Perhaps I'm biased because my in-laws are Polish and live in nearby Elblag, but I think Gdansk is the crown jewel of the Baltic Coast. A few years ago, my wife and I visited Copenhagen, and while it is definitely a pretty city, it is outrageously expensive and a tad bit overrated (particularly the mermaid statue). I haven't been to Stockholm yet, so I will have to reassess Gdansk's "crown jewel" status after visiting there someday.
Home of Lech Walesa's Solidarity movement which helped oust the communists from power, Gdansk is part of a three-city metropolitan area called "Trojmiasto" (which means "Tricity" in Polish). Gdynia and Sopot are the other two cities, with Sopot attracting wealthy people since it has some of the highest real estate values in Poland.
The main attraction is Gdansk's Old Town ("Stare Miasto").
Old Town. Gdansk's Old Town, now home to dozens of restaurants and shops, was largely destroyed during World War II. There are, however, reminders of the ancient origins of the city, such as stones etched with dates from the 1600s and 1700s. (A few years ago, a Gdansk cathedral was celebrating the city's millennial year with banners reading, "Gdansk: 997-1997.")
Town Hall. The giant clock is a part of the old Town Hall, which now houses a history museum.
Town Hall.
Neptune's Fountain. Gdansk's identity and history are intimately tied to the Baltic Sea, making Neptune -- the Roman god of the sea -- a particularly fitting symbol for the city.
Motlawa River. The ship "Black Pearl" is taking tourists on a cruise.
Gdansk waterfront. Part of the Old Town, the Gdansk waterfront overlooks the Motlawa River.
Amber. Amber from the Baltic Sea -- which is believed to be 44 million years old -- regularly washes ashore after storms. It is common to find Poles and tourists combing the beach for beautiful specimens. Of course, businesses are doing the same thing. Craftsmen then shape the amber into valuable pieces of jewelry or art. (These items are from a store on the waterfront called Dawid.)
Jacobsen. We stopped for lunch at a tasty restaurant called Jacobsen which was playing vinyl records with a gramophone. The restaurant also had a very strange fascination with porcelain cats.
Your humble correspondent. Much to his surprise, your humble correspondent stumbled across his favorite European coffee chain, the Italian-based Segafredo. It's like Starbucks ... with the exception that it's really, really good.
Well, that wraps up Compass' time in Eastern Europe. We will most assuredly return in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, please check out the photo-essays on Budapest and Zakopane from earlier in the trip!
