Pióro

So after a week of letting all the school drain out of our systems, we left Kraków for the south of Poland. Zakopane is essentially Whistler, Poland, but cuter. I’m sure this place is just overrun during the summer hiking season and the winter skiing season. November is neither of these. Our converstation at the tourist info place went like this:
“So are any of the ski hills open?”
“No, there isn’t enough snow.”
“The hiking trails then, they’re open?”
“Some, maybe, there’s too much snow. You’ll have to ask at [this other tourist office that knows stuff about the mountain conditions].”
“Okay, how about the funiculars.” (There is one to the top of Mt. Gubałówka and another to the top of Mt. Kasprowy.)
“No, one is closed for the week, the other is closed for the month.”
“Um, right. Okay, how about the Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre?” (Famous for launching the theatre of the absurd in Poland.)
“No, closed until Christmas.”
“Are there any galleries or museums?”
“Yes, here’s a list. But they are all closed today and tomorrow.”
“Great. Thanks.”
“Enjoy your stay in Zakopane.”
Despite these hurdles we had a wicked time. We got some funky 70’s style room in a house and spent three days hiking in the snow covered valleys of the Polish Tatras. Gorgeous. On our last day, we even acquired a guide dog. Some random puppy thought he’d walk us through two of the western valleys. Nice doggy. We thought about puppy-napping him.
Then it was off to Wrocław. Beautiful, hip city, with miserable weather. More snow. Back in full traveller mode, looking at churches, museums and galleries.
So that’s it for the land of pierogi. In an hour we are headed for Hamburg.