Once more, a lack of any entries for a long time. This is mainly becuase of limited internet access, but not entirely, and I must admit to a sloth factor. However, internet access has been patchy after Gdansk. Should have caught up in Gdansk, which is where the sloth factor really kicked in.
Still, here goes.
We left Russia, Kaliningrad Oblast, and entered Poland with no particular problems. One of the officials on the Polish side told us the UK had made a big mistake to leave the EU; we could only agree with him and tell him we had voted to remain. The conversation moved to football and then beer, but anyway could not last long.
Off from the crossing point to Frombork. This was where Copernicus developed his heliocentric theory - never mind that Chinese and Persian astronomers and doubtless othersknew all about it; Europe was then in the grip of Earth-centred thinking. Copernicus was a priest and ended up in Frombork cathedral where he did extensive observations, and - bingo. The museum about it all was annotated entirely in Polish which somewhat linited our appreciatiion. We were struck how many school parties were visiting. The cathedral was impressive; like all(?) churches here entirely of brick.
We had to get on. George had to be in Gdansk that evening to meet the owner of the flat we were to have. Two ways to get there, a ferry to the spit opposite, then 60km cycling to Gdansk. Or cycle all the way via Elblag. We got in a muddle over ferry times and he decided to go on the latter route and being faster, to go ahead with this. Katherine and Tom now regret they did not explore the ferry option more thoroughly, and followed the same route on the assumption that it would not matter is we arrived seriously late. So we set off. We took a slightly, more scenic route to Elblag, along the coast. This involved two glorious descents but one not so glorous ascent for the second descent. When we got to Elblag we got a bit lost and had no idea of the route out of the place. But by now we were serioujsly late for cycling to Gdansk. We deceided to avoid that by going by train. We missed a driect train by about 10 minutes and had to have a long change in Malbork. The train to Malbork may gave been an electric train, but it was a true bum-shaker. Before it left, we had a snack in a place called Amercan FUK and I bought a new outer tyre for my back wheel as the old one was in a sorry state.
On the way to Elblag, we saw a stork's nest
We got to Gdansk around 7pm. Getting our bikes off the station was a challenge as no lifts. Then had no ides where the flat was. After aimless wandering, stopped for a beer and had the seriously original idea of asking the waitress where it was. She knew and showed it on thje iPad map. So no more blowing raspberries with the child on the next table, and off we went and found the place, a bit after George got there. A nice flat in an interesting town with much to see.
Still, here goes.
We left Russia, Kaliningrad Oblast, and entered Poland with no particular problems. One of the officials on the Polish side told us the UK had made a big mistake to leave the EU; we could only agree with him and tell him we had voted to remain. The conversation moved to football and then beer, but anyway could not last long.
Off from the crossing point to Frombork. This was where Copernicus developed his heliocentric theory - never mind that Chinese and Persian astronomers and doubtless othersknew all about it; Europe was then in the grip of Earth-centred thinking. Copernicus was a priest and ended up in Frombork cathedral where he did extensive observations, and - bingo. The museum about it all was annotated entirely in Polish which somewhat linited our appreciatiion. We were struck how many school parties were visiting. The cathedral was impressive; like all(?) churches here entirely of brick.
We had to get on. George had to be in Gdansk that evening to meet the owner of the flat we were to have. Two ways to get there, a ferry to the spit opposite, then 60km cycling to Gdansk. Or cycle all the way via Elblag. We got in a muddle over ferry times and he decided to go on the latter route and being faster, to go ahead with this. Katherine and Tom now regret they did not explore the ferry option more thoroughly, and followed the same route on the assumption that it would not matter is we arrived seriously late. So we set off. We took a slightly, more scenic route to Elblag, along the coast. This involved two glorious descents but one not so glorous ascent for the second descent. When we got to Elblag we got a bit lost and had no idea of the route out of the place. But by now we were serioujsly late for cycling to Gdansk. We deceided to avoid that by going by train. We missed a driect train by about 10 minutes and had to have a long change in Malbork. The train to Malbork may gave been an electric train, but it was a true bum-shaker. Before it left, we had a snack in a place called Amercan FUK and I bought a new outer tyre for my back wheel as the old one was in a sorry state.
On the way to Elblag, we saw a stork's nest
We got to Gdansk around 7pm. Getting our bikes off the station was a challenge as no lifts. Then had no ides where the flat was. After aimless wandering, stopped for a beer and had the seriously original idea of asking the waitress where it was. She knew and showed it on thje iPad map. So no more blowing raspberries with the child on the next table, and off we went and found the place, a bit after George got there. A nice flat in an interesting town with much to see.
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