"Where is your favorite place in Upper Lusatia?" we asked. These were your answers.
Actually, the participants in our X-Mas competition only wanted to win the nature calendar with the most beautiful photos of Upper Lusatia by Tom Heinke. And we simply wanted to give them a pre-Christmas treat. "Where is your favorite place in Upper Lusatia?" we asked. On Instagram, Facebook and the website of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. We were expecting a few comments, a few likes and hearts, "Great idea" or "I've always wanted to have this calendar." And of course there were 15 lucky winners in total. But we couldn't have predicted that we would also win something.
We received over 50 beautiful declarations of love for Upper Lusatia. Hardly anyone in the public relations office had ever heard of a few places. Perhaps because they are not even visible and remain hidden to most people. Like Nelle Räwob in the garden. She writes: "My favorite place in Upper Lusatia is under the willow in our garden in "Schimmch", Schönbach - simply wonderful in summer.". Thomas Amhaus's favorite place is right on his doorstep: "The Knorrberg in Dittersbach on the Eigen."
And far away is Upper Lusatia, Laura commented on Instagram: "My favorite place is the Berghäusel on Löbauer Berg. The world seems so peaceful from there and when the weather is good, you can see so far!" Hagen Hoffmann finds "the forest in Spitzkunnersdorf" the most beautiful. And Lena Gawalski writes: "From what I've seen so far, my favorite place in Upper Lusatia is the nature reserve around Niederspree Castle near Hähnichen, where there are many wonderful lakes and a very peaceful landscape." Arlene Gärtner, a tourism master's student from Görlitz, commented: "For me as a newcomer, the most beautiful place that many people will probably name is the Landeskrone. From here you have a fantastic view of the landscape and the city of Görlitz. The climb up through the rustic forest alone is a highlight. Once you reach the top, you feel carefree and clear your head so that you can take in new knowledge." Dear Arlene, this is probably your very private favorite place, you are almost the only one who has named the Landeskrone!
It's not just favorite places that the 30 female and 21 male participants in the competition have listed: "My favorite place is not a place, but a path. From the Schwarzwasser spring in Jonsdorf in the direction of the rock town. Past the wonderful rock formations," writes Marilen S. on Instagram. For Birgit Bittner it is "the forest in Niederoybin along Leipaerstraße", for Tom Roethig "the Alpine path in Jonsdorf". Christian Vogel commented: "Not a place, much more a route. With the narrow-gauge railroad from Zittau to Oybin!" Andre Neutag also likes "the entire Oder-Neisse cycle path between Görlitz and Zittau with a stopover in Ostritz and its monastery."
Many could not even decide on a place like Stefan Schulz: "Napoleon's lime tree and Fuchskanzel. Both are absolutely beautiful," and Annett Jähnichen: "The potter or the Hochwaldturm." As Lukas Vesey loves hiking, he naturally has many favorite places in Upper Lusatia. "But my personal favorite place is the Lausche. It's exciting every time, especially in the morning when it's still dark, to hike up there to catch the sunrise and the golden hour and just relax."
Max Eckhart could "look down from the Töpfer for hours, at Upper Lusatia - you'd think you were just looking at a model building board." Paul Wagner loves "the sun terrace of the Hochwaldbaude" and Sylvia Wackernagel "the artists' quarter in Zittau." Gerlinde Kretschmar and Simone Kunze may even have met on the Lausche, after all, it is both their favorite place: "the Lausche, especially the view over the Zittau mountains and the Bohemian hills with the many volcanic cones," writes Gerlinde Kretschmar and Simone Kunze adds: "The Lausche, because from there you have a wide panoramic view as far as Löbau, Görlitz, Liberec and over the cones of the neighboring Czech mountains."
What almost all the comments have in common is a love of their homeland and gratitude for living in beautiful nature. Is there a better gift for Christmas? Thank you for all the comments, maybe your favorite places will soon become many favorite places.
Text: Sophie Herwig
