Poland > In the footsteps of Lech Walesa

We start the day calmly. After having a coffee in the hotel room, we walk to the quay of the Motlawa River for breakfast. The weather is beautiful. The sun is shining and it is about five degrees outside. In a small café we order breakfast with cappuccino, orange juice, and bread with salmon.

Poland - The view along the quay on the Motlawa River

A good start to the day. Through the "Swan Tower," part of the old city wall, and the "Maria Gate," we arrive at the old wooden "Crane." The original of this characteristic crane dates back to the Middle Ages and was used to unload ships. Inside the tower, cargo could be hoisted up by walking inside a large wooden wheel. In the two adjoining towers around the crane, a maritime museum is housed. From the top floor of the crane we have a fine view over the Motlawa River. In the St. John’s Church, located just behind the crane, a baptism is taking place. The church is beautifully decorated with Gothic ornaments. We continue our walk along the quay. At the Green Gate we return to the central square. The gate was once built for a royal visit, but in practice it was only used once for this purpose. Nowadays, the building is used by the Lech Walesa Foundation. The Long Market looks much more colorful in daylight. The pastel-colored houses give the square a special appearance. The façades of the "Golden House" and the adjacent "Artus Court" can now also be clearly seen. Both houses display the wealth of the past, with decorations and golden statues on their façades. At the Town Hall and the "Neptune Fountain" begins the "Long Street." During the Second World War this street was heavily damaged. Only two houses survived unscathed. However, the street has been completely restored in its old style. In one of the buildings we settle down for a coffee. At the end, the street is closed off by the "Golden Gate.

Poland - The shipyard where Lech Walesa started the Solidarity union

" The golden statues shimmer beautifully in the sunlight. Via the Arsenal and St. Jacob’s Church we arrive at the "Targowa Market Halls." The halls are closed on Sundays. Just to the north are St. Nicholas’ Church and St. Catherine’s Church. Here the city walk from the guidebook ends. On our own, we continue walking to the Lenin Shipyard. At this yard, dockworker Lech Walesa led the uprising against communism in 1980. This was the beginning of the trade union Solidarity. On the site of the shipyard now stands a large museum that presents Polish history around the fall of communism. With the help of an audio tour we walk through the museum. Impressive! At the end of the afternoon we finish the day with a beer in one of the cafés in the Old Town. In the evening we find a nice little restaurant in a basement. The restaurant is less focused on tourists. The tartiflette with salmon tastes excellent.