Dream to Travel from NCM

Prague, and it does have splendid shopping.

November 14th, 2022

Arrived about 10PM yesterday. Prague and its many spires. Like Poland, Prague is a member of the EU, but does not use the Euro as its currency. The country’s official currency is the koruna. And the exchange rate is good again. $1 US dollar = ~ 22 Czech koruna. I should be doing more shopping! So many countries with good exchange rates, so little time.

Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava River, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate climate, with relatively warm summers and chilly winters. Here is where I will start my river cruise.

Marriott Old City, for next few days. It’s nice. Great location. Maybe shopping tomorrow.

Today, Monday, sightseeing and shopping. The Marriott Old City is a great location for walking around!

My walk to Old Town Square.

Powder Tower. 65-meter-tall gothic tower. I might try to go up tomorrow.

Old Town Hall,

with astronomical clock, an intricate 600-year-old piece of machinery called the Orloj.

Central Gallery. Where Dali, Mucha, and Warhol meet. Doesn’t seem like they have much in common
but are all linked to Czech history. Who knew?

Dali’s version of dinner.

Mucha poster (sorry so crooked).

Warhol’s parents were born in northeastern Slovakia, formerly Czechoslovakia.

Just on the far side (for me) of Old Town Square is the Jewish Quarter, Josefov. This is the Maisel Synagogue.

This is the Spanish Synagogue.

Franz Kafka statue in front of the Spanish Synagogue.
The memorial is inspired by Kafka’s short story Description of a Struggle.

It is hard to see the cockroach around the base of the statue. See the cockroach horns on the left of this picture.
From The Metamorphosis–I overheard someone say that Kafka stipulated, “the insect is not to be drawn.” Jaroslav Rona included it anyway. You might see it better in the picture above.
TBT, I have never read anything by Kafka. I know of him–but have not read his work.

Lunch

Beetroot, goat cheese and arugula flatbread. YUM!

The Palladium.

The Palladium (very close to the Marriott) is huge. I almost got lost and had to ask for directions to get out.

Tomorrow, Lobkowicz Palace and Prague by night. Stay tuned for more pictures.
“It is goose time in Poland.”

November 12th, 2022

so said the waiter last evening. Goose menus all over the town.

Goose and croissants (rogaliki) for St. Martin – where did these traditions come from?

November 11, yesterday, was the National Independence Day, but also, I just learned the memory of St. Martin. This day, especially in Wielkopolska, is associated with a very interesting tradition of preparing geese and baking Martinique croissants. It was customary for Saint Martin to take fat geese to the court, to the monastery and to the church, because in the late autumn the geese are the fattest and most plump. Poland is an important producer of geese. On St. Martin’s Day it is also customary to bake croissants of various sizes, stuffed with poppy seeds, marzipan, hazelnuts or jam.

National Independence Day busy! Holiday weekend.

Last evening at the Grand Hotel for dinner there was a special goose menu. Mike indulged in some. Sorry I didn’t take more pictures. I kinda stuck to fish. It’s goose time in Poland. Now we know. : )

Breakfast this morning with Mike. I made eggs and added some tasty treats from the bakery.

A couple of mini drozdzowka and a few faworki (chruściki).
My grandmother used to make faworki and we called it galani.

My grandmother’s version was lighter/thinner.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Everywhere you go . . . (they don’t have Thanksgiving to get in the way!)

I leave Sopot tomorrow and fly to Prague. Through Warsaw. The last leg of my trip. Ship sails on Wednesday, so I have a couple of days to tour Prague. I miss Mike already! I probably would have come back to Sopot for another week, but Mike is traveling to Warsaw and won’t be there.

I’ll check back in with you all on Monday.

PS I have been meaning to post this picture of the apartment’s oven. More pictures/icons I had to figure out. Thank god for google.
National Independence Day and more cultural differences

November 11th, 2022
Breakfast and dinner with Mike and some miscellaneous pictures.

Today is National Independence Day in Poland. I don’t fully understand which or possibly if it is all the independences they are celebrating; but it is a non-working day and a flag flying holiday. They celebrate, though not quite as vigorously as we do on the Fourth of July.

Taken this morning. There is a municipal building next door to my apartment building.

Zdrojowy Square was busy today.

They even ran the ferry today.

Back to cultural differences noticed throughout my trip. So, not exactly cultural shock, but definite differences.
1. The French I have encountered on my trip, in France and on the Hurtigruten expedition, are interesting. They never enter a room or space without acknowledging us (the others). I think this is very considerate, impressive. Others come and go without a word or acknowledgement.
2. In my few European cities up until now–hotels, apartments and cruise, all use a master key–usually my access key, to control the lighting–saving energy. Really, few lights get turned on and just stay on.
3. Most cars in Norway are electric. Many cars in Poland are electric. Way more than at home.
4. Still so clean; trash cans and recycling bins everywhere!
5. Norway seems like a very wealthy and young country. Everyone young and always bundled up and outdoors–rain, snow, cold or sunshine.
6. Ok, the big one–shock. Am I the only American still using a top sheet on the bed? I have not encountered one in Europe so far. All use a bed sheet like covering/cotton covering over the comforter? Please tell me I didn’t miss this trend! I still use a top bed sheet plus a comforter.
7. Taxis in Norway and Poland are mostly Audi(s) and Mercedes-Benz(s). It has been a pleasure.
8. Trains in Poland are very clean and efficient, seem safe too. I have taken three or four different trains–the EuroCity, the IC–intercity, SKM tricity–commuter train, and a red and white train (don’t know what they call it)–kinda like the trolley in Philly. Again, all a pleasure.
9. Norway, and I went to the tippy-top, was not nearly as cold as I thought it would be. Global warming? My weather has been near perfect so far. Not cultural but concerning and worth noting here.
Dinner at the Grand Hotel this evening. Only two pictures.

We shared the mussels and squid. Excellent! BTW, we had already eaten some.

My chestnut soup with a dollop of cream and fig toast. Yum! It was practically a dessert. Mike had goose soup. Sorry, no picture. It is goose time in Poland. Whatever that is? ; ) Dinner was great.

Tomorrow is my last day with Mike. I don’t want to leave here and him. Should I stay?
Two quiet days in Sopot

November 10th, 2022

Visiting with Mike, walking around, laundry and in general getting ready for the next leg of my trip which will be a Viking cruise–Prague to Berlin.

So, here are a few miscellaneous pictures from the last two days and one of me I forgot to post from Kirkenes.

Taken from the end of the wooden pier today–looking towards Sopot center, Zdrojowy Square. I’ve been trying to walk the pier every day that I am in Sopot. Legend has it that the air on pier has medicinal qualities.
They say that the concentration of iodine, in the air, at the tip of the pier is twice as high as on land.
And something about amber fragments. The iodine and amber are supposed to help us.

Sopot’s version of the Lobster House. On the wooden pier.

Taken off the end of the wooden pier today. Complete with swan.

Not many boats left in the wooden pier marina.

Cooking dinner for Mike–cod and roasted broccoli. With some gingerbread from Torun for dessert.

Billy’s American Restaurant in Sopot square. I have seen a few of these restaurants during my travels. I think they are only in northern Poland and specialize in American cuisine and our preparations. Of the three Billy’s I have seen, all have pictures of iconic Americans on the outside of the restaurants. Poland is fairly catholic, not sure if all our Americans pictured are. Thinking I should try Billy’s before I leave.

Last evening on our Hurtigruten expedition; dinner in Kirkenes, Norway with Karen. I know it’s a dumb expression.
I am not the most photogenic.
Toruń by train,

November 8th, 2022

Back in Sopot this week. Dinner with Mike last evening. Today, Torun by train. We had a great time; the weather was perfect. Mike even found Brave New World by Aldous Huxley in English–suggested reading for one of his classes.

The city of Toruń is located in north-central Poland and sits on the banks of the Vistula River. Once governed by the Teutonic Knights, the city is one of the oldest in Poland and has retained its historic core. Toruń became part of the Prussian and German Empires, when it was known as Thorn, from the late eighteenth century, until it was returned to Poland after the First World War. Toruń was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and retains many of its Gothic design buildings. And it is the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and gingerbread.

8:07AM train to Torun.

Malbork Castle from the train. Remember from October 26 post? The castle is massive!

We got off the train, walked across the bridge. Our first view of Torun.

I’m on the bridge and we are walking . . .

Admiring the impressive Gothic architecture in Torun.

Old Town City Hall in Toruń
Gothic building created in stages during the 13th and 14th centuries. Mike and I are going to the top.

175 steps later. Phew, I’m tired!

But panoramic views are beautiful.

Love locks on the Vistula River.

Museum is located in two Gothic tenement houses,
one of which is supposedly the birthplace of the great astronomer, Nicholas Copernicus.

Didn’t make it into the museum–ran out of time. Above is a picture of my gingerbread purchase though. Yum.
Disembarking from the cruise ship,

November 6th, 2022

And today it ended. Goodby Nordlys. It was hectic, but all-in-all fairly easy and orderly. I did, however, leave my room access and sundry charges key in my room upon exiting and this caused quite a stir. Without officially swiping me out, how would they know I was really gone. ; )

But before I left Kirkenes I had one final excursion: the king crab, snow hotel, husky and reindeer excursion. Don’t get too excited though, my phone ran out of battery just before the husky dogs and puppies and reindeer! Sorry about that. They were very cute and friendly!

Meet Karen from Chicago.

Boat to score our catch of the day.

Sven.

Lunch next. All the king crab legs we could eat! They were delicious.

I’m looking fashionable and resourceful, yes?

View from restaurant, the fjord where we caught our king crabs. Sorry again, I forgot to take a picture of the feast. And what a feast it was.

Snow Hotel:

Snow hotel reception. Getting way too old to stay here.

Bar – it was early. ; )

Reindeer in the,

bunk room.

Sleigh bed.

Christmas room.

I write and post this from the Kirkenes airport. Tonight I fly to Oslo via Tromso–remember, I am at the end of the earth. You have to fly through Tromso to get just about anywhere. I get in about midnight. Tomorrow morning I will try to take a quick walk in Oslo. Then, Oslo to Gdansk, Poland. Dinner with Mike tomorrow evening.
The end of the earth.

November 5th, 2022

North Cape, or Nordkapp, on the island of Magerøy in northern Norway. We crossed the 71st parallel. It was all about the sculptures, cliffs and chapel. The globe monument sculpture has become an iconic symbol of the North Cape. There is no snow yet and it is really not too cold, but it is very windy.

The North Cape Hall visitors’ center.

The globe–the actual symbol for the North Cape.

North Cape Milestone.

St Johannes Kapell.

The massive cliff, 307 meters above sea level, marking the northernmost tip of Europe,
representing the final frontier with the arctic sea.

Toddler sled.
Tromso, day five.

November 4th, 2022

Slow picture day. You are probably relieved. ; )

Group picture from our walk.

Cool poster. Freiia Selskaps chocolate, drink in every home. (my best translation)

Northern Lights day two. Again, good, but not great. Hey, I am not complaining–two days in a row.

Come on Phillies, you can do this!!
Journey into the Arctic Circle. And the Northern Lights!

November 3rd, 2022

Destination Bodo. The Arctic Circle goes a little north of 66 degrees north and cuts through Nordland in Norway and sets the boundary for the Arctic Empire with the midnight sun and winter darkness. Internationally, the Arctic Circle passes through Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Iceland. As you get north of the Arctic Circle, you will be able to experience the two unique natural phenomena that Northern Norway is so famous for; the Midnight Sun and (hopefully!) the Northern Lights.

Crossing into Arctic Circle.

Arctic Circle – 7:44(ish) this morning.

Snowcapped Arctic Circle mountains.

My certificate. ; )

Bodo, Arctic coastal walk,

Coastal walk today.

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are a spectacular, colorful display of light commonly seen in the night sky in the northern hemisphere. Northern lights are polar lights or aurora polaris, because they occur near Earth’s magnetic poles.

We saw them! They were visibly good, not great, but good. Everyone was very excited.

Hopefully I am shopping tomorrow!
Kristiansund and Trondheim,

November 2nd, 2022

Trondheim was great. Trondheim is a popular port town in Norway. It’s a lovely place with cobblestone streets, lots of shops, a university, beautiful old town and a great cathedral. The weather was nearly perfect.

Norway thanking us for walking.

First few sights.

Wooden boat enthusiasts’ clubhouse.

The traditional folk costume is called bunad and regions in Norway have their own distinct versions,
Trondheim version.

The wooden palace in Trondheim was built in the 1770s as a private home.
They think this is the largest wooden building in northern Norway.

The Archbishop’s Palace in Trondheim, Erkebispegården, is a castle and palace in the city of Trondheim, located just south of the Nidaros Cathedral. For hundreds of years, the castle was the seat, residence and administrative center of the Archbishop of Nidaros. Next few pictures are of the castle and inside the cathedral.

Sightseeing pictures from our walk.

The bike lift. This was so cool.

Dinner this evening with Karen from Chicago.

Scallops with cauliflower puree and crispy bacon.

Arctic char with aalander potato cream, beetroot, and champagne butter sauce.

Filet mignon with pommes ecrase, grilled asparagus, bearnaise and red wine sauce.

Today’s cheeses.

Creme brulee.