krzywy las and Oder

Why crooked nobody knows. The most common explanation is that people have at some time for some reason damaged the trees.

I walk to the forest. It’s a short distance and there was not supposed to be a parking place anyway. Rubbish everywhere and walking along the road make feel like in India.

A sign points to the forest and there are a table and a garbage bin under the trees. Someone even has thrown something into the bin. Probably tourists. Although there are only a few dozens of crooked trees they still create some kind of psychedelic feeling. Surely there are a lot of people who do not think it worthwhile to drive for two days just to see crooked trees. I don’t belong to these people. The forest around is quite big, full of paths. There’s also a marked path but no information from where it comes or where it goes. I wander around, photograph garbage. On the clearcut area the garbage has been nicely plowed in and judging by the seeds people expect cigarette, beer, chips and rubber boot trees to grow here.

The map says that on the other side of the town is Oder river nature park and no more information about it online. Or if there is then only in Polish. The Germans on their side have trails and everything but I’m too lazy to drive over the border. On the map there’s a trail faintly visible on the Polish side, I guess fishermen or somebody must use it.

I walk through the town, Polish drivers rushing to and fro. From a big parking lot and through a small forest I reach the river. Get ready to take a picture of a big tree growing on the water’s edge when the camera announces that the battery is empty. I always have a spare. Then there is a lot of cursing. I bought new batteries but who checked if they have any power in them. Damn.

Back to the hotel, it’s only ten o’clock anyway. On the main street police catches rushing Polish drivers.

After charging pause I get to take all the un-taken pictures. When I try to make a shortcut along the river directly to the bridge then I end up walking on a stone fence that ends abruptly with a pile of barbed wire. So I guess it wasn’t meant like that. Nice views on the river from the fence.

On the other side of the river (it forks here and one part it entirely in Poland) are a children’s playground, information signs in three languages and a muddy path. A human has been driving a car here. There’s polder landscape with reed and lone trees. Weather is foggy and it starts to rain. Ducks and other birds live in the reed. Three roe deer escape. Blackthorn is about to blossom, I guess. When the deer escape again then I turn back. Trousers that I washed a few days ago are again dirty.