Warsaw-->Bialystok-->Gdansk

Thus far, Poland has been an adventure.  Above all else, this country is a testament to reconstruction.   As a rule, Poland was mostly leveled in WWII.  Since then they have rebuilt everything.  With astonishing care and accuracy, I must say.  The towns I have seen are beautiful, but somewhere lurking in the back of everyone's minds is the sad fact that everything you are looking at was tragically left in smoldering ruins some time in the early 1940s.

Yet the results of rebuilding are phenomenal.  Things look like they should have.  Much like the Polish people, the cities give a sense that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  I've always been told that the Polish are a hearty people, but having experienced this for even a few days I am now very proud to come from such stock.

Warsaw turned out to be a lot of fun.  I was thankfully connected with a friend of a friend (thank you Kelly!) who lives in Warsaw, and as a result I was treated to a true Polish night out, culminating in vodka and herring in the wee hours of the morning.  The next day, my new friends helped me find my way to the train to visit Bialystok and the Polish primeval forest (Bialowieza).

Except Bialystok was a bust.  In fact, it will probably go down as one of the bigger failures in my solo traveling career.  My guidebook says, and I quote, "gettting to Bialowieza is straightforward."  Well, screw you Rough Guide to Poland.  My hotel attendant informed me that it was impossible to get there without a car.  I trekked to the desolate bus station (described by the Rough Guide as "large" and "modern" - again, lies) and then the train station, but still no luck.  I'm not one to give up easily, but after 2 hours of trying, it was clear that this was not happening.  And so I killed 7 more hours in Bialystok.  It appears that the two activities in town on Sunday were going to church and eating ice cream (seriously, every ice cream place had a 25+ people long line all day).  But at least there was a bizarre festival celebrating police/military to enjoy...

Happy to be done with my day of not seeing the primeval forest and bison (zubra), I headed back to Warsaw to catch the overnight train to Gdansk.  The overnight Polish train was, of course, a whole new experience.  I was smart enough to reserve a spot in a sleeeping car, but was rewarded with the top berth of a triple bunk, a good 6+ feet off the ground.

But I slept surprisingly well.  And after my eventful journey to get here, Gdansk is beautiful.

Better yet, the apartment I reserved for my stay is nicer than my own apartment.

After seeing the town and learning all about its long history with amber (I resisted the urge to create my own Jurassic Park from the samples), I took a short ferry cruise to the Baltic Sea, enjoying fantastic views of the Gdansk shipyards and fantastic weather.

Tomorrow morning I head to Poznan, the town of my ancestors.  Having 2 great days in Gdansk has only made me more excited for it.

But for now, dobranoc.