Another couple of favourites from Gdansk, particularly reflecting the city's relationship with the sea & its ship building history. Grain stores & old mills are commonly converted for modern use.
Stan & Theresa insisted on taking us to the World Heritage Site, Malbork Castle, while they waited in a coffee shop during our nearly 3 hour tour!
It is a magnificant place, the largest Gothic Castle complex in the world and the biggest brick structure ever built. Building began in the 1270s by the Teutonic Knights, crusaders who came to assist the Poles & then took over the country. It became the capital of the Teutonic State. When they were defeated it was purchased by the Polish king in 1457 & then used by the Prussians when Poland was partitioned. It was restored in the 19-20 centuries, extensively damaged in WW 2, and is now being restored again!
Still more work being done.
From Gdansk we caught the train to nearby Sopot, settled around 2500 years ago & a leisure resort since the 1500s (depending on political circumstances, of course). It has the longest wooden pier in Europe (below, looking back to the Grand Hotel). Mike had the opportunity to touch another new sea, this time the Baltic (polluted with yellow pine pollen). It is well known for the Sopot International Song Festival, and its Crooked House built in 2004.
A forgotten statue in a front yard.
Plenty of cafes here too (above right). This time a Polish favourite for lunch - beetroot soup.