Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Meeting Messi and Neymar


...well, almost.  So all day we had seen a TON of FC Barcelona jerseys.  Also saw a lot of street vendors selling FC Barcelona shirts and scarves...and some scarves split in half between FC Barcelona team colors and the local football club, Lechia Gdansk.  I commented to Jihye that maybe sometime they would have an exhibition match between the two clubs.  And then suddenly at about 8pm by the main gate into Old Town, five local guys start shouting team chants and waving scarves and making their way up the main road.  We kept walking to get drinks for the night, and sure enough we start seeing the game on TV in windows and locals clamoring to get a look.  We were in the local mart when we here shouts and an old man comes bursting out of the stock room yelling.  Gdansk had opened the scoring before the 10 minute mark!  We raced home to watch the rest of the game, a pretty decent 2-2 tie with Barcelona coming from behind both times.  We asked our host which way the stadium was, and no sooner had she said that she wasn't sure, we heard explosions.  The fireworks display after the match was happening on TV and just outside of our apartment over the stadium.  I guess we know where the stadium is now.




Heading Home


Leaving Old Town on our first night in Gdansk, Poland.







Gdansk Dinner


Street food for dinner...always have to try it once.  It is good...but perhaps my face will show you how under-impressed we were.



Cupcake Bar


Thought April would love this one.  A cupcake 'bar' in Old Town Gdansk, Poland.



Dluga Street


The main drag here in Old Town Gdansk, Poland.






St. Mary's Cathedral


A massive cathedral in the Old Town of Gdansk, Poland.  So full of historic works, including a mind-boggling clock from about 1470 and a wooden Pieta carving from 1410.











Polish Street Food


Mouthwatering!


Old Town in Gdansk, Poland


Really beautiful here...great architecture everywhere you look.


Ferry at Old Town


A ferry turning around in the river and our first trip into Old Town in Gdansk, Poland.  Postcard perfect here along the water.




Host Cat Eating Wasabi Chips

Picked up some STRONG Lay's Wasabi chips on our way to our new apartment in Gdansk, Poland.  Holy crap are they hot!!  The cat seemed very interested, so it was only right that we let it try.  I think that means he likes them...

http://youtu.be/5CdMogRynME


Gdansk, Poland


Arriving at 4 am in the middle of a thunderstorm and just after having chatted with my father on FaceTime.  Off to yet another host and a whole new adventure.


Monday, July 29, 2013

Polski Bus


Pretty nice buses actually, wi-fi and a toilet.  Another overnight ride from Warsaw to Gdansk, Poland.



Giant $5 Pizza


Had to kill about 3 hours before our bus to Gdansk, Poland.  This was the only restaurant we could find.  Ordered the cheapest margherita pizza and out comes this beast.  Ended up taking half of it with us to Gdansk.


Final Warsaw Sunset


Near the bus station in Warsaw, Poland.




Final Warsaw Meal


Homemade traditional Polish stew.  Jihye is without doubt part Polish.


One Liter beer for Pennies


Mid-day 'lunch'...one liter beer for 9 PLN!


Sunday, July 28, 2013

Is that Jihye in bed??


Jihye took a well-deserved nap after all of our sightseeing and tour of the Royal Castle.  She took the guide book section about Poland to bed and I did some reading at the kitchen table.  However, when I turned to check on her...I was in for a bit of a shock.  That is Jihye, right?



Traditional Polish Lunch


...and 8.3% Porter.


Exiting the 'Garbage Disposal'

The exit from down below in the cellars back up and out of the Royal Castle includes a climb up along the medieval 'garbage disposal'...where they would toss down everything from the kitchen and it made its way down to the river.  Fortunately it seems to have been cleaned at some point in the past half millennium.






View from the Royal Gardens




Garden Labyrinth

Mazing our way through the Royal Castle labyrinth.

http://youtu.be/lsX_qu9agLY




Nazi Demolition of the Royal Castle


Very moving and disturbing video documentaries of the utter destruction of the Royal Castle inflicted by Hitler as he tried to eliminate Warsaw entirely.  Nothing left but rubble and dust.