Thursday, July 4, 2024 - Malbork Castle and Torun

The entire day was cloudy and sunny and cool, around 68 degrees Fahrenheit.  We met Pioter (Peter) or bus driver and a very friendly one and drove about an hour from the city into the country, along the major river, the Vistula; it divides the country, East from West. We spent almost  two hours walking around the red brick Malbork Castle, honoring the virgin Mary. Built by warrior monks in the Middle Ages it is the largest bric in the world. Founded as a training site for Crusaders it became a site for tectonic knights to gather and exert power over neighboring lands. Agnesh loves bricks and pointed out original and post-war replaced bricks as well as bricks used to complete the buildings. She calls us brick expe  We lunched nearby, within walking distance,  at a local cafe: pork schnitzel  preceeded by grated carrots, and beets, and cabbage, and followed by a half 🍐 pears, gelatinized over a cottage cheese- like and coconut base. Curios and good.

  During our morning bus ride Agneshka began talking with us about Polish history, beginning before 1000BC. She gave us a hand- out to followthe I visions, wars,conquests, total anhilation of the country for 123 years. After lunch, however we were quiet and dozed through the countryside becoming very flat and covered with crops and farm houses. 

We arrived in the town Torun  along the Vistula River and walked a couple blocks to the hotel after what Rick  Steves calls a Procedural Dump; this occurs in cities when the large bus cannot gain access to the hotel. After settling in our rooms, reached either by narrow winding stairs or elevator we went on an orientation walk with Ageshka around the Old Town and yo thd river which she remarked was low.  She made suggestions for places to eat and shop and pointed out places we might wish to visit later today.

  Our walk ended at a gingerbread museum and instructed step by step in the making of gingerbread figures as ornaments.  It was fun - rolling the mixture jn our hands, then by rolling pin. We each had a frame and shape to oil and receive the rolled mixture. We pressed our fingers into the design and cut off the remaining mixture. It will be baked tonight and tomorrow we will be given our gingerbread figure to bring home. This is a town made famous by gingerbread, and several of us wandered the main shopping street and visited several gingerbread shops.

  We ended our day celebrating Independence Day at a pierogi cafe. I ordered three different stuffing, all of which were wonderful. Thank goodness I was in a group to make our way back to the hotel.

  Enjoy the fireworks extra for me.

  Susan

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