God Bless You

The last weekend in January I headed to Czestochowa (pronounced Chen-sto-ho-vah), Poland to visit my friend Phil. Phil plays volleyball for the AZS Czestochowa Volleyball team. I know Phil from Colorado Springs.

I left Bonn on Saturday, Jan. 28 on a Sunny afternoon and headed to the airport to fly to Krakow. After arrving to a very cold and grey Krakow, I managed to find the bus stop for bus 192 (which previous research led me to beleive that this would take me to the main train station in Krakow). I took some money out of the ATM when I arrived at the Airport so that I would have the local currency, the Zloty, to buy my bus ticket. However, of course, the ATM only gives you giant bills and I couldn't find anyone to exchange them for smaller currency.
I headed to the bus stop to do my best to buy a ticket. But, as I guessed, the bus driver did not have enough change to give me. I understood that he didn't have enough money but was not sure what he said to me after that. I pointed to the door, thinking that I was going to have to suck up the money and take cab, but a nice young girl on the bus explained to me that it would be risky to ride without a ticket, but I could stay on the bus. For the few seconds of pondering the risk, I figured, I had money, the bus driver couldn't take it, so I didn't see the risk in riding the bus. The US Dollar is about 1/3 of the Polish Zloty. So 1 Polish Zloty is about $0.33 cents.

So, after about 20 minutes on the bus, we arrived in what appeard to be the "Centre" of Krakow. We arrived at a stop and lots of people started to get off the bus. Past experiences (Not just in Poland) have taught me that the younger generation in most cultures will know a little bit of English. I asked a young guy on the bus if this was the main train station and he said yes. So, I got off. Then, the bus left, I looked up down all of the streets and appeared to be lost along with another group of girls who also got off of the bus. They were on the same flight as me from Bonn to Krakow and I overheard them talk in English to someone else at the bus stop. So, I asked them if they were also looking for the train station and they said Yes. So we wondered together and evenutally found it.

My train left Krakow for Czestochowa at 17:48 (5:48pm). I arrvied at the train station at 17:30 (5:30pm). After trying to figure out what all of the Polish signs said, I walked up to what I thought was a ticket window and asked to buy a ticket then tried the word for ticket that I had also seen - billet. She looked at me and pointed me down some hall way and shook her head. So, I thought, she wasn't going to be very helpful and the hallway did not look like promising. So, I went to a different ticket window and was able to buy the ticket. It cost 24 Zloty which is about 6 Euro. I couldn't believe how cheap the ticket was. It cost me 6 Euro just to take the bus from Bonn to the aiport.

The train ride was uspposed to be about 2 hours long. I had already arragned my arrival time with Phil which was supposed to be 19:48 (7:48pm). Well, then the train stalled in the middle of no where. Not sure why it stopped. There were announcments in Polish, but needless to say, I didn't understand a word of what was being said. I was in a cabin with 2 relatively young girls. After the second announcment and 20 minutes of not moving, I asked one of them if they spoke English. They said yes and I asked them what the announcemnt said and they told me that we would be delayed 40 minutes. Not much that I could do at that time but to continue reading my book and eventually we started moving again. However, I kind of lost track of time of how long we were stalled there. I got a little nervous. The train did not announce stops so you had to kind of just know when to get off. I figured I was getting close, but there was no way that I was going to understand or see quick enough to get off the trian. What were my options? Feel stupid and ask the young girls again? Or grab my suitcase and coat and just go stand by the train doors and look out at each stop to see if this is Czestochowa. I decided that I would rather feel stupid and I asked the girls. They too said that they were getting off at Czestochowa, so I followed their lead. They were very nice. I offered them Haribo GummieBears as a Thank you, but they declined. I did learn to say Thank you in Polish - Dziekuje (pronounced - jenkoo-yeh). I don't think any words in Polish are pronounced how we wouldn pronounce them according to the way they are spelled.

I arrived in Czestochowa at 20:37 (8:37pm). It was cold when I first got off the train, but not so cold that I couldn't stand it and I began to think that I didn't know what Phil was talking about when he said it was cold. I walked around looking for Phil. That was the one thing we didn't arrange, a meeting place. Oops. Of course, I don't have a mobile phone either. I looked for Phil for about 20 minutes thinking he was there and then left and was going to come back. So, after searching, I attempted to use the pay phone. But, the pay phone does not allow you to use your own phone cards or credit cards. So, I found a lady at the train station who didn't speak English who told me that I could buy a phone card for the phones at a Kiosk past the Taxis. So, I journeyed off and found the Kiosk with the phone cards. Then fun started, I had to try and use the card with the polish directions. Failing several times and realizing that it was MUCH, MUCH colder than I first though it was, I saw a younger guy and asked him if he spoke English. He said no. So, in English I proceeded to tell him that I couldn't get the phone call to work and that I was lost. He understood me somehow and went and showed me how to use the phone. Finally, I got a ringing phone and the voice on the end was very welcoming. After an hour of being cold, and then kind of warm and then very cold again, Phil arrived at the train station.

Turns out, there are two sides to the train station. I was only on one side and had no idea there was another. Phil waited on the other side, but I never showed up. Not sure what to do, he went back home. I apparently did not go exploring far enough past the parking lot.

That night I had my first taste of Polish Food - McDonalds. Having prided myself on not eating any American Fast Food since I had arrived in Europe, I had McDonalds. Turns out though, that the Phil and his volleyball team are kind of like celebraties in Czestochowa. Plus, McDonalds is a team sponsor and there is a giant wall Hanging of the team and each of the team members has an 8X10 photo of themselves in the McDonalds. It was kind of funny all of the looks Phil was getting when we were in there.

I was super excited for Sunday, Jan. 29. because Phil and his team had a big Volleyball Game. I think it was going to decide who would be in first place and who would be in second. The game was sold out and it was going to be on TV. (Yes, I was hoping to make my Polish TV debut at this game). However, due to the tragedy that happened in Poland when the roof collapsed, the Polish government had declared that day a National Day of Mourning and the game was postponed. We didn't find out about the game cancellation until right before we were supposed to leave for the game.

So, needing to fill up the later part of our afternoon, Phil and I went out for another Polish Delicacy, Pizza Hut. Supreme Pizza tastes good no matter what country you are in. We then went to Jasna Gora. A monestary, that has opened it's doors to millions of visitors each year who come to see the painting the "Black Madonna". We went into the church, which is absolutely gorgeous from the inside, however, there was a mass service in progress and there were hundreds of people walking around, others at confession in the middle of the madness. Both Phil and I felt a little like we were not respecting the church, so we left the inside and walked around the outside instead. I would have liked to have seen more of the monestary. Maybe next time.

Every year, Jasna Gora is greeted by pilgrims who have walked for 9 days from the Warsaw. The Black Madonna is seen as the Queen of Poland, and the painting is believed by some to be have been pianted by St. Luke the Evangelist on a wooden panel. However, others beleive it dates back to the 5th Century. The present painting (as the first one was damaged) dates back to the 15th Century.

The nexty day, Monday, Jan. 30, Phil and I headed down to a little town outside of Krakow called Wieliczka. This little town houses one of the oldest Salt Mines in the world and one the only Salt Mines in the world where excavation has continued since the middle ages. The mine is 700 years old. Yes, I was walking around in carved out tunnels by folks from the 14th century. It was amazing.

Phil and I arrived at the Mine at 15:01 (3:01pm). There was an English Tour at 3pm, but we figured there would be another one shortly after that. We went inside to buy tickets and they asked if we wanted an English Tour. We said yes and there was a tour guide ready to take us. It was great. There were about 10 others in our group.

The tour strated off with a walk down about 400 stairs to a depth of around 200-300 feet. Inside the Mine there are over 300 km of tunnels that have been dug out by miners over the centuries. Until 1996, the excavation of salt was done by miners in the mines. However, now water is used excavate the salt. Did you know that back in the day, salt was worth just as much as gold was? Miners were paid with Salt. Did you also know that the word "Salary" comes from the Latin Word "Sal" which means salt. It all ties together so nicely, doesn't it.

Unfortunately, many of my pictures did not turn out as nice as I would have liked them to as my camera does not take very good pictures in low light. However, you can visit the website for the mine at http://www.kopalnia.pl/home.php?action=&id_language=2


There are 9 levels in the mine, but the tour only went through 3 levels. In the many chambers and tunnels that we saw, there were many statues and chapels. It's amazing what orginary miners, amateur artists, can do in their spare time. A few of my favorites:


















There were many statues of gnomes all over the mine. Although a magical being, the gnomes are said to be the helpers of the miners.Here's a few more at work:


















In many of the chambers, there were chandeliers that were made entirely of salt crystals.





















My favorite chamber in the mine was St. Kinga's chapel. Besides being the most impressive of all of the chambers in the mine, it also has mass services that can be attended on Sundays. My photo is not very good, but there are much better pictures on the website.














Another reason that this chamber was so impressive was that it had carved artwork in the walls. Oh wait, did I mention that everything from the floors, to the walls to the ceiling in this place is made of salt (pure Sodium Chloride). The artwork represented scenes from the New Testament of the Bible.

The Last Supper - It's only 15cm deep, but in person it looks like the end of the room is far away.















It's hard to show the true beauty of the mine. It's just hard to beleive that the mine is over 700 years old and that less than 10 years ago had miners making their way down the shafts each morning to carry out their daily duties. What made the tour all worth it was that the walls were edible.
Just Kidding - I can't imagine how many people have touched that wall over the years.

One of my favorite pieces of information that I got from the tour was that when one Miner passes by another miner (or worker) they say God Bless You (pronounced Stouncht Boja - Not sure how to spell it). They say it instead of Goodbye or see you later.

The next day, Tuesday, Jan 31, I made my way back to Krakow on the monring train. My flight didnt' leave for another few hours, so I walked around Krakow hoping to find something other than McDonalds open to stay out of the cold, but I had no such luck. I got dizzy from a lack of food and knocked over another statue:















That's twice now. What is wrong with me?!?!?

I made it home safely after a 2 hour delayed flight. But that's okay. I had a great time. I look forward to going back sometime. The one other place that I wanted to visit was Aushwitz, the German Concentration Camp. I think it would have been a very moving visit.

Poland was a lovely country and the people were very nice. It's such an eye opener to see how other countries live, especially when we live in a country where we take most everything for granted. I think, and I could be wrong, that people in Poland live on what they have and aren't worried about if they have more or less than their neighbors. They're happy with what they have been blessed with and proud of their culture and their heritage.

Until Next Time,

-Betsy