13 July 2012 – Stralsund

54:19.11N

13:06.01E

The final Hanseatic town on this cruise.  Next stop will be Peenemunde for a trip (with dictionary) to the V1 and V2 museum. 

Stralsund is the other half of the Wismar/Stralsund UNESCO Heritage site.  Its restoration is further advanced than Wismar, and has been done beautifully.  We’re in the City Marina, within 200 yards of the Alter Markt, and the town centre.

The Alter Markt and Rathaus, with the St Nickolas church, is really impressive.  A pity that the weather isn’t as impressive – its rained on and off all day.

We went into the tourist info centre and were given a guide in English.  We spent the morning walking round, admiring the (very) many gable houses.  There is an immense amount of restoration going on; archaeological digs, and also new build.  Just behind the Rathaus half the street is cordoned off to allow the pouring of concrete for “Quarter 17” and there were boards up showing the archaeological finds: including a George VI penny of 1937, that came off a bomber whose engine dropped off over the city. 

The Swedish influence is significant.  The City wall is well preserved, and outside the walls are the remains of bastions built by the Swedes to protect their trade.

There is a daily market in the Neuer Markt, and this afternoon I found a tiny supermarket: Lebensmittel  Neubauer and managed to buy some fresh braun and bratwurst from the fresh meat counter!  The wifi is OK, but not great – Roger has just written again to Ed Wildgoose about improvements required to the Red Box!