Yesterday I started the day by taking a boat tour around the harbor. I already have seen this part of the harbor on the return trip from Hel, but was looking forward to a stop in Westerplatte, which is supposedly where the Germans attacked Poland and began World War 2. But it turns out this boat didn't stop in Westerplatte, but simply cruised around the harbor for 1 1/2 hours. It was an old pirate boat, (or looked like a pirate boat), and actually simulated shots when it's sister pirate ships sailed by.
Then I checked into the Hilton. I was given a room key and walked through the atrium lobby, and took the elevator through to the room. I have stayed at various hotels (in addition to hostels), on my trip, but this is the first American style chain hotel. And the room is everything the hostel isn't. It is large, with a huge desk, flat screen tv, and a giant king-size bed. The bathroom has a separate shower and bath tub. Everything looks shiny and brand-new. As soon as I arrived in the room, at 2:15 (check in was at 2-so I was 15 minutes late), I lied on the bed and took a nap. I plugged in my computer and phone into the multiple outlets in the room. I think I was in the room till about 5:00, enjoying all the space. At 5:00, a this point, I walked to the museum of solidarity and met Pawel and his friends (still Pawel's birthday weekend, and yesterday was his birthday (#pawel2015). I had a drink at the museum bar, and then went over to his dad's house (we took two cabs-since there we're about 8 of us I think), and had dinner. I spoke to him and his dad about Poland and World War 2, which was most fascinating. I ate a polish jelly fish, which in his words (and in reality) "Looked like an aquarium".
It was close to 11:30 or so, and I had to take a bus back to town to the hotel, so I joined some of his friends who we're also headed back to town, and I walked back to the hotel.
As mentioned before, the hotel was great for a night-it was a Hilton-probably just like a Hilton in Denver, Albuquerque, Wichita, etc. Other then the guest services directory written in Polish and a large window overlooking the street-it is like a night back in the US. And that is the problem-it is beautiful but a little too sanitary, and not at all interesting-again everything the hostel is not. (BTW-Breakfast here at the Hilton is roughly $19.00, which is not only significantly more then I have ever spent on dinner in Poland, but also more the average weeknight room price at the hostel, which included breakfast. So you can book a room a the Hilton AND a bed at hostel for the same nights, which is two blocks away, and save money on breakfast. Hilton apparently didn't get the memo that prices are less in Poland).
