Salt Mine and Schindler's Factory

Yesterday was a tourist day!  We went to a little town south of Krakow to go to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, an ancient mine that has been in operation since the middle ages!  It was amazing.  We went down 135 meters to tour the mine.  There was an underground lake, lots of "scenes" to see of the way things had been done, small chapels and even ballrooms, banquet rooms and a restaurant!  Lots of statues, all carved out of salt.  We were told that the reason there were so many chapels is because mining was dangerous work and the workers would take time out of their day to go to the chapel and pray for safety.  The kids had a good time, for the first half.  Then they got antsy.  If it had ended 30 minutes earlier it would've been great. :)  At the end we had to wait for the guide to take us to the elevator.  Then we had to wait for the elevator.  LONG waits.  Lots of whining and pulling on hands from the new ones.  Grrrrrr.
We then went to the Jewish district of Krakow and visited the factory where Oscar Schindler protected so many Jewish people during World War II.  It was a wonderful museum.  We spent a long time there reading and watching and doing the hands-on activities.  Tucker especially liked this one.  I think he could have spent all day there, reading every word.
We were WAY past lunch at this point and the word HUNGRY came up a LOT on the way back to the hotel.  We ended up eating at the hotel and it was so good.  Craig and I both had big, juicy hamburgers.  Yummo.  Karolina ordered herself again. We've decided put a stop to that.  The kids menu gave them a soup starter, choice of main, choice of side and dessert.  She did order tomato soup, but she skipped the main and went right for the French fries.  The waiter brought her a plate full of fries.  I made her eat half of my salad before she ate all fries.  She put on a face about that, but she did it.  I ordered for Sarah Jane and got her rice with veggies to go with her chicken fingers.  The look on her face when it was set before her was priceless.  We were all laughing so hard.  She pushed both lips out far and had an amused look in her eyes.  I wish I had a video!
Craig and I and the new ones took a walk back over to the square to see the Christmas Market.  There we found out the internet was wrong (shocker).  The market starts Wed., the day AFTER we leave.  I'm so sad. :(  But we got hot chocolate at a little coffee shop and Kaddie, Peter and Sarah Jane enjoyed that a lot!  It started raining on our way back to the hotel, but not bad enough to be miserable.  The kids sang ALL the way back.  Everyone kept looking at them and smiling. 
We got to Skype with Grannie, Edsel, Chris, Julie, Jackson, Jordan, Jacob and Mitch while they were celebrating Thanksgiving together.  Edsel tried out his Polish on Karolina.  We don't know what he said, and apparently neither did she!  She looked at him like he had said her nose was green or something.  Had us all laughing.  :)

A scene of Princess Kinga, all carved from salt.

Chandelier with salt crytals.

 St. Kingas chapel

Sculpture in the chapel.

Nativity in St. Kinga's chapel.

In Schindler's Factory.

Ellie stamping her card.

Loved this door!

Names of all of Schindler's workers.......

inside the big box of enamelware made by the workers.

For Poppy. :)

 

Everyone was tired last nite and went to sleep pretty quickly.  Somehow Sarah Jane got the big bed in our room and Ellie, Kaddie and I slept on the smaller one.  Fun Mommy-10 yr. old slumber party!
It's snowing this morning.  :)  I watched it for 30 minutes before any of the kids woke up.  ahhhhhh