The Final Stages

Poland and a few final days in Stockholm wrapped up my seven month excursion abroad.  It was a gentle conclusion to what has been at times a tumultuous journey.  As promised, here are Torun and Gdansk, our last stops on our Spring Break '11 tour.  I'll throw in a few stories and images from Stockholm for good measure.

Torun was another lovely Polish town - like Krakow it's entire old city area is a UNESCO heritage site, and deservedly so.  C and I spent most of our time wandering around - we did visit the Copernicus museum (which was essentially his family home with some copies of artifacts in it) and sampled some Polish honey beer and wine at a farmer's market.  But mostly we enjoyed the slow pace of the town.  Here are some photos:

The waterfront - not quite as nice as Krakow

The streets of Torun

A bloomin tree!

A dog cooling it on a door mantle

Gdansk was an even more abbreviated stay than Torun - just an afternoon, but we still managed to enjoy the city a great deal AND almost miss our flight out (even having arrived C early - which is earlier than Kevin early).  Gdansk was just as picturesque (seemed like all of Poland was picturesque) as Torun and Krakow.  It also had a waterfront and many beautiful churches.  We stopped into one massive church on Saturday evening after dinner and stumbled upon the Easter Vigil mass!  We walked in early and were able to watch the candle lighting ceremony (I could make out the 'Alpha and Omega' but not much else - though I did recognize the tune of the song they sang as they processed up) which was lovely.  The church was magnificent - I did not get any photos of the inside, but you could look at any of the other images I have posted and you would get the idea.  This one had been hit by the reformation and was a little white-washed, but still arresting and beautiful.  Here are a few images of Gdansk:

Train station - picturesque no?

A very neat building next to a stream

Iconic Gdansk waterfront

A street in the old town

Our trip out of Gdansk, as I mentioned, was not devoid of some unintended action sequences.  We flew Wizz-Air, as I think I mentioned, who required us to drop our one bag and make our way to the gate fussing and worrying over the dimensions of our carry-ons (C's being on the oversize, I encouraged her to avoid the check-in lady - the source of our later woes).  We got to our gate area (we were told gate 6 or 7) and cooled our heels a moment or twenty, and watched the stewards approach the gate area and the people get restless - we decided to jump the line and both were among the first through the gate (seat yourself on the low-cost carriers).  This was fortunate, because as I was told 'wrong flight,' C was told that she needed to have her boarding pass checked against her passport by a check-in official - on the other side of security.  Our real line was forming at this point, I hop into it, suggest that C might not actually need to go all the way back (she finds that she does) and hold our position.  We have a 1/2 till the flight goes, plenty of time.  To be on the safe side I brainstorm and begin rehearsing various stalling methods to have them hold the gate for her.  She was back in 10 minutes - record time, having negotiated with the info people (the check-in counter being closed).  And we boarded and sighed our way back to Stockholm.  To the best of my knowledge, this passport check system involved the check-in person seeing her passport, stamping it, and sending her through the gate.  Of course, the check-in people are the same people at the gate, the same people on the flight.  Ordinary airline workers - not security, not officials.  WTF say I.

Anyway - we enjoyed a few days in Stockholm in lovely weather.  We saw the 17th century ship Vasa on a cloudy day, had coffee, relaxed.  Here are some final Stockholm photos:

Tulips!  

Nelson and Mel preparing us an Easter dinner!  Note the tequila sunrises (picturesque no?)

C in a diving bell (in the running for my favorite image of the trip)

The Vasa

more info here

Mel, me, Nelson and Kyle saying ttfn

C arranged a goodbye evening in a Stockholm blues bar

The next day I got my things packed up and headed home.  I've been in town for a few days, working on getting my bearings (and my luggage).  I am sorting out stories and emotions and will continue to post reflections here.  Thanks for reading!