Dream to Travel from NCM

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The Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk w/Mike,

October 21st, 2022

This striking piece of modern architecture is in the northern end of Gdańsk’s waterfront. We exited the train at Gdansk’s Glowney station and walked through the city. I don’t think the museum has been open that long. The building itself, all bare red concrete some painted black and grey, creates a somber atmosphere. The high tower is what strikes you right away. Inside the museum is divided into three areas, The Road to War, The Terror of War and The Long Shadow of War. It is impossible to leave unmoved. I left visibly dazed, so powerful is the story this museum tells.

On the way to and from the museum,

Train: Sopot to Gdansk.

And we’re walking . . .

Neptune. In the heart of the city, reminding all of Gdansk’s relationship to the sea.

At the museum.

A pedestrian bridge over River Motlawa between the old city and Granary Island in the heart of Gdansk. This it totally cool! The crossing ship traffic requires a swing bridge, clearance can’t be achieved with a fixed bridge

Carousel in Gdansk. Carousels in every city so far.

Baltic Philharmonic Hall. I’m going to try to see a concert.
Another beautiful day in the neighborhood!

October 20th, 2022

Miscellaneous Pictures,

This morning’s coffee and danish. I had to hold myself back from finishing this delicious! cheese danish.

And they take dogs. : )

All the outdoor cafes have started putting out their blankets to keep warm. The weather has gotten noticeably cooler in the last day or two. But at least the sun is still out!

Similar parking machines and apps.

I think this converts to about $6/gallon.

My dryer. ; )
European Solidarity Centre

October 19th, 2022

The European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk in Poland is a museum that is dedicated to the history of solidarity and opposition movements of Communist Eastern Europe, including the Polish trade union and civil resistance movement. The museum commemorates the revolution of Solidarity and the fall of communism in Europe. It holds a collection of around 2,000 objects of which a few are exhibited in the permanent exhibition inside the building of the European Solidarity Centre. The exhibition includes archival objects, documents, manuscripts, photographs, video footage and interactive installations. (from their website)

A sobering experience, well worth the visit. It succeeds in putting you right into the shipyard during the strike that changed everything—you’ll see lockers of workers; be able to sit at the actual negotiating table between the workers and the state; jail cells, interrogation rooms, see underground printing presses; film clips and so much more

My first solo trip. Bought my ticket and boarded the train. Forgot to take a picture of the train–next time.

Five-story building, which has been designed to give the impression of walls cracking and tilting and is covered in rust-colored sheet metal reminiscent of a ship’s hull.

In Poland, Lech Walesa, founder of the Solidarity trade union, wins a landslide election victory in 1990, becoming the first directly elected Polish leader. Won the Nobel Peace Prize 1983.

Wall of solidarity.

With my card.

The popemobile. Though not on the front lines, Pope John Paul II’s role in the liberation of Poland seems like it should not be understated.
Tuesday’s dinner with Mike

October 18th, 2022

The Polish food is delicious and very reasonably priced. I think I forgot to mention the Polish Zloty conversion rate to USD is approximately 5 to 1. 1 USD to 5 PLN. I hope I wrote this correctly. Anyway, it is very good—in my favor!

Polish national dishes are plentiful. Chefs use gifts from the Baltic Sea, vegetables, fruits, meat of wild and domestic animals, fish from lakes, rivers, mushrooms, berries, dairy products.

The Polish gastronomic traditions influenced by the people living in the country or in the neighborhood (Lithuanians, Magyars, Germans, Jews, Russians). French and Italian chefs who served at the court of the kings and the Polish nobility brought a peculiar sophistication to the recipes.

Tonight we dined at Chianti Bar and Grill. The decor was rustic and clean. The service was personal and observant. And the food was fantastic! The owner seemed to have high standards and was using only the finest and freshest ingredients to create the amazing dishes at this restaurant.

PS I will try to remember to get our servers to take a picture of Mike and me. I need some people in my pictures.

Tuna carpaccio with pesto was a light and elegant dish for serving as an appetizer. Loved it.
Mike had the tomato, mozzarella and basil bruschetta

Top to bottom again. Mike had a favorite of mine, pasta dish combining shrimp, squid, clams and mussels with a simple sauce served over linguine with capers, kalamata olives and hand torn basil. For me, pumpkin risotto with Baltic shrimp–delicious. For me it is usually about risotto and salmon when available.

Tomorrow the Solidarity Museum. The European Solidarity Centre (Europejskie Centrum Solidarności) is a museum and library in Gdańsk, devoted to the history of Solidarity, the Polish trade union and civil resistance movement, and other opposition movements of Communist Eastern Europe.
Pictures

October 18th, 2022

My coffee spot in Sopot.

Poland celebrates fall but does not really celebrate Halloween.

Barb, everyone (over 60(ish)) uses walking sticks!

Sopot’s version of Cape May’s Coast Guard. They march to music and look great in their uniforms.

Sopot’s version of Congress Hall.

Fish (from the Baltic Sea) and Chips in Sopot.

The beach in Sopot.
The Sopot Apartment

October 18th, 2022

Focusing on those who appreciate the unique old feel of Sopot, beautiful architecture, close proximity to nature, and a classic style, this apartment is a special place. The apartment is located on the third floor of a beautiful, historic villa from the second half of the 19th century. Great natural light and very private. A ten-minute walk to the beach and main square. Square has some great shops and lots! of restaurants. And it is a short walk to the train station.

PS Polish is a difficult language for me. Luckily most people speak English. I am attempting to master: cheers, thank you, please, and how much does this cost? Na Zdrowie, dziekuje, prosze, and ile to kosztuje, respectively. With lots of comma looking things above and below some vowels my keyboard didn’t have.

PPS The weather has been good. Partly sunny and about 60 degrees during the day and low 40s at night.

Sopot apartment building.

TV room.

Kitchen.

Bedroom.

My first purchases. Polish money is called zloty. They are part of the EU but do not use the euro as their currency.

Market where I bought my first purchases. Two-minute walk from the apartment.

Washing machine, but no dryer.

So, which picture/icon do you think is delicate(ish)/activewear?
Sunday in Gdansk with Mike

October 17th, 2022

Mike and I took the train to Gdansk from our apartments in Sopot. My AirBnB is in Sopot and so is Mike’s apartment. Yesterday was about walking and exploring Gdansk on foot.

Perched on the northern coast of Poland along the Baltic Sea, Gdansk is a pretty historic city that’s filled with cobbled streets, historic buildings and plenty of yummy places to eat. It seems the kind of city that’s great to visit at any time of the year. Fall is in full swing and they are even starting to prepare for their European Christmas market; in the summer, it looks like a great place to chill after a sunny afternoon at the beach in Sopot.

This building stands out. It is the crane (Zuraw). This crane was used hundreds of years ago to load cargo into ships. The hulking mass is a symbol of Gdansk’s days as an important trading city. The pirate ship is the CZARNA PERŁA. I don’t think I will go on it, but it was fun to see.

The amber stalls on Mariacka Street.
Pod to Paris

October 12th, 2022

And we’re off! Pod to Paris. This is the way to travel.

Arrived. My spot for three days. The gorgeous Hôtel D’Orsay is located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris south of the Seine in an 18th century building. The classically inspired style is accented by antique furniture throughout. The breakfast room impresses with its glass roofing. Wish I could stay longer.

One of my favorite museums, Musee D’Orsay, is just a few minutes away. The hotel’s location makes this one a great choice for me–enjoying the charm of the 18th century with the comforts of today.

The Seine River walk. Pont Neuf. Musee D’Orsay. Walk by the Louvre. Macarons. Jardin des Tuileries. I really wish I could stay longer. Dinner at D’Chez Eux with an old college friend. Nice, charming and classic bistro–escargots, yum.

The neighborhood. Very walkable.

Musée D’Orsay.

Jardin des Tuileries. And the carrousel.
And I’m off

October 12th, 2022
Dream to Travel. Is 2022 fall travel all about the water?

Hi, I’m Nancy. I’m the traveler and photographer behind the Dream to Travel from North Cape May, travel blog! Welcome to my first ever travel blog, really first ever blog! This is a site where I will share the adventures from my travels, as well as travel tips, guides, photos, maybe some videos, and much more. I am a now part-time travel blogger from North Cape May, NJ. But mostly, I’m just a woman with a passion for traveling and now dreams to make a career out of it in retirement post pandemic.

This trip, the first as a blogger, will include a very short stay in Paris; the seaside towns of Sopot, Gdansk, and Gdynia, Poland; the western coast of Norway; back to Sopot; and then the Elbe River from Prague to Berlin. It is all about the water! Fingers crossed that I’ll see the Northern Lights.

Let’ start with packing. Packing for five or six weeks is hard for me–especially packing for weather that will be significantly colder than where I am coming from. Get out the winter coat, vest, hats, gloves, and boots. Four to five bottoms, six to seven tops, making sure everything can be layered in case it’s really cold and snowy in Tromso, Norway. Everything mix and match. Can’t pack the whole closet but need to be ready and have enough. By the way, the luggage needs to fit under the bed on the cruises.

Here are some essential, whatever the season:
- Passport and/or ID card (this also applies to Scandinavian citizens)
- Laptop, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch
- Credit cards
- Binoculars
- Camera and accessories
- European travel voltage converter
- Comfortable everyday shoes
- Sweater
- Sun protection
- Sunglasses
- Wind and waterproof jacket and trousers
- Poncho
- Umbrella
- Dental repair kit–just in case!
The dress code for my trip will be relaxed and casual; I’m not expecting to dress formally at all. For this trip, October and November, it can get quite cold in Norway and along the Baltic Sea. So, I will also need to have:
- Winter boots with good grip
- Thick winter jacket
- Warm hat and gloves
- Wool socks
- Scarf
- Wool sweater
Lastly, did I mention that this all needs to fit in: one carry on, one checked bag, and a laptop case/purse? Phew, I have my work cut out for me.

Ok, I’m now officially a few days behind posting on this trip so, I’m gonna post this and get to the Paris posts later. Friday evening, I arrived in Gdansk–dinner with Mike. It is now Monday and I am trying to catch up!

I promise pictures with posts soon.
Hello!

October 11th, 2022

Welcome! This is my first post. This blogging thing turned out to be a tad more complicated than I thought it would be. Had to find a blogging site, needed a domain name, had to learn the editor, and still trying to collect my thoughts since I am getting a late start posting–working backwards for a few days. I should have started this blog two weeks ago. ; )