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Despite being in Bydgoszcz for 5 days, I never really had the opportunity to explore the place. The Old Town Square, the super huge shopping mall Focus Park and the Minor Basilica of St Vincent a Paulo were the only places I've been to.
The Minor Basilica of St Vincent a Paulo, the largest church in Bydgoszcz, is a Roman Catholic church of a neo-classical architecture. In 1997, the church was elevated to Minor Basilica status by the Pope John Paul II.
Here are some statistical facts about the church: it has a height of 65 m, a length on the NE axis of 81 m, surface area amounting to 2700 square metres, and a total capacity of 135 000 cubic metres. :)
The architecture of the church is a contrast with the other churches I've seen in the Old Town Square, which most of them are of gothic designs. I prefer baroque and neo-classical buildings. :)
And I love the blue blue sky. :D
What I like about Bydgoszcz and Toruń is that both places are relatively peaceful, with no hustle and bustle of the tourist crowds. Unlike the other cities.
Toruń is a city near to Bydgoszcz, about 30 minutes bus ride away. This medieval old town is the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, the famous astronomer that proved that the sun is at the centre of the Universe. Toruń is listed as a World Heritage Site in the UNESCO's World Heritage List.
It was suggested by Laura and Artur that we should visit Toruń, because it is a beautiful place. I couldn't agree more. :)
Our first stop in Toruń was the Old Town Hall, with a statue of Nicolaus Copernicus.
We climbed up the tower of the Town Hall, to catch the panorama of Toruń.
Beautiful. :)
I always find street buskers fascinating. More so when they are in the old towns, dressed in ancient yet fanciful costumes.
I think these street buskers hold on to their missions and aspirations to bring smiles to the people, rather than earning those little pennies. But hey, who knows, their special talents might be able to bring them big bucks. :)
Laura and Artur brought the group around the old town of Toruń, and we visited the Cathedral of St John, and bought the famous gingerbread biscuits.
Iris and I then went on to walk around the outskirts of the old town with Laura, and we came to the city walls, where the Leaning Tower was. The Leaning Tower is one of the characteristic sites of Toruń, and it was named so, because this 15 m-tall tower has a deviation of 1.4 m.
The sun was setting, but I love the warm hue. Makes photos look so much nicer. Haha..
I remembered we walked quite a distance, around the old town and the outskirts. By then most of the shops were closed, but the things we saw along the streets were much more interesting. :)
'Little Bastard'
The three of us decided to give our feet a rest, and to feed our hungry stomachs at a rose-themed cafe hidden away in a corner of the old town.
I love the ambience of this cafe. Away from the buzz, behind the brick-red city walls, under the cool shades of the trees. The tables were decorated with roses, even the crockery and napkins were with rose designs. A hidden garden. :)
Laura had her tea, Iris had her hot chocolate, I had my iced coffee. :) We had their speciality pork salad and apple crumble. And I must say that their apple crumble was damn delicious! Yummy! And the ice cream that came along didn't seem to melt much! :D
The day in Toruń ended on a nice note (and dessert). The cool weather, together with Laura and Artur as our superb guides, made it even more enjoyable. Honestly speaking, the day in Toruń seems to be more memorable than the other cities that I've been to. I always believe that the connection and interaction with the people is the key element of a memorable experience.
Laura has been a very wonderful guide and interpreter. The help she has rendered during our stay in Bydgoszcz and Toruń was something we could never be thankful enough for. Despite the many problems we had faced during the festival, she was always in smiles and helped us seek for solutions. She is part of our success and achievement in Bydgoszcz.
It is nice to have known a friend like her. :)
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