Riga, Latvia Aug 7, 2025 They are scattered around Riga, reputedly some eight hundred of them. But there is one street where they seem concentrated, one after the other in a row. The buildings on Alberta street are all art nouveau, built largely in the early 1900s when Riga commanded a privileged position in the … More Where Bizarre Reigns Supreme
Siauliai, Lithuania August 4, 2025 I had come to Siauliai in a largely random manner. In part because it was enroute to Riga, in part because that was where the next bus was headed and in part because there was a place called Hill of Crosses nearby that piqued my interest. The fact that this … More An Unexpected Tour
Vilnius, Lithuania Aug 1, 2025 In the not-too-distant past (mid-14th century CE) a wooden fortress on a small hill in the center of present day Vilnius was abandoned and a fortified brick castle built on the plain below the hill. It was the residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, related to the Polish kingdom … More Inside a Ducal Palace
Krakow, Poland July 30, 2025 To the southeast of the old town of Krakow is the area called Kazimierz, founded by King Casimir in the 14th century and named after him. It was a separate city, intended to protect the southern boundary of Krakow. In the late 15th century, rising tensions in the city led … More The Changing Face of Kazimierz
Krakow, Poland July 26, 2025 Krakow, I was told by every local I spoke with, is a jewel and the best in Poland. It is an absolute must-see; go, they urged. So here I am, wandering in the market square of the old town. At four hundred square meters, this market square is deemed the … More The Jewel of Poland
Gdansk, Poland July 23, 2025 Like all other old towns in Poland, Gdansk too has a Town Hall. It stands tall on Dluga street next to the Neptune Fountain and the carillons chime a tune every hour from its bell tower. But this one is home to the Gdansk History Museum, said to have treasures … More A Town Hall Unlike Others
Gdansk, Poland July 22, 2025 Situated at the mouth of the Motlawa river, 14th century Danzig was a major port on the Baltic Sea, especially for grain. As a leading member of the Hanseatic League, Gdansk, as it is now called, saw immense amounts of grain flowing through it. This necessitated granaries; in fact so … More On Granary Island
Warsaw, Poland July 20, 2025 Around the corner from the Supreme Court is a section of the wall that once encircled the ghettos where citizens of Warsaw had been rounded up between 1940-1943. A map is mounted on it and on the pavement nearby are some of the ghetto boundary markers. The note on the … More Warsaw Rising
Warsaw, Poland July 17,2025 The Royal Route stretches from the Wilanow Palace in the south all the way to the Castle Square in the north, the entire street being on the Historic Monuments register. At the south end is a large statue of Copernicus presiding over a paved square with the solar system engraved on … More A Wander Through Warsaw
Torun, Poland July 15, 2025 Established in the 13th century CE by Teutonic Knights, Torun soon grew wealthy on trade. Goods were traded up and down the river Vistula and burghers built their lavish houses. Soon outgrowing the Old Town, it enveloped the area that used to be for craftsmen and merged with the newer … More Within the Walls
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 