July 2023

George Rosolymos · July 2023

This year, I have to admit that this July was quite different than the previous years. Most of the time the average temperature was significantly lower than the usual summer temperature. This is funny, because according to climate scientists, July of 2023 has broken global temperature records, and secured its position as the warmest month for decades.

The first time that we visited the city of Hamburg, was in 2014. It has been such a long time since we made our first trip inside the borders of Germany. I remember how huge Hamburg seemed to me compared to Hannover where I was living at the time. I fell for the charming waterfront, and iconic red-brick Speicherstadt warehouse district - a UNESCO World Heritage site. We were stunned by the architectural wonders of the majestic Elbphilharmonie concert hall and the historic Rathaus (City Hall). Not to mention, the famous and historic St. Pauli district, known for its diverse and inclusive atmosphere. All in all, it was a special trip full of intense moments immersed in enchanting images.

After almost a decade, of living in Berlin, I have to say that the “aftertaste” of our trip to Hamburg was not the same as the last time. Except for the undeniable beauty of the buildings in Old Town and near the Port, everything else was not as impressive as I remember. First of all the scale was way smaller compared to Berlin. Every distance is covered easily on foot and it is max 15-20 minutes from the center. The city's vibrant neighborhoods offer a diverse and vibrant atmosphere, but there are not so many cool choices for food and drinks, for someone who is spoiled with a plethora of entertainment options, like in Berlin. On Friday and Saturday nights, all the fun is around the St. Pauli district, but it is so crowded, that it is hard to even hear your voice. Unfortunately, St. Pauli, and especially Reeperbahn, has become a popular destination full of tourists who are willing to party on the street, drinking and getting wasted, like they are on some Greek island in the 90s. I wanted to see the progressive and socially-conscious spirit of St. Pauli as evident in its activism and commitment to social justice. I know that spirit is buried deep in there somewhere… In defense of the city, I must confess, that the weekend that we chose to visit Hamburg, there was a massive annual folk event and there were people from all over Germany celebrating the years of German innocence!

Amidst the unforgiving heat, and wildfires across EU countries, with a total of 236,768 burned hectares, blazes have caused several deaths and forced large-scale evacuations. Unfortunately, in Greece, thousands of people were evacuated from the Greek islands of Rhodes and Corfu. In a big city near Athens, Volos, an explosion occurred in an ammunition camp, and in Evia, two pilots of a firefighting plane died after their jet crashed after exhausting efforts. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared that the Mediterranean nation was at war with wildfires(!) I suppose that this July stands tall as a testament to the escalating effects of climate change, urging us to take action before the warmest month becomes an unbearable reality for future generations.

august 2023

june 2023