Postcards from the Past: Poland

The Land of Fields

When and Where:           08/2008 – Gdynia, Gdansk

36th Country Visited; 24rd European Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

·        The Polish language is said to be one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn.

·        Polish people were able to save the lives of more than 450,000 Jews during World War II.  About 50,000 Poles were executed for protecting Jews. 

On our 2008 family cruise to Scandinavia, we made a port call in Gdynia, a port city which is a short drive from Gdansk Poland.  We were fortunate to have one of the warmest and driest days of our vacation while in Gdansk.  Gdansk was formerly known as Danzig while part of Germany.  As we drove to Gdansk, the tour guide talked about Gdansk during World War II and Gdansk’s Lech Walesa, who was instrumental in bringing democracy to the post Soviet-era Poland.  Walesa went on to become President of Poland.  There wasn’t much to see during our drive other than open fields and farm cottages in the countryside.  Once in Gdansk, I was pleasantly surprised by the downtown.  It’s a cute town with quaint outdoor cafes, varied boutique shops and a picturesque waterfront.  The buildings were multi-colored Tudor-style structures which reminded me a lot of Munich.  We sat an outdoor pub, had a few beers and snacks, and took in the culture of this cute city.  We also strolled though the local shops, but there wasn’t much of interest.  Our trip back to the cruise ship docked in Gdynia was delayed due to heavy traffic.  We were late getting back to the ship, but the excursion was worthwhile as we were able to sample the Polish culture and cuisine.

 The best part of Poland are the people.  The Polish people are the salt of the earth, always warm and welcoming.  They will go above and beyond to help others.  This was evident during World War II when the Poles helped save countless Jewish lives.  Similarly today, the Poles have welcomed more Ukrainian refugees than any other country. 

Gdansk wasn’t one of my favorite cities, but Poland is a large country.  There is much more of Poland I want and hope to see in the coming years.

Gdansk

Gdansk

The tudor style buildings in Gdansk




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