Into the depths of the earth

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At least this wasn’t the depths of despair!

I have heard from a number of people that it is real experience going down into the Wieliczka Salt Mine. The one we had been into in Romania was quite small in comparison to this one - 300kms of tunnels over nine levels. Fortunately we didn’t walk that far and only went to 135m in depth. Our guide said that at least once a month a tourist gets lost - that happened yesterday so we should all be ok!! Great!

After walking down about 800 steps we followed the guide closely into different tunnels, chambers with hand hewn salt sculptures of gnomes and mythical figures. We passed through a number of air locked chambers which regulate the flow of fresh air. Remarkably there are a number of chapels used by the miners culminating in the largest one with five beautiful and startling chandeliers made entirely of salt crystals. They give an eerie glow as light passes through the crystals. Here there is a sculpture of Pope John Paul II. There was even wifi. I learned the result of the AB’s game whilst there!

2 kms sounds a long way to walk in 2 hours but the guide gave us plenty of time to sit down at strategic places while she told many stories of life in the mine, dating from the 1300s. We took a jersey and puffer jacket as information said it was a constant 14-16 degrees underground. We didn’t need them at all and found the temp, compared to 30 degrees above ground, nice and cool.

We passed two lakes which are 100% saturated with salt. You can’t sink.

Returning to the top in a 1960s miners’ lift was very interesting. Four levels of people, 9 in each small cage, up to the surface in 40 seconds flat! At least we didn’t have to walk the 800 steps back up.

We spent the afternoon walking around the cool shady park which surrounds the Old Town. For dinner we found a table in a restaurant in the Town Square with a view of the stage we had seen being erected earlier. So had a bird’s eye view of the talent quest/ pop concert held there. Beautiful horses, paired blacks, greys and chestnuts all with elaborate dressings and elegantly dressed drivers, pulling white carriages, passed us by all evening.

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Photos

The Last Supper
Note the perspective