Dancing on the Dragon's Back & Other Linguistic Misadventures

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July 13th 2023

Published: July 18th 2023

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Backpackermatt

Sapphire Blue

Wielki Staw Polski (Middle Polish Lake')

Continuing my exploration of the Tatra mountains on the Polish side of the border - where the greetings from fellow hikers changed from "Dobrý deň" and "Ahoj" to "Dzień dobry" and "Cześć" (and where sadly the Slovak 'hat stand' trail sign design has yet to catch on) - a minibus from Zakopane deposited me at the Palenica Bialczanska carpark, where I suddenly found myself in a queue - though for what reason I had absolutely no idea, until I realised that I had to pay to enter the National Park on the Polish side! Admittedly it was only 9zl (about €2), but after having been free to frolic to my heart's content on the Slovak side of the mountains for the past week without ever paying an entry fee, I felt slighted! Still, from the warnings I'd been given (mostly from Slovaks!) about masses of people swarming the area around Morskie Oko - to which I was headed - I couldn't blame the authorities for trying to cash in on such a tourist honeypot. Maybe if they hiked the price up a bit more it might lessen the crowds.

In any case I paid the 9zl, but refused to be

Turbulent Waters

Roztoka Potok rushing beneath the road to Morskie Oko

sucked into paying for the privilege of taking a horse-drawn wagon (yes, such things still exist in Poland) the remaining 8km up the road to Morskie Oko, preferring instead to pound the pavement with the rest of the crowd - of wildly varying ages and fitness levels it must be said - while every few minutes a wagon pulled by two beasts of burden (carrying up to sixteen people each) would pass by so slowly I could have had a conversation with the passengers as they went past. It's probably best I didn't though, given the disdain I felt towards those people - those poor horses were sweating even more than me, and with about 18kg on my back on a road that continued uphill every metre of the way, that was saying something!

After an hour-and-a-half of dodging weary walkers and careening wagons - whose horses positively flew back downhill with their empty loads - I finally made it to the lake of Morskie Oko (meaning 'Eye of the Sea'), where it seemed as though every person in the south of Poland had gathered to enjoy the view! Sporting a deep green hue, the lake lay huddled beneath

Natural Amphitheatre

View of Morskie Oko and its attendant ring of peaks, including Rysy on the left

a wall of mountains, including Poland's highest peak, Rysy (meaning 'Gashes') - though as Slovaks love to point out, even the highest point in Poland (2499m) isn't the highest point on the mountain, as the twin peak on Slovakia's side (2503m) sits a full 4 metres higher... which ranks it only 15th on their list of highest mountains!

After enjoying a refreshment break and snapping a couple of pictures, I'd already had enough of the human circus at Morskie Oko, so I shouldered my backpack and set off uphill on a trail bound for Dolinie Pięciu Stawów Polskich (the 'Valley of Five Polish Lakes'), where I had pre-emptively booked two nights at the mountain refuge of the same name before I'd even left Australia. Although the trail had me sweating even more than on the climb to Morskie Oko, it adequately rewarded my efforts with some wonderful mountain scenery - firstly offering elevated views of not only Poland's favourite mountain lake but also its higher neighbour, Czarny Staw pod Rysami ('Black Lake beneath Rysy'); then after climbing relentlessly over the shoulder of the curiously-named Opalone ('Sunburned') there lay ahead a gorgeous view of the Valley of Five Polish Lakes

Lakes Big and Small

The first three out of Five Polish Lakes

- even if only three of the five lakes in question were visible.

Also visible was the refuge, which could hardly have been located any more scenically, sitting pretty by the shores of Przedni Staw Polski ('Front Polish Lake'). And twenty minutes later that's exactly where I found myself, trying in vain to decipher the restaurant menu which was listed in Polish only! With no internet access (despite the sign declaring a 'WiFi hotspot') I couldn't rely on Google Translate to help me out, but then I remembered there was a glossary of useful words with both a Polish and Slovak translation in my e-guidebook. Imagine my dismay when not one single word in my guidebook glossary corresponded to any of the words on the menu!

Only slightly deterred, I hovered at the counter trying to buy myself time, until a man in front of me ordered 'Zurek' and was handed a bowl of soup with potato and sausage in it, and decided that was good enough for me! "Zurek prosze" I confidently declared to the young lady behind the counter, and felt quite proud of myself until she responded in Polish, and instantly my cover was blown!

Lakeside Refuge

Schronisko Dolinie Pięciu Stawów Polskich

Clearly she could read incompetence on my face, as she then followed up in English with "Anything else?". I tried to mime someone folding a wrap and then sprinkling icing sugar on top - a desperate attempt to order one of the crepes I had seen someone eating - and must have at least done a half-decent job, because she immediately responded with "Sorry, we've sold out of those!". Refusing to give up now that I was on a roll, I pointed to what I assumed was a slice of apple pie in the display cabinet, and after fumbling with my Polish zloty for a while (having gotten used to euros again while in Slovakia) I finally walked away with a smile on my face, a dubious sense of victory, and sufficient food to get me through to dinner... though what the hell I was going to when that came around I genuinely had no idea!

As it turned out, more pointing and shoulder shrugging landed me a plate of schnitzel with mashed potato for dinner, followed by another serve of apple pie for dessert. Needless to say, I was very pleased with myself. Then I woke in the

Heading for the Sky

On the trail to Szpiglasowy Wierch

morning and realised I had to try to decipher the breakfast menu, but seeing that there were really only three options (Zawrat 1, 2 or 3) I decided to start at the top and order Zawrat 1 - which turned out to be an enjoyable mix of sliced ham, scrambled eggs, bread, butter and an unidentified cheesy blob. This of course was complimented by a slice of apple pie ('Szarlotka' as I had deciphered by now) and accompanied by a coffee with milk ('Kawa z mleko'). I felt I was starting to get the hang of this; and the smile on the young lady's face each time I approached the counter told me she was quite enjoying it too... probably in much the same way as she might enjoy playing with her baby nephew.

Having negotiated the intricacies of the restaurant menu (for the time being at least) it was finally time to go exploring. Unfortunately the weather was looking somewhat threatening, forcing me to abandon my plans to tackle the legendary Orla Perc ('Eagle's Edge') - a trail that makes use of fixed chains and ladders to facilitate progress along the crest of a continuous ridgeline that rises

Time for an upper body workout

Hitting the fixed chains on the climb to Szpiglasowy Wierch

and falls for over four kilometres without ever dropping below 2000m. Warnings in my guidebook and on signs around the refuge warned against anyone without adequate experience and a head for heights attempting the route, and given that the ridgeline in question was hidden under a blanket of cloud as I peered up at it from the comfort of the refuge, I decided that discretion would be the better part of valour.

Still, that didn't mean I couldn't find an alternative trail to explore, so I set my sights instead on the climb to Szpiglasowa Wierch - a peak on the opposite side of the valley from Orla Perc (and on the border between Poland and Slovakia) which, despite reaching about the same height as its more illustrious counterpart, was soon bathed in sunshine while the Eagle's Edge remained mostly hidden from view. And what a trail it was! Passing by the first four lakes in the valley (though the second was much smaller than the others), the trail then switch-backed its way up the southern wall of the valley, offering extensive views of the undulating ridgeline of Orla Perc, with the fifth lake huddled at its base. And

Knife-edged Ridge

Looking back down at the narrow saddle of Szpiglasowa Przelecz

then for the grand finale, there was an extended section of fixed chains bolted to the rock face to overcome, in order to surmount a steep chute that led straight up to a low saddle (Szpiglasowa Przelecz) on an almost knife-edged ridgeline.

After stopping to catch my breath, it was only another ten minutes to the top of Szpiglasowa Wierch (2172m), from where a truly staggering 360° panorama was laid out before me. With the Valley of Five Polish Lakes backed by Orla Perc to the side; and the lakes of Morskie Oko and its higher twin leading the eye up towards the distant peak of Rysy on the other - not to mention the countless Slovak peaks I didn't yet recognise crowding the horizon to the southwest - it was one of the most spectacular views I've ever laid eyes upon... and it had only taken two hours to reach. The Eagle's Edge be damned; I'd rather ride on the Dragon's Back (my name for it, not an official designation) and tiptoe along its spine while enjoying those sublime views any day. That said, when the clouds did eventually burn off to expose Orla Perc in all its

Eyes of the Sea

View of Morskie Oko and Czarny Staw pod Rysmi from Szpiglasowa Przelecz

glory, it did look pretty bloody impressive! Someday I'll just have to come back to make an attempt on it too, I suspect.

Returning to the refuge I was relieved to see the now familiar face of my favourite restaurant attendant behind the counter, and so decided to throw caution to the wind by ordering the Grillowana piers z kuschina, despite having absolutely no idea what it was. The grilled chicken with mashed potato that arrived was delicious. This provided ample fuel for an afternoon hike, though this time I was a little less ambitious in settling for a two-hour return trip along a trail that contoured across the northern slopes of the valley, as the stream flowing out of the lakes - of which, curiously, it was the middle one that was the lowest - dropped away into the depths via a series of cascades and the substantial Siklawa Vodopady (waterfall).

With a cloudless sky arcing overhead and a faint breeze freshening the air, it was the perfect punctuation mark on a day that had kept on giving; and with the only sounds to be heard coming from the river hurtling downstream and an unidentified but persistent

Deep Green Valley

View of Dolina Roztoka from above

bird perched nearby, the tranquility was overwhelming. It seemed that amid the maelstrom of visitors to Poland's favourite outdoor playground, I had somehow managed to find my own quiet little corner. But what amazed me most as I looked out across that valley was the sense of being in a truly three-dimensional landscape - one where every slope seemed to have been exaggerated for visual effect, and yet somehow I had the perfect vantage point from which to survey every crinkle and fold of the earth, as though I was looking down on a 3D model of the area.

Back at the refuge that evening I was horrified to find that there was a different girl behind the counter, and when my first two meal requests were knocked back - presumably because they were sold out - things weren't looking good. Nevertheless, when she offered me an English menu (if only I'd known that one existed when I first arrived!) I refused on the grounds that that would be cheating. She seemed somewhat satisfied with my answer, and I ended up with a lovely tomato soup and some fried cheese patties with mashed potato for dinner, along with the

Rugged Backdrop

Looking back over the Siklawa waterfall from the base of Orla Perć

now-ubiquitous slice of apple pie. When I then saw a couple of other guests walking past with apple pie topped with ice cream my eyes almost popped out of my head, and a quick enquiry at the counter revealed that for an extra 6zl ($2) I could have a scoop of ice cream added. I couldn't believe it - who WOULDN'T want lody (ice cream) with their szarlotka (apple pie)?!?

Order was restored the following morning when the usual girl resumed her vigil at the restaurant counter, and it was hard to tell who was happier to see who! Emboldened by my previous efforts - all of which had ended happily, as far as both my taste buds and stomach were concerned - I nonchalantly ordered the breakfast meal option 2 with a milk coffee and, you guessed it, my sixth serving of apple pie in two days! I dared not ask about the possibility of having ice cream added to it at such an early hour, for fear of blowing the rapport that we had built! Still, the cooked sausages and cheese that arrived tasted like victory to me.

Feeling somewhat worn out from eight straight days

The Way Out

Tackling the steep descent into Dolina Roztoka

of hiking in the mountains (six of which were done under the weight of a full pack) I had the simple task of making it to the bus stop in Tatranska Javorina, on the Slovak side of the border, in time for the 13:45 Flix bus to Poprad. Having climbed over a high ridge to reach the Valley of Five Polish Lakes it made sense to follow a different route out, so in no time at all I was plunging down a steep trail beside the Siklawa waterfall into the Dolinie Roztoki valley. Progress was slow, in part due to the steepness of the terrain, though probably more so as a result of the various aches and pains I had accrued over the past couple of days - particularly my lower left leg (which I had tweaked when I slipped on the trail the previous day), and my right ankle which was also giving me some trouble.

All of which meant that I was mighty relieved to reach the traffic-free road to Morskie Oko - at precisely the time it started raining and thunder started rumbling in the distance - knowing that I only had another 7km of straightforward

Twin Falls

Siklawa waterfall

road walking to go. When I crossed the road bridge from Poland into Slovakia and stumbled upon a restaurant serving the biggest burgers I've seen in ages, I knew Salvation was mine! And despite the menus being written in Slovak, the pictures needed no translation.

note:
For the record, the findings from my 48-hour survey of Polish food words, conducted at the tongue-twisting Schronisko Dolinie Pięciu Stawów Polskich were as follows:

szarlotka (& lody) = apple pie (& ice cream)
zupa pomidorowa = tomato & vegetable soup
zurek = potato & sliced sausage soup
schnitzel (Polish unknown) = schnitzel w/ mashed potato
grillowana piers z kuschina = grilled chicken w/ mashed potato
ser vypraszany = grilled cheese patties w/ mashed potato

zawrat jeden (meal/option 1)
jajecznica z 2 jaj, twarozek wedlina, chleb, maslo
= scrambled eggs, sliced ham, unidentified cheesy blob, bread, butter

zawrat dwa (meal/option 2)
parowki (2 sztuki), ser zolty, ser topiony, chleb, maslo
= frankfurts (x 2), sliced cheese, paprika-flavoured processed cheese, ketchup, mustard, bread roll, butter

All of which was very gratefully received. Unfortunately I never did find out what those crepes with icing sugar were called; nor got