Gdansk was our third city we visited. We arrived via train from Wroclaw. The train ride was 6 hours but a very comfortable and quick 6 hours. Plane rides should be this nice. We had time to read, journal, nap, and talk. We stayed at a boutique hotel called the Medusa. It was lovely and the owner was very friendly. One evening we were having drinks at their bar and she sat and talked to us about the hotel, her life, changes since they joined the EU, etc. the buffet breakfast was served in the bar area, but it was substantial, food fresh and delicious. It was a short walk to the main section of town. Since it was World Cup night we ate dinner at another Rick recommended restaurant called Baryłka which translates to Barrell. After eating much pork and sausages we opted for fish, a good choice. We sat outside watching the people passing and the water. The only disappointment was the cheesecake. The men stayed to watch the game while us women folk went to St. Mary's for mass.
The next day we did Rick's walking tour of the city. We stopped at the Town Hall Museum, the Uphagen house museum, then coffee/cake at Cukiernia Sowa - great choice. We then continued to the Prison Tower and arrived as it was closing. It seems the museums in GDANSK are free on Mondays but close at 1:00. I really do not remember reading that little tidbit. We continued on, the armory was closed but we stopped at St. Nicolas Church, St. Catherine's and St. Bridget's. Each church holds their own secrets and is interesting discovering them. On to the Market Hall which had some unearthed ruins, then the GDANSK Shipyard. The shipyard is another museum where you could spend an entire day. Another very moving and enthralling tale of suppressed people who weren't going to take it anymore. We spent the rest of our day there then leisurely walked back to the center of town. Along the way we ate at another Milk Bar which had delicious food and a nice variety. On our walk we had discovered our donut shop. It seems it is a franchise. Of course we had to get a few but waited until we returned to the hotel to have coffee/tea which the hotel provided very graciously. They were just as delicious and we ate every last morsel. Since it was still early we rested up a bit then at the suggestion of the hotel clerk, we went to a bar on a side street called Rotterdam, to have a few drinks and a cheese board. Unlike the places we passed on the Main Street, this one was not crowded and the music wasn't hurting our eardrums. A lovely end to a lovely day.
The next day we took the train to Marlbork to see the castle. This was our only rainy day and it rained on and off all day long. We hopped a cab at the station because we didn't want to get soaked before the day got going. My one mistake was not preordering tickets. We weren't sure which day we were going, poor excuse, so no preorder. I should have even done it the night before but, travel and learn. Luckily we were there early so the line was short, but after about ten minutes, we saw the line was getting very, very long. We had our audio guide but it seemed like forever before we could actually enter the castle. The grounds are vast. After walking around, we thought the tour was over because we were back outside when the speaker told us, pause here for a few minutes before we start the second half. It was definitely time for lunch. We went to the Gothic Restaurant on the property, and again we were lucky. There weren't many tables but they were large. We saw a woman sitting alone and asked to join her. She was a Polish travel guide waiting for her group. We ended up having another delicious meal and a wonderful conversation. After our lunch, it was still raining so we decided to grab the 3:17 train back to GDANSK. Upon our return we shopped a little and returned to Barłka for drinks and another cheeseboard. Next stop Warsaw.