Warnemunde and Rostock

I found Warnemunde, on the northern coast of Germany, one of the most interesting ports that we've visited. Most of the others were designed largely for cruise ships. Warnememde dates to the 13th century as a fishing village.

Today, cruise ships share the docks with fishing, ferry and sailboats, so there's always activity. This is in sharp contrast with the St Petersburg dock which was constructed almost solely for cruise ships and the money tourists bring in.

A short walk (500m) from the dock brings you to the Alte Strom canal lined on both sides with active fishing boats, restaurants and shops.

One of the oldest lighthouses in on the coast, built in 1897, towers 120 feet and guides ships into the long narrow harbor.

The area also sports sandy beaches, filled with locals enjoying the blue waters and largely ignoring the tourists.

We boarded our coach for a short drive to Rostock to visit (yet another) St Peter's Church and the New Market Square.

This St Peter's was built in the 14th century and rebuilt after being accidentally bombed in WW2*. An elevator is available for reaching an observation platform at the steeple's base. The original, stone spiral staircase is also accessible and I carefully descended via its crumbling steps.

We moved onto the Town Square, a mixture of modern cafes and shops surrounding the Fountain of Joy, a 300 year old university and a truly charming "blueprint" artisan.

*Apparently, churches were largely spared from Allied bombing because their steeples made excellent visible landmarks for identifying other targets from the air.