August 23, 1998

Sunday, August 23, 1998.

This morning after checking out, I took a taxi to the Obis Caronia Hotel. At noon, I picked up the hotel rental car I walked all around and looking for scratches or dings, but could find none. The insurance requires me to pay the first $300 of any damage.

The first destination was the Wieliczka salt mine where salt had been mined for at least 1000 years. Salt was no longer mined there, but the miles of shafts, the many levels in chambers, and the lakes deep underground make it a wonderful attraction for tourists. Some of the chambers were enormous with high rock ceilings. Many had carved figures depicting the life of the miners and in one huge chamber on the wall base for leaves of scenes from Christ's time on earth such as the Last Supper and turning water into wine.

We kept going deeper, until we reached the largest chamber of all which housed a restaurant and several gift shops. Then we were very rapidly brought to the top in a six man cage. The mine has been declared one of the 12 wonders of the world by the United Nations.

After leaving the salt mine, I drove south along a two-lane highway to the town of Myslenice. At a restaurant and bar I inquired about a hotel. Later I talked to could only speak a few words of English, but he produced a city map and gave me directions to the Ambassador Hotel across town. I was backing the car when he came out to the parking lot and clarified his directions.

When I found the hotel and stopped in front, the parking lot attendant across the street from the hotel talk to me. He spoke pretty good English. Later I asked him where he learned English. He told me he had lived in the Chicago area for two years.

The hotel was small with only two-stories with a bar and restaurant on the first floor and hotel on the second and, of course, no elevator. A gauge to room and wrestled my bags up the stairs. There was a park by a river across from the hotel. It was Sunday. The weather was mild, so people were there enjoying the outdoors. One man was arguing pull a sausage a large grill. On a cement dance floor at three piece band began playing. First, one couple and another began to dance. As the evening darkness set in more dancers joined the fun.

I watched the people from a close by park bench. The man barbecuing gave me a plate with a piece of sausage and bread and some mustard. He began to dance with a partner, and despite his pot belly he could dance well. Soon I was also dancing. They played many fast pieces including polkas. It was a fun evening. When I became tired and went to bed.