The Wieliczka salt mine

While in Poland we visited the Wieliczka salt mine. 

In total the mine tunnels span around 300 kilometers and, according to our guide, it would take five months to cover all of them.. and yes, you'd most definitely get lost. It was amazing to walk through tunnel after tunnel knowing that you're only seeing a tiny proportion of this giant structure (less than 2% to be more precise). 

There weren't many good opportunities for photography down there since we were walking, rather quickly, in a tour through very dark tunnels. However, as amazing as it sounds, there is an entire cathedral located in the mine and I took a few photos as we passed through it.

Just as anywhere else in the mine, almost everything in the cathedral is made from salt: the walls, floors, ceilings and sculptures. Even the crystals of the chandeliers are nothing but salt. 

Pretty impressive stuff.

An awesome place to visit and most definitely worth the seemingly countless steps down. 

Plus on the way up you get sort of an adventure ride; you're squeezed into a tiny industrial elevator with eight other people, speeding up around 130 meters in almost complete darkness.

An awesome day!

xx

E

Krakow street art

I love beautiful street art. It brings life and color to otherwise boring plain walls.

Krakow had some beautiful pieces and I'm pretty sure we would have seen a lot more of it I we had spent more time outside of the city center.

I am in love with this one. Whoever made this, you've got some awesome talent!

I saw this bunny at couple of spots around the city and I'm pretty sure there's more of them. After all, bunnies reproduce quite quickly, right?

This one has some impressive details.  People with this kind of talent absolutely amaze me.

It's a wonderful different side of Krakow

xx

E

Back from Poland

We visited Auschwitz while in Poland as it is located very close to Krakow. 

The trip was emotionally draining with some areas particularly hard to visit. Having been mentally and physically exhausted after only a one day excursion, I find it impossible to even imagine how some prisoners survived years at the camp. 

However, I am glad that I went there. As uncomfortable it is to visit, the site is a pressing reminder of  the importance of never repeating the mistakes of the past, and of the importance of upholding a society based on equality, love and respect.

Before arriving I was sure I would take quite a lot of pictures but once you're there and see the devastating surroundings and read testimonies of the horrible treatment of camp prisoners, intense photography just doesn't seem right. Here are the few pictures I took.

(clicking on the photos will increase the resolution)

A part of the "Arbeit macht frei" sign at the Auschwitz I entrance.

These suitcases were among the property of camp prisoners plundered by the Nazis.  Each suitcase was carefully marked by the owner, who never got to retrieve the luggage.

Fences at Auschwitz I

Brick barracks at Auschwitz-Birkenau

Flowers at the end of the railway inside Auschwitz-Birkenau. The "Gate of Death" can be seen in the background.

A rose laying on one of the bunks inside a wooden barrack at Auschitwz-Birkenau.

Now, apart from this depressing visit, our trip to Poland was great. Krakow is such a beautiful and lively city with so many interesting things to do and see. 

I promise there will be some more uplifting posts from the trip in the next days.

xx

E

Heading for a swim

These fellas crossed my way a few days back. 

Clearly being very busy getting down to the water, they had no time to pose.

xx

E

a sunny fika

It seems like the Swedish weather is doing its best to make up for last year's near complete lack of summer.

Which means it's time for freckles, sunglasses and fikas filled with chilled drinks.

For those of you unfamiliar with fika:

Technically it's a coffee break but somehow it's so much more than that. It's a Swedish social institution.

Swedes love their fika and so do I. You can't really go wrong with a good break with friends, especially during days like this.

My lovely Joanna

There's no turning back for me after having discovered iced chai latte.

Enjoying the weather

Keep on shining sun!

xx

E

Dancer

I ran into another group of the culture summer job project at Brunnsparken and this time around I saw a performance by a band. One of the band members was a dancer so every now and then she'd dance while the rest of the band played. 

It was one of those awesome little moments where the surroundings are so lively that the photography becomes pretty much effortless.

As you can tell I'm a bit fascinated with black and white photography at the moment.

Ahh! Summer!

xx

E

A Gothenburg summer

Gothenburg is offering culture related jobs for young people this summer. I ran into one of their groups at Järntorget during a little walk around the city and snapped a few pictures. 

I love how the city becomes alive during the summer. There are people everywhere, even when the sun is hiding.

Lovely!

I hope I get to see more of these groups this summer.

xx

E