Note:
This text was written for request of one Dutch uncle of a boy, who wanted to
know about twilight in various places in the world
Half million people town, one million people coastal zone in Central Europe. Office barrack near to small, beautifull beech forrest. Forrest is border between old, little falling apart lowland district and new built residential district on highlands. So, I go out from my office in lowlands, walk through the forrest to reach my not big block in highlands.
Some weeks ago it was dark there. If there was no snow and dark night, I could see some light only ins the sky between tops of trees and single lamp in TV transmitter station on far top of the hill. There has been broad medow some years ago below the transmitter. It was in time, when there was small farm with horses and cows, who ate the grass and young growing trees. Later the farm has sold land for developers, nobody cut grass in the meadow, cows have disappeared first, then horse has gone. Later, in winter, people using this slope for skiing and riding sledges could also control growing bushes around, but several warm winters stopped such cleaning of the meadow. So, trees are gradually growing. The oldest are already 5 meters high, and they started to grow in places, which were never attractive for skiers. But now, bushes are coming also in almost all places, except "canyon" cut by sledges in winter and walking people in all seasons year round.
After climbing the hill, there is more light round the transmission station and further, because I leave forest there.
Once, it was already dark in this place it seemed to me I see big, fat tailles dog, something like a rottwieler. But then, I saw a nex one, and next. It was flock of wild boars resting prabably after dinner in garbage boxes in residential area. Well, I wistled to warn them, I was coming and they slowly moved out from the path. I wanted to pass, but I did not want to scare them.
There is more light today. There is bright snow in the forest, already two hours longer day and today was very warm sun. Such sun, which carries spring in lowlands and happy skiers in colder zones. I walked south-west with sun shining directly to my face, so I could walk with almost closed eyes. It was no problem with traffic: I could hear coming cars, and several "laying policemen" forced them to slow down between houses. I pass road, zone of bigger blocks and shopping areas. There are still surviving small, few square meters size shop-sheds and few bigger ones, built in time before so called "transformations" in Poland.
5 minutes more along not very full of traffic road and I am at home. My small, little tooooo fat dog is happy to go out with me. In general, I have decided to buy any wire to connect phone line to my box, so we could go out. Garbage shed and boxes - that is the most interesting thing for the small dog. There coud be met a wild cat or any bird eating wastes. They could be good reason to make some fun = noise, even, if it is not allowed to frighten cats and birds, even eating garbage. I think, the smartiest strong birds, like magpies are able to drag bag with possible food out from box and drop it down against the ground to reach the content. The content could be also eatable for the toooo fat dog, especially, that it is strictly forbidden. And in the worst case, there is always dogs anouncement poles in entrances to the garbage shed, which has to be sniffed carefully and own message pissed on top: "I was here and mine is on top of everybody's".
So, we have reached small shop selling small things and went out. It was already half past five and it was almost dark, if it could ever be dark between full of lights streets and blocks. In general, it is good place: lot of space for children, even with football, dogs, birds, wild cats. There is enough grass, garbage and bushes around for everybody... Just beware municipal guards if you have dog freely running around you.
Do you want to come here? Well, you will not find it on list of tourist attractions of my town, but it is good place :-)
April 2003, Gdańsk, Poland
Basia Głowacka jastra@ jastra.com.pl
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