The Wieliczka Salt Mines then in to Slovakia

Left the campsite this morning for a thirty minute drive to some salt mines I’d seen on the ‘telly’. We had to go in with a guide and it is a two to three hour tour. Started by going down 380 ish steps …when you looked down you could see them go on forever. Once at the bottom we were on level one and I think there were two others underneath. It’s been there since the early Middle Ages with various different seams opened up over the years. Everything around us was made of salt – the floor (tiled!) walls, ceilings. Apparently people ask if they can lick the walls – our guide suggested you try & find a spot where no one else has! The amazing bit is the carvings and relief work all done by the miners. There were six or seven different chambers – a couple of them were chapels with even the chandeliers made from salt. You can even get married there. Green underground saline lakes – 30%salt ..you’d definitely float. The only bit I didn’t like was the lift to come back up from the bottom. Holds nine people they said, but one of our passengers was the size of two – Guy got literally pushed in through the door then it was fastened before we all burst back out again! Fortunately, this didn’t happen till we reached the top. Perhaps a bit like Moorgreen, eh Dad?
After a stop at Lidl, we did much messing around due to road closures but finally ended up on the road south to Slovakia. As we crossed the border it started to pour with rain and we struggled to find anywhere to stay. Passed a lot of interesting churches – some wooden. Different scenery -quite hilly. Finally, the ‘park4night’ app bought us here to a church car park in a tiny place called Podbiel. Felt a bit awkward – like we shouldn’t be here, when just as we finished dinner a man came out of the house opposite. Expecting a telling off, Guy waved to him and opened the door. We can’t believe he came out in the rain to bring his ‘international guests’ wine and chocolate!! We think his dad was the father at the church. He spoke animatedly to us for about half an hour and we don’t really have a clue what he was saying. In the meantime, a family turned up and gave him a plateful of cakes and some Wiener schnitzel and rice. Once they’d left, he insisted we have them! Can’t manage two dinners but the chocolate’s lovely. We can’t get over how kind he was!