Warmest April on record.

You might think my eulogies to spring have been a bit overdone - but here is the confirmation that this April has been extraordinary. Official records show that April 2009 in Hamburg has been the warmest and driest April since records began.
The photo above (taken by Marcelo Hernendez) published in the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper was taken in Hamburg last Friday. Is this not what you think Hamburg looks like? Well, but it is Hamburg.

The photo was taken at the Beach-Club StrandPauli, which is an artificial 'beach' near the center of Hamburg built on the banks of the Elbe River. In the background you see the ships in the Port of Hamburg. All you need is a bit of sand, some palms in pots and a DJ playing you summer music and you can imagine yourself in the south of Spain.