Poland

Monday, July 4th, 2022 

Let's breeze through Gdnyia, to give more time to a highlight later on.

   

 Gdynia reveals old and new with remnants of its Soviet occupiers.

   

 In Gdnask, Poland, let's start with Katedra Oliwska.

 

1594

   er

This was really exciting- the shipyards where Lech Walesa started the solidarity movement that contributed to the collapse of the Iron Curtain.

And the same day drove by Lech Walesa's house. He served as President from 1990 to 1995.

18th century military barracks in valleys over Gdnask.

And above those barracks is a vista of Gdnask.

Let's give you a taste of Old Town.

But first, let's duck into Bazylika Mariacka Wniebowziecia Najswietszej Maryi Panny w Gdansku.

It was started in 1343.

And is so vast you just can't capture it in a picture.

It's the largest brick church in the world.

  

 

Emerging from this glorious Basilica, found a heavy rain so ducked back in to put on a Patagonia rain jacket and get out the umbrella.

The downpour emptied the streets giving wide open vistas and a magical setting.

Headed out to the canal.

And back to the 14th century Hanseatic city.

Every building is a piece of art.

Enchanting.

Rain stopped and out come the tourists. :(

Bathed in light, the facades sing.

This was what would be $1.43. I'm moving here.

Trying to take it all in.

Back to the canal to see old on one side, new on the other.

That building was for a crane to load and unload ships.

 

Exchange with girl at ice cream shop: 

Do you speak English? (Rarely ask this.) 

Yes. 

Great, thank you. I'd like ice cream and have questions about your currency. 

We have chocolate and white. 

Vanilla? 

No, just white. 

Ok, I'll have white then. 

 Then she patiently explains the currency and when she turned to get my cone I put what would be 8 bucks in coins in her tip jar.

Leaving Old Town and seeing AmberSky.

   

 

And the outskirts of town....

   

President Ronald Reagan Park.