On Friday, we visiting the city. We first walked in the historic city center, with its wonderful Rynek Glówny square where both are one of the St. Mary's basilica and the market.Then, we went along the Vistula river before going to the Royal Castle and the Wavel Cathedral.We tasted some Polish dishes such as Pierogy which are filled dumplings boiled in hot water or fried in a pan.
The next day, we took the bus to the Wieliczka Salt Mine where the exploitation was in activity from the 13th century to 1996 but is now an historic monument opened to the public. We went 150 meters under the ground where a guide explained us the mining activities, the technics and the working conditions of the miners. During centuries, even if the task was highly difficult and dangerous, the miners were working for the King, so they were under its protection, well payed and had stability because the job could be transmitted from father to son.
Downstairs, there are 3 chapels and a huge cathedral carved out of salt rock, for the miners to pray before working. There also are many sculptures relating historical events or honouring Polish historical figures such as Copernic.
Then, on Sunday, a bus took us to Birkenau then to Auschwitz to visit what remains from the concentration and extermination camps. It was frightening and unbelievable, but also really interesting as it illustrates the horrors that happend there during the Second World War... To be faced with this terrible reality was important to me and made it even less understandable.
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