Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
We were up with the sun today to get our train to Krakow. We walked to the tram station and then got on one stop to the train station, where Sara and I then had to figure out which platform we had to get onto. The woman at the window was most rude and unhelpful, yelling at us in Polish, which we obviously can't understand. We managed to get her to write down the platform number.
We got on the train and got settled in carriage ten, right at the back. It took us about three hours to get there and it was quite a nice trip though the countryside. Once in Krakow, we had a bit of a walk and then had to get the tram to the hotel. We checked in and half and hour later went out on another orientation walk.
During the walk I had a massive piece of pizza for lunch, which only cost me six zloty…I also had lunch again with Sara after the walk.
We walked right up to Wawel Castle, which was quite spectacular. The cathedral inside the walls looked like a complete mish mash of buildings and styles. The courtyard looked like something out of a Roman theatre and actually took my breath away it was so unexpected.
After lunch I had elected to go on the optional excursion to the salt mines with some of the others from the group. We met up outside Cracow city tours and it took us about half an hour to get there. We had a local guide called Sebastian, the local guide situation, for once didn't bother me. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. Both because I was ignorant and Sebastian was entertaining and made everyone laugh.
The mines were amazing, there were sculptures everywhere made from salt, including chandeliers and churches. The largest room was called the kings chamber, which was huge and had stories from the bible carved on the wall…including a near perfect replica of The Last Supper by Da Vinci.
Sebastian explained to us that today we were only seeing 1% of the mine and to see all of it would take about four months. It has over 200km of tunnels and 28 underground lakes. It also has lower floors which are classified, so that in the event of a nuclear attack, the government of Poland would be taken to these levels and remain in tact. I sat down for a bit in one of the rooms, thinking about the Morlocks in the movie the time machine and wondering if any of them would come out of some dark corner…I would probably laugh if they did.
One the way out I sat in the bar and had a drink and actually checked in on facebook 135 meters below the surface. There really is no escaping modern technology these days. We then got into the lift to take us back up the mine shaft to the surface. Now that was an experience! The compartment we were in was tiny and they squashed nine of us into it. Not only that, but we were in the first compartment and had to wait for the other compartments to fill. (While sitting part way up the shaft) It would have been a claustrophobic's worst nightmare. At times like there I often think of my ex boyfriend and his response to why he didn't need to travel. If I want to see any of these things, I'll google them… Standing in that miners lift, somewhere between the surface and the floor 135 meters below in the middle of Poland, crammed in with nine other people, I though to myself, Yeah? Google this!
Upon reaching the surface, we were transported back to Krakow and we walked back to the hotel. I have another early morning start tomorrow as I am taking the group to Auschwitz, my first solo act back in the tour leader game. Bring it on!
- comments
Mum Reminds me of when I went down a coal mine in Pfestignog in Wales in the tiny miners lift, overcrowded with tourists. I don't think I could do it today, not after the pyramid in Egypt experience. Major panic! Good luck with Auschwitz, I don't envy you that one.
Mum I had heard of the carvings in the salt mines, someone sent me an email of them. Must be fascinating to actually be there.