Sunday, July 19, 2020 marked the deadline for submitting entries to the "Holiday in the countryside #discover" contest. On July 23, the Jury met to select the winners - people who sent beautiful photos and with their texts aroused our greatest interest in the presented area.
The purpose of the contest was to persuade you to discover the charms of the Polish countryside and share them. Together with you, we want to prove that the Polish countryside is an ideal place to spend a vacation and everyone will find something for themselves there. We have received a great number of submissions and we thank you for all of them. Virtually no region of our country was left out. Many of the photos were breathtaking, and the descriptions were sometimes so evocative that we felt like going to the described areas right away. So, as you can see, the Jury did not have an easy task. After much deliberation, however, we were able to select the winners. Here they are:
Place I - Andrzej Kozicki for a description full of content perfectly matching the submitted photos.
Place II - Aldona Talarczyk - for a poetic note in both text and photographs.
Place III - Robert Tarajko - for showing ordinary aspects of village life in an unusual way.
A special group award was given to the Kuczkowski family from Brojce (West Pomeranian Voivodeship) - for local patriotism and knowledge of their place passed down from generation to generation.
Place I: Andrzej Kozicki
TUDOROWNS, BORUTA AND OTHERS ON THE OPATOWKA (Świętokrzyskie voivodeship)
Opatówka Valley of painterly beauty, worthy of Monet's brush, seems to be a dream place for walks, bike rides, canoeing. And how much history and legends about castles, knights, lost treasures. And a week may not be enough for all this. The first of the knights, Zawisza Czarny, was born in Garbowo. In the hamlet of Rome, near Opatów, there was supposed to stand an inn where Twardowski met Boruta. The tower, towering over Tudorow, is a remnant of a castle presumably erected by a knight from the Tudor family, who, fighting on the side of the Teutonic Knights, was taken into Polish captivity, and as a prisoner of war ended up near Opatów where he fell in love with a castellan with reciprocity. The castle in Międzygórze was reportedly blown up by his father before his death so that his son, starting from scratch, would appreciate the work. Pius XI, still, as papal legate, on his way to Sandomierz, stayed overnight in the Wlostow palace, then an architectural gem, today sadly in ruins. The Sandomierz Benedictines, fleeing the Swedes, buried their treasury somewhere in Kichary. In the inter-mountain forest stands a stone cross with the inscription "Julian and Petronela Dulębowie May 8, 1853". For what intention did the three-meter high stone cross stand in the middle of the forest? Wincenty Kadlubek, Stanislaw Mlodożeniec, Wieslaw Mysliwski, Wincenty and Tomasz Burkow were born on the Opatówka River. Wandering along their trail can, therefore, be an inspiring repeat of literature.
Place II: Aldona Talarczyk
Warta River meadows - Rogalin (Wielkopolska voivodeship).
Where, during a walk, among the rustle of leaves and grasses you can hear the whisper of centuries-old oaks, where the delicate scent of waterside mint floats, and in the sky, among the lazily flowing clouds you can spot a black stork....
The Warta Riverine forests that make up the Rogalin Landscape Park are certainly an extraordinary place with which I feel very connected. It never ceases to delight me, although my heart is torn by the inexorable progressive degradation of the oak old-growth forest. Although there is no longer a trace of many of the companions of my childhood, the meadows are vibrant as before, vibrating with colors and smells most intense in summer, after a storm, when the warm rain soaks into the ground. This is a place absolutely worthy of admiration and respect, so dear traveler - by the wooden church in Rogalink, head toward the bend of the Warta River and open yourself to an encounter with nature in its most beautiful form. Follow the sandy path and meet the "Dragon". Find out that this oak tree actually deserves its nickname. Take a close look at the numerous oxbow lakes, but beware - many of them have been annexed by majestic swans, unwilling to be visited by strangers. Observe, feel and remember. You will surely return here again.
Place III: Robert Tarajko
The village of Nowy Folwark is located in the municipality of Lesniowice, Chelm County, Lublin Province.
The village, like the entire municipality, has an agricultural character. A large part of the municipality of Lesniowice is occupied by green areas such as forests, meadows and fields, which create its unique picturesque character. Vacations are the most beautiful time in our municipality! For farmers it is harvest time. Machines move to the field to cut the beautiful golden ears, full of grain. Everyone is in a hurry to harvest the crop in time. In the past, however, the harvest looked very different. Maintaining and reminding rural traditions is handled by the KGW in Horodysk. Ladies belonging to the Circle are organizing a reconstruction of the harvest at the Maczula Reservoir. Women in folk costumes cut a piece of grain with sickles, set sheaves in so-called tens, and sing old harvest songs.
Maczuły Lagoon, which took its name from a medieval fortress nearby, has been a very popular destination for tourists in recent years. Many people like to come here to relax and admire the beauty of the surrounding nature. For physically active people, next to the beach there is a small gym and equipment rental - bicycles, kayaks, pedal boats. At the lagoon you can also eat delicious meals, prepared by the local cooperative "Słowianka".
An unquestionable asset of our area is the rich fauna. We can often meet and observe roe deer, elk, wild boar, martens, foxes and beavers here. We can admire pheasants, partridges, black grouse, hawks, woodpeckers and many other species of birds .
I don't think I need to give any more arguments that this place is great. It's worth coming and finding out for yourself 🙂 .
Congratulations to the winners!
Photo. archives of NIKiDW
