Grand Explorer Blog: 06 September

This morning we arrived in our first port, Gdansk, Poland.

Maybe it's the sea air, or maybe it's the mixture of the city's cultural importance and political tumult. Whatever the reason, Gdańsk is special to Poles—and to Scandinavians and Germans, who visit the region in great numbers. From 1308 to 1945, this Baltic port was an independent city-state called Danzig, a majority of whose residents were ethnic Germans. When the Nazis fired the first shots of World War II here on September 1, 1939, they began a process of systematic destruction of Poland that would last for six years and leave millions dead. Nevertheless, in 1997 Gdańsk celebrated its 1,000th year as a Baltic city.

The historic core of this medieval city can be explored easily on foot. Although Gdańsk was almost entirely destroyed during World War II, the streets of its Główne Miasto (Main Town) have been lovingly restored and still retain their historical and cultural richness. North of the Main Town, the Stare Miasto (Old Town) contains many newer hotels and shops, but several churches and the beautifully reconstructed Old Town Hall justify its name. At the north end of the Old Town sit the shipyards. This site, which captivated world attention during the many clashes between workers and militarized police units during the 1970s and '80s, has now settled back into its daily grind, and the shipyards struggle to make the adjustment to the free market.

MY EXCURSION: BEST OF GDANSK & MOLBORK CASTLE

Imagine a time when feudal villages were under the constant threat of attack by marauding forces. When knights fought valiantly in the name of their kings. When castles, walls and battlements stood strong and proud - defenders against invasion. Now I can stop imagining and experience first hand the rich history of Poland's medieval era during this active, full-day, guided excursion to the 1000 year-old city of Gdansk and Malbork Castle. We began at the pier where we boarded an air-conditioned bus for a 1.5-hour drive through the picturesque countryside dotted with quaint villages.

You really step back in time at Malbork Castle, one of Poland's oldest castles dating back to 1274. Located on the banks of the sparkling blue Nogat River, and set against rolling green landscape, this massive red brick fortress is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Featuring dramatic dungeons, mazes of tunnels, twisting towers, and vaulted rooms, this gothic masterpiece was built by the Order of Teutonic Knights, a German Roman Catholic religious order of crusaders.

This is Europe's largest feudal castle and we had a 70-minute, guided walking tour. The exhibition halls feature collections of ceramics, sculptures and Baltic amber.

There was free time to shop for souvenirs prior to re-boarding the motorcoach for a drive to our next historic destination, Gdansk. On the way from Malbork to Gdansk, we stopped for a traditional lunch served at a restaurant located on the bank of the Vistula River, overlooking the longest river in Poland. We had Polish beer, Polish meatball with red cabbage and sauerkraut and then cakes for dessert, was good!

About an hour from Malbork Castle sits the fabled city of Gdansk. Dating back over 1,000 years, it's famous for being a rich port, a bustling cultural center and the site of the beginning of WWII.Then embark on a 50-minute guided walk of Gdansk's Main Town. Visit Golden Gate, an ornamental 16th-century arch built to allow access through the city's medieval walls.

We strolled along Long Street. Established in the 13th-century as a merchant road leading to the oval market place, it has also been the site of executions of witches, heretics and criminals. We walked toward Town Hall with it's breathtaking Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. We visited Artus Court, a 15th-century merchant's palace named for the brotherhood of Artur taken from the idea of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. We saw Neptune's Fountain, a bronze trident-wielding behemoth created in 1615.