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  • Day 128

    Krakow

    August 9, 2017 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    I finished my book before sleeping last night and Will must have been tired because we fell asleep before me and when I woke around 12 he was still snoozing.

    The other guys in our room are totally grots. Im interested to know what their houses looks like if this is how they look leave an area shared with strangers.
    Half empty beer cans, trodden on biscuits left on the floor, undies flung everywhere... now I know I am an extraordinarily messy person but these people are insane.
    Me and Will are so clean in hostels. It's in private rooms our bags spread lol.

    We went to hard rock for breakfast cause Will wanted a burger. The burger I got was so bad. I don't know what type of meat that was...

    We walked to the station and got in line to buy tickets to the salt mines. The line room so long, I don't know what people were doing - when it was our turn it took us all of 30 seconds.
    Only $1 each woo!

    Got an email from dad - I'm getting an estimated $2000 back from tax WOOOOHOOOOOO!!! 🎉

    Ok so turns out my excitement about our train tickets was premature - WHAT AN EVENTFUL DAY.

    So we bought our train tickets at 2:50.
    At 4:20 we still hadn't got a train. Our train was meant to come at 3:10 and then got delayed twice then cancelled. Our second train just didn't show up.
    We just kinda stood there like oh crap because our tour was for 4:50 and the supposed next train wasn't until 5.
    Everyone on our platform started going onto the train on the other track. I asked a lady inside if it went to the mine and she said no. A man behind her said no but he was going to the same place so we could follow him going a different route. So we jumped on.
    We went up one stop and got off with the man.
    He was not the only one with this plans and so many people just looked stumped because there was no trains available.
    He came over to me and said he had just called a taxi because he had to go to his job so I asked if we could jump in - he said yes.
    The taxi came and we drove for 10 mins (it's now 4:50 at this stage) we got out where his car was parked and paid for the taxi and for it to take us further up the road to the mines.
    A truly beautiful man.
    I was so beyond grateful. He didn't even give us a chance to pay but I felt a little guilty until he then handed me his business card saying if we ran into trouble to call him. He is a PROFESSOR of surgery.
    Holy cow.
    He can probably cover the $7 bill lol.
    I've stapled his card into my journal.
    His kindness was appreciated 💕💕
    I sent him an email this email thanking him again.

    So anyway,
    It was 5pm
    And we assumed our tour had started but we planned to ask to possibly join another one explaining the train situation only IT HADNT STARTED 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
    Not in a million years did I think we would actually make it to our original tour.

    We were given a headphone and radio thing so we could hear our guide.
    It was much cooler in the mine.

    It's called the Wieliczka salt mines. It's a UNSCO site and frankly, pretty bad ass.
    We first went down to the 1st level taking one million stairs to get there - the last number I noticed was staircase 41 so it was at least more than that. It just didn't end.

    Ok so,

    Stop 1.
    She told us about the wood at why it was painted white - to reflect the light because they obviously didn't have candles.

    Stop 2.
    One of many galleries that had cool
    Sculptures made from salt. They looked like they were made from marble but when you put your light up to it it became transparent - same with the floor. It was pretty cool.

    Stop 3.
    Another chamber with statues where our guide told us a tale about a Hungary engagement ring and a princess. I didn't see the relevance...
    she said the salt in this chamber has been approved by grad students as going well with tequila hahaha

    Stop 4.
    Some statues (non salt ones) that showed some of the workers and how they transported things e.g. Cart and horses etc

    Stop 5.
    Work stations for the horses.
    It makes me sad. A single horse was down in the mines for 20 - 30 years. The last one only left in 2002 😒it hadn't been a working mine in many many years but things still had to be done apparently.

    We then went down to the second level.
    Some gronks brought their newborn infant and a pram? They held up several groups.

    Stop 6.
    Was a crappy presentation about methane gas. It was silly, I didn't learn anything other than it's dangerous in mines.

    Stop 7.
    A section that had dwarfs carved from salt and a little one at the front. We threw coins in and made a wish.

    Stop 8.
    A chapel - which was nothing compared to....

    Stop 9.
    Europes largest underground chapel and 2nd in the world (Columbia has the biggest) Crikey it was impressive!
    All up there are over 40 chapels in the mines - some just little rooms with a painting though.

    So in the big ass chapel were wall carvings, salt crystal chandeliers, and space, lots of space.
    You were meant to buy a photo permit but I chose not too lol. #badass.

    Stop 10.
    We listened in the near dark to noises of the workers and a piece by Chopin.

    Level 3 was 135m underground and our last stop. The mine does have 9 levels.

    Stop 11. A water section that boats use to cross.
    The mine has no records of deaths but I'm sure the talks is quite high.

    Thinking back I didn't learn overly to much about the mine and it's history but I still really enjoyed the tour.
    The gift shop had some great items but I'm on stick orders to not buy things haha.
    I really wanted a salt bunny rabbit statue lol

    The mine was really impressive and so friggen big.
    We had to catch a suspicious lift back to the top. Will didn't fit of course.

    And so began our journey home.

    We walked to the station and bought our ticket and the train came - everything was looking great until a worker said we had to get off at the next station 😭😭😭😂😂😂😭 REALLY?!?

    So we got stranded on the platform for 30 minutes in the dark with a bunch of just as confused people.
    Fun times.

    Another train came thank the heavens and we got home around 9.

    Longgggg day.

    We had Indian for dinner again because the place was delicious .

    Happy to be home.
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