We went to Gdynia hoping to find more old architecture, but Gdynia is a more modern city and thus less interesting to us. But this is an interesting statue, dedicated to those who have emigrated out of the region. Note the dog being left behind. Very evocative.
This is a sign at a tram stop in Gdańsk. In Polish this reads: “This is not my cap. You are invited to Canada.”
On the way to Gdynia, I saw a small iron bridge in a Gdańsk park, and having some time before the train arrived, hiked there to get some pictures. My guess is that this is circa 1840s to 1850s, in other words, very old. I have seen a couple of early iron bridges in England, but know of no existing bridge of similar age in the US. Simply beautiful, to those who like this kind of thing (I like this kind of thing).
Andrzej gives me a Polish gasoline iron (actually a trade, I will send him something interesting from the US when I return). The iron is shown here on the counter in my apartment, and Kate took a picture with “my” and “her” irons for comparison. This is quite large at 38 cm (15 inches) long, with a large bronze gasoline tank. I am guessing maybe 1920s.
While in Warsaw, I visited another iron collector. Andrzej Wilk has, like me, been collecting irons since a teenager. He collects irons from around the world, with a particular strength on the slug and coal irons. Like me, he has a very tolerant wife.
Those who know me know that I like to joke about bicycles used by REAL MEN, as opposed to those sorry woosies that have to use silly things like gears (and brakes). Real bicycles are not much seen in the US, but occur fairly commonly in store displays and advertising in Europe.
Being in Warsaw means another visit to the Copernicus statue. It was this visit where I first realized that the statue is surrounded by a solar system model, with all the planets to Saturn. The brass plaques and distances are not in scale. Ziemia means Earth in Polish (names also shown in English and Latin [I think]).
The pianist Chopin was born in Poland, though spent most of his life and died in France. His music gave voice to Polish dreams of once again being an independent country (from the 1790s to 1918, Poland was partitioned between Russia, Prussia and Austria). When he died, Chopin’s heart was brought to Warsaw and included in a column (second picture) in this church.
A picture of the main altar in the church. Kate lit some candles for her mother, father, and a recently deceased sister.
This is a modern wrought iron sign in front of a store. What I like are the details that one sees throughout the old cities of Europe: Note the snail at the base of this sign.