Day 8

Poland – March 16, 2018

Northern Illinois University Study Abroad, Poland

This morning, the group and I departed from our hotel to see one of Poland’s largest tourist attractions— “Wieliczka” Salt Mine. Upon arrival, there was a little bit of a wait to enter inside because there were so many people from all over the world visiting the site. Many different languages were spoken while waiting which reminded me of what I hear when I’m in the city of Chicago. Once the tour began, I did not know what to expect in terms of beauty—I thought it would look like any other mine. What I witnessed was remarkably beautiful despite only seeing 1% of the mine and I’m grateful for the experience. At the end of the tour, there was a gift shop where I purchased 2 salt jars of my own.

When the tour came to an end, we hopped on the bus and drove toward the city square of Krakow. Since we planned on staying the night here, the first thing we did was check into a hostel. This city had an enormous open market which was the perfect opportunity for souvenirs. From souvenirs to architecture, everything I saw was just so beautiful. Since it was freezing outside, all of us were treated to hot chocolate by professor Giza which helped bring some red back into my cheeks. I then got the chance to further explore Krakow to see more of what it had to offer. 

Water I got to taste while in the Salt Mine

Underground church inside Salt Mine

Krakow