Oddly enough, I am drinking coffee as I write this. Ah, anyway, the things that'll distract the cat … welcome!
This is just a little, community flavored, fluffy bit of an open thread. Although, this week it'll be a bit saltier than usual.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
For a wonderful and thorough history of the mine, please visit the mine's official website.
While on our week-long vacation last summer, we wandered one day across the border and into Poland. We spent the morning touring a hugely famous salt mine. This area near the city of Krakow had been known already in prehistoric times for its briny springs. When the springs began to dry up in the 11th century, people began to dig wells to chase the precious salt down to its source. One of these wells, while being dug, produced the first hunks of rock salt and mining began in earnest.
A fascinating aspect of the salt mine was that the huge beams shoring up the walls and ceiling here are the original wooden beams from the 17th century. Not a hint of rot. Salt really is the best preservative.
Thanks for stopping by!
This is an open thread.