Wrocław, Poland – April 2008
It’s been many years since I’ve experienced spring in the North. I’d forgotten how nature hesitates, in love with its own slumber. The innocent smell of unfurling buds. Sunrays seep through the residual damp that emanates from the earth. People mill about the old market square. Hesitant voices. Bewildered gazes. What is that thing in the sky?
Shop assistants and restaurant staff emerge from darkened doorways. They stand immobile. Faces upturned, eyes closed. Stubborn scowls soften into the slightest of smiles.
The building in the first photo looks interesting 🙂 beautiful photos 🙂
Thank you, Andy.
More than your photographs, I love your words.
😀
The building looks quite Bavarian – is it a church or municipal building? A nice timely post, a good reminder that Spring should soon be here….I hope.
It’s the Town Hall. Wrocław was influenced by a few different cultures. We’ve had such an easy winter and early spring over here in Bratislava. It’s about a month early. The lilacs are already blooming. I don’t mean to rub it in. 😉 Hope the sun shines on your part of the world soon.
A lovely tribute to spring and very relevant to the place from which I’ve just returned, the northern Nevada desert teeters in just the state that you describe.
Hope you’ll be posting about your visit there. 🙂
Spring in northern Europe was such a revelation for me after Sydney where most of the trees keep their leaves all year round and people complain of the cold when the temperature is 14C.
Feel a bit nostalgic.
I grew up in the North, but I lived in warm climates for many years and got used to no clearly defined seasons. After moving back up here, it took a few years to get used to the dramatic changes, but I love them.
I love the top photo especially- the colors remind me of an impressionist painting – and after this winter here in the US I hope I never forget how precious springtime is with its message of renewal- your post reinforces that very thought-
That’s why I posted it – to show that no matter how horrible the winter, spring always comes. We’ve had it easy this year over here in Slovakia and I’m taking advantage of it, because who knows what next year will bring.
Oh, such fond memories of Wrocław, the Salt Square, the old town hall … and the Spiż brewery. I still have a beer glass from that beautiful dungeon of a drinking hall … and I’ll never forgot my first taste of smalec on the most amazing pumpernickel bread. An unforgettable piece of history combining the Czech, German, and Polish cultures …. A truly beautiful corner of the world to discover.
I just knew you’d chime in with the food and drink facets of Wrocław. 😀 My husband liked smalec, too. I didn’t try it, because I don’t eat meat. But Polish cuisine is suprisinly vegetarian-friendly: pierogi ruskie, naleśniki, placki ziemniaczane.
Lovely shots. Nature can be like that. A glimpse of spring sunshine and then the rains start.
Yep. That’s what’s going on right now.
Beautiful polish city. 🙂
Indeed. 😀
… And even more beautiful shots!
Dziękuję bardzo!
“I’d forgotten how nature hesitates, in love with its own slumber.” What a profoundly moving explanation. While most of us long for the soft winds of spring, there is the matter of “waking up.” Winter is rest. Winter frees us from the need to focus our energy on growth, movement, change, rebirth. We hesitate, we consider the ramifications of taking that first step of looking up, of summoning that “slightest of smiles.”
Beautifully written – a joy to read! Thank you….
😀 And once we realize it’s okay to smile, then the euphoria of spring fever sets in. I’ve got it right now. 😀
Me too!!!!
Love the photo of spring blossom and people seated, enjoying the pale sunshine. I must be in a perpetual state of winter verging on spring….I am always in love with my own slumber. 😉
Me, too. Life is one big slumber party. Haha.
Especially on the days when I don’t even get out of my pyjamas!
You describe spring so beautifully and accurately. I especially like the line about nature hesitating, in love with its own slumber.
Thank you, Sheryl.
“I’d forgotten how nature hesitates, in love with its own slumber.” What a lovely phrase and so true.
Happy spring to you. 🙂
You write like music! Such visuals! I am grateful to have found you. Your words, your images are dreamlike and serene!
Hey, thanks for stopping by. Glad you like what you found.
Oh, I like the way you said that: “You write like music!” Completely true, and a far better description than how I was going to say it.
Well done, once again!
🙂 Thanks, Mandy.
Oh my, this post was just too short for me to reading! You did it so well. Me too I like the builduing in the fisrt photo, so unusual…thanks for the explanations in the other answer to the comments.
Have a great day!Cris
Thank you, Cris.
The sweet magic of soft spring sunbeams, it has a way of transforming everything… and everybody 🙂
Indeed. 😀
A song for this post! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1QYXlRzNS0&feature=kp
That is fabulous.
Te texture in the two photos are amazing! What a perfect post! I want more…;)
😀
Your pictures are beautiful.
Thanks for stopping by and liking my post
Dorinda
Hi Dorinda – Thank you for taking the time to stop by and for the compliment. I love elephants. Warm wishes, Julie.
Yowzers, that 2nd photos is absolutely so pretty!
🙂