KRAKOW

This morning was a tour of the city of Krakow, pronounced Krar-kov. We saw the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, although there are now very few Jews in Krakow. This was where 'Schindler's List' was filmed.
We visited the Royal Palace and Cathedral, where many Kings, Queens and saints are buried.
The Market Place was a hive of activity and we wandered around the square in glorious sunshine, browsing the shops and enjoying the atmosphere.
This afternoon we descended into the bowels of the earth in the Wieliczka Salt Mines. It was amazing! The tour explained how the workers had mined salt deep under ground, but the mine is now a major tourist attraction. We descended hundreds of stairs, through three levels of the mine, to a depth of 135 metres under the ground.
The mine shafts have been transformed into a series of tunnels and areas that are now things like an underground cafe, tourist shops, reception venues and an enormous cathedral.
The walls and floors are salt and the huge carved statues are also carved from salt! Truly spectacular!