Next day we were off on our grand tour of European Xmas markets beginning with Gdansk. At Venice airport, the Christmas panettone were on display and what a display!
As the plane started to descend we saw fields of white and the excitement began. It snowed upon arrival in this northern Poland city on the Baltic Sea. We headed towards the Xmas markets as the tiny flakes came down. We had a gluwein topped up with cherry brandy and dined at Pyra bar on crispy potato pancakes with creamed spinach and chicken, perfect hearty food for this climate.
I didn’t sleep much that night because I kept checking on the snow, flurries highlighted by the street lights throughout the night and the next morning I walked out to nature and architecture delineated by white. Found a good cafe for a coffee and then checked out the streets of beautiful houses 90% of which were destroyed in the war. Looking at these incredibly elaborate buildings, it is beyond belief that this was all rebuilt by exactly as before. The riverside is old on one side, newer modern architecture on the other. They've even rebuilt a huge medieval crane. It is a port town, made famous by the uprising in the 80’s against Communism by the dock workers. It’s also the town where Goldwasser vodka was created in 1598. It’s a strong liqueur comprising 20 different roots and herbs with small flakes of 23 carat gold suspended in it. It’s deadly.
We head to the Xmas markets and have a specialty from this region - smoked patterned cheese wrapped in bacon and grilled over a wood fire and .served with a cranberry sauce. Delicious.
We are frozen so after checking out the little wooden huts filled with Xmas decorations, gifts and foods we head to a restaurant for Pierogi, Polish dumplings. I order a salad but having ordered one also last night, I realise that most of it will be comprised of various lightly pickled vegetables, which happens to be the case. After that we try four different vodkas that we each have a sip of. One is Gingerbread, another potato, there's a tomato and a dark chocolate. Perfect sustenance to head back out into the cold. We eat by the river that night. The cold here is bitter, I think it’s because there’s a breeze off the river and we’re on the Baltic. Mulled wine is necessary as is carbs!
SOPOT.
We head off to Sopot on the sea the next day, taking a taxi as they are so cheap here. We laugh when we walk down through the street to the beach that is covered in snow and full of
people walking along it. Sopot also has the longest wooden pier in Europe which was built in 1827. We walk halfway out but the cold is too much.
We find the oldest pub of Sopot, Blekitny Pudel, opposite the wonky building that is famous here and enjoy the warmth of the retro styled interior and the passionfuit and white chocolate mulled white wine! It’s fantastic.
Then after we have a Thai lunch (we’re missing Asian food again) and then head back to Gdansk. I wander around and find a cherry liquor shop and have a warmed one, standing up with all the other people who are dropping by on their way home to warm their insides.
Later that night I walk into the old town to meet the girls and the snow has started up again. So exciting! We dine underground in a cute restaurant with tables that are filled with old memorabilia under glass and we have baked potatoes with a range of different fillings. Perfect for the deep freeze of the night.
The next day, a wind is added to the chill factor, I have a high carb breakfast and then head to the river but it’s just too cold. How do people cope here? I walk back into the city and admire the coloured buildings, the beautiful ironwork, a street of beautiful shops selling mainly amber as most of it is found in the Baltic sea region. I have my photo taken and inserted into a Gdansk newspaper article because - why not? The girl who is standing in the deep freeze escaped from the Ukraine, I can’t believe how lucky we are.
I do have to mention a pastry I had as we headed to the railway station the next day. It was beyond flavoursome, a Pirog z twarogiem i malinami, crispy layers of pastry filled with sweet cheese raspberries, orange rind and sultanas. I ate it warm as we walked past The Great Mill, built in 1350 and in operation until the end of WWII and the largest industrial plant in Europe during the Middle Ages. Next to it is the Miller’s Guild House, build in 1894 and completely destroyed during the war and rebuilt. It’s so beautiful sitting in the middle of the canal.
I have to say I love this city, the people are so friendly, it's so interesting and so cold that it's a good excuse to have carbs on tap!
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