What is Hamburg? More than a harbour and a birthday, more than shopping and a trade fair. Hamburg is simply different. It's the smell of the Speicherstadt. Of carpet and coffee. It's the Alex on Jungfernstieg. It's sitting on the Elbe beach in the evening and counting ships. It's partying on the Reeperbahn. It's the cry of seagulls. It's the fish market in the humid morning mist of the harbour. Taking the ferry to the Elphi. Walking through St Georg. Or a Sunday stroll through the staircase neighbourhood in Blankenese. Rattling through the beautiful neighbourhoods at night on the elevated train and peering into the illuminated windows. Singing English hymns when one of the floating Queens moors in the harbour. It's Holsten and Astra, it's champagne and oysters. It's jogging around the Alster. It's a blonde ponytail with a black hair clip. It's schicki and micki, it's kuddel and daddel. For many, it is simply the most beautiful city in the world - and for many, it is not. Either far too classy or far too conceited. But the longer you stay here, the more you realise what makes this city so special. That's just how Hamburg is.