Beware the cheese police

Oscypek, the cheese made from sheep's milk, is one of the hallmarks of this region of Poland and a proudly and fiercely protected delicacy. But if you're driving into town you might want to think twice before pulling over to sample this slice of Tatra life, as police in Zakopane have warned that motorists stopping to buy the cheese from unlicensed vendors at the roadside will be fined. The traders too face heavy financial penalites. The problem lies not in the quality of the product, nor its authenticity, but in the fact that anyone selling anything along a traffic route must have a specific licence to do so. According to Kazimierz Pietrucha, spokesman for Zakopane police, the crackdown on the sellers and their customers came about for two reasons. "Their presence on the road leading to Zakopane, not only spoils the landscape, but also poses a safety hazard," Mr Pietrucha told local media.