Amazing Travel Series # 1 : The Amazing Sub-Terranean World of Wieliczka, Poland

With the presence of modern gadgets and updates on internet, traveling can be as cheap as buying junk foods at the nearest mini-store. Travel promos are everywhere.

I came up with the idea of sharing what I read, experienced and what's on my bucket list to all readers and hubbers alike as I start this initial installment on Amazing Travel series.

I've read about Wieliczka Salt Mine and I was captivated with the vivid photos that the writer shared in his article.

I included it in my future travel itinerary in order to see, admire and explore in person the labyrinth of salt structures that are drawing more and more tourists in Poland as the years go by.

Still an operational salt mine, Wieliczka Salt Mine is more of a tourist attraction than a job site as it was chosen by the UNESCO as one of the first world heritage sites.

Poland is synonymously popular with the beatified Pope John Paul II. Equally famous is the former saltmine in the southern part of the country, known as Wieliczka Salt Mine.

Seven centuries of continuous mining, ten million cubic yards dug out by hand, an underground universe with more than 2000 chambers and caverns, you need maps to get around, to walk and climb it all would take weeks.

The temperature drops from 28 degrees Celsius above ground to a constant 14, and the humidity rise to more than 90 percent.

Weiliczka is an operating salt mine, museum of mining technology, repository of amateur art and dazzling show of natural phenomena. And that's beccause of the most abundant salt deposit on Earth ever found. It's a very unique netherworld!

You could expect to see the magnificent Blessed Kinga Chapel inside the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Other is St. Antoniego Chapel with its life-size sculptures carved by Mieczslaw Kluzek.

Over the centuries, artistic miners have created sculptures out of salt. You can pass statues and monuments paying homage to kings and national heroes of Poland. Then like I've mentioned, the most remarkable chambers of all - three large chapels brilliantly bathed in the magical light of salt crystal chandeliers.

In 1978 the Wieliczka Salt Mine became one of the first 12 sites around the globe to be placed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Just recently, the New Seven Wonders of the world have been vote up by people around the world, that will also be included as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Because of the drastic changes happening in our world, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to take care of the cultural and physical aspects of member-nations of UN since 1945.

Aside from the so-called wonders of the world, there are sites that are considered endangered as nature intervened in the preservation of such sites.

We can easily suggest the local tourist spots in our place to be included as world heritage sites that will be funded by UNESCO if it draws approval from a lot of organizations, people groups or non-government organizations.

It takes time, years or even decade to settle a dispute or contest regarding the inclusion of a particular forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building or even city.

As of 2011, 936 sites are listed: 725 cultural, 183 natural, and 28 mixed properties, in 153 States Parties. Italy has the greater number (47 to be exact) of world cultural heritage sites than any other countries.

Once a local site is included in the World Heritage sites, UNESCO will open its concern to the international community who in turn will help take care of that preserved spot.