A little bit of being present

Sunshine, warmth, spring weather – my favourite time of year.

An adventure in Lower Silesia, falling in love with Poland all over again.

An early morning train from Wroclaw to Walbrzych Miasto, which I thought I was going to miss, but the tram to the train station was waiting for me when I got to the stop.

A little detour when the bus I caught didn’t go where I expected, taking me to some beautiful old farm buildings, and the tail end of a traditional Polish Easter egg blessing ceremony, with everyone carrying their baskets through the streets.

An unplanned visit to a palm house, featuring cake in a secret hideaway, and bonsai trees.

A walk across a field and through a forest.

A stunning view of Książ Castle, the third biggest in Poland.

Time to wander around the castle and explore its fascinating history, including the amazing collection of photographs taken by the French chef who worked there in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

A description of seasons in Central Europe which perfectly matches my feelings about them.

Deliberating sitting and being, not just taking photos.

A walk around the terraces of the castle, with very pleasing flowerbeds.

A perfectly timed bus.

Smooth connections to Świdnica, with a few minutes to spare in Jaworzyna Śląska to pop into the church.

The genuine peacefulness of the Peace Church of Świdnica.

The ingenuity of the architects who created the whole thing out of wood and decorated it lavishly, despite the restrictions placed upon them.

A pulpit with hourglasses to time the preaching.

Sitting on a bench in the cemetery outside chatting to mum, drinking in the view of the church.

Murals like this one.

A delicious Polish dinner of trout, potatoes and surowki (cabbage salad) in the square of Świdnica.

Time to write postcards.

Wildlife throughout the day: buzzards, a red squirrel, deer, collared doves, a goldfinch, a chaffinch, storks and bats.

A gorgeous sunset to watch on the train back.

The carillion of bells playing in the church near my apartment as I write this.

Time to write a blogpost to capture it all.

Being present. Savouring the moment.

Note to self: do this more.