zakopane
The hills are alive with the sound of (Polish) music
When we are exploring the hills around Zakopane in Poland we found this lovely meadow overlooking the Tatra mountains. Many years ago I was in Salzburg in Austria (Where the Sound of Music was filmed), and this hill looks exactly like the one used in the Sound of Music. I was almost expecting Maria von Trapp to be walking towards me singing “the hills are alive…”
Kaplica Gasieniców
This little stone chapel is in the middle of Zakopane. IT’s called Kaplica Gasieniców. It was the first sacred building in Zakopane; it was build around 1800.
Legend has it that the funds raised to build the church come from the booty of robbers atoning for their sins!
The sound of (Polish) music
I took this picture at Zakopane in Poland, at the top of the funicular. But it so reminds me of Salzburg in Austria. It looks exactly like a set from the Sound of Music. I almost expect to see Maria von Trapp running up the hill singing…”the hills are alive, with the sound of music.
Handcraft in Zakopane
Zakopane has the most amazing handcrafted wooden good for sale, and the prices are amazing. From kitchenware (breadboards, spoons, salad servers etc) to the most intricately carved wooden toys you can imagine. The toys look like the old wooden toys you would expect your grandfather to have played with.
We bought ourself a chopping board (my sister got one as well for her birthday), and lots of spoons; yeah I know, spoons, but they are great spoons.
Much as I was temped to, we didn’t buy any of the wooden toys. Partly because we don’t have any children (ok I admit that was hardly an issue), but because they were far too big to bring all the way back to Cape Town. The toys that is – I wasn’t going to bring back any children.
The big toys for does bring up another aspect of Zakopane. There are many tourists and holiday-makers that visit the town, but they are mostly Polish visitors. There are very few tourists from other countries. A refreshing change (and yeah I am completely aware that by visiting Zakopane I am changing that).
Zakopane high street
This is the high street in Zakopane – Krupówki Street – this is where all the restaurants, cafes, bars, shops and most important…cheese shops are in Zakopane. These covered wagons are where you buy the famous (and delicious) smoked cheese from Zakopane. And you if you walk in any direction for just 20m, you will find another cheese stall. I have no idea how much cheese I ate while we where there, but it is amazing, and nothing quite like any other cheese you will ever eat.
We also brought some of the cheese home with us, but when we opened our bags everything smelt like smoked cheese – a lovely smell on cheese…but not that great on your clothes!