The High Tatras; Slovakia Border with Poland
High Tatra mountains, Slovakia – Poland
Cross the border from Slovakia after the town of Levoca, and aim for Poland. Suddenly the landscape is alpine, a place to stay is just over there, but it is still so light, we can go on just a bit further.
So we did, and almost regretted it. Our destination was the Polish town of Zakopane, known for hiking and skiing. Surely it would be no problem. We are too accustomed to gas on demand, and lighting where we want to go.
But dark comes quickly; and the tank plummets. Moral: to avoid travel anxiety, gauge the daylight carefully before heading into mountains. We were fine, but had no idea now much farther we had to go.
High Tatras. The scenery recalls World War films of running people, dogs barking, fear. Such is the power of early visual image, association.
High Tatras, border Slovakia to Poland
Are these particular photos from across the border into Poland already? My notes are not clear. We do have a Poland Road Ways, and also posted these there.
The name “Tatra” — big, black Tatras, in which the officials rode: a Czech company, see http://home.clara.net/peterfrost/tatra.html. See the novels recounting the experience of an overlooked minority, the Roma, the gypsies. Zoli, novel by Colum McCann. Meet a Roma singer and dancer, who allowed glimpses into the culture, and was banned for it. See http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/110894.Zoli/ Next, take out Fires in the Dark, by Louise Doughty: a family of Roma in Slovakia caught with others of their community, in the quotas for the WWII labor camps. See http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/307210.Fires_in_the_Dark
