The flight......
having never been on a plane before I was a little solicitous so to say.... But excited all rolled into one.
On landing in Krakow airport in good form. We took a cab to the bus station were we encountered or 4 hour bus journey to a Zakopane after some hilarious and thrilling driving from the blank-eyed moustachioed fiend at the wheel. But we got there safely.............. Were we meet a friend bother.
Once at the hotel we peered out over the balcony to see the full beauty of Zakopane and the surrounding the country of the High Tatras..... We headed out for Grub and finding a restaurant with optional vegetarian dishes but still quite limited but was very tasty indeed. And few beers and group planning was made. Back to the hotel and bed, were I couldn't sleep has I was full of ecstasy of what was to come.
Woke early to breakfast of bread cheese and eggs. Although the other had the option of meat-based-products. and coffee than headed down to the main road were I almost got crushed to death by a crazed driver, or mebes I was was the crazy one not being n my own environment.
Anyhow ascending for the summit of Giewont. We collected our permit's for the week which worked out very cheap indeed. The path is on easy treks though forest paths but dose turn rocky nearer to the tops. Not having a head for heights I tracked the fixed chains and pulled myself onwards. Enormous steel cross and mighty fine views in all direction. It did however fascinate me that the locals were head up this thing in jeans and shorts and sandals, but no one seemed to care about how they were dressed. Even nun wearing habit were seen on top apparently they go here to pray.
We decided to descent the path via a different way. With ridges and more fixed chains. The weather was specular with blue sunny skies. All day on descenting down our friends bother injured his knee with an almighty crack.
Next we set our sights on taking a cable car up to 2000m and going for a ridge walk..... But this wasn't meant to be our aims were shattered for the day and I was planning on waiting upto 5 hours to not even get a glimpse of the cable car the news reporters were out in full. Even tried to interview me but with the language barrier problem he soon moved on to the next victim. So an persistent case for plan 'B' was in order. A short but lovely climb up Nosal. Which turned out wonderful with more fine views until I encountered a wasp. There was a shrieky scream and my expensive digital camera was hurled to the ground.... TD retrieved the camera. And my friend continued, cursing, one of my other friends was a lunatic. And the utter disguised Canadians faces of being told it was only a wasp..... We sunbathed by the river had Ice cream or rather a lody and fries. Turned out well.
Rest day.
Saw us swiping the tales Zakopane town...... And soaking up the sun, quite an enthralling place and dose however get quite busy at night.... We dinned than of to fined a cocktail bar.... found an excellent corpuscular bar called Legenda Nietoperza ''The Legend of The Bat'' sounds like the kind of place where count Dracula might hang out, which did spectacular cocktails including wait for it 'The Bat's Revenge' Served in a 2 litre jug with everyone getting 5 shot glasses set in front of them and downing them in quick
succession. This has got to be the best cocktails bar in Zakopane. Had a lovely meal in an opened air restaurant.... And headed back to the hotel.