Toruń
Home of piernika (gingerbread) and birthplace of Copernicus: Toruń was a gorgeous little city where we stopped for one night, between visiting Molbork Castle and the Museum of Mazovian Countryside. I was so charmed that I immediately knew a few precious hours wouldn't be enough.
Only the Grand Master can sit here — and I decided it was time a woman took the throne.
Day 3: Molbork Castle & Gingerbread Museum
We loaded up on our first bus trip, headed for our next city. We stopped at Molbork Castle, a brick 13th century Gothic complex that needed extensive reconstruction after being bombed during WWII. We learned about its history and the lives of the people who lived here over the centuries. This was followed by a delicious lunch at a Polish bistro across the bridge from the castle.
Our guide describing the destruction the castle underwent during WWII.
The tiled floor of the Grand Master's rooms.
Inside St. Mary's Church
Once we arrived in Toruń, we headed over to the Museum of Gingerbread for a class in making... wait for it... gingerbread! This was not the kind to eat, though, but the decorative kind that Poland used to trade and show off in their homes. We chose the mold we wanted to use, rolled and pressed the dough, and were told we'd collect our baked decorative "cookies" in the morning at the hotel.
Afterwards, Christina, Heather, and I went shopping for souvenirs, had dinner, and walked through the charming streets of the city.
Local graffiti art.
Looking out at the Vistula River.
Day 4: Sierpc Open-Air Museum
We set out again by bus to the Museum of the Mazovian Countryside. It was a beautiful, quaint spot, despite the rainy day. We looked at recreations of farmhouses, a church, and even a schoolroom. In one of the flower beds, we caught sight of a stork, a symbol of good luck in Polish folklore.
After a hearty lunch of tomato soup, bread with lard and pickles, and sausage with salad, our guide Monika led us in a name game, followed by shots of gingerbread vodka. Just in time for a nap on the bus to our next destination.