5/25 Gdansk & Sopot, Poland

 

I’m in Sopot Poland on the Beach. I can hardly see anyone on the sand, which stretches from the sea straight back to leafy green nature, as it has for ages. Development exists on the beach side near the central plaza, but buildings have not yet infringed further. Workers are constructing an entirely new plaza, which I’m sure will be beautifully flower and fountain-filled soon. Ola tells me all the consruction/renovation is in preparation for games/sport event happening soon.

I’m resting on a driftwood log, having a serene sea-side walk, treading where the sand is wet and compacted by the waves, flipflops in one hand and camera over my shoulder.

The day began colder, windy and overcast, but now sun shines and clouds cast dramatic shadows. I’m so happy here. I wish I could stay longer in Gdansk and Sopot. I love the decorative architecture, kind people and creative spirit. Gallery walk pamphlets sit on the tourism shelves.

I am staying with a wonderful Polish graphic designer/textile designer 5 years older than I. Her name is Ola. Her apartment brims with Ikea modernist style...red, black and pale wood furnishings. She possesses great taste in clothes, shoes and music (and we have plans to trade some music before I go on). She scribbled a handful of her design influences, movies and other such things for me in my notebook:

Movie- Navy Blue, Almost Black

Vivian Westwood – English fashion designer

Christian Montenegro

Henrik Tomaszewski

Teresa Pagowska

Homework – young Polish graphic design group

Mamastudio – graphic design group

Fajwe Ceopaki – Polish Graphic design

Lex Drewiniki

Michael Gondry

Heineken Opener Festival – music festival in Gdynia, end of June/beginning of July

Agnieskie Peginke

My favorite countries to eat food in in the world are Poland and Taiwan. Today, I bought a small piece of raisin cheesecake pastry thingy and the women behind the counter sweetly slipped me a free bag of leftover chocolate/raspberry donut scraps! Everything is so affordable and plenty of healthy vegetarian options abound. Last night, Ola and I ate sushi, of all things. Then we went back to her place and had my favorite kind of beer, hefeveisen blonde wheat, except this was a polish version. Yum!