Hi Ho Hi Ho off to work we go!

Monday 

The better part of our Monday was spent in a bus driving to Krakow. These hours are too boring to fully describe... So I won't. 

That afternoon when we eventually got to our destination of lovely Krakow we had a lecture. Exciting day I know, sorry guys. 

Our lecture was on the three most prominent Nazi death camps that were located in Poland during World War II.  It was very depressing and I won't sadden you with retelling it. 

Tuesday

A salty day! We went exploring the famous salt mines located outside Krakow. The tour started off with taking 400 steps to get underground. It got increasingly colder as we went and my ears kept popping. But it was worth it! The mines were way cooler than I thought they'd be. 

Everything was made of crystallized salt. And I mean everything! The floors in some areas were tiled... With salt tiles! 

When the miners were down in these caves they became artists. They sculpted statues, chapels, chandeliers, and much much more. Out of the only thing around, salt. 

Pretending to lick the walls of salt

Salt statues

Once upon a time...

Salt was a very lucrative business. Those who mined it and lived in the town around it were very wealthy. It was even more valuable than gems and gold. More than 1/3 of the royal wealth of Poland once came from these mines. Salt uses to be the only way to have food to keep through winter. It was used to for healing as it kills bacteria. It preserves like crazy, and not just meat. It was once used to help slow the look of aging. This stuff was a one stop shop for Europeans and Poland had the largest supply. 

Giant underground chapel made of salt. Actually used for services

Salt carvings

Salt Chandelier

And do you want to know where the German fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves came from? Salt Mining! I know Disney showed us gems in the movies but it was actually salt they were mining. I mean who now-a-days would think salt valuable? Of course they used gems so little kids would understand! 

Dwarves scene carved out of... you guessed it... Salt

That afternoon we went exploring the inner city of Old Krakow. Gorgeous! Old architecture abounds here since the Germans didn't destroy it. This part of the region technically uses to be part of the German empire and they planned to make it apart of the country again. Hence why they didn't want to destroy it. So glad they didn't because I love adventuring through old streets and studying old architecture.

Clock tower