Aug 25 2025

Thirty years ago we’d also toured the salt mines but recalled very little of it as the tour was in Polish. We also had no pictures as we thought we weren’t allowed to take photos (and obviously couldn’t ask our guide). Anyway this time we had booked an English tour and had the camera. 

But first it was coffee and breakfast… where we discovered pistachio heaven. The delight of a croissant filled with pistachio cream. And the nice thing about setting out early is that we got to enjoy the square and the town sans crowds.

The one thing we did recall about the salt mine was the three story mining elevator we had been crammed into, in the dark, to descend down to the mine. This time, thankfully, it was stairs. 

While it was definitely better to have an English guide we feel that we could have been imparted a little more useful information other then the rapid fire script we were given as we almost raced through the 7000 steps we walked (almost jogged) through the mine. 

The dash through the museum was no slower. 

But it did mean we made it back in time for the earlier train back to Krakow which meant we had a decent time for our lunch before our walking tour. 

Didn’t start well. The guide started with a 51st state joke, and the group was worryingly large. But in the end what was to be 90 minutes ended up 2&1/2 hours of lots of interesting and entertaining information. 

Of course the question will be how much we retain (amount rapidly dwindling). 

Based on our Air BnB host’s recommendation we had booked dinner at a restaurant in the Jewish quarter which distilled their own vodka. Given the hype “we have squeezed you in at the bar but you have to be out by 8” we thought it would be crowded and quite high brow. But it was quite relaxed and several families were there. Including a baby that drove away everyone at the table next to us. I enjoyed the duck.. and a vodka. Can’t say it’s really my preference. 

On our way back we semi spontaneously attended another Classics Greatest Hits concert at the Church of Peter and Paul. But again no patter and no explanation of changes to the program. We assume the Mozart Trumpet Concerto was omitted: no trumpet.  The acoustics were a little better this time and certainly the organ was less muddy than in Berlin.