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<\/a>Lots of Wood<\/p><\/div>\n
The first thing we notice is how much wood they have used to build and support the many tunnels in the mine. Metal would rust in the humid environment. Where wood is not needed, we walk through tunnels all carved out of salt. The salt was mined as they dug and then the impurities were removed on the surface. There are white veins which are purer salt and was used by the royalty and rich back in the day. The less pure mostly grey salt was used by the rest. All the walls, ceilings, and even the floors are salt. You can touch and lick it if you dare, just try not to pick a spot where a thousand others have licked. Under Kazmierz the great, one third of Poland’s riches came from these mines. Salt was a valuable commodity and was used as currency in trade. My, how times have changed.
\nAn interesting part of the tour is that over the years, miners have carved sculptures, chandeliers, and chapels out of the surrounding salt. We see a few of the sculptures along the way. We also learn how they mined the salt, and transported it out of the mine.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Horses Working the Winches<\/p><\/div>\n
In the 1800s, they lowered horses into the mines and kept them there to work the many winches and pulleys lifting the salt to the surface. We pass elves carved out of the salt, see a salt stalagmite, and chandeliers made of salt in a small chapel. None of this prepares you for the grand finale. We enter the Chapel of St Kinga, carved over a 30 year period in the early 1900s. The room is large with a high ceiling with salt chandeliers. The altar is beautiful and there is a salt relief carving of the last supper. The floor tiles are not tile at all, just more salt, carved to look like floor tile. It is really an incredible space.<\/p>\n
<\/a>St Kinga Chapel Alter<\/p><\/div>\n
It is about 440 feet below the surface at this point.
\nThe tour ends shortly after this room and we now are stuffed 8 at a time into a skinny elevator for the ride back to the top. It was a very nice tour and worth the trip here.
\nWe catch a train back to Krak\u00f3w and walk over to the pierogi place for lunch. Today we try the meat Pierogies with our cheese and potato favorite. We also try their beet soup which is not as flavorful as last nights but the Pierogies are still great. We go back to the apartment and ask at the reception what we should do with our key in the morning. He shows us a mailbox to put it in and starts asking how we like Krak\u00f3w. We talk a little about vodka and he tells us of a nice and inexpensive vodka bar. He shows us on a map where it is, so now we have a pre dinner place to go. The young people here at the reception are so nice.
\nAfter relaxing for the rest of the afternoon, we head out in search of polish vodka. We find the Wodka Cafe Bar, and manage to get a small table. Quite an accomplishment as there are only about four tables in here, and then a short counter to stand at. It is a very small place. When I go up to ask about the kinds of vodka they have, he says they have over 150 vodkas. We should have found this place earlier! I get a flight of 6, and ask for one to bison grass vodka ( I had read about it and seen it in places) which is supposedly not legal in the U.S. although I do not know why. I also ask for hazelnut and then to pick me a nice variety.<\/p>\n