Sunday, November 1, 2009

Suffering the Landscape

We went for a day trip out in Šumava, close to the border. Close to where my parents live. I know that the landscape pictures might be boring but there was a tremendous view over the mountains. And this beautiful blue cottage, just next to an abandoned and huge co-operative cow shed (that escaped my lens). Only later I realized that these had been the forbidden places, still twenty years ago, a so called border zone with the iron curtain on the edge of it. Back then we had no idea how close we were to the West! The border zone spread over a good half of these mountains and for me being a little kid it was like living over seven rivers and seven mountains, far far from the world that maybe didn't exist at all!

Domik apparently didn't like being out on our outing. He was totally scared the whole time. I remember having similar feelings of fear at certain places out in landscape myself. It was only few times in my life but repeatedly at the same places. Very strange and intensive. It disappeared when my school-mates from Prague were visiting and I had to find the most romantic places out here to show them. I started to look at it aesthetically and that was the end of a savage in me. The end of my genuine relation with the landscape. Now Domik has it and suffers.

9 comments:

at swim-two-birds said...

love your story, i have similar feelings in some places and landscapes, i think it has to do something with high sensitivity, but the photos are great!

marie said...

this is beautiful. that feeling of a connection, something that is under your skin. the way the light is, smells, how the sky looks. it all means alot for some reason.

Francesca said...

I don't know that it'd be good to be savages our entire life. Maybe it's called growing up, or outgrowing something, or learning. It's interesting that Dominik has the same feelings as you used to, and it'll be interesting to see if it's aesthetics that he'll connect to also ... his landscape is already so different from yours: no forbidden places.

Fine Little Day said...

What a nice place, and your photos - also great!

Late Blooming Bohemian said...

Wow, that idea of the savage, and your child. I remember this and I still have that sensation in some places in the Australian bushland.

Theresa said...

gorgeous place

Andrea Tachezy said...

ach to je nádhera!

A Good Thing Happened Today said...

This is so beautiful, it reminds me that traveling is the best thing in the world! xx

faith said...

These photos and the story of your feelings about living on the edge of the iron curtain are...I don't know if I have a good enough word...amazingly amazing...! So glad you are part of our world again, where you belong. love, faith