June 26, 2024

Return to Hansel & Gretel Cottage Area

I returned to this cute neighborhood to take some photos, while not buzzing by on bike. I really like the neighborhood nestled between a park, school, U-ban station and the woods. The A frame style houses appeal to me with their cute inner gardens. One of the streets is completely paved with brick pavers, but I have to admit I am not loving the German ( and I saw this in Ireland too - so may be a UE thing) oh natural trend - where they leave landscape untrimmed and growing wildly, in common areas or city public spaces.


The real problem with this otherwise idyllic neighborhood; is they are right under the flight path to Hamburg International airport which is a busy place, as the second largest city in Germany. Planes flew directly overhead of me seemingly ever five minutes, while I did this walk! It is loud, but maybe one grows numb to it over time. After almost 2 weeks I hardly notice subway sounds at Tom's. Even slept with window open last night!


I used German equivalent to Zillow Immoscout24 app to find the prices in neighborhood - range from 500,000 to 1.3M Euro ( modern one, style doesn't fit but just finished and listed in last photo). 

By Pat Patrick April 14, 2026
Raja Ampat is truly a diver and snorkeler paradise! Soooo many fish and corals everywhere you look!
By Pat Patrick April 14, 2026
Seeing an Octopus on this trip is one of my goals. So far, I have seen two reef octopus hiding in holes on the reef slopes. But I really want to see one in motion, like this video below by Evan Johnston (follow him on Instagram at of___earth ). Evan is an Irish marine biologist, free diver/ scubadiver, instructor and talented underwater videographer. He has been at the Resort for the last 6 weeks taking video, for their future marketing and gave me this video for inspiration!
By Pat Patrick April 14, 2026
The Reefs of Raja Ampat are stunning and teaming with wildlife. The guides are super knowledgable of the 35 different dive / snorkel sites that surround the Resort. The guides get such joy in sharing it all with us and point out some of the most unique and tiniest of it's creatures.