Salt Mines

After an emotionally exaughsting morning at Auschwitz we got back with out taxi driver. Did I tell you about him? His name is Lukas so obviously he is awesome. We met him at the bus stop and he took us to our hostel. While diving we asked him about Auschwitz and the salt mines and we ended up booking him as a private driver for the whole day. Anyway he then drove us to the Salt Mines and while we are he went and bought us tickets. We got pierogis and this chocolate cake and the cake was nasty! Such a let down :( so then it was to the mines we went. 

I had a bunch of notes but they got deleted. See that picture. That's looking down at the many stairs we had to go to to get 100m underground. This mine was HUGE! It dates back to the 1200's and back then they made all the chambers out of pick axes and tools. Then later they used dynamite. Some chambers took 20-30 years to dig out. There is a chapel in here the miners prayed at every day because they were very religious. 

These chandeliers are made from crystals carved from salt. The miners were also artists and carved statues and doorways. 

There is even a lake in here. The water is a full brine and you would float. 

I can't even tell you how huge this place is and how deep. 

They said you could lick the wall. So I did.

It was REALLY salty. That's all rock salt. Everything is made of rock salt. 

After our journey we got to take this "elevator" back to the top... It was tiny. Maybe 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide and we squished 9 people in there! And of course Rosie screamed and said death things the whole way up. Luckily it was only a minute. 

The mine was awesome. If you are ever in krakow go and make sure you lick the walls. 

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It's Monday morning.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

We got up and went to walk around krakow. 

Saw some buildings and a castle

And then called Lukas back to take us to the train station. We thought it left at 12:21 but it left at 12:12 needless to say we cut it close but we made it. Now we sit on the train: 

I've never been in a compartment before. I just want someone to walk by and offer me some butterbeer and a chocolate frog. That would be sweet. I'm sitting backwards though.... Not good for motion sickness people. 

Cool story: while in the grocery store picking up a banana for this train Mikele started talking to the guy infront of us. He was from Nevada and here teaching at a law school or something. When he left he handed us a 50 pln and said it was on him. How cool is that!? It made our day.