Gdansk, Poland

Gdansk, you were a surprise.

The photos make Gdansk look like an 'old town'. But, it's not. The building facades are mostly less than 15 years old. And they're just facades. Underneath lay concrete buildings.

Most of Gdansk was destroyed in WW2. It was replaced by many soviet type buildings. Their government wanted to redevelop the area, and instead of going down the modern skyscraper route, they decided to go a different route. It's paying off. More tourists are coming, and the locals are happy.

So, no, you can't have the same appreciation as a 'real' old town. But it still looks pretty, and the town has a lovely feel.

While here, I went kayaking. I thought it would be the easiest of my 3 kayaks on this trip. Spoiler alert, it turned out to be the hardest. I felt like I was going to capsize the whole time as I'd move a little, and I'd almost go over. I was too scared to even move my head. 🤣

As we kayaked the main canal, I didn't want to fall out in front of the thousands of people watching me. Really. Imagine trying to get back in while being jeered. Sorry to disappoint you all, but I survived.

I was passed by 2 pirate ships, though. That's definitely a first. It reminds me of the time I was passed by a submarine while scuba diving. Good times. 🤣Read more