Saturday afternoon temperatures in the low 80s proved that it had been a good move to schedule Gdańsk early in our visit to Poland which, by the end of our trip, had been inundated by floods. We caught a train to Sopot, a Pomeranian beach resort just a a few stops away.
Poland's population is remarkably homogenous. According to the Lonely Planet guidebook, among every 100 natives, 97 will be ethnic Polish, two Silesian and one "other." Look no further than the street connecting the Sopot train station to the Baltic Sea, literally a river of white humanity flowing in both directions.
Hardy bathers braved water temperatures that broke 30-year records . . . in the mid-60s. No way I would have gone for a open-water swim even if I had been equipped for it.
The well-manicured Grand Hotel fronts the beach. A double room with a balcony overlooking the Baltic will set you back 2200 zlotys (~$560) at this time of year.
Josephine Baker, Fidel Castro, Greta Garbo, Prince and Leni Riefenstahl are among those who have signed the guest register.
Sopot is home to the longest wooden pier in Europe.
Surprisingly, the interior of the Crooked House, a major tourist attraction, turned out to be derelict. Don't bother.
An African fisherman carrying a net walks a tightrope on a side street, adding a little diversity to the scene.
We should have stopped for a sugar rush before catching the return train.
Two couples caught my photographer's eye back at Gdańsk Glowny.
More Poland
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