Cell phones…love and hate, communicator and destroyer of Real communication…
Walking from early morning to late night in this eternal city – Rome – I noticed that an important piece of that special mood and atmosphere … is in its people. I was surprised to see how many men and women who actually were just sitting, silently reading a book or a paper – or just contemplating. Life. Stillness. Movement. Not only old people were engaged in this…yes, I admit to feeling a spark of hope and joy every time. Maybe 95 per cent were either playing with their phones or eating …but…Maybe the Book will not die, Maybe…there is still Hope for us to Slow Down and Feel. Just letting go, and just Be.
On our way to the railwaystation, we just had to visit the Church of Saint Bridget (Swedish Sankta Birgitta). Maybe it doesn’t look much from the outside – but inside – you are filled with awe.
Destroyed, rebuilt and restored – this church is, and since the 1980’s associated with the Solidarity Movement.
The silence and the crystal air was fascinating. The windows the only source of light in here. But that is enough.
Everything serene, and the altarpiece is planned to have only pure amber in its decorations. Together with red, white and silver, this golden amber art had me standing in total silence and contemplation, head uplifted, for at least 30 minutes.
Walking towards the railway station, autumn showed its true colours.
And then – Sopot next. The summer city of Poland with 40 000 inhabitants. An old health resort with the, always terrible, water which should be good for you…
By train back to Gdynia again – a soft and lovely evening. We found our Stena Line ferry, heading for Karlskrona.
This was an amazing and unexpected adventure – close to home, but with totally unexpected outcome. To be recommended!
Sun, sun, and we walked along the Waterfront towards the Big Crane, built 1444. In the Middle Ages this was the biggest crane in Europe. It was used for loading and unloading ships, and also for masting the big sailing-ships.
Flowers and amber salesmen were everywhere, and we enjoyed the sailing-ships and the sun.
The beautiful old building on the other side is the Maritime Museum.
Through the Maria Gate we reached the most genuine medieval street – Mariacka. It felt totally genuine despite the renovation.
Here the houses are lower with terrasses out to the street and old gargoyles looking at you as you are passing by. A night here might be a bit scary…
Shops and galleries everywhere – mostly selling clothes and amber jewellery…but what about this one with canons?
On leaving Mariacka, we met these beauties. A friend of mine used to have this breed, also two of them. Bedlington terriers.
Keeping the beauty!
Newer gargoyles – but just as special and intriguing.
The Maria Church and the Royal Chapel- a total breach of style…The Maria Church is the biggest gothic brick-church in the world. They say it takes 25000 people.
And then the Covered Market, originally built in 1896. A skeleton of steel and on the bottom old excavations. Also a brick building, and outside, a lovely market where we bought delicious plums.
Last weekend we spent in Gdansk, Poland. We went by ferry from Karlskrona to Gdynia, and then by taxi and train to and from Gdansk and Sopot. I had a gloomy vision of Poland since my school days – coal, polluted, misty, drab…and no one could convince me of anything else. I had to see it with my own eyes….And, I was met by lovely people (not that good English speakers, but there are hands, feet, body and face to use!), a wonderfully restored city and a glorious resort in Sopot.
Early morning mist and we woke up to this wiew of the harbour. Looking out through the window, the big cranes were sailing by…
….behind the containers, the city itself was rising from the morning mist.
The King walked this way when he had received the key to the city. Dluga – or the Long Street. It is difficult to understand how all these magnificent buildings all were rebuilt from the disasters of WWII.
Passing the Town Hall, which is the highest building in the city – 81 metres – we reached the fountain of Neptune. But first, let’s take a closer look at some of the architecture.
Oh, the doors and their ornaments…
…and all the old and new signs and lamp posts, intricately woven in iron.
Many old ladies were selling their home made knittings – among many other things…in the street.
And the colours were amazing – on houses and people and clothes and …
…balloons!
This fountain, built in 1549, was so popular with the citizens that they took it down piece by piece to hide it during the war. Not until 1954 was it put together again!
And now, the mighty Neptune himself guided us to…
…the Waterfront. Restaurants, cafés and people, people. More from the beauty, the people and the ships on the Waterfront in the next post!
Night time from WordPress – strikes me as maybe my favourite time in urban areas. Mild air, not that many people, no rush…
Transporting? When I started choosing photos I saw they were about walkers, railroads, boats and cars. But they are all standing still, not moving, frozen. No adrenal ferocity. I can feel the smoothness in the air – not a wind. I hope you can feel it too.
Natt – kanske den skönaste tiden i storstäder. Ljumt i luften, inte den där dagliga stressen där blodet pumpar och adrenalitet stiger. När jag ser på de bilder jag valt, ser jag transport, men rörelse i stillastående. Fotgängare, tåg och räls, båtar och bilar. Alla står de stilla i den sammetsmjuka natten – inte en vind. Hoppas du också kan känna det.
For more strangers in the night…click here.
So, the election for governement is accomplished and finished this Sunday. And the outcome is … not very positive for solidarity and empathy. Everyone expected there to be a new governement of course, and that the Social Democrats would win. No big surprise. The disturbing fact is that the extreme right wing/foreigner hostile party SD (Sweden Democrats) got so many votes. We were afraid this would happen as we had a touch of that for the EU election this spring. And when I say ”we”, I mean me and my friends and collegues – all the people I know, really.
Good rethoric and people not finding any other good alternatives…wanting changes…the other parties too much saying the same things…
I work with the elections every time we have them, and has done so for about thirty years. Not for any party, but helping with the democratic voting process. Now, this SD party has a stronghold in the southern parts of Sweden – in fact close to where I live. Only some 50 kilometres from here they got 27% of the votes. In my little village, the percentage was about 20…So, every fifth person might be an SD-voter! Their faces do not say, their mouths do not speak of this…I look at people I meet in the street and think…Who are you? Really?
There is something growing here in Sweden as well as everywhere in the western world …a cold wind blowing. It frightens me. Together we must stand up against those forces. They must never win.
Ailsa’s travel theme this week is about noise. The strange and interesting thing is that we all are different here – some say noise and some say sound and some cannot stand it and some love it…
My concert pictures are from the hard rock band Kamelot – my favourites in the category.
Humanity is the WP challenge – what first comes to my mind is all human beings collectively – the human race. Then the human nature – what does it mean, being human?
Ailsa at Where’s My Backpack? is now inviting us all to the theme Edge. These two guys and the lonely man on the pier are all standing…very close to the water. On the edge. I’m not too fond of standing on the edge when it comes to heights – I would rather stand a comfortable metre or two behind…
Leya 
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