Spain, well the Costa Brava to be precise, here we come.....

We have started our second phase of walking holidays on the Costa Brava with a stay in Figuerers.The town is famous for the Dali Theatre Museum and the town he grew up in.

We were booked into quite an upmarket hotel with a reputation for gastronomic excellence.The chef is well known and we were told he owns the hotel.

Our meal here was part of our package so we sampled the menu.Brad even had her water cooled in a champagne bucket.The waiters were all in uniform and the maitre 'D was in tails.Very posh.
Meal was superbly presented and tasted as good.

During our rest day we went to see the Dali Museum and the Jewels exhibition which was attached.This was such a treat.The museum is the repository of his works the way he wanted them housed along with some of his own art collection.His muse and wife featured in a number of his works apparently as they aged he kept painting her in new poses.She was older and died some years before him but he had to make an appointment to see her in later years.Fascinating man and an artist of huge capacity.He wrote books,exhibited,designed for opera and explored many artistic modes even as we found out designing and creating jewellery.This was amazing and so beautiful,so pleased to see this exhibition.

Today we started our walk and we were dropped off by our tour representative at a town on the GR 92, a national walkway which we will be following along the Costa Brava.There was a nice stretch through the bird sanctuary and out to the coast but the rest was ho hum as we walked on local roads for some hours with resulting sore feet.We passed apple orchards and smelt pig farms!!We stopped for a coffee in a small, antique aged village but it was raining for the rest of the trip,not heavy but persistent so very pleased to arrive in L'Escala and find our hotel.

I have to say I was knackered.Seven hours walking is a tough ask for old feet so a big rest was required before heading out to find a meal.We ate at a restaurant along the waterfront and had Fideua, a local  seafood stew delicacy recommended by our guide this morning.It was tasty but not sure I could eat a lot of it.
The day has improved and the forecast is improving for tomorrow so another six hours tomorrow to look forward to.Better sleep well.

Leaving Krakow today for Girona

Well the day has arrived for us to leave this lovely city.We have really enjoyed our stay and feel lucky to have had such a varied trip to date. The bridge between the old east and the west is not as great as you might imagine. It is a well ordered place from what we have seen.People appear friendly and contented.No sign of disaffected groups hanging out but it is a party town where many countries are represented.Lots of clubs,bars and food outlets so tourists are well catered for.Prices are cheap and service comes free unless you choose to tip.Police do not carry guns on the street and they are low key.Cars and rail cars stop for pedestrians here,so you feel safe.
The culture is strong here despite centuries of oppression and war between neighbour's. The music and arts flourish and they have a very old university with illustrious alumni.
Our last day was spent exploring the old Royal Walk up to the castle and the cathedral.This is an attractive place overlooking the city and a strategic spot on the River Vistula.
We got tickets to the state room in the castle and saw through the state rooms which housed treasures in art and furniture.We wanted to see the ceiling with the heads of kings embedded in it.No photos allowed here though so a postcard is the best I can do.The ceilings throughout and the candelabras were impressive.
We had hoped to see the cathedral and dragon but ran out of time but we had a good wander about and saw the bronze statue of The Lady of Ermine by Van Dyke.
Back to the hotel and gathered up our bags to head for the bus station and get my phone fixed at the Samsung shop.
Next few hours en route to Girona where we arrived late but still 17 degrees.A lot women than our last few days in Poland.

Auschwitz - Birkenau Concentration Camp

Today was a grueling day.I imagined it would be but nothing quite prepares you for the reality of this experience.
It is a sombre place by nature of its history but the effect on the tour group was noticeable and little chatter was heard amongst the group as we toured the museum at Auschwitz. Some took photos but even that seemed disrespectful in such a setting.
It was a cool and dismal day when we set out and several layers of clothing was required.I went solo today as Brad had already been years ago.It is relatively simple getting around here,tour groups pick you up from the hotel and keep tabs on you so no concerns about getting lost.
It took about an hour to get to Auschwitz,travelling through some pleasant rural communities.You get used to the steep roofs and gingerbread shapes of houses here,mostly wooden but rough caste and brick feature in different districts.The gardens have lots of conifers to 20th stand the winter cold but hanging baskets and Window boxes add colorful touches to their houses plus they rather go in for garden gnomes and animals.
It was hard to concentrate on the scenery as a video was played throughout the trip on the background to the camp and the events that led to the Holocaust. Compelling viewing and it is dedicated to those who died during the extermination. I was surprised at the scope of the killing,Poles were the first,their youth and then their priests and academics so they would not bring about an uprising, others followed at any sign of unco-operation with the Nazis. The first of September 1939 was when the Nazis arrived in Krakow,followed shortly after by the Russians and the horror began for local Poles and the Jewish community there.The Jews from all European countries were sent here plus the gypsies and Russians. Poland had the second biggest community of Jews in Europe ,about thirty million.
On our arrival at the museum we were all screened as if we were flying out before our guide gathered our group together and led us through the museum.Seeing the cramped conditions, the overcrowding,hearing about the inhumane treatment of innocent people, the indignities they suffered daily was difficult enough but seeing the display cases full of human hair ,spectacles,children's shoes,prosthetic limbs was disturbing.
Those images will be hard to displace yet tonight we turn on the TV and there are Syrians arriving in Munich in  their thousands looking for hope and refuge, a few belongings with them and horror left behind.Have we learned anything from the lessons of the past.
After we explored the living conditions of the prisoners we went into the gas chamber and saw the wall where men were shot.The hospital where experiments were conducted on women and children was another horror story amongst the many told during the hour and a half.
After we finished we drove to nearby Birkenau where the huge purpose build camp was constructed by the prisoners from the houses which were taken from the Poles.Their villages were taken over and the village razed in order to build this place.
The train lines lead right in through the gate into the he'll which awaited them.Most thought they were going to a better future so there was no panic on arrival but once they were sorted into work fit or not the die was cast.only the names of those who were registered to work were recorded so huge numbers of names are unknown to this day.
There is a peace memorial here which is powerful and a memorial walk with plaques for each country to mark the loss of their citizens.
It is the size of this place that compels attention,it is huge and even today it remains a reminder of the horror caused by despots and power.The women's camps are of brick and still standing but the men's camp was built of wood so only the chimney stands are standing, not that they ever had fire to keep them warm it was to suggest all was well inside them for the likes of the Red Cross.
Our tour guide was impressive, she has an enormous knowledge of the subject and answered many questions on the topics which interested people.
We had about an hour walking around the site,in the rain for much of the day so it was good to get on the bus and reflect on the lives we have been privileged to enjoy compared to these souls.
I got back to the hotel after four o'clock just as Brad was making a cup of coffee so timing was perfect.
Later we walked down to the Jewish quarter for a revisit of our tour to have a drink at the cafe with Singer sewing machine tables-mum would appreciate that.Our guide told us it is a lively cafe where people dance on the tables.We were too early for that.
We dined at a famous restaurant in the old square and had a very tasty meal,our last in Krakow.

Touring the Jewish Quarter with Gosia

Today it rained,really rained so I had to buy an umbrella as we planned to join the free walking tour of the Jewish district.It was also cold when we started out in the morning so on went the jerseys for a change.
We started our morning with a church service at St Mary's Catholic church which is the parish church in the main square and a working church.It was packed for morning mass.The interior is spectacular,very ornate as befits a prosperous town.It has a beautiful altar and the decorative features are in gold leaf,the ceiling is starry and the vestments etc are all of great quality.The music was wonderful and we sat and enjoyed the choir music.

Our next stop was the Free Walking tour stop where we met our guide Gosia,a very passionate local who is studying Jewish history at University.She was great value and undertook the tour in a positive mood despite the rain pelting down.Fortunately it eased off later in the tour and by the end of the walk the sun was shining.
We started in the main square because that was where the history of the Jews in Krakow began.They were early settlers but accused by the local Poles of burning down their church.The King was asked to intervene so he banished the Jews to the town of Kazimierz outside the city  walls but allowed them to continue trading in the city.

We saw the remnants of Jewish life here in Krakow because once a thriving community of sixty five thousand they now number about ten percent of that total and only one hundred and forty Orthodox Jews remain.That is official figures but for several reasons there are more than that.Some  Poles are just discovering their Jewish heritage on the death of grandparents who had kept their identity secret all these years so they could stay in Poland.
We walked to the suburb of Kazimierz to see the Orthodox Church Synagogue and the associated religious prayer houses and places of learning.Men and women did not sit in the same part of the church in case of distrations.A service was just finishing and the men leaving the service were wearing traditional orthodox gowns and looked suitably distinguished at tourists taking photos etc.

We saw market places and the ghetto area filmed making Shindlers List. It has now become a trendy bohemian centre of artists and musicians,a favourite hang out of our guide for her social life.

The making of this movie has transformed this area as prior to the film it was seedy and run down as the original Jewish community had been moved by the communist to another area  Podgorze, which was further away and became  known as the Ghetto. From there they were taken for execution to a gas chamber outside of the city.No one came back from this camp,only four escaped and they jumped from the train so there are no stories from survivors of this camp.

We walked to the ghetto memorial where bronze chairs stand to commo rate the loss of personal things.The artists who won the competition to design an installation suitable for remembering the Jews of Krakow chose the chair as a symbol because they represent known things,comfort,permanence but also the chairs face different directions.Some of the chairs sit on the edge and symbolize the onlookers,some face the direction they might leave in - this depended on your health and status but there was little escape possible for the majority. They were hunted down and slaughter by the Germans.
I found this place very moving.
From here we walked to Shindlers Factory where he sheltered many Jews and controversially has been honored by the Jewish Council for his actions.Some say he did it for other reasons,namely to ,se money but he did enable many to escape extermination and give those families hope and a future.I may go back to see through the museum later but another two hours of history making was a bit much for my brain so we took a break and went on a cultural binge.
Nearby was the museum of Modern Contemporary Art which offered toilets a good coffee both of which were needed.
We gained free entry to the museum because we were over seventy!!!Anyway a  fascinating exhibition unfolded in this modern building,newly opened and very light and airy galleries.It was a Gender in Art Exhibition  with artists from international collections.Quite avante garde , controversial and thought provoking images of how gender is represented through various forms of media and the messages that gives viewers.
Well worth visiting.
We went to see the main art gallery in the Cloth Hall too which had more traditional art works displayed in conventional styles but interesting to see how there major artists were influenced by styles such as impressionism and post modernism etc.The Girl in the Ermine by Van Dyke was not there as we had been led to expect which was disappointing but we were so tired and hungry it was home for us.zthe rain was starting again so back to the hotel for a rest about 4.30pm.
A big day out....

Off to the Salt mines....

The bus is due at 8.15 so an early breakfast is required.Great breakfasts here,lunch and dinner is included in the food options provided.Meat cheeses,cereal,fruit,cake is on the menu along with scrambled eggs and smoked sausages.There are salads and cakes on offer too.Very difficult to say no!

We left Krackow about nine o'clock (am) after picking up some other traveller's from hotels and headed to the salt mines at Wieliczka, a place about half an hour away by bus.

They are a revelation.I was amazed at the scale of the chambers and the length of the corridors.We were 190 meters underground and that was not the full depth of the system. The lowest floor is closed because of water damage from flooding.Many accidents have happened here as a result of methane gas build up similar to Pike River.
Our guide Kate explained that these were not places of punishment as only freemen could get a job here so it was quite sought after.No slaves or children ever worked in the mines.
We were to be walking for two to two and a half hours ,most taxing for some on the group were the hundreds of steps to walk down initially  to get into the mine. Thankfully we were able to take a lift back to the top.
Miners are depicted cutting out the huge blocks of road salt from
underground and hoisting via a pulley system into position.Today the salt is extracted for their own purposes in the tourist trade.
Horses were used in earlier times to help transport the salt and they lived underground for years.The cavern roofs are supported by huge wooden braces and beams to prevent miners being killed.

A full scale chapel is a spectacle to be seen with chandeliers made of wood and salt crystals, carvings and an altar. The carvings here are amazing and three men spent a lifetime carving the main chapel, two were brothers.
Several other chapels were in the complex plus conference rooms and other chapels.Miners are religious people and because of the nature of their work and early deaths they were deemed to need a chapel so they could make amends before their death in a mishap or grieve for their mates who met their maker in an untimely manner.

Services are held here on Sunday, also weddings and corporate events.Down deep are toilets,shops and food outlets for those who are tempted to snack along the way.
It really was fascinating, folk lore played a role as well with dwarves and gnomes shown waiting to help the miners after dark.Shades of a fairy tale although Kate said women were never in the mines so Snow White would still be sleeping.
Pope John Paul even is honored here as he visited the mines as part of his tenure as Bishop of Krackow. He is revered in Poland and he has lots of places named for him.
Other famous sons of Poland were commemorated in salt carvings at various points along the way as well as religious statues of our lady and a bishop or two.
We could only take pictures if you paid ten zloty so that curtailed our snapping!!!

There were dioramas and displays of life in the mines set into recesses to be seen as you walked along the corridors which showed a tough life for miners and horses from centuries past.
Apparently the air is pure and that was better than the fate if coal miners who became blind from the toxins in the air underground but it was still tough dirty work.Eight hours below ground in shifts year in year out must have been grim.The air is supposed to help breathing problems so there is a medical clinic here for treatment options so all tastes catered for.
The floor is well worn but not slippery today and ceilings and walls all show marks of axes chipping away at the salt.
We were told to wear warm clothes as the temperature was about fourteen  degrees underground yet the water in the underground lake is about four degrees.You cannot sink though, the salt makes you buoyant so drowning is avoided.
We walked around for two and a half hours underground,quite difficult for some less mobile travellers who were feeling it a bit by the time we surfaced and returned to the bus with their bags of salt souvenirs.
I have to say I was surprised how interesting the whole experience was.Well worth the money.

A day exploring the city of Krakow

A wet day! Not what we had planned for at all so  plan B needed for how to spend our first day in the city of Krakow.
It is such a beautiful place so the options are plentiful and indoors outdoors plenty to do.
We set off to the information centre to check out local options after booking day  tours on Saturday to see the Wieliczka salt mines and on Monday to Auschwitz- Birkenau for me.Brad has already been there so she is planning other options.
We found there were free food tours and city tours like we took in Bulgaria so we decided to do the free  food Tour in the afternoon which took about two and a half hours and we booked for a classical recital by the Royal Chamber Orchestra in the old Romanesque church called St Adalberts. Quite a small space but intimate and atmospheric.Sermons have been preached here since 997. Quite a good plan B we thought.
The morning we spent exploring the Cloth Hall market stalls which offered a great assortment of tat and local crafts.Amber jewelery of every hue had pride of place, plus lots of woolen goods and furs,some wooden toys and dolls and souvenirs to tempt the tourists.The number of tourists is still high and every language can be heard bargaining for food,rides or goods.People watching is a great sport here.
After lunch we found our walking tour and lined up with thirty five other foodies for a great experience. Alice and Adam did us proud.Alice was a delightful guide who was very passionate about her country and regional food.She explained that the revival in Polish food has come from her generation as they remember the treats of their childhood with affection whereas their parents saw it as shameful food because food was so scarce with the rationing imposed by Russia that potatoes,eggs and apples were used to supplement rations.One kilo gram per day was considered the meat ration for a Pole, far from enough in a meat loving country so mothers had to become very inventive.

We tried herring and a bread snack to have with a drink.Vodka was the traditional drink of choice.She told us how you tipped it straight down in one gulp and then ate otherwise it had drastic consequences.She also said some Australians had recently demonstrated how not to do it with awful consequences!

We walked from the old town to the Jewish quarter where local people eat cheaply trying local delicacies in Polish restaurants.Dumplings or pierogi were on the menu,these are a tradition to eat during the feast on Christmas Eve when the whole family gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus at midnight.

We had a soup served at Easter called Zurek, bigos which is a mountain stew made of meat hunted in the hills and cooked over the fire.This was "part of every good Polish women's fridge ",Alice said so it could be heated up for visitors.

We went to a food market and tasted pickled cabbage and gerkin treated in the traditional manner,then to the butcher to try the smoked sausages.There are many variations of smoked,dried cured meats here it is eye watering if you are a meat lover.Here vegetarian does not mean the dish has no meat it may mean it is not the dominant flavors.
Alice  explained that  to be a vegetarian in Poland is to starve!

We also had a dessert option of a donut type of bun with apple in it deep fried and sprinkled with icing sugar which was offered by grandmother's to fill up the hungry children but now loved by a new clientele.By this time we were starting to wilt,two and a half hours of walking so there was a rest spot and an ice cream before we finished.

There was a long hike back to the old town and we realised we were going to be late for the concert so we became a pair of frenzied walkers trying to race along unknown roads to the finish without quite knowing where that was.
Luckily I had a map and much to Brads relief we emerged in sight of our church but I had left the tickets at the hotel so it was a close call but we arrived just in time.So pleased as it was a polished performance by an accomplished quartet of collected pieces by Brahms, Vivaldi ,Mozart and Bach to name a few.
Our city day finished with a meal at a local Polish self serving restaurant which is popular with locals according to Alice.I tried the Borsh soup with sour cream and potato for my challenge and it was surprisingly tasty.A good note to end the day on.......

Szczawnica, a spa town in the Pieniny region

Today dawned cool and foggy after the big thunderstorm last night.Welcomed by the locals I imagine as it is very dry and hosts look thirsty in the park.
We decided no more climbing mountains,certainly not in the rain but maybe a chair lift ride to the too of one and a walkabout at the top but too foggy to see anything so we took a local ramble through the park and down the road through some of the small villages along the river.We walked along the other side on our way into town yesterday so it was a different perspective.
We came across these garden sculptures along the way so they are featured in my photos today.
The summer is over and they are past their best but still catch the eye.
We walked back along the river to the chairlift to buy a bag I had seen the previous day.Buggar!she was not open.I should learn not to wait as the opportunity is lost when travelling.
Brad bought some cultural sheep cheese from a young Polish man who was fascinated that we came from NZ so lots of hand signals and play acting followed as we shared some stories.
Later we had a coffee at a traditional cafe, real coffee and plum cake for 10 zloty,  equal to two pounds.
This is a town for taking the waters and staying in spa hotels so tourists are older and we'll heeled generally.
Now we are packed and ready to leave Szczawnica for Krachow.
Our walking tour comes to a close.A fantastic experience.

Rafting down the river. ..not on a Sunday afternoon.

Goodbye to Stromowce Nizne, a small but attractive town on the Polish - Slovakia border,popular as a holiday destination and the home of rafting it seems. Across the river is the township of Cerveny Klastor where a monastery museum is famous but we gave that a miss and decided to stick to the river.

The Pieniny National Park is part of both countries,one you pay to go in to  in the other is free entry.

Stromowce is also close to the Pieniny Mountains and the Dunajec Gorge which  the Dunajec River runs through on its way to the  spa town of Szczawnica where we will stay tonight.

The limestone gorge is a World Natural  Heritage site and marks the boundary between Slovakia and Poland known as the Pieniny Way.The choice is to walk it or take a raft down the river for two hours.

Not a difficult decision really.We hiked across the river and headed up the road to the ticket office on the Slovakia side as our tour manager said they spoke English and were reputable.We arrived in time for the first run of the day so sat and watched them get the rafts ready.

The rafts are like four wooden  open burial caskets lashed together by rope and a couple of cross bars.They bail out the water manually and attack some greenery to the front of the raft, then they put three rows of seating in and we are ready to sail. No life jackets or safety instructions in this part of the world.Just in and off down the river.

Our boaties were wearing traditional hats and patterned jerkins with white shirts and on the bank a collection of other men stand around and offer advice perhaps,gossip and fill in their day.

On our raft we had a young boy called Sebastian at the back of the raft fishing,maybe his dad was the paddler but he gave us great entertainment by feeding the ducks and getting very excited when we went down rapids.

When you have no idea what is being said during the commentary you tend to try and second guess the content.There was a young Slovakian woman on board who struck up a conversation with us she said it was not very illuminating.She was with her parents and her mother gave Brad a shirt to wear as it had got cooler.

The trip was well worth while, two hours through a beautiful gorge, the autumn colors showing amongst the firs and leaves drifting down into the river. We saw some bird life, notably ducks as we passed by the small stony beaches.
Above us towered the limestone cliffs covered in firs,larch,rowan and beech trees.
The pace was leisurely and the flow varied from calm to small rapids.This is when the paddlers sprang into action pushing the paddles into the current or off the rocks.That was fun and there was a bit of competition between the rafts on the river as to who would get there first.We were the slower one but we still made good time and pulled into the landing bay two hours after setting off.

Brad and I then hiked on to the town of Szczawnica along the Pieniny Way for another fifteen minutes before turning along another river to look for our hotel.It took another half hour to find it but a lovely place set amongst trees quite high above the river.There is a big chairlift coming right down to the street so if fine tomorrow we might take a ride to the ski fields.xxx but not planning to walk far in the rain.

We have since had an exploration of the town and an ice cream.Very good ice creams here.We had a look in some of the shops until driven back by the approaching thunder storms and now we are relaxing in our very comfortable room with a balcony and a sitting room.Very spoilt we are.

Day five and the hottest day yet.

Today was another day in Paradise. Thirty four degrees and not a cloud in the sky.We have been so lucky with the weather.It could be raining.In fact thunderstorms were forecast for tomorrow and rain until we leave Poland but we will see.It could change as weather in the mountains is unpredictable. Poland has been experiencing drought conditions this summer.
We packed up our bags ready for our transfer to Vel'ky Lipnik, a small village in Slovakia where our walk for the day begins in the Pieniny National Park and takes us to Stromowce.
We were told we would be visiting a castle but our driver did not speak English and looked confused so we went with the flow,hoping we would end up in the right place.It is tricky when you cannot recognize names-as we were told it would take forty minutes but we were two hours driving and no idea where we were until I spotted the village name on a sign post and started to relax.
We were dropped in the village and found the start of the track easily but the instructions then we're  a little terse so we were backwards and forwards until we found the stile across the fence with the right colors. Every trail is well marked with colors and once you get underway you are fine.Maps are good here.
The day was sizzling and the climb up to the pass above the village brutal.It reminded me of day one on the Akaroa walk!!!Straight up.
Lesnicke Pass was 420 meters above the village and exposed to the sun all the way.A welcome wind blew up as we climbed which was a relief.
This  part of the day was the tough bit but once we got to the top there was a little shop and some seating so we could catch a breath and admire the scenery.Autumn has arrived here and leaves are drifting down in the breeze as we pass trees near the village.
Up on the top we found a little farm with cows grazing and a bus stop!
After catching our breath we headed along the top of the ridge which undulated along a nice grassy track until we entered the bush and shade.
This was a lovely part of the walkway,several wooden shelters at look outs and just gentle ups and downs such a change from the past few days.We walked across meadows where hay was baled in big bales and great views to the Tatras.Really enjoyed this stretch of the walk.
We did not do the optional hill climb-read mountain.We have done enough of that.
We met very few people on this walk,two couples in total which is a great contrast to our other walks.We did get passed by a tractor and crew though.

The descent was not as pleasant because of a long stretch of dusty old road,  steep and slippery in placed which required some concentration but we made it without mishap.It took an hour and a half to get down to the village of Cerveny Kiastor, home of the Red Monastery Museum.It was suggested we stop for a visit but all our minds wanted was a place to stop and take off our boots and rehydrate.It must have been 35 degrees and we had walked for four hours so we headed across the footbridge and tracked down our hotel.

What a nice place it turned out to be.Very welcoming and a comfortable room with a deck.Perfect for the rest and recover phase of our day.A good shower and a nice meal restores the body and mind very quickly.
My blister is enormous and painful so a bit of Dr Selbie treatment needed before going out again.
Dinner was early here so we had a stroll along the river after tea and explored the local attractions.It is a small town but a busy one as rafting is big here.The climate is milder and the gardens well kept and colorful.
Anyway bed is calling,another day to  give thanks for.Ka kite ano....

West Tatra Mountains are not to be trifled with...

Today is a beauty.30 degrees forecast so we will need to be well prepared for our walk today.Sunhats and sunscreen are foreign to me but get used to it.It is hot here in the mountains.

We were picked up by taxi and driven to a small town called Siwa Polana where we paid our park fees and caught a converted tractor known as Witow- built to ferry passengers as a train.It is a tourist ride but it takes you up the logging road into the National Park and cuts off a big trek along pretty routine tracks.

Cycling is popular here too with lots of bikes to hire.They have bike stands at each end.Not quite the gear of the international set but a fit and active lot the Poles.

The train dropped us off fairly close to the beginning of our walking track.The trails are really well marked here so once you find the track you follow the colors with confidence as they are frequent.

Our trail led us up to the Iwaniacka Pass,1459 meters to climb.We did not have many walking with us today from this side but we had a jovial group at the top of the pass.
We climbed steadily up the valley on a rather rock strewn path to begin with - it got worse but nobody told us that.It was very hot and the track was exposed,very little shade to take shelter in.A gutsy effort was needed and after a couple of hours we finally  came out onto a nice pathway which lead to the top of the pass where a grassy meadow offered a place to rest and recover before descending.We had quite a bit of company on the top as other trails joined at the pass.

 to negotiate and it took about an hour of negotiating the track downhill.My knees will not forgive me for awhile.
It was my first day using two sticks and how much better that was.I could keep my balance much better.A mountain goat is my new moniker.
Lots of berries along the way and some wildflowers but the main display is over and rowan berries are plentiful.Spruce are the native tree and lots of evidence of storm damage.The foresters are out cutting it up for firewood or milling it.Wooden buildings are popular and the houses are very big so a lot of wood is needed.
We have encounter a few nuns on our trips,a fit bunch it seems.
The end of the descent bought us into a lovely meadow which is a popular film backdrop so we sat and enjoyed the views up to the high Tatras .What a tricky path down.No wonder the people coming up looked exhausted.There were lots of rock steps
Our next stop was the very impressive chalet which was over run by bodies sunning themselves,some sleeping, others were probably recovering.One man was snoring on the bench beside us.By the time walked back to the end of the road we knew why!!!!It took an hour an a half and again no shelter so the bus was a welcome sight when we arrived into Viry.
We should have taken a horse and cart,they were plying the road backwards and forwards along the road as we soldiered on but we did not know that was an option.
Sounds like we did not enjoy it but the reverse,beautiful views and just because we can....I am amazed that we can climb to these heights.We get a few looks,they probably wonder why these old ducks are on the trail.

Sunday stroll

What a glorious day today. Thirty degrees in the town of Zakopane  where we are based but a bit cooler up on the mountain.
The sun shone as we left our pension for a walk to Kalatowki Meadows  in the nearby town of Kuznice.
We caught a little local bus at the end of our street and headed away.We discovered this village was where the oldest and biggest chairlift operates from.It goes up to 1800 meters and takes three hours for the return trip.It costs 61 Z lot per person so we hope to take the trip before we leave as the views would be spectacular.We did not have enough money on us to buy tickets for today but the queues were daunting and patience would be required.
Today is a Sunday and the last day of their summer holidays so big day out for families.It does seem a very family orientated place with hordes of groups climbing the trails,picnicking and just enjoying themselves.We s were surprised at the numbers of walkers and the great variety of ages who were taking part.

The trail leads out of the township up a road of river stones for a long distance.Big stones are used to edge the route but a variety make up the road itself.My feet did not enjoy the walking here.
The concentration needed is intense,one slip and your ankle could be shot or worse scenarios of course.

We bought our tickets to enter the park a little way up the road and found we were old people who got a discount.
We climbed for about an hour up this rock passage,hoping from large rock to small and taking care not to lose sight of our blue route symbols.After yesterday's debacle we did not want a repeat.

The distance for today was eight hours walking but we modified our route as forgot our walking sticks and the going was rough.
It improved once we got to the meadows where a large chalet catered for skiers and tampers. There was a chairlift and a ski run lead down across the meadows.
Brad and I decided to climb up to the next hut on the way to Kopa Kondracka peak and enjoy the wild flowers and mountain scenes.It was pleasant up there with the mountains towering over us.We were only slightly tempted to continue!!!!
On our way back the heat intensified as the wind dropped so Kuznice was a welcome sight.
We walked back to the hotel rather than bus so we could see some of the local sights.There was a large Catholic retreat with lovely gardens dedicated to Pope John Paul 11.He was a local priest and honored for his life in the town.
We had been walking for five hours so time for a siesta and a cuppa.
Later we wandered down town and explored the shopping and ambience of the place.Reminded us of Queenstown but not so diverse a group of tourists.Local tourists rather that international ones but a big town with lots of music, and street stalls.Ice cream is very popular here too.Every corner has ice cream stalls.
Later we returned to our hotel for dinner.The Polish musicians were plain while we dined and bear skins hung on the walls amongst lots of memorabilia from family and cultural events.
We had veal and dumplings,beetroot salad and fruit salad so not suffering here.The food is fresh and wholesome.
Time for bed,another day walking tomorrow.

Zakopane and a challenge (or two)......

Today we were collected by our tour guide from our hotel in Krachow after breakfast ( what a repast that was) and driven through pretty rural  areas to the mountainous town of Zakopane.
The outskirts of the city are unsightly but once we left the trappings of Communism behind we enjoyed the distinctive pitched roofed houses designed to tip off the snow.Some beautiful examples of wooden homes,carved doors and impressive facades decorated by scenes carved into the wood.The churches were interesting too, mostly Catholic in this area but they have bulbous towers which look a little turk ish.
Zakopane is bigger than expected.The houses are mostly wooden, some in wood cabin designs but others have very distinctive features.Must get some photos to share.
About 30,000 people are resident here but it is like Queenstown and very busy summer and winter.Skiing is huge here and much building evident in the town.We are staying in a pension quite close to the National Park where we started walking after lunch.
Our map reading skills were terrible today.We got distracted by a man giving us the rest of his tickets to enter the park. You pay here to go into the parks.We ended up heading up a different valley to the one we should have and by the time we realised our mistake we decided it was too far to go back so we would soldier on.What a climb.We climbed up to a pass about 1370 meters so the muscles were protesting.
Once we got to the path I decided to climb to the top of the peak for the view.Well it was a challenge but I made it.I had to scramble up but worse coming down.I have climbed a peak in the Tatra Mts.Now I plan to rest on my laurals.
It was a long way down the mountain,tough tracks to negotiate and easy to fall.Total concentration needed.We met heaps of other walkers,families,couples,young and old they are an active nation and enjoy the outdoors.
Scenery was spectacular and the late afternoon colors a rich mix of blues and purples.Lots of plants in the lower valleys along with beech,spruce and pine trees.
It took us five hours to finish the walk so it was a relief to have a hot shower and a cup of tea before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant.
We had traditional dumplings,salads,cheese and ice cream with warmed cherries to complete the meal.Just lovely sitting outside listening to a local polish band performing indoors to a receptive crowd.
Time for bed.We do it all over again tomorrow.Goodnight readers.

Day one:Starting out

For the first time since my arrival the sun shines and promises a day in the sun.However my day will be spent travelling , firstly to Stanstead.I bus there,meet Brad at Goldens Green and then fly to Krachow.
It has been a lovely catch up with Lou.She took the day off yesterday and we walked a total of thirteen kilometers during the day so I am up to the challenge of conquering the Tatras! !!
We walked  Coco the dog up to Highgate Hill along a walking track developed from the old rail line for two hours.We had to wait until the rain stopped though,it was a dismal start to the day.I harvested a few  black berries along the walkway.Delicious.I love the taste of them.
Later we lunched in Stroud Green and later in the day met up with Claire,Liz Jenny and her friend for a meal at the local pub.
It was National Burger day so we sampled the local   vegetarian option which was delicious and went down well with a bottle of red.
Johnathon was not keen to join us but caught up later at home as he cooked up a late meal.It was a full on day.
Now I am packed and ready to go.Not sure if there will be any more posts as my app on the tablet is not responding and not sure if it will get activated.
Anyway all is well and time to go.Ka kite a no.

The adventure begins...

London dawns- wet,cool and dismal,not at all what I was hoping for but maybe tomorrow.
It was a good trip on flight NZ 289 and BA 168 Shanghai to London.I had a window seat on the Shanghai to London leg which allowed me to watch an ever changing skyscape from the comfort of my seat.No wings obscured my sight but closer to Europe the skies c lagged up and the views were limited by thick cloud.
I was met by my taxi man at the arrival hall.How cool.I think it is the first time with my name visible on arrival.
It took about an hour and  forty seven pounds to arrive at the new flat where Lou was waiting for me with hot soup and toast.That was a treat.
We had an inspection of the flat and a catch up before sleep claimed me.
Sadly the day dawns wet and windy so not a great start to my adventure.
Just finishing my breakfast and then I am lunching with Claire at Crouch end.It will be good to spend some time with her after her horrible encounter with the London taxi.

My Favourite Walk

: 

Walking on the Otago Peninsula

by Robyne Selbie

My favourite walk is on the Otago Peninsula which is the rural  hinterland for Dunedin city and host to a number of walks which lead to various  bays and headlands along the coast, or to vantage points overlooking the city.

My  route leads me to a little known walk which begins at Greenacres Street in the Macandrew Bay township. . The return trip  takes me about one hour thirty from my back door to the top road and back to Marion Street.

Signs  at the bottom of Greenacres Street point out the direction  to my destination via a walking track to Highcliff Road. The  walk  takes you from sea level to two hundred metres above sea level. From here there are marvelous views across the peninsula and down to the headlands  towards Taiaroa Heads, better known for the only mainland breeding albatross colony or back towards Dunedin city with views of Saddle.Hill.

Figure 2: The view back to Dunedin City

Setting off from my home in Macandrew Bay is the easy part. It is a short walk around the edge of Otago Harbour on a brilliant autumn morning, calm, with water lapping  alongside the walkway. Seagulls and sea life  accompany me on the early stages of my walk and the smell of the sea gives me a sense of well-being. How lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place.

Once I turn off the walkway and start the  hike up Greenacres Street I pass the local dairy and the school tennis court, houses and fields, easy walking  because the track levels out through the suburb and ascends gently towards the hills.

Once I pass the blue gums and blackberry grove the climb up Greenacres Street begins to demand more energy, the view becomes rural and the city seems far away.  Sheep graze beside the track in lush fields , the Highland cattle lumber across the paddock to investigate my presence  and sometimes a rabbit or hare will race into the pine plantation ahead. A local farmer  stops for a chat as he loads some feed into the hay-racks for the cattle. I am pleased to have a stop and catch my breath before the next phase.

Figure 3: Highland cattle waiting for breakfast

This  part of the walk is on a gravel track which leads up to the pine plantation and turns off to the left on a private road, from here you turn right on a pathway which leads up to the top road. This point is marked by a little wooden bench seat ,just the place for a rest and an apple before heading upwards  through the pine trees  which line the track and provide some shelter  from the wind and rain. Not today though as the sun shines and the breeze is gentle. This section is a little bit of wilderness and a real contrast from city living. Horses graze up here  and as you  leave the plantation you clamber over  a stile and cross into the final phase of the track alongside farm pastures and beautiful views back to the city.

Figure 4: I am joined by a dog enjoying his romp through the grass

The track narrows and steepens but the views get better and better as I climb out onto the final section of  the track.

Today I can hear the bellbirds and a tui singing amongst the trees  whilst in the distance the sound of the train heading away on a journey to the north can be heard on the still air. I am joined on  my ascent by a dog and its owner making the most of the open spaces.

Once I reach the top of the track I emerge onto  Highcliff Road. This leads to Camp Road and Larnach Castle, well known tourist attractions on the Peninsula. You walk past the delightful settlement of Pukehiki  with its historic library and church  also worth a stop. This is a nice diversion and well worth a look through the site before walking on to the road leading back to Macandrew Bay. Some days I turn back down the track but today I continue on along the round trip, a little longer but the day is beautiful and the scenery spectacular so I make the most of the day.

Figure 5: Lunchtime with a view towards Port Chalmers and back towards to Harbour Cone

Lunch is calling and I follow my usual trail past the turnoff to the castle and turn down Camp Road  overlooking Broad Bay.  Harbour Cone overlooks the harbour and protect some of the rare gecko lizards found on its slopes.

Camp Road is a narrow gravel road which leads back to Macandrew Bay. Not easy walking if there is a lot of holiday traffic but worth the efforts for the views of the Harbour and surrounding bays. There is another option to return home via the walking track from Larnach Castle to Broad Bay but today I do not have enough time so the road walk it is.

Once I arrive at Company Bay I walk back along the walkway to my starting point in the village.

Figure 6: The end of the road.

Figure 7: Macandrew Bay car park and starting point for the Greenacres walk