Vision Express & Westerplatte - In Search of the Poets

June 07, 2004

Vision Express & Westerplatte

Just a quick post today to let you know I got my eyeglasses successfully replaced at a store called 'Vision Express' in the major shopping mall in Gdansk. Long story short, they replaced both lenses in my existing frame, which means I can keep using my magnetic sunglasses. Happiness!

Think I paid the tourist price (190 zloty = $50), since the guy who helped me spoke English (and was the only one in the store who did so). However, I was just glad to get them done today. Also, they feel much better than they ever did before (the frame had been a little loose, which is why I dropped them and nicked them the first time). So, all in all, happy to be supporting the Polish economy and back in my good glasses.

Took a boat out to Westerplatte, the tip of the peninsula at the mouth of the Motlawa river, today. Followed some smart German tourists (actually, it was nice to hear people speaking a language I could understand) and ditched the mass of Polish schoolchildren on the way back for a nice quiet ride back up the river. Got to take some great pictures of the shore and also the old fortifications there at Westerplatte. It was nice being out on the water again, too. (Course the pirate ship yesterday had its own special charm).

Also, a big event, got my laundry done today. Hostel has a laundry service that did it for me for free. Wonder of wonders! So happiness all around!!

Posted by Elizabeth on June 7, 2004 09:06 PM
Category: Polska

Comments

Happiness! And wonders of wonders! Praise God for your new glasses! And laundry service! Wow! So have you used the little elastic clothesline at all yet? Also, what is a major shopping mall like in Poland, compared to here?

Posted by: mom on June 8, 2004 12:22 AM

Glad you're having a great time. It's things like 'yeah, these are the lenses I got in Poland' that make travel so interesting, 'eh. And a Pirate Ship! Did the Pirates do anything, or did they just say 'arrggg!'
Amy

Posted by: Amy on June 8, 2004 12:28 AM

I love it when you're surprised with the best case scenario!!! Ohhh...and clean socks and stuff!! That always makes me feel better when I'm relaxing at the homestead in my comfy clothes. :) Hey...had a major family work event at my house this weekend! basically excavated the backyard Arbor area and poured the concrete footings on Saturday! Wow was that work. Ended up buying a small cement mixer...long story, but worth $199 to automate the filling of 18 post holes!! Had a few misadventures with the post hold "auger" bit so some custom drilling on the beams will be required in step 2 to keep my rafter lines straight-ish...still all in all should have a fabulous -- if rustic -- Arbor for my black forest wysteria and purple grape grapevines by early July!! P.S. The Oregon coast misses you!!

Posted by: Gina on June 8, 2004 03:14 AM

Mom: The shopping malls are similiar, in that they have shoe stores, clothing stores, little jewelry shops, etc. The funny thing is that the 'en vogue' clothes are ones with random English words on them...some of them are even misspelled and don't make any sense. Pretty funny.

Amy: Well, I'm not sure what "Arrgggg" is in Polish, or I'd know. They did make a lot of noises, though, and they pulled pretty hard on the ropes (from shore) to get the pirate ship back at the dock....took them about 15 minutes while Abi and I were nervously waiting on deck, praying that the ropes didn't break. The ropes did creak an awful lot. Maybe that's the pirate life, who knows. I wanted to climb up into the crows nest, but was afraid of breaking my ankles. It wasn't the heights, really, it was my ankles. Honest.

Gina: Cool! A cement mixer! I bet that will be useful again...if not at your house, at mine. *hee* Soon you'll be able to open the O'Dierno rent-a-tool store. I am glad it went well!! Can't wait to see your new arbor. I used a manual post hole digger in Indiana...you know, the one with wooden handles that requires sweat and swearing to work. Not that I'm volunteering any expertise, however...wouldn't want to give you that impression! :)

Posted by: Beth on June 8, 2004 09:00 PM

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