasn't too far away from the station. En route, I caught the CCH and Radisson. It was odd being here without the colourful furries, made even more stark by the darkness of the gloaming and the thick autumn clouds. It was only 6pm and yet it was already getting dark. I also saw the Kinder Transport memorial here - I'm not sure whether it was there before, but it is certainly a powerful reminder of what happened in the days prior to the start of the Second World War. I then made my way to Five Guys where I had the usual, pairing it with cherry-vanilla Coke Light then lemon Coke Light. When it was time, I walked to Hauptbahnhof, eschewing the usual S-Bahn as I wanted to be in full control. I also hadn't walked to Hauptbahnhof before, so it gave me the chance to explore parts of the city I hadn't yet visited. They were alright, lots of tall imposing department stores mainly, and a Thalia where Earl Spencer will be giving a talk on Princess Diana next month. I am surprised there is that much demand here, but there you go.
I got to the train station about 20 minutes ahead of time and ended up finding a wonderful secret viewing gallery over the platforms. Watching the trains come in and out was definitely one of the better experiences I've had at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, one of the worst train stations in all of Germany. This was only confirmed when a Flix Train came in 10 minutes late, and there was a huge pile-on, causing much frustration to all station staff. This delayed my ICE slightly, which came in on the 'opposite' platform. Once on board, I realised I was in one of those cabins rather than a usual saloon coach. I was also sharing with a big hairy man who refused to listen to his phone on headphones. He also smelled of cheese. I put my headphones in and tried to ignore him, but it was a struggle. He did, fortunately, get off at Wittenberge, leaving me in peace for the final 45 minutes of the journey. We got into Spandau pretty much on time - a rarity for Deutsche Bahn - and as I was leaving the station, I saw police cars and an emergency helicopter taking off from the middle of the main crossroads I have to cross to get home. I assume there was a huge accident and someone needed urgent medical attention. I hope they're okay.
