Flag of Hamburg

This is the flag of Hamburg, the banner under which I will be drinking for the next 4 months. It is interesting that Hamburg, formally called the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is an independent city state within Germany. A couple of days ago I went to the Hamburger Dom. In most cities of Europe 'the Dom' is a large Cathedral around which the town is built. However, not in Hamburg. In Hamburg, the Dom is a fair ground, with hotdogs, ghost trains, Ferris wheels, water slides, you get the picture. The fair is only open for three months of the year, one month at a time, so it was good to get to go before it closes next week. There used to be a Cathedral where the fair ground now stands, but it was torn down a couple of hundred years ago. Hamburg is a merchant town and it seems that Hamburgers care far more about trade and commerce than they do about religion. Apparently 40% of people in Hamburg profess to have no religion. Relion or no, it seems to work, Hamburg is one of the wealthiest cities in Europe.