I could just say "ditto" for yesterday: horse-drawn wagons (although not used by any of us), cloudy weather (although no rain today!), and huge rocky mountains (even more sheer and imposing than yesterday).
Today's walk, called Dolinga Koscieliska, took us along a valley path with a rock- strewn river running alongside it. The further we walked the more sheer the surrounding mountains became. The pines were covered in lichen with lots of bright green moss - and one mushroom! - beneath them. All very beautiful.
Probably very unwisely I decided to walk the 12kms round trip and forgo the only option for transport - a horse and cart ride. This time they were smaller carts rather than the horse 'buses' of yesterday, although we did see quite a few people jammed into some of them. ...and a very weary horse pulling them. Notice the very laid back driver in one of the photos!
It is truly amazing to see the diversity of people of all shapes, sizes, ages and levels of fitness on these walking trails. From elderly people with walking sticks to families with tiny babies strapped to the parent, everyone here seems to walk.
Along all of the trails are chatas (huts) which sell food and drink, and plenty of beer of course.
Our first stop was at a very unusual one: it was a cheese maker- and a very grumpy old one at that. Grazyna poked her face in the door of a smoke filled hut to find out what was going on, and eventually emerged coughing and clutching a glass of milk in her hand, and a small piece of smokey cheese. The cheese got the thumbs up from everyone, but the 'milk', (which was the whey from the cheese making process), tasted like salty warm thin yogurt. Definitely not as popular! It would be fair to say that we all enjoyed the plum pastries that we had taken far more!
At the end of our ramblings there was another hut selling soup, which is typical mountain food. We had a choice of three - cucumber, mushroom & tomato, so on Jude's recommendation I chose cucumber. I was a little dubious at the thought of hot cucumber soup but it was not made from raw cucumbers, instead it was madefrom shredded pickled sweet and sour ones flavoured with dill : and it was truly delicious
The others were keen to spend an hour climbing skyward to see another Lake, but I (with Lauren's words of advice ringing in my ears!) headed back very slowly and in a lot of pain, I have to admit. I was very glad to pile on to the bus and have a rest at home.
After a suitable amount of drinks and nibbles to revive us, we set off to the No 4 restaurant in all of Zakopane (according to Trip Advisor) called Tuberosa. It was so great that Graz has written her first - ever review on TA.
It was in a quaint old-fashioned hotel with plump couches, landscape paintings and dark wood. The horseradish soup and the deer goulash with home made noodles was fabulous and very traditional. The black pudding was served in an apple and there was much acclaim about the mountain trout, the duck and the pork. Again this feast, including wine, cost less than $25 per person! We had no room for dessert unfortunately and appreciated the walk home in the fresh air.
Your ever expanding and exhausted correspondent,
Dianne
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