Bastions - The Lower Town

Unfortunately I might have underestimated how much work I would have to put into preparing posts and especially pictures for my blog. Now 2-3 posts a week seem to be more like a fantasy, than a reality, however I will try to reach that goal in future, I hope. The fact, that last weekend the time was changed into winter one isn't much helpful. Now it's pitch black when I finish work, so well, to take today's pictures I had get up at crack of dawn to make it before work. Ok, it wasn't that much of crack of dawn :) I guess as the time goes on and the winter's moving in I will have to embrace Tricity "at night" (during the shortest days of year we get in Poland approximately 4 hours of daylight - which is funny if you compare to the longest days of year, that last about 20 hours:)

The Lower Town of Gdańsk is a part of Gdańsk- downtown (belive or not, but it is not the same thing), and of course has a german name - Niederstradt. However I will write more about the Lower Town a bit later. I hope to attend a walk of the neighbourhood with a historian, that knows thing or two about this area, in couple of weeks so I will have more to write about, becuase at present I know pretty much nothing :) Well, I do know that this The Lower Town has rich history behind, but that's about it ;)

Today I would like to show you a piece of the Lower Town, which I think is a gem. I am talking about bastions that are located on south-east bank of the Lown Town island. Yes, Down Town is an island, at least it used to be. Now it's a semi-island, with 90% of being an island and 10% of being an inland. Anyways, that is my theory.

On the picture can be seen  is original gate to City Gdańsk

The bastions were made in first half of the XVII century. To this date five of them survived, and they also have very original names: Wolf, Excess, Bear, Rabbit and Garden. During the times of their glory they protected the city from enimes.

What I like the most about this place is it's weirdness and uniqueness. Just before I visit this place again this morning I was planning to write that,the bastions are peaceful place, but when I got there this chilly morning I realized that it's absolutly not. You can hear the city all around you: trains passing, factory noices (I think they were factory noices), but you can't see most of it. I guess I never noticed that before, becuase I never came there during working hours. And back then it was peaceful there :)

Despite all city noices, it does feel relaxing there. Allthough I was almost running from place to place to take the pictures today, I did feel that relaxing atmosphere there. Just didn't have time to take it all  in :)  You have your birds there flying around and swimming in water. There are benches to sit on, and  further out is playground for kids and something that people call here "gym under a cloud", which essentially is just gym equipment placed outside :), We have fancy names for everything here,oh yes :)

I didn't mention the most characteristic thing about this place. You can't see it much in the pictures, you can notice it when going for a walk there, but it is most noticeable when looking at google maps. The river has a zig-zag shape. I am not most travelled person, but I never seen a man-made zig-zag shaped river, and for most of the part the river maintained it's original zig-zag shape with sharp corners of 90 degree angle.

Also from the highest bastion there is a view of the old city.

Gora gradowa - Thr Hail Mountain

Finally!!! After a week of crapy weather, there was a breakthrough in rain and I was able to go out and take some pictures to share with you. I decided not to start with them all favourite tourist spots, but with something that I have discovered myself lately. I call it hobbit town. However it has nothing in common with hobbits except my imagination :-) I have passed this place on my way home every day, always wandering what it was but never courius enough to check it out. But finally I did. From outside- that is from the road I everyday drive on - it is just big red cross that promises nice panorama of the city, and so I thought it was it. But when i got to visit the place i was amazed that it had so much more to offer than that. I call them hobbit houses but they really not. They used to be houses for saudiers, among others. This place was made in XII century. It was always thought to be militry. The location was perfect to watch over the city for any danger approching. It has very rich history that can be learned when visiting the place. Nowdays, the inside of the buildings are made into kind of interactive museum, which I find so amusing I can go there any Saturday, if I had children. Don't get me wrong. I visit the place and had a blast, playing with the toys as if I was 10, toys desing for 10-year old's. Well, I am 10 years old at heart :) I loved it, but visiting with my cousin also approprate age for ehibitions as I was felt a bit wird. I guess grown ups shouldn's enjoy kids toys anymore, even though they are far more entartaining than the one made for adults :( But going back to main subject, which is hobbit town. It always amaze me, that in the middle of the city there is a place, that traffic stopps, the sound of the city gets mutted and everything slows down. Being there relaxes and also makes you think how was the life back then. At some point it was academy for souldiers, so you wander how did they live, did they have their own hut, or rabbit hole:) for themself or did they have bunk beds? Was the building in the middle their canteen, or where their ate? Where did they have classes? All these questions I ask myself when walking the paths of hobbit town. What I discouvered though it's just a tip of the iceberg, i think. The whole thing is 27 hectarts. Not all of it restored yet, so there is a reason to come back now and again :) I wouldn't complaint about that, more reasons to come, I think YES:) As this is my really first post I do not know how to end it so I just say, see you there I hope :) Oh, and there are the pictures I took today, despite looking nice and warm I froze my fingers to bone, but I hope it was worth it.

Fort Grodzisko