Poland - Wednesday (Wieliczka Salt Mine)

Wednesday, 18 October 2017

As Renata is a teacher at primary school and the children here learn English at an early age she has asked us to come to the school for a talk about Australia.  The children have prepared some questions and ask about our favourite food and animals and things like that.  What's the weather like, what are aborigines, etc. It's quite an experience and the hour has gone by in no time.  In the end one of the girls steps forward to thank us and has a bag of goodies as a thank-you.  Unfortunately we have not remembered to take photos, but I do have one or two outside the school when we are on our way.

As the school is at Wieliczka where the famous salt mine is we have combined the tour with the visit to the school.  It's only a short bus ride away.

The mine is old, opened in the 13th century, and huge: approx 14 km2.  First we have to go down endless steps.  It could well have been over 350 or so!

Then our tour guide starts his story which we can follow through earphones.  I don't have many pictures as I was too enthralled by it all and there were more and more walkways and steps to take into account.  However, if you are interested in a virtual tour click here, and click on 'start your journey' on the right.  The tour is at approx 135m deep and the walk 3 km in length.  The total dimensions of the working mine however are vastly different: 327m deep and the corridors 300 km long.

We encounter statues (one of the Polish Pope John Paul II), a huge chapel and various other interesting parts, many of which are created from rock salt.  Even the chandeliers have parts done with salt: the crystals are formed from dissolved and reconstituted salt in such way that they reflect light like ordinary crystals do.

There is also a huge play area for children, where I took some pictures of a diorama from the time of the earlier working mine.  When we have seen it all we take the small elevator up to ground level.  It can hold just about 8 people and could be very claustrophobic if you are inclined to it.

Upstairs in the fresh air (although it was in no way stale or claustrophobic down in the mine) we enjoy a cup of coffee and a sandwich for lunch, surrounded by busloads of Dutch tourists....

Then we catch the bus to the city where we walk to the Jewish Quarters.  Here we visit a synagogue and walk around till we get to a square where we can sit and rest for a bit.  Patricia with a coffee, I like a beer, because it is still quite warm and walking makes you thirsty.

On our way to the tram we walk right past a cache which we couldn't leave:

#1762 - Stara Synagoga

Then it's on the tram and bus to Renata's who is waiting with yet another local dish: pierogis (dumplings).  It was lovely and filling.  When I am back home I should try out all these dishes for myself.  It would make a nice variation.

And as before, the evening is spent again talking, drinking coffee and plenty of vodka! :-)