We reached Elbląg too late in the evening to do justice to the beautiful city. All we wanted was a place to eat, and even the local McDonalds was closed. After huffing and puffing in the cold, we finally found a small Doner. Doner shops are lifesavers for anyone travelling to a European city where vegan food is unavailable or most restaurants are closed. They are often available and open at odd hours and invariably have something filling that can be easily veganised. The owner of this particular Doner was Bangladeshi, and we had a long conversation about how he would have migrated and what his life must have been like. We also packed a roll for breakfast and walked down into the old town. 

Elbląg on Christmas Eve was beautiful! It was empty, except for one other couple who were sweet enough to help us take a picture! The city gate, a part of the fortification system called Brama Targowa, was beautifully lit. The lights on the church and the rest of the old city were stunning. I felt like we were in a fairy tale, like a princess with a private city hall decked in exquisite lights. We then hurried back to the train station.