Tuesday, 26 September 2023

Pilgrimage at day's end

Prompted by Michał Karski's recent comments, quoting Annabel Streets' book 52 Ways to Walk: "So what makes a pilgrimage different from a walk? Firstly, a pilgrimage requires a destination with meaning. In the past this was typically a holy place, but today it might be an ancient tree, the house of an admired painter or architect, somewhere that holds special memories for us, or the site of a rare orchid. Secondly, a pilgrimage requires an intention. This can be as simple as plotting out our day's work, or emptying our mind before bed."

My destination today was to catch a magical scene, one that briefly flashed past my eyes from the Kraków-Warka train exactly a week ago. The sun setting over the Pilica river, a low mist settling over the water meadows to its south. Then, I was unable to catch the shot; the train was going too fast. My intention today? Get the photo I missed, and seek metaphysical experience. 

Today's weather was perfect for said pilgrimage (train from Chynów to Warka Miasto, the connection ideally timed to catch the sun going down).

Below: photo taken from the footway alongside the new rail bridge. I was lucky to catch a lone canoe making its way downstream.


Below: across the Pilica, on the south side, from the railway embankment a view of the river meadow in about a metre of mist, under a painted sky.

Below: from the same spot, change of lens (to super-wide 10-20mm), the rail bridge to the right.


Below: the sun is down, the magic hasn't yet passed... looking towards Hotel Sielanka nad Pilicą, which specialises in equestrian and other outdoor activities.




Below: change of lens again to telephoto... from the north side of the Pilica, the misty meadows look like this...


By the time I reached Warka Miasto, it was too dark to snap. With half an hour in hand before my train back to Chynów, I decided to walk from Warka Miasto to Warka station, just over 20 minutes on foot between the two stations. Total of 12,000 paces for this rail-assisted walk. Train tickets there and back cost 11.44 złotys (just over two quid). For all this gorgeousness. Gratitude!

This time last year:
First steps in cider-making
[Sadly no apples this year!]


This time seven years ago:
On conservatism

This time nine years ago:
Between equinox and equilux

This time 11 years ago:
Heritage or high-rise?

This time 12 years ago:
Shopping notes

This time 13 years ago:
My grandfather

This time 15 years ago:
Surreal twilight, ul.Karczunkowska

This time 16 years ago:
From Warsaw to Seville, via Munich and Madrid

3 comments:

Michal Karski said...

Great photos, as always, esp. no.4.

For some reason, song titles come to mind straight away. Here are some on a walking theme:

Fats Domino - I'm Walkin'
The ventures - Walk, Don't Run
Dire Straits - Walk of Life
Donald Fagen - Walk Between Raindrops
Jr. Walker & The All Stars - Walk in the Night
Skerryvore - Walk With Me
Maria Schneider - Walking By Flashlight

and there are others on a related theme, such as:

Joe Bonamassa - So Many Roads
The Beatles - The Long and Winding Road
The Rolling Stones - Down The Road Apiece
Miles Davis (feat. John Coltrane) - Milestones

etc, etc

cheers from MK

Michael Dembinski said...

@ Michał Karski

Down The Road Apiece - check out the Amos Milburn original.

Further On Up The Road - Bobby 'Blue' Bland (1957)

On The Road Again - Canned Heat

Dark Road - Floyd Jones

And let's not forget those railroads!

Texas and Pacific - Louis Jordan

Choo Choo Ch' Boogie - Louis Jordan

Blue Train - John Coltrane

Michal Karski said...

Excellent!

I'd post a 'thumbs-up' emoji if I could.

We could be exchanging music ad infinitum, so I'll sign out and leave you with another couple of ideas:

'The Train Kept A-Rollin' - the Yardbirds version
and 'Footprints' by Wayne Shorter

Happy journeys!

MK