Inside the Elbphilharmonie, a concert hall in Hamburg’s HafenCity quarter. May 20, 2018

Inside the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg at a glass wall reflecting the observation deck. May 20, 2018

A view of Hamburg’s harbor from the Elbphilharmonie observation deck. May 20, 2018

A view of the Speicherstadt or City of Warehouses from the Elbphilharmonie observation deck in Hamburg. May 20, 2018

Gliding through the City of Warehouses canal during our group boat tour in Hamburg. May 20, 2018

Gliding through the City of Warehouses canal during our group boat tour in Hamburg. May 20, 2018

The Port of Hamburg is a sea port on the river Elbe in Hamburg and is Germany’s largest port. This mammoth vessel has a number of containers loaded onto it for transport. May 20, 2018

Hamburg is a major cruise destination and one of Europe’s largest ports of call for cruise passengers. This MSC Meraviglia cruise ship can hold up to 4500 passengers. May 20, 2018

The Elbphilharmonie with its glass and wavy roof structure, is a gorgeous site during our Hamburg canal and harbor boat tour. The concert hall is located in Hamburg’s HafenCity quarter. The new glassy construction resembles a hoisted sail, water wave or quartz crystal; it sits on top of an old warehouse building. May 20, 2018

St. Michael’s Church 433 feet high Baroque spire covered with copper is a prominent feature of Hamburg’s skyline and has always been a landfall mark for ships sailing up the river Elbe. Dedicated to the Archangel Michael, a large bronze statue, standing above the portal of the church shows the archangel conquering the devil. May 20, 2018

This large bronze statue, above the portal of St. Michael’s Church in Hamburg, is the Archangel Michael conquering the devil. May 20, 2018

Inside St. Michael’s Church in Hamburg where a service is being held. May 20, 2018

We began our walking tour with local guide, Jenny, and our group guide, Carlos, at 8:15 this morning and a beautiful morning it was. This gorgeous structure is Hamburg’s Town Hall and it was constructed from 1886 to 1897. It still the home of its government including the office of the First Mayor of Hamburg. After the old city hall was destroyed in the great fire of 1842, it took almost 44 years to build a new one. Most of the city of Hamburg was destroyed during the last week of July 1943, Operation Gomorrah, during World War II, which killed more than 40,000 citizens. But the Town Hall survived. May 20, 2018

Along our walk toward the remains of the Church of St. Nicholas is this statue of Saint Ansgar on Trostbrucke bridge in Hamburg. In 831 AD Hamburg was elevated as a mission to bring Christianity to Northern Europe and in 834 AD, the Benedictine monk Ansgar was elected as the first archbishop. May 20, 2018

The remains of the Church of St. Nicholas in Hamburg is the result of the bombing of Hamburg in World War II. More than 40,000 people were killed during the last week of July 1943 in what was called Operation Gomorrah which virtually destroyed most of the city. The removal of the church’s walls and rubble took place in 1951 and restoration work to the tower in the 1990s and 2012. This great tower was left standing, in all of its 450 feet, as a visual reminder of the destruction of war. May 20, 2018

What remains of the Church of St. Nicholas walls in Hamburg. May 20, 2018

The bronze sculpture in what use to be the interior of the Church of St. Nicholas in Hamburg is called “The ordeal” by Edith Breckwoldt. “No man in the whole world can change the truth. One can only look for the truth, find it and serve it. The truth is in all places,” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, inscribed on the sculpture’s plaque. May 20, 2018

Alice getting on our Rick Steves “Best of Germany” coach bus in Hamburg that will take our group, in comfort, through Germany over the coming days as we continue our journey. Today we make our way to the Lower Saxony area and the town of Münden for the night. May 21, 2018