Viking Homelands: Gdańsk II (9/1/2018)

Saturday, September 1, 2018 (continued)

We walked along the Motława River on
Długie Pobrzeże/Long Bridge, the
embankment that was originally a wooden
footbridge acting as a dock for ships to tie up

Żuraw/Crane (1442-1444), which is now part of the
Narodowe Muzeum Morskie/National Maritime
Museum, was the largest in the world in its time

The rest of the National Maritime Museum is across the river and
reached by ferry, and includes the SS Sołdek, the first ship built (1948)
in Poland after World War II

Żuraw/Crane: Kent, Fernando, and Josefina under
the "hamster wheels" where men walked to turn
the drive-wheels that raised or lowered the load

The town side of Brama Żuraw/Crane Gate

New build on Tokarska Street that
mimics the old town architecture

Brama Świętojańska/St John's Gate (1448)

Kościół św Jana/Church of St John (1360)
is now a performance venue

Park Świętopełka playground (KSS)

Statue (2010, by Wawrzyniec Samp) of
Świętopełka II, Duke of Pomerania, 13C ruler of Gdańsk

Sex Shop: Erotyczne Sny/Erotic Dreams...

Hala Targowa/Market Hall (1894-1896 in Neo-Gothic style)

Market Hall portal

Baszta/Tower Jacek (c 1400) is the tallest of
the medieval fortification towers

Kościół św Katarzyny/St Catherine's Church
(14C) is the oldest surviving church in Gdańsk, and
known for having the world's first pulsar clock, (2011)
located in the Tower Clock Museum

I do not know where they hide the 16 antennas that receive signals from six pulsars in space...

Kościół św. Brygidy/St Bridget's Church behind
St Catherine's Church was a site for prayer by
many activists within the Solidarity movement

St Bridget's Church has a memorial to Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Solidarity-sympathetic priest murdered in 1984 by the communist internal security service.

Kanał Raduni/Radunia Channel (14C
by the Teutonic Knights to provide water and
power for the Great Mill

Wielki Młyn/Great Mill (1350) was powered by slaves until the
Radunia Channel was constructed, and was the largest industrial
building in medieval Europe, using 18 millstones to grind wheat, rye, and malt

Ivy-covered brick and timber building on Podmłyńska Street

Gdzie jesteś?/Where Are You? (2011,
by Piotr Twardowski)

Living statue: only moves when someone
drops money in the cup

Painted facade of Długi Targ 19

Doorway of Długi Targ 28-29

We had time to have drinks before meeting to return by motor coach to the Viking Star.

Nowy Ratusz/New City Hall (1898-1901, in Neo-Renaissance style)

Gdańsk Główny/Gdańsk Main Train Station
(1894-1900, in Neo-Renaissance style)

Pomnik Poległych Stoczniowców 1970/
Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970
(1980, by Bogdan Pietruszka, Wiesław Szyślak,
Wojciech Mokwiński and Jacek Krenz)

Europejskie Centrum Solidarności/European Solidarity Center
(2010-2014, by the Polish firm FORT Architects)

Although the 1970 strike by the Lenin Shipyard workers was crushed by the communist authorities, the 1980 strike led by Lech Wałęsa resulted in the Independent Solidarity Trade Union. The European Solidarity Center relates the history of Solidarity, the Polish trade union and civil resistance movement, and other opposition movements of Communist Eastern Europe.

Stocznie Gdańska/the former Lenin Shipyards

Gdańsk Moderus Beta tram

Stadion Energa (2008-2011) was used for Euro 2012 soccer finals
and is the home stadium of Lechia Gdańsk team

Arriving back at Westerplatte

Tonight we had dinner at The Chef's Table, with the theme of La Route des Indes, using spices from Asia.
1. Amuse Bouche: Carrot and Cardamom Cream with orange and star anise foam.
2. First Course: Spicy Tuna Tataki with lemony Szechuan peppercorns, dried coriander seed and sesame oil, accompanied by pickled vegetables.
3. Granita: Ginger and Tarragon with infused vodka and lemon foam. A bit of a taste-awakening rather than a palate cleanser.
4. Main Course: Beef Tenderloin with Four Warm Spices: Spanish paprika, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon; unbelievably delicious! Accompanied by purple potato purée and mushrooms.

The main course

5. Dessert: Apple Délice Façon Tarte Tatin with butterscotch calvados sauce, and lots of cinnamon. This was a cored baked apple that was very thinly spiral cut, and we teased the waitstaff about the labor involved. We were told they have a machine!
Another sublime meal.

The evening entertainment was energetic dancing by a group
of Kashubians, a West Slavic ethnic group from North-central Poland

Next: At Sea.