Morskie Oko: The Eye of the Sea

After an early breakfast and another backpack packed with snacks and water, Bengt, Freja, Viggo and I caught the local bus to the trail leading to Morskie Oko. Tilde decided to stay behind in Zakopane, armed with some spending money so she could either eat at a restaurant or pick up something from Biedronka.

The bus ride took about an hour and it quickly became obvious that we weren't the only ones with this destination in mind. Morskie Oko ("Eye of the Sea,") is the largest and most famous lake in the Polish Tatra Mountains, located close to the Slovak border. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and a steady stream of hikers made their way up the wide mountain road alongside us.

If yesterday's hike had been all about enjoying the journey itself, today's walk was much more about reaching the destination. The path climbed steadily uphill at a gentle gradient, but after almost three hours of walking- even with plenty of breaks- we were all more than ready to arrive. None of us would describe ourselves as particularly fit so we kept each other entertained with games and quizzes along the way to distract ourselves from our increasingly tired legs.

Then, the lake appeared.

Nestled beneath towering mountain peaks, some of which were still capped with patches of snow despite it being summer, Morskie Oko was every bit as beautiful as we'd hoped. The water shimmered in shades of turquoise and deep blue, coloured by minerals that have slowly been carried down from the surrounding mountains over thousands of years. We spent quite a while taking photographs, admiring the scenery and simply enjoying the reward after the long climb.

The walk back was noticeably quicker and much easier. By then the afternoon air had cooled considerably, and for the first time during our entire trip we actually needed our jackets.

Back at the apartment, everyone was exhausted after the day's adventure. I was still cold, so I treated myself to a long, hot shower while Bengt and Tilde went hunting for the famous mountain cranberry jam. We thought they would make the perfect thank-you gifts for Lotta and my mum, who have been looking after my tomato plants while we've been away. Bengt also managed to find a bottle of cherry liqueur to bring home.

After an hour or so of resting, we reluctantly headed back out in search of dinner. We ended up at Monte Rosa, where our waitress asked where we were from. "Ah... the country with watches and chocolate!"
When we explained that we were actually from Sweden, she laughed and then insisted that we place our order in Polish.

Freja once again fell victim to one of the challenges of travelling with coeliac disease. Her egg salad arrived with bread but fortunately she spotted it before taking a bite. It must be exhausting having to stay alert all the time even with dishes that really shouldn't contain gluten in the first place.

Now it's time for bed. Tomorrow we'll enjoy a slow morning with breakfast and packing before our bus to the airport leaves at 11 a.m. Our Polish adventure is almost over.Read more