We're goin' deeper underground...

Hello all! Just though we would fill you in all the juicy details of our hectic past couple of days!
On Wednesday, our second day in Krakow, we decided to visit the Salt mines of Wieliczka, a small town about 45 mins outside Krakow. Up nice and early with our pre made sandwiches to catch one of the many crazy minibuses which drive to various destinations written on a small card in the front window. You have to keep your eye out for one going in your direction then wave franticly to get the driver to stop, all very hectic as you cant see where they are going until the last minute.
The mines are apparently the oldest industrial workings in Poland, opening in the 13th Century and still being used today. Its compulsory to take a tour, luckily there was an English tour starting 20 minutes after we turned up which consisted of just us, a group of not too bright Americans and some old people from yorkshire. The tour started with a very long set of wooden stairs all the way down to 90 meters.. 360 steps all in all which doesn't sound like much, but they were in sets of 6 before you had to change direction. Six steps - turn around, six steps turn around... makes you very dizzy!
The tour took us through various chambers and sites, the highlight being a huge church chiseled from the rock salt (see the pictures). All very crazy, especially the salt statues of the Pope and the musical salt dwarf show we were made to watch. Although the whole time underground you didn't really feel like you were in a mine as you passed many shops, a resturant, toilets and even a big function room?! Well up until the end when they take you to what they call a lift, which is in fact a tiny coffin sized box they squidge 9 people in completely crammed together for quite a hair raising journey back up.
Caught the train back to Krakow and visited the old Communist suburb of town with huge steelworks, purpose built to encourage more worker types to the town of intelectuals and artists. We had read that the place was horrible and grey filled with tower blocks and ugly buildings but we found it was completly the opposite... large tree lined bolevards, a grand square with impressive building etc. All very nice with an interesting tram journey there and back.
Then back to the hostel to cook our dinner, make tomorrows lunch and enjoy more cheap beer!