Our Poland adventure now heads south from our base camp in the mountain town of Zakopane. We’ll drive into Tatra National Park and then set off on a two hour hike to Morskie Oko (“Eye of The Sea”).
Along the way we pass all sorts of Polish people, of all ages and fitness levels, out enjoying the late summer walk. Two hours to go and a lot of uphill ahead of us before we reach the lake.
Good Things Happen In The Forest
There are handy trail markers painted about if you have trouble following the path (You shouldn’t have trouble finding this path)
Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza
Most of the trail is a paved road but some shortcuts along stone paths offer a faster/steeper option
Amanita Muscaria growing along the path up to the lake
For those that don’t wish to hike up, or back down, it is possible to get a ride in one of these carts driven by local Górale men
After hours going uphill through forest we enter a wide valley nearing our destination
The hut of the Polish Tourist Country-Lovers’ Society. It’s named after Stanisław Staszic, who, in 1805, explored the lake.
The lake is surrounded by some of the tallest peaks in the Polish Tatra mountain range
The lake receives over 50 000 visitors during the vacation season. Those who chose to venture around the lake get to follow another stone path.
Across the lake you may see a small white dot. A woman was in her wedding dress having photos taken over there.
Morskie Oko
Standing alongside this lake beside my girlfriend Ania, I feel like the luckiest man in the world. Less than half a year earlier the thought of being across the world from Vancouver, in Poland, standing beside the woman I love, would have seemed utterly implausible, and I am thankful every moment for all that she brings to my life.
This is one of our early adventures, and there are many many more to come.
Starting with the next day’s hike in which she surprised me with a very special location at a different place in the park!
Beautiful place and sounds like a beautiful time for you guys! Good form!
Thank you so much Jimmy! It was a great trip and will be one of my favourite memories for a long time to come 🙂