Gdansk, Poland: Damp Socks and Pierogi Dreams
okay, so gdansk. i’m back. barely. my feet are perpetually damp, which is a new personal record, and i’m pretty sure i’m still smelling vaguely of the baltic sea. it’s…an experience. i’m a botanist, you know? I usually deal with, like, orchids and ferns and things that don’t smell like brine. This was…different.
I’m here for a research project - something about the resilience of coastal flora in the face of, well, everything. Climate change, salty winds, tourists trampling everything. It’s fascinating, honestly, but also a little depressing when you’re staring at a patch of stubbornly growing sea lavender.
The weather? I just checked and it’s…a persistent drizzle, clinging to everything like a lovesick ghost. The temperature’s hovering around five degrees Celsius, feels like one. I’m not kidding. Pack layers. Seriously. And waterproof everything. I’m currently sporting three pairs of socks and still feeling the damp.
I’ve been mostly holed up in a tiny apartment near the *Motława River. It’s charming, in a slightly crumbling sort of way. The building itself looks like it’s seen a few centuries, which, let’s be honest, it probably has. If you get bored, Sopot and Gdynia are just a short train ride away - much more lively, apparently.
Food. Oh, the food. I’ve been living on pierogi. Seriously, I think I’m 50% pierogi at this point. I found this little place, Pierogarnia Mandu, tucked away on a side street. It’s not fancy, just a tiny counter and a few tables, but the pierogi are… transcendent. Someone told me that the old lady who runs it learned the recipe from her grandmother, who learned it from her grandmother. Apparently, she yells at anyone who asks for ketchup. Smart woman. Check it out on Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pierogarnia-mandu-gdansk.
I spent a day wandering around the Old Town. It’s beautiful, obviously, all those colorful buildings and cobblestone streets. But it’s also… crowded. Like, really crowded. Especially around Neptune’s Fountain. I overheard a group of tourists arguing about who got the best selfie. It was… a lot. I needed a break.
I stumbled upon this tiny, almost hidden, botanical garden - the Gdansk University Botanical Garden. It was a little oasis of calm amidst the chaos. They have a surprisingly good collection of alpine plants. It was a nice reminder of why I do what I do. You can find more info here: https://www.biol.uni.gdansk.pl/en/botanic-garden/.
I also checked out TripAdvisor for some local tips: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g274922-Activities-Gdansk_Pomerania_Province.html. Apparently, a lot of people recommend a boat tour of the canals. I didn’t do it, because, rain. But maybe next time.
One thing a local warned me about? The seagulls. They are aggressive. Seriously. Don’t even think about holding a sandwich. They will attack. I saw one steal a croissant right out of a kid’s hand. It was… intense.
And the neighbors? Apparently, there’s a really active community of urban gardeners around here. I saw some amazing rooftop gardens when I was walking back to my apartment. I’m thinking of trying to start my own, but I’m not sure how I’m going to keep the seagulls away. Maybe I’ll just stick to pierogi.
Oh, and one last thing. I found this really cool vintage shop, Ulica Mariacka*, full of old maps and botanical prints. It’s a treasure trove for a plant nerd like me. https://www.facebook.com/ulicamariacka/.
Okay, I think that’s all for now. I need to go dry my socks. And maybe eat another pierogi.
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