We decided to take a cable car ride to the top of Tatra mountain near Zakapone. The mountain range forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. The tatra mountain Rysy peak is the highest point in Poland at 2,503 m or (8200 ft).
The cable car ride took about 15 minutes to reach the top. The views on the way up were stunning. The following video is shortened and fast speed to give you an idea of the trip up the mountain.
We arrived at the top of the cable car landing and exited to a spectacular view of the mountain range.
Shelley and Ray on the top landing of the cable car ride to Tatra mountain in Poland.
There are trails in the area and many people use the trails to explore the mountain. We walked up the trail that leads to the weather station on the Rysy peak.
Shelley and Ray on the Rysy Pea on Tatra mountain in Poland.
At the Rysy peak area, we could see 360 degrees. The views were stunning in every direction and we took our time to enjoy the views.
View from the Rysy peak of Tatra mountainRay on Rysy peakA view from Rysy peakShelley on the Rysy peak
We stayed on the Rysy peak for about a half an hour and then some dark clouds began to appear. It changed the looks of the mountains and made it look somewhat ominous.
Dark clouds rolling into Rysy peakView from Rysy peak with heavy clouds
We decided to head down the mountain before the weather changed. We took the cable car ride down enjoying the views along the way.
We decided to take the bus to a resort style town called Zakapone at the base of the Tatras mountains in Poland. The town is known for turn of the century wooden chalets, outdoor activities and excellent skiing slopes.
The bus ride to Zakapone was through the countryside and took about 2 hours. We enjoyed looking at the scenery along the way, which reminded us a bit like Canada.
View from the bus along the route to Zakapone, Poland.
As we got closer to Zakapone, the landscape became more mountainous and lush green.
View of a chalet from the bus close to Zakapone, Poland
We arrived at the Zakapone Bus station and then took a taxi to our hotel. After getting settled in we went to a restaurant called Watra to meet up with our friends.
This was a traditional polish restaurant with some unique features. There was an open flame grill, with baked potatoes cooking.
Wood fired grill with baked potatoes and assorted foods
There were homemade polish sausages hanging from the ceiling.
Homemade Polish sausage hanging in the restaurant
We walked around the restaurant and checked it out before seating down to eat.
Mark and Ray checking out the restaurant
The tables had real sheep skin on the seats.
Sheep skins on the back of the benches in the restaurant
There was also a micro brewery in the restaurant.
Micro brewery inside the restaurant
It made for an interesting meeting point for lunch. We enjoyed a great meal and planned our next adventure.
We enjoyed traditional Polish food throughout our visit to Poland. Each day was a gastronomic adventure, we tried to go to different Polish restaurants and try different Polish foods.
We enjoyed trying the lard which was served with bread as an appetizer before the main meal. The lard was mixed with some spices and was tasty.
Lard mixed with spices and served with bread as an appetizer.
We ordered a mixed platter of Polish foods, which included numerous different traditional Polish foods.
Ray, Michel, Barbara and Shelley at a Polish Restaurant in KrakowPlatter of mixed Polish foods including Polish sausage, cabbage rolls, potato pancakes,, ham hock, perogies, Polish kiszona kapusta (A form of Polish Sauerkraut) and beet salad.
It was a very tasty selection and more food than the four of us could eat. Throughout the week we enjoyed the different soups, including Borscht and bean soups.
Borscht Soup in Krakow, Poland
There was a Polish goulash stew which was quite tasty and enjoyable. It came in a homemade breaded bowl which added to the meal. We even tried different Polish beers, which were very tasty and rival any beer.
Polish beer served in Krakow
They had a major selection of different infused Vodkas. It is a popular drink in Poland.
Liquor display with numerous infused Vodkas
We couldn’t resist trying at least one of the infused vodkas. There was a honey vodka which was quite tasty. Shelley tried a lemon infused Vodka which was also very good.
Shelley trying one of the infused Vodkas in Poland
Over the week we encountered different foods and desserts that were unique to us.
Vicki, Shelley, Ray and Mark enjoying the gastronomy of Poland
There were Bagel stands throughout Krakow that sold fresh bagels and pretzels. These bagels were very good and we even tried some “pączki,” which is similar to a centre filled donut.
Barbara buying a pretzel for everyone to try.
The gastronomic taste and adventures were very enjoyable. Below are a few examples of the food.
Lentil and bean soupPotato pancakes with goulash
One of the joys of visiting Krakow and Poland was the Polish restaurants and traditional foods.
We went to the Schindler Factory museum, which is located in the former administrative building of the Schindler factory.
Entrance into the Oskar Schindler Factory Museum
We entered through the main entrance and began walking through the museum. The exhibit began about the initial invasion of Poland by the Germans.
Map of the invasion forces progress of Germany into Poland
As we went through the museum there was more information about Krakow and how the occupation impacted the Polish and Jewish people.
Photo of the Nazi occupation in Krakow, Poland
The exhibit was more about the occupation of the Nazis in Krakow and how the people were treated. As we went through the exhibit we saw different exhibits about the life in Krakow and how the people were persecuted and forced into labour camps or worse.
The band forced to be worn by Jews in KrakowThe Nazis rename the square to Adolf Hitler PlatzOne of the many exhibits of WW2
We came across some of the exhibits of Oskar Schindler Factory.
Office desk from the Oskar Schindler FactoryPots and pans from Oskar Schindler Factory
The Schindler museum was interesting but also disappointing. There were very little information and exhibits directly concerning Oskar Schindler and the events that took place at the factory.
We took a tour of the former jewish Ghetto in Krakow, which was established by the Nazis during WW2. The tour began with a walk from the main square to the Jewish quarter which took us approximately 15 minutes. We cross the Wisla River on a modern foot bridge called “Father Bernatek Footbridge” which had some unique features. It is a twin design leaf-shaped, 130 meters long structure made for pedestrians and cyclists.
Shelley and Ray in front of the Father Bernatek Footbridge in Krakowhanging statues on the Father Bernatek Footbridge
We crossed over the bridge and then went into the former Jewish Ghetto. There were several buildings that has remained basically untouched since WW2.
Buildings in the former Jewish Ghetto of Krakow.
We went to the Jewish synagogue which was a pivotal location in the Ghetto. Nazi’s executed Jews in front of the Synagogue on a regular basis. It is hard to imagine the atrocities that occurred here.
Jewish Synagogue where Jews were routinely Executed by the Nazi’s IN the Krakow Jewish Ghetto.
A monument was erected in the front of the Synagogue to honour the Jews murdered by the Nazi’s.
Monument in front of the Jewish Synagogue in Krakow
We then walked through the streets of the former jewish ghetto and came across another monument. This monument was erected and remembered all the victims during the German occupation in the jewish ghetto.
Monument erected in the Jewish quarter of Krakow
The plaque on the monument was very moving. The thoughts of how many Jewish people were killed and prosecuted here is truly heartbreaking. The plaque reads “Place of Meditation upon the martyrdom of 65 thousand Polish citizens of Jewish nationality from cracow and its environs killed by the nazis during world war II”
We walked along a narrow roadway and came to a small alleyway. Down the alleyway was an area which was used as a scene in the movie from “Schindler’s list”
Area in the Jewish ghetto used in the movie Schindler’s listScene from the movie “Schindler’s list”
We walked up a cobble stone street called ulica Szeroka and along side the street is a large brick and stone wall.
A narrow cobble street called ulica Szeroka in the former Jewish ghetto
This wall separates the Jewish cemetery from the street. The wall is considered a “wailing wall”. During the war the cemetery was destroyed by the Nazis and apparently the tombstones were removed and used as paving stones in one of the labour camps.
The wailing wall separating the cemetery from the ulica Szeroka street
After the war the tombstones were brought back to the cemetery and some of them which were not identifiable were used in the wailing wall.
One of the tombstones used in the wailing wall in Krakow
On the same street was a bronze statue in memory of Jan Karski.
Bronze statue of Jan Karski in the Jewish quarter of Krakow. In 1942 he was selected to perform a secret mission to prime minister Władysław Sikorski in London. Karski was to contact Sikorski as well as various other Polish politicians and inform them about Nazi atrocities in occupied Poland. In order to gather evidence, Karski was twice smuggled by Jewish underground leaders into the Warsaw Ghetto for the purpose of directly observing what was happening to Polish Jews.
We walked through the former ghetto looking at the different areas. It was hard to imagine the horror that the Jewish people endured there. We eventually came to the ghetto heroes square. In the square are 33 memorial chairs. Each chair is made of cast iron and bronze.
Bronze chairs mounted throughout the area.
Each bronze chair represents 2000 murdered Jewish people from Krakow and the area.
Ray and Shelley in the ghetto heroes square.
We spend the afternoon walking through the former ghetto. It was an interesting and emotional time. We enjoyed the tour and learning the history of the Polish people.
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