September 16 (Friday)

Breakfast at the hotel, wished bon voyage to Dolores and Julie who were leaving for Chicago today

Left for the train stain at 8:00 am for the 8:45 express, intercity train to Gdansk.

The train left on time from Platform # 1.

Got served coffee etc and a cookie at around 9:45

The train is comfortable, slowed down at many stations but did reach speeds of 70+ mph often. The seats had a picture of shoes, with the writing "Inwestycje Wiaża Sie Z Ryzykiem", never did figure out what that meant until today (10/23). It means Investing Involves Risk - Thanks Adrienne.

Stations:
Wachodnia - short stop
Warszawa Toruńska
Śweircze
Kałeyczn
Gasocin
Gołotczyzna
Ciechanów - long stop
Czercuchy
Long stop, possibly for maintenance.
Miscellaneous stops
Diziałdowo - stop
Announced stop at ?
Zabrowo - minimal stop
Susz
Prabuty - minimal stop
Passed Lake Dzierzgoń
Malbork* - long stop
Lisew
Crossed the Wisła river on long bridge, old covered auto/pedestrian bridge to the west.
Tczew
Skowarcz
Rozyny - whizzed past
Cieplewo
Gdańsk Orunia
Gdańsk GŁowna - our stop.

Reached 77 mph top speed.

Lunch around 1:00 pm. in the dinning car - self service.

Coffee service to the compartments (paid)

Arrived Gdansk at 3:55 p.m.
Yolunda met us at the station. I was looking forward to seeing the Baltic and was disappointed to find out it was not included in the plans. Somehow I had assumed that going to Gdansk would mean seeing the Baltic.

Checked in to the Bonum Hotel and then went to tour of Old Town and the medieval area by the canal. St. Nicholas Cathedral was the most awe inspiring. The walls were Gothic and the decoration Baroque.

The city is very nice and Sudip, who had seen it before it was reconstructed was highly impressed of how it was totally re-built but still retains the look of an old city.




The tour ended at the oldest restaurant in Gdansk, POD Lososiem, where we had dinner.
Food C
Service D

The restaurant was quite stuck up, made a fuss about keeping our jackets. The waiters weren't that helpful either. I had the Onion Soup, it was good but not much to "write home about".

Bonum Hotel:
Facilities B+
Service B
WiFi Lobby & First Floor only.

The man on duty at the front counter is unhelpful, unfriendly, and rude. He was more than offset by the friendly and helpful lady who came in for the night shift.