Text and images Britt-Arnhild Wigum Lindland
The first snow came in November, it is still winter, and fresh snow came again on Saturday. I try, really try with all I have, to live what I learn.......look for beauty, collect colours.......
...and lover of long winters or not, both you and I have to admit that newfallen snow in March, in the wee hours of a week-end morning, in the old part of the most beautiful city in the world...
......yes, it is beautiful.
It is a habit now, in The House in the Woods, on Saturday mornings.......Marta still in bed sleeping like only teenagers do during week-end mornings, Terje and I having a long breakfast.....then I ask, always very innocently, always crossing my fingers under the table, hoping to another answer......."what are your plans for today? do you want to come with me downtown?........ Terje looking at me, looking out the window, looking at me again......taking his time........"You know I would love to come with you, but the weather is so nice, the ski tracks are perfect, do you mind if I go skiing today?"
I don't mind.......well, most week-ends I don't mind.......usually, most of the time, I am perfectly well and content with my own company. Then I can take the time I want to enjoy an old stone and iron table clothed in snow, I can walk exactly the detours I want, I can stop for coffee when I want and as often I want, only paying for one;-).......
Then, after one hour, two hours, three hours.......I go home, tired feet, fresh words in my diary, dozens of photos, bread, cheese, may be some fish from the fish market, a cd with classic music, (a new cd is my week-end flower bouquet,I am allergic to most flowers and instead of missing the colourful bouquets I used to buy for the week-ends, I now fill the livingroom with music).....and make lunch for us. Marta is happy because she could sleep in, Terje is happy because he has had a lovely time cross country skiing......I am happy because I am ME .......
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Though some days I do mind. Some days I miss walking hand in hand, exploring our city together.
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My birthday is coming up, in less than three weeks....on a Sunday. I know what I want for my birthday present.........walking hand in hand on a Saturday morning.....
.....I've already told Terje about my wish.
Now I must wait and see what happens.....
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Travel memory from a hand in hand-walk in Krakow
"Now I am here, in Krakow, where my life began. I stand on my small balcony, looking out over the Vistula, ready for my morning walk.
It is spring, a mild and sunny day, with the gentle, filtered light of the Old World........I usually walk along Planty Park, sometimes stopping to sit on a bench for a while......
A few weeks ago I found two interesting books at the bookshop at Oslo Airport. Both were by Linda Olsson. I started to read the first one, Astrid & Veronica right away (on the train up to Lillehammer) and knew alresady after the first few pages that I had found a treasure. It took only a couple of days to finished the book, and I decided to save the next one for our upcoming travel to Krakow. On the plane down to Krakow I was busy reading The Trumpeter of Krakow, but finally it was time to start my next Linda Olsson; Sonata for Miriam. I opened the book and started to read........now I am here, in Krakow.......
I almost fell down from the bench where I was sitting.......here, in Krakow.
The Planty is several gardens, shaped like a horse shoe surrounding the old part of Krakow. Nice to walk at all times of the day. We prefered the quiet of the early mornings, the light of the fading days.
The Planty gardens were created back in the 1820ies, and along the walk you can still see foundations of the original city walks.
Everywhere there are benches. Everywhere you can sit down, to read Linda Olsson, to watch life, to be quiet.
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