Krakow: Wieliczka Salt Mine

Of all the things to see in Krakow, Smee and I opted to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine.  A salt mine you might ask?  Yes - a SALT mine!! As in the stuff you put on your chips and other bland foods.  When I was in Salzburg, I did consider going their salt mine but did not manage to squeeze it in as the Sound of Music was my priority. 

I'm not sure how the Salzburg mines differ to the one we visited but hey, the Krakovian one has a cathedral inside.  Cool! Again, our tour began with the ever reliable Poles collecting us from outside our apartment.  I should just also give a shout-out to all the Krakovians out there - they're just so accommodating!  The drive was a comfortable 20 minutes or so out of central Krakow.  It began raining just as the bus parked itself, so it was a good thing that we were going deep underground.



The mine itself is one of the oldest in the world and began operating in the 13th century.  I personally think the most nifty fact is that it only ceased operating in 1996.  They've done a really good job at making this a decent tourist attraction - complete with live gnomes! Oooh look, he's sleeping...






The walls and floors are all made of salt which I've learnt is grey in it's natural state.  *nerd alert*  So don't go down there expecting something resembling Superman's Crystal Fortress - it's much murkier than that.  While waiting for the the queue and rain to abate we sought shelter near the souvenir shop and saw an interesting array of mementos on offer including figurines of Hasidic Jews (!!). 





Our descent began down some stairs and into the shafts, walking along well worn paths which many have been before us.  You'd think this was a very clean coal mine!

Yes we were encouraged to lick the walls.  No, I am not really doing so.

Here's a monument to Copernicus, Poland's own scientific son who proposed that the earth was not the centre of the universe (how smug of man to even think that!).  *thumbs up to you Mr. Copernicus*

This is recreates the legend whereby Princess Kinga tossed her engagement ring *flutters at the fairytale story* down the salt mine, only to have it found again... or something like that.

 



Heading down some more stairs.... 

Oh look! It's the Salt Mine King! Hehehe

Finally we reach the piece de resistance... Saint Kinga's Chapel.  I'll say it again... it's all made of NaCl (salt for you lay-people). 

The view from the top of the stairs.

One of the many chandeliers in the chapel.  Yes, made of salt crystals!  Well except for the light bulbs.

The chapel altar.

A pretty decent version of Leonardo's The Last Supper.  All carved in salt!

Lil ol me in the chapel.

Channeling my powers through the salt crystal.

Can there be anything not in this salt mine?  A full blown reception centre available for hire.

For anyone doubting 'how fun can this be', well Smee and I thought the salt mine was very fun indeed!  Our guide was (as we've come to expect from the Poles) excellent and just really, really enthusiastic about salt.

By the time we reached back into central Krakow it was pissing down and we were hungry.  Our refuge (ok fine it was our intended target) was Hawelka restaurant. Something of an institution in Krakow, it's decor is a bit formal and we felt a little out of place in our rain-soaked casual gear, especially with the three tuxedos sitting on the next table.  But the Krakovians are an accommodating bunch and must be used to seeing slack-dressed tourists because the service given was with a smile :) 

They certainly like their soups in bread bowls don't they?  So do I!  It's porcini mushroom soup in case you're wondering.

I opted for the "grilled veal tenderloins with potato dumplings, chanterelle mushrooms in cream and fresh rosemary".  F**k, it was SO YUM!!!! Smee kept picking at my dish in envy.  He was craving a pork schnitzel and a schnitzel he did get.  It was nice too, but not as nice as mine!  I've forgotten what our side dish was - some type of cabbage.

We retired for the afternoon until going back out again for dinner.  Given that it was our last night in Krakow, we made the most of our gorge fest and returned to Babci Maliny. Hehehe..