Stary Smokovec
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Well, anyone who may have thought we were experienced travelers who knew what we were doing would have laughed their heads off at us today. After waiting three hours in Zakopane for the bus to Stary Smokovic (Scary Son of a Bitch), we got on the wrong bus, then got off at the Polish / Slovak border, only to watch the bus take off on us as we stood and wondered what we were going to do about it. So, we walked through the border, after being checked out of Poland and into Slovakia. There we were in the woods in the middle of the Tatras mountains on a border crossing, when we were approached by a mini bus driver who demanded 15 Euro to take us the rest of the way to our destination – what choice did we have?
Last Day In Krakow
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We’ve had a busy two days touring Krakow & environs. We spent yesterday touring Wawel Castle (there’s a dragon in the caves underneath the castle – what could be better than that?, the cathedral where all the Polish Royalty, great military generals and poets are buried (it’s like the Westminster Abbey of Poland), and checking out the art deco stained glass windows in the Franciscan church. There’s one titled “God the Father” that makes God look like some vengeful comic book wizard – it’s unique. Oh Yeah – the Shroud of Turin is in the same church (I guess it pays to have a Polish Pope).
Krakow, Poland
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We’re in Krakow. We’ve just been wandering the city getting our bearings this afternoon, but so far it looks like all it was promised to be in the guide books. There’s an enormous castle in the middle of town, and an interesting historic downtown core. They seem to cater to tourists here, but not necessarily Western ones.
We’re staying at a great little hostel that’s set up like a camping / caravan system. It’s just outside the city center (Hostel Express), and costs $35.00/night.
