As I have lived in Gdynia on the Baltic Sea for most of my life, I have spent a long time looking at beaches from above. Something is always changing: The sea swallows a few meters of the cliffs. New bars open on the beach. The dunes are better maintained. There are showers and jetties. Over time, more and more infrastructure is built. Władysławowo at the northernmost tip of Poland is one of the most visited Polish seaside resorts. The beach here feels like a sunny little village.

It comes to life with the first sun rays. Although it always looks a little different, the village follows strict rules. There are sand-paved streets, narrow alleys and squares, towers with a view. Some of its inhabitants settle in elegant multi-family residences, others in modest one-person plots, isolated from the village community. Just a moment ago there was a volleyball field here, now the growing village has swallowed it. The more inhabitants, the more cloth windbreaks are built. A fashion show is held, social life flourishes. Even from above I still sense a light scent of sunscreen. The village thrives, following the path of the sun in the sky, and calming at sunset. Sometimes its dwellers gather around a campfire until late in the evening but the village wakes up, like a phoenix from the ashes, the next morning.