Andrew's Travels

Andrew's Travels

traveled in 67 countries Read more🌍Cambridge

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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
Mokra Gora and Mecavnik (Kustendorf)
September 22, 2022 in Serbia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
We travel to Mokra Gora ("wet mountain"), a beautiful area between the slopes of three mountains (Zlatibor, Sargan and Tara).

Here we ride on the Sargan Eight narrow gauge railway; this was built after WWI to link Mokra Gora and Sargan, enabling a railway link between Belgrade, Sarajevo and Dubrovnik - the problem was the 300m rise in height between the towns which are only 3.5km apart. This was solved via a 15km "figure of eight" railway line running through 22 tunnels! It stopped running in 1974, but was revived for tourism purposes in 1999. A wonderful experience, 45m each way with stops between.

Next we travel to Mecavnik, a traditional Serbian village created by the Serbian film director Emir Kusterica for his film "Life is a Miracle". The streets are named after film directors and it is interesting to see. This village, more popularly known as Kustendorf, after the director's name, is now a popular tourist resort.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi„Kustendorf“ is probably an old German word. Meaning: „Village at the shore“
9/27/22Reply
TravelerThanks!
9/27/22Reply
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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
Serbia; to Sirogojno
September 21, 2022 in Serbia ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
We cross the border into Serbia and head towards the Mt Zlatibor Massif and the 13th century Mileseva Monastery, near to Prijepdie. This is one of Serbia's most important spiritual centres and is famous for its "White Angel" fresco painting depicting an angel visiting thr the grave of Christ.

We then drive to the mountain village of Sirogojno, famous for its "Old Village" open air museum, a collection of 19th century buildings assembled from around the area (reminiscent of the Weald and Downland open air museum in the UK). The main exhibits are two Zlatibor house-yards, complete with residential and commercial buildings. We stay in an authentic guest cottage here tonight and enjoy a hearty meal with beers in the evening.

After breakfast we walk into the village past the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and visit the Knitting Museum. In 1962, Dobrila Smiljanic recognised that the quality and motifs used on local knitwear could be of interest to the fashion industry; it was, and Sirogojno knitwear is still available to, albeit at a price. Her initiative with local cultural heritage led to the eventual establishment of the Sirogojno Open Air Museum.Read more
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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
To Zjabljak and Durmitor NP
September 20, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C
We leave Virpazar and drive via the Moraca Gorge to the 13th century Orthodox monastery at Moraca (dedicated to the Assumptionof Mary); originally Serbian, it has been rebuilt . There is also a minor Chapel dedicated to St Nicholas.

We then drive to the impressive concrete arch Djurdjevica Bridge spanning the gorge over the Tara River; this is the deepest gorge in Europe at 1300 metres deep and the second deepest gorge in the world (after the Grand Canyon). Ziplining is also very popular here now.

We then head towards Zabljak, a town lying amongst the towering peaks, and close to the Durmitor National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Here we walk round the Black Lake (both the Big Lake and the Small Lake, separated by a narrow strait that dries up in the Summer); it was 6.5 km, and quite challenging at times but well worth the effort.

Another lovely meal followed later.Read more
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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
To Virpazar and Lake Skadar NP
September 19, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
We leave Budva and stop at Sveti Stefan; this tiny island is connected to the shore by a narrow isthmus and was once a luxurious tourist resort - it is now closed.

We drive to the small town of Virpazar, the gateway to the Lake Skadar National Park. We have a quick walk round and see the town monument before walking up to Besac Fortress - this has now been converted to a wine museum and restaurant. There are great views of the lake from here and we come down again in a golf cart!

Lake Skadar is the largest lake in the Balkans; it is 44 km long and some of it is in Albania. We explore it on a boat trip; it is extremely pretty, with meadows of lilies, views of monasteries, birds etc.

Later that evening, we enjoy an excellent dinner at Hotel Pelikan.Read more
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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
Budva
September 19, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
This beautiful town has grown to become the focal point of the Montenegran Riviera, a 35 km strip of the Adriatic coast, but the Old Town and the beaches still retain their charm.

We explore the Old Town, a mini Dubrovnik with marbled streets and Venetian walls, which has been rebuilt after two earthquakes in 1979. We visit the churches and the Citadel before strolling off to the beach and a paddle.Read more
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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
Kotor Bay and Perast
September 18, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
We're on a boat trip from Kotor around part of the beautiful Bay of Kotor; surrounded by steep mountains, it is reminiscent of a fjord (although it isn't).

We soon arrive at two, small picturesque islets; the natural St George's Island and the man-made Our Lady of the Rock Island (15th century). The former houses a Benedictine Monastery and the latter a Church.

We cross over to Prevast for a quick explore; after visiting St Nicholas Church, we have a walk around this beautiful, small town.Read more
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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
Kotor City Walls and Fortress
September 18, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
We access the walls from the Sea Gate after passing the Kampala Tower on the way. Walking up towards the open air theatre area there are good views if the town before entering town close to the North Gate and accessing the official walking route.

It is a steep path, but after 650 steps we soon reach the Church of Our Lady of Remedy perched on the slope of St John Mountain. There are great views from here and as we climb up to the fortress itself. An excellent morning.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidihave you been to the very top?
9/21/22Reply
TravelerHi, we did go to the top by the flag. Great place.
9/22/22Reply
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Journey through the Balkans Traveler
Montenegro; Kotor Old Town
September 17, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ 🌧 22 °C
Kotor is an old port lying beneath the slope of Mount Lovcen; it is surrounded by fortifications built onto the slope that date from the Venetian period. It is now a World Heritage Site and getting popular with large cruise ships that stop off for the night.

We explore the triangular shaped Old Town (Stari Grad) at the Sea Gate (aka Wesr Gate) which was the original entrance from the port. We head to the Gurdic Gate (aka South Gate) and walk through the beautiful old town, seeing St Tryphon Cathedral and reaching the more cental St Luke's Church (which is both Orthodox and Catholic) and the Church of St Nicholas. After more lovely old streets, we reach the Church of St Mary and the River Gate (aka North Gate) on the other side of the Old Town.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiWe loved Kotor, enjoy this trip!
9/20/22Reply
Wolfgang und HeidiNice place. We enjoyed it very much. Best in the evenings when the cruisers have gone
9/21/22Reply
TravelerYes, we enjoyed it very much as well.
9/22/22Reply
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Cambridgeshire; South District Traveler
Melbourn and Meldreth Circular
September 13, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
We start this walk at the Dunsbridge Turnpike, just off the A10, and outside the Green Man pub; the turnpike was a toll gate along the old Cambridge to Royston road and was in use 1793 - 1872. We walk south along the River Shep and then turn off along the edge of the Kingsway Golf Centre before heading down the Cambridge Road to Melbourn.

Melbourn is a large village in the far south-west of Cambridgeshire and on the edge of the River Mel. All Saints Church is in the centre; only a couple of pubs remain in Melbourn now from its heyday of 11 inns in 1865. We walk past Sheene Mill, a former 16th century mill house on the river and now an upmarket restaurant and wedding venue (we have been to friends' weddings there). Our route takes us along the bank of the River Mel, past the edge of Melbourne Village College playing fields and then under the A10 and over (or under) the railway line that links Cambridge to Royston and then Kings Cross in London.

The course of the River Mel is through the small Melwood Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Meldreth; this is a much smaller village than Melbourn. We pass the gardens of the British Queen pub and carry on past an old mill (now part of a much larger house). A diversion into the village to Fenny Lane takes us to see the Prime Meridian marker here; this is where longitude is defined as 0° and the village happens to lie directly on this (it was unveiled on 4 December 1999 to celebrate the millennium). We double back and pass the Holy Trinity Church and join the road to Shepreth.

We cut through Shepreth L-Moor (see earlier post) and then follow the path to Frog End down to the A10 and cross over back to the Dunsbridge Turnpike. Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiNice to hear from you!!!!!
9/17/22Reply
Wolfgang und HeidiHow are you both?
9/17/22Reply
TravelerHi! We are both well - and travelling again! We arrived today in Montenegro on an Explore trip (Journey through the Balkans). watch this space.... Hope you are both well too and to see you again in due course!
9/17/22Reply
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Suffolk Traveler
Snape circular walk to Snape Maltings
July 4, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
We start at Snape, a small village on the River Alde, and follow a route along the top of Snape Marshes (a combination of marsh, reedbed and wet woodland with lots of freshwater dykes) to reach the Sailor's Path (a beautiful route walked by sailors for hundreds of years between Snape Maltings and Aldeburgh). We then cut down through Snape Warren Nature Reserve (an area of heathland, grassland and scrub) to reach the River Alde and walk up to Snape Bridge; there are excellent views all the way as we reach the bridge and cross over to vist Snape Maltings.

Snape was originally a busy port; the site was purchased by the Victorian entrepeneur Newson Garrett who converted it to a maltings and used the River Alde to transport barley across Britain and into Europe on Thames barges - in 1854 he began malting at Snape, and was soon shipping malt, rather than barley, to breweries. Malting ceased in 1965, however, and the site was purchased by a local farmer who leased the largest Malthouse to Benjamin Britten, who had the vision to see the building and the beautiful setting as a possible site for the rapidly growing Aldeburgh Music Festival. From 1971 - 2014, the other buildings were converted to shops, galleries and accommodation and new buildings were developed to create a centre for music. The complete site is now part of a music, arts and heritage charity - Britten Pears Arts.

We have a good look round Snape Maltings - it is well worth a visitRead more
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Suffolk Traveler
Aldeburgh
July 3, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Aldeburgh is a coastal town located to the north of the River Alde and was once a leading port with a flourishing shipbuilding industry; this declined as the river silted up and in the 1800s it became a fashionable tourist spot.

We walk via the outskirts of town and along the edge of Aldeburgh Marshes to reach the River Alde and head to the coast and what was once Slaughden; this was originally a fishing village but was lost to erosion by the sea - the only surviving building is the unique quatrefoil Martello Tower. From here it is along the promenade to pass some of the town's landmarks; the Fort Greem Mill (a four-storey windmill built in 1824 and converted into a dwelling in 1902), the Grade II listed Aldeburgh Beach Lookout (1830) and the Lifeboat Station. We then go into town to walk along the High Street to see some of the sights there before returning to the promenade. Later on, we returned to enjoy Adnams beer at the White Hart Inn and fish and chips (the two family-run fish and chip shops here have been rated among the country's best) -

We see the Moot Hall (a Grade I listed timber-framed building used for council meetings for over 400 years, that now also houses the local museum) and then walk up the Scallop, just beyond the town centre. This sculpture (2003) is dedicated to Benjamin Britten, who would walk along the beach in the afternoons.

Aldeburgh is a lovely place.Read more
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Suffolk Traveler
Thorpeness and the House in the Clouds
July 2, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
We are visiting the Thorpeness area for the weekend as a friend has rented the House in the Clouds for a family celebration and invited his Devil's Dyke Morris Men colleagues to dance there and celebrate with him.

Originally a small fishing hamlet, in the 1900s the wealthy Ogilvie family created a "fantasy holiday haven" here by blocking the outlet of the River Hundred, alreadty silted up, to create the Meare - 60 acres of shallow water, ornamental gardens and small islands.

To hide the eyesore of having a water tower in the village, the tank was clad in wood to make it look like a small house on top of a tower; the House in the Clouds. The windmill outside it used to grind corn at Aldringham, but was moved here in 1923 to pump water up to the tower.

The Morris Men dance here and we are treated to a tour of the house, which was an incredible experience as it is extremely quirky inside. We also walk round the village and Meare before heading back to our B&B in Aldeburgh. A great day!Read more
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Suffolk Traveler
Bury St Edmunds; across the town
June 24, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
A short walk away from the Abbey Gardens and Cathedral area is the Green King Brewery; there has been a brewery on this Westgate Street site since 1799 and opposite the Brew Cafe is the Theatre Royal, a Grade I listed restored Regency theatre.

We walk down Crown Street past the front of St Mary's Church to reach Angel Hill, where the iconic Abbey Gate is sited. On Angel Hill are the historic buildings of both The Athenaeum, originally built in the 18th century as Assembly Rooms, and the distinctive facade of The Angel Hotel, where Charles Dickens stayed in 1859 and again in 1861. There is also a lighthouse-shaped street sign commonly known as the "Pillar of Salt" opposite Norman Tower; built in 1935, the sign is now a listed monument and thought to be the England's first internally illuminated street sign.

We walk up Abbeygate Street to see the Corn Exchange, now a Wetherspoons pub; opposite it on The Traverse is the famous Nutshell pub, reputedly the smallest public house in Britain. We walk up Guildhall Street to see The Guildhall (a grade 1 listed building which dates back to the 13th century) before doubling back to reach Bury St Edmunds town centre square, The Cornhill. The Market Cross building here has four decorative sculpted panels representing music and drama; across the square diagonally is Moyse's Hall, built in around 1180 originally as a town house but now a museum.

We walk down St John's Street to reach the quirky Smoking Monkey antiques shop and the St John the Evangelist Church, before turning off to reach The Old Cannon Brewery, an independent micro-brewery selling traditional English real ale since 1845. Read more
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Suffolk Traveler
Bury St Edmunds; Abbey Gardens
June 24, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Bury St Edmunds, commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a picturesque market town steeped in history; the Saxons founded a monastery here about 633, which in 903 became the burial place of King Edmund the Martyr and the town grew around Bury St Edmunds Abbey, a site of pilgrimage.

Our walking guide route starts at Abbot's Bridge, which dates back to the 12th century. We then enter the Abbey Gardens, a six hectare park on the site of the former Benedictine Abbey, and walk via the Sensory Gardens towards the Abbey Gate; in 1327 the Abbey was stormed by the townspeople, who destroyed the original Abbey Gate and much of the monastery. We then walk to the ruined buildings of the original monastery; on one of the pillars is a plaque commemorating the spot where, in 1214, the barons of England swore to compel King John to sign the document now known as the Magna Carta. We double back to the Rose Garden and emerge into Cathedral Close to visit St Edmundsbury Cathedral itself; it only became a cathedral in 1914 and has been enlarged from the original parish church over the decades.

Outside it is a statue of St Edmund and a small row of residential homes built into the original abbey walls; we then see the Norman Tower which historically has served as the bell tower to the Cathedral. We pass the Martyr's Memorial to reach the Charnel House, which was built in the 13th century in order to store bones previously buried in the Great Churchyard. St Mary's church lies to its right; completed in 1427, this has the longest nave of any parish church in England. We leave the Abbey Gardens and nearby you can see large pieces of the old abbey embedded within a wall which skirts a lane; when Henry VIII dissolved the Bury St Edmund's Abbey in 1539, the towns people moved quickly to re-use the stone flints and mortar - evidence of their recycling can still be seen throughout the town.Read more
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Suffolk Traveler
Newmarket
June 20, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Newmarket is best known as the home of English horse racing and is located in a corner of Suffolk that nudges into Cambridgeshire. Originally a small village, Newmarket's transformation in fortunes is due its association with racing and royalty which extends back into the 17th century. The crucial event was the construction of Newmarket Palace by King James and a lodge for what would be the future King Charles I; they both loved the area and made frequent visits - as did grandson / son King Charles II who became a devotee of horse racing. Although the original palace and lodge are gone, a small portion of Charles II's residence still exists in the two lower storeys of the nineteenth century house known as Palace House Mansion (the bulk was swept away in the Regency period).

Newmarket is an easy 15 mile drive from Duxford and as you enter the town there is a statue on the roundabout outside the National Stud (a thoroughbred horse breeding farm) that gives an indication of what Newmarket is all about. The National Horse Racing Museum in the town centre is an interesting visit and well worth a look around. Back in town, we pass the Jockey Club Rooms - where there is a magnificent statue of the horse "Hyperion" in the courtyard - and see the beautiful clock tower at the top of Newmarket High Street that commemorates Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1887. We also pass Nell Gwynn's cottage where there is an image of King Charles II on the wall; Nell was a "celebrity" actress of the Restoration Period and a long-time mistress of the king.

Newmarket is all about horse racing though, and a few years ago I took my father, a racing fan, to Newmarket Races to celebrate his 80th birthday year. A couple of pictures of our "day at the races" are included for completeness (and in his memory).Read more
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Museums of Cambridge Traveler
Kettle's Yard; The Liberty of Doubt
June 14, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
This was our first visit to the contemporary art gallery next to Kettle's Yard house and we attended a new exhibition by Ai Weiwei (born 1957, Beijing, China), one of the world’s most renowned and significant artists; he was joint architect of the Bird's Nest stadium built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. From 2009, however, he has been a Chinese Exile due to his activism; he spent some of this time living in Cambridge, but moved in 2020 to live in Portugal.

His Liberty of Doubt exhibition sets out to explore both the freedom of the West has in contrast to China and other authoritative regimes, and the differing traditions in the art of the East and West (ie ancient and modern) in relation to authenticity. He has mixed his own artworks with historic Chinese objects; the antiquities on display were acquired by Ai Weiwei at an auction in Cambridge in 2020, and some have been identified some as original and others as counterfeit.

Highlights that we saw included the following:

Chinese lacquered Greystone fragmentary hand, clutching a bottle; probably the hand of a Bodhisattva.

Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn; in 1995, Ai Weiwei intentionally dropped a Han Dynasty urn while being photographed – simultaneously destroying and making - and drew attention to the Chinese government’s widespread destruction of the country’s heritage. This exhibit was actually made from Lego bricks (in 2015).

Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola Logo, 2014; one of a series in which Ai has painted the Coca-Cola logo onto an ancient vessel - burnishing an historical Chinese artefact with a globally recognisable brand, he considers the place of China within contemporary consumer culture.

Blue and White Porcelain Plates, 2017; Inspired by the ancient Greek story of The Odyssey, Ai reflects on the cyclical nature of history in the imagery of these plates, drawing a correlation between the journey undertaken by Odysseus and the ongoing global refugee crisis. The plates show six themes: War, Ruins, the Journey, Crossing the Sea, Refugee Camps, Demonstrations.

Marble Surveillance Camera with Plinth, 2014; since 2008, Ai’s studio compound in Beijing has been surrounded by over two dozen surveillance cameras put in place by the authorities - following this intrusive act, Ai has frequently investigated the theme of surveillance in his work.

The Chair for Non-attendance, 2013; originally made to commemorate a friend who was detained by the Chinese state, it was presented in 2013 at the Stockholm Film Festival, where Ai had been invited to be a juror, but was prevented from attending due to being barred from leaving China by state officials.

Marble Takeout Box, 2015; the locally produced Styrofoam takeout box is the most ubiquitous takeaway container in China, yet the country is the nation that has produced the highest quality porcelain in the past.

Marble Toilet Paper, 2020; the whole world was in a panic in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and unnoticed and everyday objects suddenly became scarce in all the supermarkets and this work lays bare how fragile civilized progress actually is.

Three of his documentary films were also featured; Coronation (2020) about the pandemic in Wuhan, Cockroach (2020) about the student protests in Hong Kong and and Human Flow (2017) about the global migration crisis - we did not see these.

An interesting afternoonRead more
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Museums of Cambridge Traveler
Kettle's Yard; The House
June 14, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Kettle's Yard is part of the University of Cambridge Museums consortium and was originally the Cambridge home of Jim Ede and his wife Helen; they moved to Cambridge in 1956 and converted four small cottages into one house as a place to display Ede's collection of early 20th-century art. Ede was a curator at the Tate Gallery in London, and as such it is biased towards works from the British avant-garde of the first half of the 20th century. In 1966, Ede gave the house and collection to the University of Cambridge, but continued living there before he and his wife moved to Edinburgh in 1973; the house is preserved as the Ede’s left it, making a very informal space to enjoy the permanent collection, and in 1970, the house was extended.

Kettle's Yard is located in a quiet corner of Cambridge, overlooking St Peter’s Church, and is a beautiful house filled with beautiful objects placed to create a harmonic whole; a visit to the house has to be booked in advance. Our small group starts by ringing the bell, as visitors had to do when Ede maintained an 'open house' each afternoon, giving any visitors, particularly students, a personal tour of his collection. Our guide shows us the downstairs area and explains how everything - including arrangements of pebbles, sculptures and paintings - has been left in its exact place. On the next floor we see a lounge area and internal balcony which leads to the gallery extension downstairs (there is a bedroom area up another flight of stairs) - this gallery, also used for small live musical performances, is delightful. It was amazing to see how the four cottages had been joined together and the way it had all been laid out with great care and attention to detail.

There is also an exhibition gallery on two levels next to the house, which has been built in a contrasting modernist style (see next post).Read more
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Museums of Cambridge Traveler
Fitzwilliam; Hockney's Eye
June 14, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
David Hockney (b.1937, Bradford) is one of the most influential artists of our time; the exhibition "Hockney's Eye: The Art and Technology of Depiction" is in both The Fitzwilliam Museum, where his art is integrated across several picture galleries against the background of his dialogue with the "Old Masters", and The Heong Gallery (part of Downing College). Hockney’s Eye explores the artist’s pioneering modern experiments in bringing hand, eye and optical instruments together inventively.

In his use of cameras, digital drawing, the iPad and digital film, Hockney is following a tradition of creative experiments with optical devices that goes back from Ingres’ camera lucida to Canaletto’s camera obscura and right back to the birth of Renaissance naturalism in the fifteenth century.

Fitzwilliam

Our walk through the museum overs many aspects of his work via separate sections in several of the galleries:

Gallery 3 (British Art, 16-18th century); "Doing portraits" - his self-portrait, those of others and ipad self-portraits; pictures are visibly related to work of predecessors such as Hogarth

Gallery 6 (Italian Art, 14-16th century); "Perspectives on perspective" - includes a very interesting video on the optical rules of linear perspective

Gallery 7 (Italian Art, 18th century); "A lens on the Grand Canal"

Gallery 8 (Spanish and Flemish Art); "Hockney and Brueghel"

Gallery 10 (Octoganal exhibition space); "Seeing them watching us" - front of house staff at the National Gallery, London

Gallery 17 (Flower Paintings, Inlaid Furniture and Clocks); "What a shadow shows us" and "How to make flowers last"

Gallery 15 (Dutch Art, 17-18th century); "Perspective; orthodox and reverse" - how can a picture convey what we actually see?

Gallery 14 (Exhibition space); "Artists and optical aids" - use of optical tools such as camera lucida, camera obscura, concave mirrors

Gallery 12 (Exhibition space); "Time Travel" - digital videos synchronised and presented on nine monitors; also ipad pictures

Heong Gallery

This charts Hockney’s pioneering modern experiments from the 1960s to the present day in bringing hand, eye, and optical instruments together; this includes photo collages and pictures derived from the use of mirrors.

All in all, a great morning out seeing some good art and having an interesting experience.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiNice pictures, Andrew !
6/20/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Gdansk - The Shipyard and Museums
May 24, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We walk up to the shipyard area; outside is the Monument to the Fallen Shipyards Workers of 1970 which commemorates the 42 or more people killed during the Coastal cities events in December 1970; in 1980, Lech Walesa emerged to rouse crowds of strikers here, leading to the formation of the Solidarity movement and ultimately to democracy for Poland and most of the Eastern bloc. Still active, the shipyard area seems to be slated for redevelopment and general gentrification and we enjoy seeing the old cranes and perimeter buildings while they are still there.

Behind this is the European Solidarity Centre, a museum and library devoted to the history of Solidarity, the Polish trade union and civil resistance movement, and other opposition movements of Communist Eastern Europe.

We walk to see the Polish Post Office; now a museum, the building is historically significant because it was one of the first sites targeted by the German Army when it invaded Poland on 1 Sept 1939 and WWII started; from the Polish perspective, a group of postmen held out against SS troops for almost a day and this feat is commemorated by a monument.

It is a short walk from here to the Museum of the Second World War, built in the style of a leaning tower with glass facade. We visit this museum and it is very interesting.

Back at the Motlawa Riverfront, we cross over to the small island of Olowianka (Granary Island) in the river and pass the Polish Philharmonic Concert Hall and the National Maritime Museum.

Then it is back to the hotel to head off to the airport for the flight back home. A great trip to Poland is over.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Gdansk - Old Town 2; continued
May 23, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We turn left after the Green Gate along the Motlawa Riverfront - the heart of the old port, it is now a bustling restaurant area - and reach the iconic Gdansk Crane (best viewed from the other side of the river, which we did); this restored 15th century port crane is now part of the National Maritime Museum.

We walk up the picturesque ul. Mariacka, where rich merchants used to live, towards the Church of St Mary; this is the largest medieval brick-built church in Europe, taking 150 years to complete and has been rebuilt after being destroyed in WWII. It is also famous for its astronomical clock built in 1464-1470 by Master Hans Duringer; our timing is fortunate as we see it do its stuff at 11:57am. We also ascend the 407 steps to the top of the 78m tower for some great views. Outside is the Royal Chapel, used as a place of worship for Catholics when St Mary's became Protestant.

We see the Arsenal, the finest example of a Dutch Mannerist style building in Gdansk; this former weapons and munitions store is now filled with shops and an art gallery. Our walk takes us past both the Old Town Hall (also Dutch Mannerist) and the Old Market building on our way to visit the Church of St Catherine. This is the oldest and most important church in the Old Town and houses an exhibit of Tower Clocks in the Gdansk Science Museum which is situated in part of the tower - this is 76m tall with even better views of the city and the shipyard area from the top than from the Main Town Hall.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Gdansk - Old Town 1; The Royal Way
May 23, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Gdansk is a city on the Baltic coast of northern Poland with a complex history, having had periods of Polish, Prussian and German rule, as well as periods of autonomy as a free city-state.

An important shipbuilding port, from 1918 to 1939, Gdansk lay in the disputed Polish Corridor between Poland and Germany, the political tensions here culminated in the Invasion of Poland in 1939 and WWII. The city was destroyed during WWII, but is now painstakingly rebuilt.

We start our exploration by walking the Royal Way along ul. Dluga (Long Lane) and Dlugi Targ (Long Market). Along Long Lane we pass the Highland Gate, marking the route's beginning, the Prison Tower (now housing the Amber Museum), the Golden Gate (ceremonial gateway to the city) and pass many beautiful, tall and narrow houses built in Flemish style before reaching the Main Town Hall. We visit this; it is now the seat of the Gdansk Museum and has reconstructed interiors - the Red Room is of particular note and has a beautiful ceiling.

The road widens as we reach the Long Market and Artus Court - the historic meeting place of the town's elite - with the bronze statue of Neptune's Fountain in front of it and the Golden House, with a fine facade, beside it; the Royal Way ends at Green Gate, built as a residence of visiting Polish Kings.Read more
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Poland Traveler
1
Warsaw - City Centre
May 22, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Warsaw is not all "old" buildings; there are many high rise and modern buildings in the city centre.

We start at the Palace of Culture and Science; this was built 1952-1955 and was a gift to the people of Warsaw from the nations of the USSR. An emblem of the city, it now comprises a concert hall, cinema, two museums, Congress Hall, offices,academic institutions and private companies! It is 237m tall, and built with inspiration from the Empire State Building in Nwe York. Behind it is Swietokyzyska Park and we cross this and look for the hidden away Nozyk Synagogue; this is the only active Synagogue in Warsaw and exceptionally beautiful.

We walk on to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Pilsudski Square; close to it on ul. Krolewska are the Zacheta Building, housing the National Gallery of Contemporary Art, and the Evangelical Church of the Augsberg Confession, a neo-classical domed building. The lovely Saxon Gardens nearby are the oldest Public Park in Warsaw and are adjacent to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

We see examples of how new building has encroached upon old building as we walk back to see old buildings, near our hotel, used during the Warsaw Uprising and also the last remaining fragment of the Old Ghetto Wall.

Then it's off to Warsaw Centrale Station to catch our train to Gdansk.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi Wow
5/23/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Warsaw - Royal Route to Lazienki Palace
May 21, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
We take the bus 106 again to Mariensztat and walk up to the Old Town again to start the "Warsaw - In Your Pocket" walking tour of The Royal Route.

The full Royal Route links the city's three Royal residences; Royal Castle, Lazienki Park's Palace on the Island and the Wilanow Palace. We cover the first part, taking in the many historical buildings, parks and monuments on the way to Lazienki Park via Warsaw's two main high streets, ul. Krakowskie Przedmiejscie and ul. Nowy Swiat.

Starting at the Royal Castle on Plac Zamkowy again, we walk down ul. KP past St Anne's Church, the Adam Mickiewicz Monument (he was a literary figure) to reach the fenced and guarded Presidential Palace. We visit the Church of the Nuns of the Visitation (Fryderyk Chopin attended as a youth) and pass some buildings of the University of Warsaw to reach the Holy Cross Church; this is the final resting place of Chopin's heart (in a sealed urn) and the interior is exceptional.

After an intersection, the road becomes ul. Nowy Swiat, and definitely more trendy. We reach the modern art installation that is the famed Palm Tree, situated in the middle of a roundabout! At Plac Tlzech Krzyzy, a roundabout with St Alexander's Church on it, the Royal Route becomes ul Al. Ulazpowska and we walk down here, passing a statue of Ronald Reagan opposite the US Embassy, to reach the western perimeter of Lazienki Park.

We pass Belvedere Palace, the residence of Polish Presidents 1918 -1995; this can only be viewed from the Royal Route and no visitors are allowed. We enter Lazienki Park and see the Art Nouveau Chopin Monument, the open-air Theatre on the Island and the magnificent semicircular Myslewicki Palace before reaching the Palace on the Island. The name derives from the fact that it was originally a private bath-house before being bought by the last king of Poland in 1772 and converted to a private residence.Read more
TravelerNow I know what you were writing on the train to Gdansk! 🤣
5/23/22Reply
2 likes
Poland Traveler
Warsaw - New Town
May 20, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
The New Town (Nowe Miasto) is next to the Old Town and became a separate urban entity in 1408; it was also mostly destroyed during WWII andhas been rebuilt.

We enter from the Old Town via the Barbican and pass the Church of the Holy Spirit and Church of St Jacek to enter the cobbled Ulice Freta, the main road in the New Town. We reach the triangular shaped New Town Square and the rebuilt Church of St Kazimierz, with its elegant green dome and beautiful interior. We also visit the nearby Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary.

We then walk back down Ulice Freta and turn right along Ulice Dluga to see the Monument to the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, commemorating the heroes of this event.

It has been a great afternoon, thanks to the "Warsaw - In Your Pocket" guide book.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Warsaw - Old Town
May 20, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We arrive in Warsaw Centrale Station before 1pm after a good train journey from Krakow. Luckily our room at Hotel Ibis is ready and we set off for the Old Town on bus 106 to Mariensztat with a street map and the "Warsaw - In Your Pocket" guide provided by the hotel to start our 2km walking tour of the Old Town (Stare Miasto). This was founded at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, but was almost completely destroyed during WWII and has been rebuilt.

We start at Plac Zamkowy and see Zygmunt's Column, the oldest secular monument in Warsaw; this king moved the capital here from Krakow. Opposite is the Royal Castle, a symbol of Polish independence. We enter the Cathedral of St John and see the Jesuit Church next door, before visiting Ulice Piwna (Beer Street). We walk along the defensive city walls, Podwale, past the Jan Kilinski and Little Insurgent monuments to reach the Warsaw Barbican, guarding the North entrance to the Old Town.

We walk back to the Old Town Market Square, with its beautiful and colourful town houses; there was originally the town hall in the centre, but following its demolition in 1817, a statue of the Warsaw Mermaid, the protector of the city, takes its place. There are museums here; we enjoy a view over the River Vistula from Gnojna Gora (what was the old dung mound for human and domestic waste!) before making a wish at the nearby Wishing Bell.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiWe haven‘t been to Poland yet. Your report is great. We will probably do it at some point (Heidi) enjoy
5/22/22Reply
TravelerYou must visit. We travelled independently; everything organised by Helen (= Heidi? )
5/23/22Reply
Wolfgang und Heidi😂👍
5/23/22Reply
2 likes
Poland Traveler
Wieliczka Salt Mine
May 19, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Wieliczka is approx 30 minutes outside Krakow and famous for its ancient salt mine, which opened 700 years ago and is still in operation (for maintenance only). Rock salt is a valuable mineral that fuelled Krakow's growth (and, from a tourist income perspective, still does so today!)

The mine is unique in the world for its corridors, sculptures, chambers and galleries that have all been excavated and carved by hand. There is a 2 km tourist route on three levels through a network of underground galleries reaching a depth of 135m.

An amazing experience.Read more
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