{"id":3808,"date":"2015-09-13T10:16:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-13T15:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/?p=3808"},"modified":"2015-09-13T10:16:00","modified_gmt":"2015-09-13T15:16:00","slug":"european-vacation-day-18-last-day-in-zakopane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/?p=3808","title":{"rendered":"European Vacation: Day 18 Last day in Zakopane"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunday.\u00a0 It\u2019s our last full day in Zakopane.\u00a0 The sun shines in the windows very bright.\u00a0 It should be a great day to go out and enjoy the area.\u00a0 We just haven\u2019t decided what we want to do yet.\u00a0 After breakfast, we sat down with the maps and Marcin\u2019s recommendation for the overhead tram to the top of the mountains.\u00a0 Our final decision was to hike in the Tatra National Park.<\/p>\n

We gathered our stuff and made for the door.\u00a0 Our walk would take down a side street and over to the main road that runs up to the park.\u00a0 From there, we would hike one trail to the Strazyska Polana (or glade) and then take another trail up to a waterfall.\u00a0 This would take us about 3 hours total.<\/p>\n

We could tell we were heading up to the park.\u00a0 The streets here were gradually inclined upwards.\u00a0 There was a lot of tourist stuff back in through these streets.\u00a0 We saw a lot of willas and pokoje (room) for rent signs.\u00a0 Most of them were lovely wooden structures in the Highland style.\u00a0 I recognized a lot of the names for my search for a place to stay.<\/p>\n

Once we got to the entrance of the park, there were outdoor grills and places to eat.\u00a0 We thought this would be a good spot for lunch after the hike.\u00a0 There were lots of people milling about and moving to the gate.\u00a0 We paid our entrance fee and moved up the trail.<\/p>\n

Most of the trail was a gradual incline that kept rising upward.\u00a0 We passed the Ranger\u2019s house by the first creek.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t this be a lovely place to live?\u00a0 Rich agreed, but one day that wooden bridge would fall.\u00a0 It was in pretty bad shape right now.<\/p>\n

As the trail climbed, it became more and more cobblestoned.\u00a0 The rough rocks sticking up through the dirt were becoming more and more smoothed off by the feet kicking over them.\u00a0 Halfway up the mountain, a small stream of water took over the path as it found the easiest way down to join the stream on one side of the path.\u00a0 The water made the trail muddy in some places and a little bit slippery.<\/p>\n

The last push up the mountain left us at the Polana.\u00a0 It was a rest area where you could buy food and drinks.\u00a0 Most everyone had packed their own items in and were stopping to enjoy them before moving on.<\/p>\n

On the way up, we had seen some serious hikers with walking sticks, packs, and well made hiking shoes.\u00a0 Then you had the casual hiker wearing sandals and shorts.\u00a0 We fell more in the casual hikers because of our tennis shoes.\u00a0 We had wanted to pack in our hiking equipment, but decided not to and save a little money.\u00a0 It would have come in handy again today for this hike.<\/p>\n

On the way up, we passed a young girl of about 4 or 5.\u00a0 She is doing a good job of moving up the mountain with her hiking stick.\u00a0 I remember when Rick was that age and you had to keep prodding him to hike a few more steps.\u00a0 It\u2019s funny, because this young girl is talking almost the entire way.\u00a0 We see her at different points on the hike and she is still talking.\u00a0 She\u2019s going to be very tired by the end.<\/p>\n

After resting up and catching our breath, we moved on up the mountain to find the trail going to the waterall.\u00a0 Three trails split off at this point.\u00a0 The east and west branches went along the valley floor just below the mountains.\u00a0 The one going north headed to the waterfall.<\/p>\n

We headed up the trail, which soon became just a cobblestoned path.\u00a0 The stones became larger as we moved upward.\u00a0 It was like marching up stairs at some points.\u00a0 Where there was shade or a small stream, the stones were slippery.\u00a0 This was a popular path and a lot of people where coming up behind us.<\/p>\n

Since I was going slower, I let others pass me by.\u00a0 Rich went on up the path to stay out of the way.\u00a0 I continued on at my own comfortable pace.\u00a0 When I reached the top, Rich was standing in front of a small trickle that came down the mountainside.\u00a0 This was probably the end of the season and there was little water coming down the mountain.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t stop people from congregating in front of the small falls to have their picture taken.\u00a0 Rich got a couple of shots showing the trickling water.\u00a0 There was a small pool of water that had collected at the bottom of the wall.\u00a0 It was nothing spectacular.<\/p>\n

After resting up from the hiking up, we started our way back down the mountain.\u00a0 Going down was a lot harder in some places than going up.\u00a0 The uneven stones made it hard to get a foothold as you stepped from one level to another.\u00a0 This slowed me down quite a bit.\u00a0 We made it back to where the trails split and could see down to the Polana below us.<\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t stop for a break, but kept moving down the mountain.\u00a0 At this point, it was mostly gravel on our side of the trail.\u00a0 Here and there, it would turn to cobblestones and you had to pick your way carefully over them.<\/p>\n

People would spread out across the trail in places and it was getting hard to pass.\u00a0 I guess they don\u2019t read the rules of the trail here.\u00a0 We had stopped to read them in case there was information we needed to know.\u00a0 First rule was to walk to the right and allow others to pass you as needed.<\/p>\n

We made it down to the entrance of the park.\u00a0 Now it was time for lunch.\u00a0 We found a table at one of the outdoor grills and ordered kielbasa, cheese, and chleb with pork lard spread.\u00a0 I know that sound gross, but it wasn\u2019t.\u00a0 The pork lard has cracklings and herbs mixed into it.\u00a0 The bread used for this is course and grainy.\u00a0 It is like eating a very tasty butter on the bread.\u00a0 It\u2019s another one of those things that Rich and I fell in love with.<\/p>\n

We got our kielbasa with a rye bread.\u00a0 You could make a sandwich or eat them separately.\u00a0 The sausage was so tasty.\u00a0 We never have anything like this at home.\u00a0 The mountain cheese is a solid hunk that is heated from the grill, but not runny.\u00a0 We had this served with cranberry jam.\u00a0 I love this stuff.\u00a0 Rich keeps asking how this could be bad.\u00a0 With a side of beer, we had the best lunch ever.\u00a0 I guess I keep saying that about all of these outdoor grills.<\/p>\n

After lunch, we continued our walk down the mountain and back into town.\u00a0 We passed a piekarina (bakery) where we could get coffee and cake.\u00a0 First, I wanted to head back to the hotel.\u00a0 Rich agreed and kept moving forward.<\/p>\n

After resting a bit at the hotel, we headed back out to find that little bakery for our afternoon kawa and cake.\u00a0 As we walked up the street, there was a young man walking his little puppy ahead of us.\u00a0 The pup was maybe 8 to 10 weeks old.\u00a0 The man was trying to train the puppy to walk along.\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid the puppy was getting distracted by everything she saw.<\/p>\n

We walked up the street and around the corner.\u00a0 There was the bakery.\u00a0 It was perfect.\u00a0 We could get coffee and something sweet.\u00a0 There was outdoor seating so we could enjoy the moment and watch the people go by.\u00a0 Inside, a couple of kids were racing around in front of the case trying to decide what to have.<\/p>\n

I stepped up to the register to order my sweet roll and black cawa.\u00a0 Rich got poppyseed cake and a white coffee.\u00a0 Here, you order your coffee black or white.\u00a0 Other types of coffee are available, but it takes a lot of explanation to get those.\u00a0 I like to keep it simple.\u00a0 We got our cakes and I went to the counter for our coffees.<\/p>\n

Outside, we took chairs on the porch overlooking the street.\u00a0 A lot of people were walking by either going to the park or coming back from the park.\u00a0 You tell those coming back because they looked tired.\u00a0 The coffee was dark and rich.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to miss this type of coffee when I\u2019m back home.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to look around for something similar so I can relive these moments.<\/p>\n

Reluctantly, we walked back to the hotel.\u00a0 We were tired from the hike, but energized by the coffee.\u00a0 We walked by the house with the four Great Pyrenees dogs in the yard.\u00a0 I almost missed them the first time.\u00a0 They only really bark when another dog walks by, like the puppy, or someone gets too close to their fence.\u00a0 Otherwise, they are lying the shadows trying to keep cool.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m taking this time to write up my blog for the day, even though we aren\u2019t done.\u00a0 Rich is reading his paper and getting caught up on the news.\u00a0 It\u2019s only 10:00 AM at home.\u00a0 But here, our day is winding down.\u00a0 Pretty soon, we\u2019ll go off to have dinner at a traditional restaurant close to the hotel.\u00a0 This will be our last meal in Zakopane.\u00a0 Traditional still sounds like the best thing.<\/p>\n

\"Giewont<\/a>
Giewont Mountain above the Polana.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"House<\/a>
House where the four Great Pyrennes dogs live.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Starting<\/a>
Starting up the trail in the Tatra National Park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rock<\/a>
Rock structures that we normally call dells at home.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rich<\/a>
Rich going on up the trail to the falls.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rest<\/a>
Rest stop at the Strazysk Polana.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking up at Giewont Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The waterfall that had little water in it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Waterfall<\/a>
Waterfall that is almost dry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rich<\/a>
Rich digging into the lunch we are having today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"House<\/a>
House that the road has to bend around.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Kawa<\/a>
Kawa and cake in the afternoon at the bakery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sunday.\u00a0 It\u2019s our last full day in Zakopane.\u00a0 The sun shines in the windows very bright.\u00a0 It should be a great day to go out and enjoy the area.\u00a0 We just haven\u2019t decided what we want to do yet.\u00a0 After breakfast, we sat down with the maps and Marcin\u2019s recommendation for the overhead tram to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3808"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3808"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3808\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3823,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3808\/revisions\/3823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}