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Zakopane

Poland Traditions & Interest

Tim Firkowski

Tuesday, 11 August 2015

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4 Comments

Typical Home in Zakopane

Today we went to Zakopane. On the way there we drove by Będzin Castle which I have visited before, so I did manage to
capture a snapshot for everyone to see. A drive to Zakopane from Kraków should only take about 1 1/2 hours but with it being summer and everyone taking their vacation this time of year, traffic can get quite heavy and if there is an accident that can slow traffic down to a slow crawl. Just a few days ago there was an accident and it was taking 7 hours to get there. Luckily there was no major slow down for us. The weather is going to be MUCH cooler in Zakopane than the rest of Poland, so I am looking forward to getting away from the stifling heat

Zakopane is very much a tourist area and people come here from all over the world, but despite all the visitors, it still has a very special charm. I enjoy all the traditional style of buildings in Zakopane and being a fan of log homes, I especially enjoy the log construction.

Souvenir StandWe arrived and checked into our hotel and then took a walk down to one of the nearby restaurants and had some more good Polish food. I had three huge płacki (potato pancake) with goulash and enjoyed my favorite beer Dębowe Mocne. There are a number of great places to eat in Zakopane.

After lunch we returned to the hotel for Kuba to take a nap and give me some time to Blog and then it was off for some ice cream, followed by souvenir shopping.

One of the things Zakopane is famous for is its smoke goats cheese called Oscypik. IT IS DELICIOUS!!!

There is so much that I wish I had time to write about to share more details but there just is not enough time in a day.

Płacki with Goulash

Będzin Castle

Oscypik (Smoked Goats Cheese)

Buildings in Zakopane

Streets filled with visitors.

The nightlife begins

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About the author

Tim Firkowski

I have been doing genealogy research since 2002 & have worked full time as a Professional Genealogist since 2008. I specialize in Polish and American-Canadian Genealogy. As a member of APG, I was the 2010/2011 President of the New England Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (NEAPG). I have Certificates of Completion for studies in "Foundations of Forensic Genealogy" and "Advanced Forensic Genealogy Techniques". I have been a volunteer librarian at the local Family History Center, and a genealogy research consultant at “Ask the Expert” Ancestry Road Shows. I have traveled to Poland numerous times & researched in churches and archives. At conferences and special events, you may find me dressed up in my Sherlock Holmes outfit, or my Kujawy (the folk costume from the region in Poland where my ancestors came from).

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Comments 4

Guest - Jennifer on Tuesday, 11 August 2015 16:40

Tim, thanks for your blogging while in Poland. Your pictures of Zakopane remind me very much of my own weekend there in 1991. I'm sure it has changed very much, but from your photos, it seems to have remained the same. Enjoy some nalesniki with wild blueberries; I still dream about eating them more than 20 years later!

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