Friday in the Lowlands

We felt totally tired. Tired of the ubiquitous, escalating hysteria, skillfully fueled by all media, and we wanted to flee from all the domestic political scandals – we got in the car and left the city. Any further away from gibberish, away from civilization. If we are to keep the distance, let’s do it all the way.

And where is the best to disappear, regenerate (mental) strength and relax? In the wild.

The wild ? Near Gdańsk?

Yes – it means of course in Żuławy – Lowlands. Fortunately, it still is a place where one can listen to own thoughts, even shout out without being afraid of being heard. The Lowlands are becoming fashionable, but rather the “roadside”, nearby, easily accessible.

Many years ago, the high Commission at the Regional Guide exam, asked me which part of the Pomeranian Voivodeship was my favorite, and where exactly in Kashubia would I take my guests… The honorable commission was walled up when I burned out that voluntarily, I would not take any of my group to Kashubia. That I would take them either to the former East Prussia, or the Żuławy. Surprised, they asked, “What’s interesting there in that flat land?”

Really ? The Examination Commission dared to ask such a question?!

Someone once said nicely and wisely that the Lowlands landscape is for a connoisseur. And Ph.D., DSc. Eng. Arch. Bogna Lipińska wrote about the transparency of the Żuławy landscape. This is where the quintessence of the beauty of our entire area is. The Commission somehow did not even realize the existence of Żuławy. At that time, even Kociewie was poorly localized for tourists! As for Żuławy – it was not only the Commission that did poorly. At the time, the offices did not notice the so-called tourist potential of Żuławy. In the official mentality, at that time – Żuławy existed only as a strictly agricultural area.

It is changing now. Slowly and with resistance, but still. Żuławy area, as I mentioned, is becoming fashionable. And that is good. So far – so many arcaded houses have disappeared (and are still disappearing) from the map. It is high time to stop the destruction of the still existing heritage.

* / *

There was no sun today, and although the breeze was piercing, it still was a perfect day to visit the River.

As I have had a favorite (one of many favorites 😉) place for years, and we drove there. We left the car on the road, halfway along the dike. I was taught that the crown of the dike should not be driven. That is why I have such mixed feelings when I hear about bike paths along the dike crown… Well, there is no tradition anymore, because there are no people who built the dikes, and created Żuławy. And after the war there was a complete retreat from the water, so I am not surprised that the development of inter-dike or flood sites is ongoing, and tourist routes run along the crown of the embankments …

All right, no more sarcasm.

Today, all the bushes and other brushwood, as well as leafless branches – were shaking with sparrows, chirping, bouncing … only the River remained calm and quiet.

And Żuławy? As usual – empty, boundless, chirping, not green yet, but no longer grayish. It was a great day. 

As usual in Żuławy.