photo by flicker user tmivy/Tracie Ivy

For almost a week now, the whole of Hamburg has been a fairground, with rollercoasters, big wheels and all the trimmings.

Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration; but we are talking about a part of the city so big that it kind of gives you that impression. The “Heiligengeistfeld” – also the name of the legendary St. Pauli FC football stadium next-door – is about half a mile long and several hundred yards wide. That makes it big enough to be served by two underground stops – one at each end. Which is a good job, really, since, until the last week of August, the area will be overrun with thrill-seeking teenagers and tourists, as well as the odd local adrenalin addict, like myself.