The Canyon Under the Earth
Posted on November 22, 2008
Filed Under Adventures | 3 Comments
Posted by Sierra
I’m sure you’ve all heard of Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, and I’ll probably write about those caves when we visit them in March-ish. But right now we’re in Europe, and I’m going to tell you about Skocjan Caves in Slovenia.
Now, we’ve visited another cave on this trip (in France, see The Truth About Cavemen and Art), but it was different. That cave had paintings. This one has stalagmites and stalactites.
Stalagmites stick up from the floor. Stalactites come down from the ceiling. There’s an easy way to remember them, as good old Bill Nye the Science Guy says. To quote, “Stalactites are held tight to the ceiling, while stalagmites might reach the ceiling.” I call them stalags and stalacs. When a stalag and a stalac meet, they form a column.
The Skocjan Caves are in Park Skocjanske jame, or Skocjan Caves Park. The caves contain the largest underground canyon in Europe. They were carved out by water, just like the Grand Canyon.
Only some parts of the Caves are open to the public. To reach these, you must take a tour. The tour goes the opposite direction of that of the first explorers. You start in an “artificial” tunnel that technically does not qualify as part of the caves. From there you continue to the Silent Cave, which has:
* Paradise, which has colored mounds of rock that look like a beautiful stream running downhill.
* The Collapsed Chamber, which has stalags and stalacs slightly shorter than ones elsewhere in the caves. This is because the chamber has collapsed several times, the most recent being around 30,000 years ago.
* The Great Chamber, which has many stalags and stalacs, including the Giant, which is at least quadruple my size, the Organ Pipe (which looks to me like one of those overflowing cups of beer Dad ends up with that causes him to need to wash his pants for the tenth time), and a stalag that looks like a bear hiding behind an obelisk.
Next is the Murmuring Cave, which Mom says should be called the Roaring Cave. It has the River Reka running through it. In this cave you can see the paths the first explorers used. We were lucky. We took the last tour of the day (1:00), so we saw the Murmuring Cave with most of the lights turned off (because tours were done for the day). It looked (in my opinion) cooler than with the lights on.
The Caves Tour ends outside, where you can see a lovely waterfall. You take a funicular back up to the reception area. I end with a quote from one of my favorite blog writers: myself. Here it is: ” Like in life, great things can be found in stalags and stalacs, you just have to look for them.” Go ahead, ponder that.
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I think your cave sounds better than Mammoth Cave, but it has been a very long time since I saw it! Its stalags and stalacs were pretty wonderful! When are you coming back to the U.S.? Where will you spend Thanksgiving? Do they eat turkeys there? Where will you be for Christmas? I personally think you should go back to Vienna! It always sounded like the perfect Christmas place!!!
I just finished making a pumpkin and cream pie!!
Love, Gretchen
Gretchen – look for answers in your email.
Dear Sierra,
You might want to include the Lauray Caverns in Virginia to your schedule when your return. From the sounds of your description these caves in VA may come closer to providing a USA connection that is also worth viewing. When in that area you could also include a hike in Big Meadows, and a wetlands in the mountains! all part of the Shenandoah National Park. Also if in Kentucky, go to Land Between the Lakes, where if you wait long enough you can see Buffalo and elk as the native Americans may have viewed them. It provides an excellent opportunity to view wildlife as well as many historical features. I miss my students but I am so glad to be retired; now I can play “hookie” from school and travel!
Thanks for all of your insight into places in Europe that man of us may not get a chance to visit and explore.
I hope that when we visit Ron & Sue in NM I get a chance to chat with you some more.