LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF MY CAMERA
Country Mice Travel to Gdansk
Our itinerary is simple: enjoy a hotel room with a view, walk streets that remind of old Amsterdam, poke into the small shops, and dine along the river.
We live in a rural area on the Polish Baltic coast. It’s a charming quiet place, but sometimes we need to escape. So, we, the country mice, make our quarterly trek to a city in Poland to mingle with the city mice. This time our pick was to return to the port city of Gdansk, Poland. A city that is tied to the Baltic Sea by the the meandering channels formed by the confluence of the Motława, Martwa Wisła and Vistula Rivers. We have periodically visited the city over the years and each new visit finds delightful changes as Gdansk continues to refine its urban character.
Our itinerary for this trip is simple: enjoy a hotel room with a view of the river, walk streets lined with buildings that remind you of old Amsterdam, poke into the small shops selling local wares, and dine along the river boardwalk.
Our destination is Old Town, which lies along the Motława and adjacent canals. We had planned to travel in late August during Saint Dominic Fair, but work demands cancelled that trip. We rescheduled for a early fall visit. September is a time where the city is much calmer and less crowded though this time we had three days of rain. Not a bad thing though, as the rain changed the nature of the trip. Instead of the swirling colors of a city celebrating an annual holiday packed with thousands of visitors, we found ourselves in a city going about its everyday weekend.
Gdansk, like many cities in Poland, is going through an awakening, and the changes have introduced a touch of sophistication to the always charming Old Town part of the city. Thoughtful city planning has introduced new buildings to complement and blend with buildings that have lined the banks of the Motława river for hundreds of years. Included in the changes are two new moving pedestrian bridges that allow for walking from one side of the river to the other. The changes make for the perfect evening stroll and expand access to river-side dining.
Yet the old remains. The small ferry used to transport people across the river to the nearby marina is still in use, dutifully making its hourly transit across the dark waters of the Motława. It departs near the Krantor Crane (Brama Żuraw) a famous landmark of Gdańsk. Built in the 1300s it served as a city gate and a harbour crane. Blended with the old are delights such as a four-story Ferris wheel (AmberSky) for dramatic views of the city. For a touch of carnival along the waterfront, there is a double-decker carousel replete with painted horses providing delight to young and old alike. Further down the waterfront is the obligatory pirate ship, found in every Polish port, along with floating Volkswagens for rent.
Light rain and chilly temperatures add a subdued pastel touch to our weekend. The car free zone of Old Town allows life in the city to flow around us. It makes for a calm scene of families strolling with umbrellas at the ready, shoppers at the local markets protected by tented cupolas, and friends meeting at restaurants along the river front. We work our way down the river boardwalk through the Green Gate (Brama Zielona) and down the Long Market, which is dominated by Town Hall, and on past Neptunes Fountain. We end up making our way to the Lombard center Market Hall. The small shops and overhead roof make the perfect place to wait out a heavy rain shower.
Later, my wife indulges me as I pull out the camera to capture the weekend. She heads for the hotel and a good book. I continue through the streets with my camera in hand. The falling rain and dark cloudy day make for an intimate engagement. It is a time to capture the simple things; a group of German tourists with bright red umbrellas, making their way down the boardwalk, families with children in tow, and shoppers at a vegetable stand. Subdued lighting adds the right flavor for the afternoon.
That evening, we view the lit city from above. From our hotel sky bar, we watch the city flow below. Water reflects the bright lights of the Farris wheel across the water. Pedestrians move in a steady flow down the boardwalk and brightly lit restaurants beckon the hungry. The glow of the city lights deepens the shadows that balances the old and the new of the city. Not a bad place for a weekend visit by the country mice.
Thank you for reading. If you would like to experience more of our travels see the links below.