Getting High Here in the Tatras

It's so nice to have friends in other countries, especially the kind who speak the language and are eager to show us around.  Our friend Beata took us a small tour off the beaten path of Zakopane. We saw the most interesting cemetery in the world where only artists or people who made significant contributions to Zakopane are allowed to be buried. Many of the tombstones and monuments reflect the profession of the interred--wood sculpture for the wood carving artist, etc.

Metal sculptor's grave marker

We visited the oldest church in the city where the church itself and everything in it were hand carved from wood. We saw a Gaudi-inspired house; a metal works sculptor's workshop, and  an upside down house.

After the tour, Beata's niece Tina, who is an ESL teacher in Krakow, accompanied us to the cable car adventure to Kasprowy Wierch. While we booked the tickets at our hotel, the truth is, we probably would have never found the correct bus if Tina hadn't been with us.  Yes, those Polish have a different word for everything, and the words are very long.  The cable car goes straight up the mountains; not as scary as I anticipated...but close. The views are spectacular every inch of the trip.

not even the very top of the mountains

proof that we really were in a cable car

reminds me of the Great Wall of China; Tina climbed it, but then, she's young

Many people, who are in shape or else mountain climbers, take the cable car up and walk down or they may even walk both up and down. We saw the trail which was so steep that we knew it would be a week's adventure if we did it. I couldn't get a picture of the trail with people on it because they looked like ants from the top of the mountain. There's a restaurant where we thought we'd get a snack but ended up eating way more than we thought we would because the food is so good here. Best potato pancakes in the world. We've also had great chicken livers in both countries and duck dishes. It is our view one should eat every two hours.

Tonight we're off to the Trapdoor Theatre production at the famous Witkacy Theatre. Show starts at 10:15, not quite past our bedtime.