2015-02-09: Preparations and Planning

Having arrived at about 0600 and dumped our gear we are off preparing for our stay. Milk, beer, local delicacies etc.

String cheese is also a Zakopane special thing but we are only a few kilometres from there and I think the Tartry culture knows little in the way of borders. They had Bryndza (3 on checklist) here as well which we tried but the string cheese won out.

I found a list of the top ten quintessential Slovakian food and drinks (10 Foods and Drinks) on a site which looks more reliable than most tourist check-lists.

Checklist item number 8, Horalky, no need to try and choose which is best, get them both.

We will do our best to get through it. Booze and fat feature heavily so I suspect logistics will be the issue rather than motivation.

I think you have to supply your own best child and just use this as decoration before giving it away.

Sign review: Children Safety Sign

Sure the dude has a nice hat but that kid has the body shape of a chimp.

Those arms and knees can't be right.

I confess to liking monkeys dressed up as children. If they gave the monkey the lollipop from the Polish safety sign it would be even better.

Rating: 7/10 (maybe it was his helper monkey and they have grown old together)

Poprad is a town of about 50K people. About the size of the town I grew up in. My initial feel is it is a lot bigger than Napier. This could be because I always associate medium density housing blocks as being a big city thing.

The Colour Schemes are, let's call it "interesting".

They could also be a practical thing for weather which is likely much more expensive to deal with (compared to NZ weather).

Maybe weather proof paint only comes in pastels

Or it could be a leftover from the days under communism. Certainly most of Poland features similar style blocks.

Turrets! Good for climbing!

These blocks sit right beside old looking buildings which you just know would be called quaint or something. I usually just picture having sword fights on the roof. Probably with one leather glove.

Town centre. Probably where my unjust trial was held by the evil town mayor before the sword fight.

Ewa would never languish waiting for me to finish off the villain on the roof though. She would probably sneak up and brain him from behind. That's cool too.

Food and Beverage Review: Wino Grzaniec (Slovakian Style)

Poles love mulled wine. Poles also love sour things; gherkins, various soups, beetroot etc.

Slovakia has tried to make these two loves more efficient by making sour mulled wine.
This is not even close to fair and I know why it isn't on the list of quintessential things.

Rating: 3/10 (downgraded because of expectations)

I appear to have brought weather with me. I do that a lot.

We got a decent afternoon fall so things are looking good for tomorrow.

Achievements: Slovak Required Eating / Drinking:

• Bryndza (3) - Sort of a tangy cottage cheese. It's okay by itself but I think in dumplings / pierogi it'll be better
• Horalky (8) - wafer biscuits with flavours. You can buy plain and fill them yourself but that seems a lot of work. I like the ones dipped in chocolate the best. Coffee flavoured was good. Peanut not so much.
• Tokaj (2) purchased. Also Tokaji so I can judge which country is the best.
• Demänovka (5) purchased, also Fernet Stock because I see it all over the place and there was a bottle right beside the Demänovka so I figure similar drink and also popular.
• Kofola (7) - purchased
• Slivovica (10) - Purchased. I got one I haven't tried before, there were a few to choose from.
  

Remaining Checklist Items to be sourced:

• Kapustnica (1) - this one intrigues me the most. I have noticed the Slovaks seem to have a lot of love for members of the chilli / capsicum family. This looks like the big difference between Polish cooking and Slovakian.
• Halušky (4) - dumplings / pierogi are always good and ought to be easy to find
• Lokše (6) - I am worried this could be the hardest to find. We are dedicated hunter gatherers and will do our best.
• Makovnik (9) - I think I saw this at breakfast in the Hotel. If so easy.
  

Achievements: Skiing: 

• Bought my own boots, I think that makes me an actual ski person now.
• Bought my own helmet, I didn't notice but it has RANT on the back, Ewa feels this is appropriate

Plans: Skiing:

• Remember what I learned in Zakopane
• Try and be more relaxed
• Hope my boots are good