50 shades of the most beautiful park in Gdańsk-Oliwa

It says that march comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. This feels particularly this month, when I walk through my favourite park of Gdańsk - Park Oliwski.

 

 

Whenever I come back from work, I can hardly resist taking the route through the beautiful historical park in Oliwa. When I moved into that borough, I had absolutely no idea about topography of Tricity.

 

How ignorant it was of me not even to bother about such exquisite spacial green treasure that is located just within 5-minute-walk from my house! Marvellously designed routes, streams and little ponds are enchanting not only in summer, but also in winter. It was one Friday, when my supervisor asked me - what were I doing still at work (Go home it's Friday!). So I started the weekend in the best way I could have imagined - taking a walk through the Oliwa's park that makes it remarkably relaxing - as the weekend should be. I couldn't resist that rare opportunity to use the perfect light around. I sat next to the bridge and started to sketch.

 

Park in Oliwa,  February 2015
 

 February in Park Oliwski

Now the photos may look as if they have been taken out of the spring mood that crawls slowly (definitely too slow) towards the Baltic Sea Area. Nonetheless, I was happy enough to catch the last glimpse of snow that winter! Already two days after, snow was gone and warm beams of sun uncovered all the hidden shades of humble green.

Some accidental passer-bys gave me a bit awkward look when they saw me in front of the bridge. The temperature was just below zero and I did forgot my gloves! Freezing cold hands were the main reason why I decided not to go into too many details with that picture. Same basic colours I added already home (picture at the bottom). As devoted as it may be seen, 30 minutes of sketching were just enough to make me dreaming about hot green tea back home!

Admittedly, I love this waterfall in Oliwa's park. The magical atmosphere here is created by this cascade, however this is just one part of that stream. Potok Oliwski (Oliwa's Creek) goes from Złota Karczma (Golden Inn), follows through the Valley of Joy (hence some call it "radostna struga", joyful creek), crosses the park and has its end some kilometres away, directly at the Baltic Sea (that part is also called Potok Jelitkowski - Jelitkowo's Creek).

For those fascinated with history, it may be interesting that before the IIWW the name of the creek was Glettkaubach (Bach=creek, Glettkau= a German word for Jelitkowo, that was phonetically formed after the Kashubian name of that sea-side village - and now a district of Gdańsk). If you take your time and look closer at the historical map of that part, you may notice, that not far away was the border of the Free City of Gdańsk that existed here as a result of Treaty of Versailles (1918) until the end of the IIWW.

Under this link you can find couple of historical maps of this region Pomorze/Pomerania, where on some Oliva or polish Oliwa are quite visible.

Let us take as an example this one (link), where just at the orange border you see Oliva and one of the historical streets of the district Pelonkenweg (ul. Polanki), where also Schopenhauer used to live.
Glettkau (Jelitkowo) is just at the Baltic Sea.

Source: www.mapy.exploracja.pl "Q55 Danzig" 1:300 000 Übersichtskarte von Mitteleuropa, 1925, Ze zbiorów Marka Zielińskiego. In this region Polish people use now the old names only unwillingly (if they even know them). Names as those above are just an old reminiscence of the war. Particularly since old German generations are gone, Poles  use only original Slavic names and only sentimental German tourists and historians remember the old once. If you happen to go to Gdansk, make sure you are able to speak the name "Gdańsk" and "Sopot" in the Polish and not German way, and use google maps or any other map that is up-dated with proper names (definitely not the one above!)

 

The map above is 90 years old and presents a status quo that no longer exist. The orange border of non-existent Free City of Gdańsk (Danzig) separates area inhabited in the past mostly by Germans   (including a popular cure location of Zoppot or current Sopot) from the to-be-build Polish harbour of Gdynia (1926). After the IIW all Germans had been displaced to Germany and their houses were taken either by Russian soldiers or by Poles displaced from above all the current area of  Ukraine. Uprooting people's history that is what politics can surely cope with very well.


During the war Oliwa avoided the scent of destruction. No wonder that many people find this borough as the most beautiful district in the whole Tricity! The old villas are still there and entice people with their wind of history (I am one of those victims who fell in love with a build in 1907 villa that I currently live in).


In the oldest literature Oliwa was mentioned already in 1188 (and remember that the first Polish king was coroneted just over 150 years before!). Although the bridge and waterfall on the photograph are definitely not that all, personally I find them the most beautiful parts of the creek.

Stones at that day were still covered by the last snow of the winter.

Temperature below zero and no gloves! Sketchers my be sometimes crazy...

  

 

 

The spot that I sketched from. The palm glass house in the background is opened during the summer

 

 

Already two days after, I was taking my scroll over park and snow was completely gone! 

The historical cathedral of Oliwa, next to the park and abbey..

 

 

 

Colours added later, ink + crayons, sepia pastel, Moleskine sketchbook. Click to make it bigger

 

 

 

The park is closed at the evening. Make sure you finish your walk before 8 p.m in winter. In summer, it's opened much longer.

 

A bonus of this part is the sky. Who will tell me now, that spring is not coming? 

Last week from in front of my house

 

 

Being sick for the last weeks, I really wait for sunny spring days, first buds of flowers in the Oliwa park and of course, for chilly day of sketching in the park. Then more sketches of Oliwa will come for sure.

 

 

Keep warm!

 

that girl with a sketchbook

Jam sessions? Only in Gdańsk-Oliwa!

Although I have planned to pay a visit to this regular event already since I moved here, this was finally on Friday when I stepped out of home and opened the door to a welcoming wooden chamber of pub Paszcza Lwa in Gdańsk Oliwa.

Paszcza Lwa (read: pa-sh-tcha l-va, means "Lion's muzzle") at Kwietna 39 in Gdańsk is a tiny place not far away from the Catherdral in Oliwa district that is quite difficult to find without google maps. However, although the borough of Oliwa belongs to one of the most enchanting in the whole city, it is definitely deficit on pubs and clubs.

 

To cut the long story short - who lives in Oliwa, must know this pub - Paszcza Lwa. 
(And I certainly do).



Although my sense of music is just average, everyone agreed with me, that the first singer I saw cannot be called even good. In desperation, public started to help him out in singing. Meanwhile I decided to rather focus on some dead interior gadgets.

 

Cozy wooden interior, thatched roof (or better say ceiling) and skulls of some dead animals on the walls. First glimpse makes it feel like in the folk-style cottage in the Polish mountains 700 km down south. At the second one, your eyes will spot a huge painting in the desert colours above the counter - reggae style lion opens his muzzle; then you see young chilled bartenders who wears everything but not folk clothes. Certainly I was in the right place.

Although I came alone, I knew immediately who I was looking for - my brilliant flatmate whose voice made many of my evenings to be some private a capella recitals of her, just behind the wall.

Frankly speaking, I am huge fan of Alicja's voice and I think it is not exaggeration to say that she sings just as good or probably even better than (not some but) most of current Polish female pop singers. I love those winter evenings when we sit together in our house with friends, everyone takes out some of the instruments that I guess are hidden simply everywhere (acoustic and electric guitars, keybord, djembes, Australian rain stick, Dutch egg shaker, couple of local ocarinas from Kaszuby or Russia, or even a scarf for belly dance with those small noisy sequins that you play on by actual dancing). Those jam sessions with Alicja's singing are something what bring light and warmth to this dark winter nights... Hence, no wonder, I was looking forward to see her on stage ultimately!



Moderator of the event and guitarist, a very kind gentleman.

The formula of jam session is not as free as I knew it from different events I visited. People know each other there, atmosphere is really chilled and a bit like in one big family. If you want to sing or play, you go to the moderator and he sets you in the schedule for tonight. The moderator also tries to keep the positive approach, so that a band or crew plays 2-3 songs and not a concert and that no one offends anybody else so that everything goes smoothly there.

Although I hear every now and then compliments about my deep voice, I would never dare to sing somewhere else than under the shower. Therefore I did what I like the most. Sit down and  used that beautiful opportunity to make some more sketching exercises and draw something that I am absolutely terrible at - namely PEOPLE.

And PEOPLE were amazing. Bands serve usually as perfect models, because they do not move that much!
So, I sat at the wooden bench and warmed up with a sketch of that animal scull. Then the elderly perky gentlemen from the second sketch (right) approached me straight away, (sitting so close that I had to keep my face and joke about it), commenting on my sketchbook and obviously on the terrible voice of the current singer. Later on I saw him playing on drums whereas his companion (on the sketch, left) helped him out on his guitar. Both probably older than my dad - what I personally found fantastic! There is nothing better to see people who have passion life-long!



Second sketch that night. Well, I don't find it accurate or nice, but .. mhm.. he didn't move that much and served as a perfect model, admittedly. 

Impatiently have I waited for Alicja's band, as I knew she usually plays with the same crew.
One guitarists I knew from home, as sometimes they rehearsed in our house. Surprisingly enough,  I realised that I also know the drummer. From nowhere else than from instagram :)!

Without hesitation, I sat next to them, took two quick photos with my phone, and I started to sketch.
For sketching Alicja, I guess I am not good enough. I wish to have singer who sings and does not move her mouth at the same moment, but I do not believe it can be in anyway good! With Piotr, the guitarist, it was easier, but the sketch was just a terrible doodle and I didn't like it at all. I have a try to draw the other members of the band, but my irritation was only growing.

(Although the music eased that feelings of course! I loved their performance!)



Piotr has also his own band, called EjPiEj (youtube), where they do a bit different music. That night he was accompanying Alicja with their original compositions. 

Flashback from childhood was irresistible and miserable - I gave up drawing as a teenager, because people (with my mum in the first place) kept encouraging me to draw portraits and i have never, absolutely never, liked it.

A bit upset I gave up these depressing attempts, had a beer and nice chit-chat with some friends of Alicja. Nonetheless, I post those doodles here anyway - just for me later to remember, how uncomfortable was that feeling of dissatisfaction.
(a hidden perfectionist inside me is screaming now - do not watch)



*******

I couldn't sleep with that.

Imagine that something does not leave you alone. Imagine this uncomfortable feeling pinches you like too small jeans in the waist or a small nasty stone in your shoe. I felt that way. Unhappy about my sketches, although quite excited about all the people who I have met that evening.

On Saturday I went to buy some veggies (oh, that's so romantic) and realised that I cannot leave myself with this silly feeling any longer - let me have another go.

So I did.

When I started it was quite late. When finished, it turned out I was late for some appointments already (sorry), but here it is. A slightly better version of the scrawls above. I do not really feel oblige to violate anyones copyrights to original photographs, so comparison pictures you can find by clicking the links (youtube or instagram).

It's not perfect, however I take it as an exercise. I never liked portraits, but that's my second and third portrait since I started to sketch on last year's autumn.. Let it be it's a way towards improvement, ok ;-)?

Here Link to the song with that picture - Ejpiej "Alternatywa"



Another Piotr, the drummer. For those who want to join he's fan club on instagram here's the link



*******

If you feel in any way encouraged to join the regular jam sessions in Paszcza Lwa or even actively participate, I would recommend to follow them on Facebook (there are also more pictures from that night).

Facebook Profile (click)

As a subscriber, you outhgt get invitation to the regular event that are more or less on Fridays, every second week.




In the end, that lady presented a high-class soprano voice.
So impressive! Congratulations!



How I met that girl with a sketchbook?

©thatgirlwithasketchbook First snow in my village!

Dear friends!

At this time of the year people usually spend time on... no! Not sending wishes! This is the perfect time to have a coffee, when you finished doing everything and wait for a party! 

It was such a nice year thanks to all of fantastic people who I met over those months.

2014 started with me being upset about my current living in  Łódź in Poland. Quite soon I moved out to Sopot at the Baltic Sea, then to Cologne in Germany and now just two months ago I landed up in Gdańsk (Baltic Sea again). Each time I had too leave behind so many good people. Nonetheless, the best what happend to me is ...( yes yes, I am already finishing this sentimental part) - on September 2014 I have started to sketch and the results you can watch on this blog!!! 

Can you imagine it was only 4 months ago?

(Now I shall quote my very good friend ) "That's craaazyyyyy"!

Oh, it really is :)!

****

As you may expect, there is no post without a sketch and a story  - and this is it.

A sketch and an unbelievable story! Here you have.

****

Yesterday I decided to get a bit more feeling of  Old Town of  Gdańsk  that I had visited only maybe three times in my life. A pretty intimidating encounter with Couchsurfers from couple of countries (hello to you all) ended up in an nostaligia styled pub with lots of Polish music from 80s ("No to cyk" - recommendable). Now the story!

I have met a girl with a sketchbook!!! Can you imagine???

You dont believe me? Fotos below! 

Admittedly, I was extremely happy about meeting another girl like me. Niuta comes originally from Ukraine, and  had sketchbook full of people sketched outdoors! Her way was very inspirational. She managed just within 10 minutes to finish a portray of my Spanish friend (who, by the way, almost fell head over heels in love with her for that) and another sketch of an companion of ours.

Then I took her sketchbook and doodled a sketch of her while she was talking with us. Quite a challenge - as you have probably noticed, people is the least interesting subject for me as I am in love with landscapes, bridges and so on. Indeed, it was my first try with crayons and first try of a portray. Well, give me a shot of vodka, sketchbook and crayons, than no fear will endanger the future of a new sketch! I

In the end, I got from her also my portray. Such a genuine girl with a great eye for catching the people's characters in just some couple of lines. I hope you like her sketches too! She is also that girl with a sketchbook! 

Conclusion? If you can draw, do not feel afraid of it and try!

Take a sketchbook, look around for a subject and face a challenge! 

Also you can  be a girl or a guy with a sketchbook!

yes, yes - after that you can send it to me and I will be just as much enthusiastic as about Niuta's pictures! 

I shall leave soon for a NYE party, however I would like to wish you a beautiful and inspirational new year 2015! Let it be full of beautiful moments worth to sketch.

that girl with a sketchbook

Sketch for Christmas!

© thatgirlwithasketchbook. Christmas Market in Gdańsk

Dear friends!

Winter holiday has come unexpectedly. Again. Behind the window, autumn screams for attention, whereas everyone keeps dreaming about flocks of snow and making snowmen (or maybe its only me?). Whether we celebrate Christmas or any other *mas, the simple fact there is some time off is undisputable.

Therefore, I wish to all of you that you use this time in the way that makes you and your beloved happy! Stop complaining, don't be angry, release your stress and bring out all the good and joy you have inside. Share the good vibes with the people you care about. This is what we celebrate for.

In order to not pay a lip service, I would love to share with you my xmas comic. My friends are usually aware of this little hobby of mine, in that I am laughing out their malignant character features or ludicrous life experience they had. Last year my best friends where surprised with their personal strips of cartoon. Although this year girls are everywhere else but in Poland, I refuse to give up the tradition and present you one with Polish traditions in the background.

© thatgirlwithasketchbook. Gdańsk, Długi Targ.

However, firstly, take a notice of Polish basics: the celebration starts here with the occurrence of the first star on the 24th of December. After that the whole family can start a festive dinner where 12th dishes on the table is traditionally served.
We eat barszcz (soup, a must!), several sorts of herrings and certainly a Karp (carp, a freshwater fish). As a vegan, you shall not be surprised of the point of this sketch. Wigilia bez karpia, or a Christmas Eve without a carp is something I support since years, due to the terrible conditions that this fish must faced in the markets and stores. I encourage you  - show some love to the people, but also to animals!

Have a happy winter holiday!

that girl with a sketchbook