Warsaw to Gdańsk

Our flights from Winnipeg to Warsaw, Poland via Toronto were long but very good. It's tiring to spending 14 hours waiting and flying across seven time zones but it was great to arrive safe and sound!  We met some of our group in Toronto and one in Warsaw and everyone arrived with all baggage.

Below is the first photo in Warsaw on our way to the Westin Hotel.  The security at the hotel was increased by the fact that many of the people taking part in the NATO Summit starting July 8 the were going to stay there.  Our first impression was that Warsaw was very clean and green and that has continued to be the case.

Here is the first church we toured:

More of the buildings in Warsaw:

The soccer stadium in where the summit was going to take place:

The leaning building in Torun was for real; it is not an illusion!

Many old buildings and churches throughout the Poland:

Henry for the first time dipping his fingers into the waters of the Vistula River in the area where our ancestors spend over 400 years:

Ripe, tasty organic tomatoes for anyone?  The taste of the salads obviously indicate that all the vegetables are grown organically,

Wild flowers on the walk to a cemetery where there are still a lot of Mennonite names on the tombstones:

Beautiful greenery all over Poland:

Because of the lack of chemical fertilizers the crops look light but overall the yields should be accepted considering the conditions. All of the trees look a very healthy green and there are many rows and also many planted forests.  Much of the lan is very flat although there are some rolling hills:

Last night we arrived at Qubus Hotel (which is in a restored grainery) in Gdańst (Danzig in the past).

Today we had a walking tour of Gadańst in the morning as well as a visite the the Soladarity Museum that commentates Poland's strikes in 1980.  I remember this time of struggle that Poland experienced in their efforts to break away from the communistic regime that had controlled them since the end of the Second World War!  Looking at the people and economic condition in the country today it has definitely been wort the sacrifices!   The people appear happy and hopeful.

Another church:

And another one but this one looks much simpler:

A field of canola and wind turbines.  Most of the electricity is produce by coal:

A new friend for Agnes do you think?

Henry by the tombstone of an Abraham Wiebe;  when we return we will do some research to see if there are any connections.  This was an emotional experience for me!

Henry getting his feet wet in the Baltic Sea:

And no I was not alone on the beach; many families were enjoying the resort:

A restored Mennonite house that is for sale; anyone want to relocate back the the land of our forefathers?

We put on a lot of steps today again and our bus driver takes us to some amazingly tight places:

All of the roads have pavement, even some very narrow ones:

Our time here has been amazing and we are travelling with a wonderful group and our leader and guide are excellent!  We still have just over a week remaining.