Skeggsy’s Blog

Left apart 08:15 for Krakow to Auschwitz train at 09:15, should arrive 10:42. Left luggage at Krakow station was 8 zl. At Oswiecim train station hung around outside with lots of other people, none of whom seemed to know where to go. A bus arrived and a local old man said that it is the one we want. Museum was only a few hundred metres up the road. Huge numbers of people made buying tour an ordeal (cost was 39zl each). About 30 people in our group but the guide had a mic and transmiter and we each had headphones and a receiver which was pretty neat. The tour was not surprisingly rather depressing. It started at 11:30 at Auschwitz I and finished at Berkenhau. Much of Berkenhau was destroyed by the Germans but you can see the huge scale of the camp. Got a cab back to Oswiecim train station (18 zl) and got 15:39 train to Krakow (22 zl). This was a short slow train taking 2 hours. Took coach to Zakopane leaving at 18:15. Seats reserved but there was a nun sitting in our seat and I didn’t want to kick her out. Arrived Zakopane 20:30 and walked to our hotel, Villa Vita on Krupowska street. Room is very nice. Went out for dinner, pork shoulder and roast potatoes (23zl) and then a waffle with cream and chocolate.

Had a lovely continental breakfast at Villa Vita hotel before setting off for Kuznice. Walked part of way then got a horse and cart. Cable car was very busy, so went for a walk, approx 1 hour up to a good view point and had a hot chocolate in a cabin cafe. Yamini thanked me for forcing her to walk so far since the view was very good. We then walked all the way back down to Zakopane, about an hours walk (in the rain). Stopped to sample the local ’speciality’, grilled ewe’s cheese or Oscypki which looks like bread and is on sale everywhere. I didn’t like it much. Surprisingly breakfast lasted until we ate at 19:00 at Sabata.Yam had lamb in a red wine sauce which was nicer than my duck with apple (which was pretty good). Then had apple pie and cream each and a gluhwein and coffee. This and a couple of beers and cokes was 132zl (approx £30).