Let's Gdansk!

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We have entered Poland and we have found it to be an unexpectedly picturesque and charming country so far. And fun.

Just for a warm up, we went to a town called Elk and gate-crashed a policeman's wedding. Then we camped nearby and decided to go for a cycle ride. There was a sudden downfall so we made a dash for this little village called Rozynsk and took shelter in a barn. Once the rain had cleared, all the villagers emerged from their cottages dressed in weird costumes and started chanting – this really was like a scene from The Wicker Man (original Edward Woodward version, not that Nicolas Cage nonsense). They formed a sort of parade and walked around the lanes playing odd music, banging drums and singing. Some wore garlands, some traditional dress, some had strange make-up, some were on stilts. One lad was even running around spinning blazing sticks and breathing fire but that might just be what he did of a Saturday night. It was a bizarre evening to have stumbled across and we didn't have a clue what was going on. We followed this macabre carnival down to a lake where they sang some more, played music and had a hog roast. At least I think it was a hog…

We then headed for Gdansk. My entire knowledge of Gdansk was based on watching the news reports in the 80s of the dockers strike, Solidarity and Lech Walesa outside a grey, rainy dockyard. What I wasn't expecting was a fantastically handsome city of eccentric architecture, pretty waterways and LOTS of colour. The town centre is just magical – lots of tall town houses in a range of styles and colours lining a wide avenue of cafes, stalls, street entertainers and musicians. All life is here. We sat outside one bar having cocktails while being serenaded by students of the local music academy – then I had my fortune told by two psychic budgies!

We went in search of the famous docks and found that they are now more like a shrine. Next to three enormous crosses, the gates are strewn with Solidarity banners, flowers laid daily, portraits of Poland's two greatest heroes – Lech Walesa and Pope John Paul II – and a souvenir shop. Of course at this end of town we did find more of the expected drab, grey tower blocks but that didn't take away from the beauty of the city as whole. We also saw a lot of people sporting the Lech look, bushy moustache and all. There were so many we might even have seen the real former president but not realised!

After that it was on to Malbork and the enormous fortifications of the Teutonic Knights. These religious nut-jobs weren't messing about – I have never seen such a big castle. Nobody was getting in there unwanted. When they weren't crusading about in the name of God, they were obviously hell-bent on building something that could be seen from space.

We have now pitched up in Torun for the night. Haven't seen much outside the campsite yet but it seems a bit odd here. The couple in the next van have just been out walking their cats… and, judging by this notice (see pic) for a few Zlotys you can get a massage from Rose West. Unless, of course, "Gesundheit and Massage" is the name of some sort of frightening double-act…

Comments

  1. Adrian4 July 2011 at 15:02

    Gdansk sounds fantastic... is there an airport or is eBay bus the only route in?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Foxy Will5 July 2011 at 12:32

    Yes, that'll be Lech Walesa Airport!!!

    ReplyDelete

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