Have you ever noticed the houseboats near Bellevue Street? Having lived in Copenhagen, floating homes are not a strange phenomenon to me. You see everything from rusty fishing boats to urban river bungalows. I love the gypsy feeling about life on a houseboat. Riverboats first came to Berlin in 1298. Today, you see floating homes all along the banks of rivers and canals. At Treptower Harbour there’s a little colony, but for how much longer?; “Stern und Kreisschiffahrt”, which owns the premises, wants to get rid of these “river rats”. Tip: If you plan a trip to Copenhagen and want the “life on a houseboat” experience, book a room at this boat share or at this floating hotel.
Text: Lise Uduak
Published in Cee Cee #39 on 12.1.2012
