Day 5 - Tour Day 3 – Sunday 7 July 2019 - Krakow to Zakopane

Sunrise:         4:39am                                              Sunset:          8:46pm

I had set my alarm for 5:30 this morning, even though we were getting a 6:15 wake up call. My call never came through, so I’m glad that I use my phone alarm.  I left the large suitcase outside my room when I went down to breakfast just after 6:30 and it was still there when I came back at 7:30 but gone, when I went down to board the bus, ready for our 8am departure.

Greg had a plan of the seating on the bus and he had already allocated where everyone would be sitting and the corresponding “seat number”, was stuck on the appropriate seat on the bus.  

Considering that there are 2 family groups, 1 of 6 people, the other of 10 and then another 2 couples were travelling together, so it made it easy, making sure that the families and friends were all seated behind each other.  I think there is also a mother & 2 daughters.  I’m not sure, as I haven’t met them yet.  I’m hoping to eventually meet everyone in the next day or so.

We arrived in Zakopane at 10am and had a couple of hours of free time. Nicole, Carolyn & myself decided to take the funicular up to the top of the mountain, to get a view over Zakopane. We were up there by 10:30, had a walk around, took some photos and we were back down by 11am.

Huge tourist souvenir alley, selling all sorts of things.

It was quite warm and we didn’t want to just wander around, so we found a café and ordered a drink each and sat and talked.  Back to the coach for our 12 noon departure to  the Jaszczurowka Chapel.

The chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus founded by family Uznański and designed by Stanislaw Witkiewicz. The construction of the chapel began in 1904 and was completed two years later. At the project worked: Eng. Blacha and local mountaineers.
The chapel is a typical example of the Zakopane style.

We departed there at 12:45 and proceeded to the cheese tasting and after that it was only 10 minutes to the former rangers hut, to have lunch. By then it was 1.35pm.  I can’t remember what the food was called and I only just remembered to take a photo, after I had started eating. The meal was very tasty.

We left there at 3pm and then visited the Church of our Lady of Fatima. 

 From there, we then went to the Old Zakapone Cemetary, as it is known or Peksowy Brzyzek and our local guide was very informative about some of the people buried there.

We had finished that visit and were waiting for the bus to come and pick us up, when it started to rain very lightly.

While we were at the cemetary, Greg and the coach had gone to the hotel, offloaded out main luggage and checked us all in, so that when we were picked up to come to the hotel, we already had our room keys on our seats.  Another reason for him knowing who was sitting where. This time, a time saver.

I'm in room 215. No air con but the window/door can open and it's very cool this evening.

The dinner was included tonight and we had it at a restaurant, just up the road from the hotel.  We were entertained by a group of local highland musicians and I didn’t take any food photos.

I was back at the hotel some time after 9pm.

We have an early start tomorrow. Bags have to be out by 6:30, which is when the breakfast room opens and we are departing at 7:30

Steps Walked                      8,372

Hotel: Nosalowy Dwór Resort, Zakopane.