"QUANTUM SHOT" #491 Article by Rachel and Avi Abrams- link
Back to the Cave!
If you are stretched and squeezed by everyday life, then you might be in perfect shape to explore caves.
Enter a narrow natural passageway that may lead to simply mind-boggling underground world - to get away from the depressing sights like these... Caves may lurk right under your feet: a fascinating and unexpected environment, which is often known only to spelunkers and dedicated Gollum-seekers.
Caves are a fairyland of delight, from the burning hot enclaves to the glacial ice mazes. Thousands of years of dripping water, eroding stone and budding minerals create a silent world of mystery and beauty... Graceful arches, giant crystals... silent but for the sound of water dripping and bubbling through.
A "Wishing Well" at Luray Caverns in Virginia (photo by Declan McCullagh)
The most common type of caves form when slightly acidic rainwater trickles into the crevices of limestone and gradually widens the cracks as it dissolves the stone. Centuries of water, supersaturated with minerals, dripping from cave roofs cause stalagmites and stalactites to form (see here).
One thing to keep in mind during cave exploration: though these structures are made of minerals, they are generally extremely thin and fragile, many of them are quite rare, and can be damaged or destroyed by touch alone. Calcite (the mineral which forms many cave structures), for example, is soft enough to be scratched by a fingernail.
Some of the cave and rock formations: - Flowstone (also known as a Bacon formation) - Cave Pearls - Soda Straws - Helictites - Anthodites (or Aragonite) - Bottlebrush formation
Probably the most comprehensive cave-exploration site on the net is that of Dave Bunnell... You can spend hours there, wandering around pages, cataloging whimsical underground structures, oozing rock and dripping stone.
(Gruta do Mimoso, Brazil)
Largest Cave Systems
We mentioned the Jeita Grotto - the largest cave system in the Middle East- in our recent Lebanon article. The longest known stalactite in the world is found there at 8.2 meters long.
- The deepest known cave is Voronya Cave in Abkhazia, Georgia and has been explored to a depth of 2191 meters.
- The longest continuous cave system yet explored is Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, covering 591 kilometers.
Let's have a short world tour of the most interesting caves, why don't we? We'll start with North America -
Already mentioned Luray Caverns in Virginia are full of celebrated speleothems formations, calcite crystals of abnormal shapes - all formed when the chambers were completely filled with water, highly charged with acid. The acid began to eat away the softer material, resulting in ornate pinnacles and arches...
Mato Grosso do Sul region in Brazil (and especially the quiet town of Bonito) boasts many marvelous underground lakes: Gruta do Lago Azul, Gruta do Mimoso, Aquário Natural. Intricate limestone formations and grottos hide the intensely-colored pools and waterfalls (many adventure tours there feature diving, some pools are more than 100 meters deep):
Cueva del Fantasma is big enough for two helicopters to fly into it, but it's not technically a cave - rather, a collapsed gorge. It does, however, sport a huge waterfall right inside of it:
Katale Khor is a cave dating back to the Jurassic period. It's one of the "snow caves" in the Southwest Zanjan province and connects to other caves - a huge underground infra-structure which can hide who knows what (definitely anti-American... wink wink). See more pictures here
Can't get enough images of Iran's natural beauty? See our previousarticles... a country full of great sights and dubious politics.
Vietnam: Hang Thien Cung cave
There are plenty of caves in Vietnam, and just like in China, many are illuminated with garish colors. (see here). But sometimes even artificial light takes back stage to the incredible rock textures:
In 2000, one of the most unusual and splendid caves was found in Mexico by miners. Located only a mile from an upthrust of magma, this cave is 112 degrees Farenheit and at 90-100% humidity, limiting greatly the amount of time explorers can spend in it. It is a spectacular cave, with gigantic crystal formations thought to be 600,000 years old.
(photos by Javier Trueba / Madrid Scientific Films, image via)
The crystals formed underwater; as water saturated with calcium sulfate heated in the cavern selenite molecules crystallized and grew, undisturbed, to giant proportions. The cave was drained (by unknowing miners) in the 1980's and stopped the process of growth. Who knows what we may find further on, in the heat and water?
A description of one photographer's attempt to document this cave is here.
"It is unquestionably magical that the cool white rays of moonlight can originate deep underground in a black chamber that is, at least in my perception, white hot." (Richard Fisher, photographer, comments on the huge selenite crystals.)
A Giant Geode
Geodes are normally formed by volcanic or sedimentary geologic activity - a cavity in the rock is formed, inside which crystals begin to grow, such as amethyst, quartz or a number of others. Most geodes are small enough to fit in your hand, but this one is large enough to climb inside. The crystals found here are gypsum. - More info.
(see if you can spot Arnold Schwarzeneggerr hiding behind a column somewhere, trying to refresh his memory)
The mystery of caves runs wild through the imagination of writers and artists. A typical adventure story might lure the hero inside some hidden world, with glimmer and sparkle, only to leave him trapped and confused. It's been said that exploring the human heart is akin to venturing into a cave: dark, mysterious realm - fraught with danger and fear - yet full of wonder and beauty.
All images are by permission of photographers. This is on-going exploration series, please send us tips and pictures of other fantastic caves around the globe.
The Stockholm Metro station, Solna Centrum, is not built inside a natural cave. The station were blasted into the primary rocks, then liquid concrete were flushed to the walls. This technique were new and quite popular during the 70's.
There is actually quite a number of subway stations like that in Stockholm city. I havent really encountered the similar use of the natural rock covered in concrete in the subway design anywhere else than here at home actually. Though none of them are natural caves, but tunneled/blasted. Most of them feature some sort of painting on the "cave" walls. Though there is "Kungsträdgården"(featured here before i think) that is totally crazy in its decoration, really cool. Its a pity its on a line i rarely ride :(. If i was intereseted in photography and did own a decent camera maybe i would have tried submitting some pics of the different stations.
I am quite sure the cool approach in our subway layout is not intentional though but just something considered to be a practical way of doing it at the time.
Mato Grosso do Sul is a province, not a town. By the way, very nice places! I live in Brazil and I intent to visit some of the brazilian caves this year.
Fantastic caves, fantastic pictures. I want recomended you a spanish cave named "El Soplao" and over all his excentrics stalagmites. http://www.elsoplao.es/itinerario.htm Thank you for the blog.
If you notice on the Cueva del Fantasma pic, you'll see two tiny things in the bottom, near the lake. Those are the actual helicopters. I live in Venezuela and have been there. It is really breathtaking.
Nice collection. I believe that one pic is badly identified, tho. This one seems to be of Poco Encantado in Chapada Diamantina, Brazil (northeast): http://lh6.ggpht.com/abramsv/SQde_tocAkI/AAAAAAAAi00/3H-tDGkaWuU/s1600-h/10053456456ethgf.jpg
The beer tram is really good. I often travel with it to the school. There is another one beer tram in Pilsen. For more on both see this site: http://www.plzensketramvaje.cz/?page=kt8d5-rn2p.htm . The only thing I can add is that you get really thirsty during traveling by this tram :-))
There is a display which displays the numbers. "Domácí" means the home team and "Hosté" means the visiting team. It is like football score, because Gambrinus sponsors the footbal league.
About the Solar Furnace, the first one in the Modern Age was set operating in Lisbon, Portugal, in that distant year of 1904. The inventor was a jesuit priest, Father Manuel Gomes Himalaya and the demonstration was in the presence of the King of Portugal. The invention, called «Pyrheliophero» (literally «solar fire furnace») was later presented in the United States, at the Universal Exibition of St. Louis in 1904. There, it received the Grand Prix.
The enourmous machine was capable of fusing steel and stone at a staggering 3500ºC.
After the Exibition, it was destroyed in a misterious warehouse fire, still in St. Louis.
Returning to Portugal, Father Himalaya received support from the King, but short afterwards - in 1908 - the King and his Heir were assassinated and everithing went down the drain with the following (1910) republican revolution.
While it’s a fun idea and some of the artwork is very good, it really does show the difference between (the bulk of) artists and scientists. Take, for example, the text that goes with caesium.
[caesium]…can be produced solely by nuclear reactions.
Not true, it’s a naturally occuring element, though there’s noticeable amounts of radioactive caesium in the environment that /has/ come from man made nuclear sources.
[caesium]…is strong enough to etch glass, flesh and bone.
No, its hydroxide is.
…it is one of the most biologically hazardous components of radioactive waste and nuclear fallout,
No, it’s not as readily absorbed as many other radiopollutants.
Really, I despair of the standard of scientific education that leads to someone being unable to glean even basic information about something without reading some sentences out of context and getting the wrong end of the stick.
Quite right, Skipweasle. But I mentioned the priest's furnace because it was the first to produce temperatures in excess of 3000ºC, which are similar, although far superior to those produced by the modern contraption depicted in the movie.
Lavoisier's furnace was unable to produce temperatures higher than 1800ºC - which is remarkable in 1770 - and was a relatively small furnace, compared to the gigantic Pyrheliophoro, capable of melting a huge block of basalt.
It is an actual photo. Most cameras with a slit shutter or a two curtain shutter as in SLR cameras will show this effect.
The exposure of the photo begins at the top and the shutter moves down in the shape of a small horizontal slit whose width is dependent on the exposure time. The propeller turns during this time. Therefore the propeller will look bent, because the blades will move and change position during the exposure of each fractional part of the whole image.
Vá lá!...Dêem um desconto a quem não tem o inglês como sendo a sua língua nativa. Ou acham preferível todos nós começarmos a escrever posts em 'estrangeiro'?
"Someone should tell those japs that they have no sense of taste!"
They have taste idiot, it just doesn't match yours. Just because someone likes different things than you do doesn't mean you are right and they are wrong.
Using the term "jap" indicates that you have no class. Me thinks your opinion of yourself is a little too high.
the Japanese trucks are just plain stupid. why in the HELL would any person want to drive a truck that has THAT much chrome all over it, when all it would do is TOTALLY distract the driver from driving? the other ones are really nice and classy, however.
funny how the first "anonymous" that wanted to trash galipollas for using the term "jap" automatically labelled him an American, Because to him, obviously all Americans are bad in one way or another...too bad the guy writing the original comment was from Spain. Ever hear of a little thing called "the pot calling the kettle black"?
What was Sebastian Bourdais doing in a Subaru Rally car in Australia when he's driving for Torro Rosso about a week before the race in Brazil? Are you sure you have the driver's name right?
I once walked by a remote abandoned house, and in the bushes, in the rain, was a collection of naked dolls like those first pictures up here, missing eyes, limbs, heads... Creepiest thing I ever saw.
There is a small island in mexico City where the ownwer tried to protect himself from evil ghosts with creepy dolls. Have a look: http://nimraithkar.blogspot.com/2005/06/un-lugar-de-misterio-dentro-de-un.html
Hey! You've got one of my dolls pictured here (the toothy baby). I make lots of scary dolls and display them at halloween. You can see some here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lagrotesquerie/sets/72157606203236996/
Hey, I read with interest the discussion of our beloved art of reborning (the creation of reborn babies, reborn dolls, fake babies or whatever you want to call them!) and just want to point out that the ladies taking part are very normal, gifted and talented individuals. A forum for discussion of this subject without prejudice can be found at Reborn Babies UK, there you will find very nice ladies - friendly, and definitely not wierd. PS. None of us make Hitler dolls!
Thank you for those photos of Dubai's airport. They are the only view I will get, because I refuse to set foot in that place - for my own safety. Visitors to Dubai airport have been arrested and sentenced to 4 years in jail for having *tiny* amounts of marijuana - in one case it was an invisible speck on the bottom of a shoe, which he likely got by walking on someone else's discarded joint. Another man was jailed for having 3 poppy seeds left over from a bread roll.
Neuschwanstein was reconstructed on a ruined castle in the 19th century. I suppose the original one looked much less dramatic. Burg Eltz, however, is the real thing. Constructed in the middle ages, never fell, despite being under siege serveral times, and still owned by the family who build it. There's even a "siege castle" on the opposite side of the valley! The siege castle is in ruins while the castle besieged is still standing...
Hi there, fab article!! Ever heard of "la scarzuola" the surreal and utopistic town created by architect Tomaso Buzzi. It's location is in Italy, in Umbria region.
More info about the history of this fascinating place almost unknown even to 90% of italians... http://www.bellaumbria.net/Montegabbione/citta_buzziana_eng.htm
And here are some shots from flickr http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=scarzuola&w=all&s=int
NurseExec - we've seen some of the castles in Germany, including Neuschwanstein. Switzerland castles, for example, around the Thun Lake, impressed us the most.
These are awesome! Amazing what people used to be able to do with simple tools. Take a look at the Chateau de Chenonceau at www.chenonceau.com. It literaly straddles the Loire river in France. Also has an interesting history. It was owned also entirely by women throughout it's existence. Cheers.
The castle and white church tower emerging from the mist in the photo just below that of Moszna castle in Poland is not from a castle in Eastern Europe, but from 14th Century the castle and walled city of Bragança, a town in northern Portugal, in Western Europe.
And the Pena Palace in Sintra, near Lisbon, Portugal, as mentioned by the previous Anonymous, is indeed quite crazy and beautiful. No wonder: one of the architects was the german Baron of Eschweige, who was also one of the designers of Neuchwanstein Castle...
Pena Palace was rebuilt in the 19th Century over the ancient ruins of an old monastery by the german-born Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, the prince consort of Portugal.
It's well worth a visit, but do noto forget to visit «the real thing» in Portugal: the medieval towns of Óbidos (similar to Carcasonne, in France), Marvão, the small 12th Century village and castle of Sortelha, the Roman and Moorish town of Mértola, or the big Templar Castle of Tomar. Inside it, fully restored, is the center of Templar Europe in the 14th Century: the enourmous round fortified church, with quite strange inscriptions and icons, where it is said the Holy Grail was once kept.
The "Unknown" bottom left castle (the one up the small street with the blue and red flag) is Le Chateau de Nyon in Nyon, Switzerland (right near Geneva).
I've been up that street, and from the castle's terrace you can see a beautiful panorama of the alps, Lake Geneva, and the city itself.
Voltaire used to live right beside it, incidentally.
Traquair House, in Scotland, is quite picturesque. I also find it interesting because it is still in the family, and the family still lives there. I don't know if it qualifies as a proper castle or not, but it looks like one, particularly from the rear. Traquair also offers gorgeous, if pricey, bed and breakfast accomodations. www.traquair.co.uk Stirling is another lovely castle in Scotland, with a spectacular view of the town below.
I adore the Coral Castle (and apparently so did Billy Idol--"Sweet Sixteen" is about it). I would like to point out, though, that he quarried much of the coral from right behind where he built the wonderful place. I visited on a road trip to the Keys a few years back, and you can see the big hole behind the castle.
It may not be as gilded or gorgeous as the other castles mentioned, but it was a lovely place to visit, and I highly recommend it if you're nearby!
How about a mention of Alcazar de Segovia, in Spain? http://www.blogdeturismo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/alcazar_segovia.jpg It's believed to be the inspiration for Walt Disney's Cinderella Castle!
I used to live in Prague, so we traveled to countless castles across Europe (the best years of my childhood!). Neuschwanstein is simply amazing! My parents live near there and go visit regularly, i guess because they get bored??? Schloss Linderhof is another amazing castle, built by the same king i believe. I'm looking forward to my next visit to Europe so i can go back and revisit my childhood. Everyone should go see the castles of Europe if given the chance.
Take a look at the Chateau de Chenonceau at www.chenonceau.com. It literaly straddles the Loire river in France.
Chenonceau actually straddles the Cher, a major tributary of the Loire. The fact that it spans the river may have spared it -- French revolutionaries resisted sacking it partly because it was a river crossing and thus valuable to them. It's a gorgeous castle with a fascinating (and slightly soap opera) history, and definitely should be included. The grand ballroom over the river is something to be seen. And so is the room of Louise of Lorraine, who turned the castle into a convent as she mourned her husband, King Henri III. The room is decorated in symbols of mourning and of her faith.
If the Coral Castle is included, a rather more modern (and considerably more bizarre) "castle" could go on the list: the House on the Rock. This strange residence started out as an artistic retreat for the architect, who began construction by hand, hauling materials up a natural stone pillar in Wisconsin. Eventually it mutated into a very surreal tourist attraction. I suppose in a way it was his own Neuschwanstein.
Fantastic Post! Thank you DRB-Team for the great time I always have on your site, it just so amazing what you are collecting and presenting us 365/year!
Great post. Spain has many beautiful spots and there are endless palaces and castles and monasteries in picturesque locations. Try the Alcazar in Segovia or the Alhambra in Granada or the sights in Cuenca.
I was surprised not to see Heidelberg, which is gorgeous.
Another fascinating one is Slain's Castle, in the northeast of Scotland. Bram Stoker stayed there and it is apparently the inspiration for Dracula's Castle. It's not so pretty to look at, but the precipitous and isolated location make it a dramatic and eery example.
I visited about 20 castles during some eight years in Europe.... none in this article, and usually small unrenovated ones, free to visit on a serviceman's pay. But Heidelberg is one that would deserve to be in the next article. And I visited that one several times.... 'Walled cities' might be a good topic for another series.
Dracula's Bran castle????the bran never been dracula's castle actualy is in Brasov-Transylvania,and Tepes was the ruler of Wallachia,he only born in Sighisoara in Transylvania and returned only when asked the hungarian king's support(btw.Transylvania was hungarian kingdom those times,Tepes was romanian ruler and the Bran castle was a post at the border where the merchants paid when they passed the borders),i live in Transylvania,to 44 km where Dracula born
Great pictures and some good ideas for travels too - there's something magical about wandering around the towers and tunnels of an old fortress. I would add Crac de Chevaliers in Syria; an old crusader castle, and without doubt the best preserved one that I have ever seen. In parts it's in such good condition it's almost as if the crusaders were still living there! Thanks for sharing.
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22 Comments:
Love this post,fantastic images!
Caves: intense wonder and beauty in a package!
Thank you Avi, fantastic images, I would love to visit all of those caves!
The Stockholm Metro station, Solna Centrum, is not built inside a natural cave. The station were blasted into the primary rocks, then liquid concrete were flushed to the walls. This technique were new and quite popular during the 70's.
There is actually quite a number of subway stations like that in Stockholm city. I havent really encountered the similar use of the natural rock covered in concrete in the subway design anywhere else than here at home actually. Though none of them are natural caves, but tunneled/blasted. Most of them feature some sort of painting on the "cave" walls. Though there is "Kungsträdgården"(featured here before i think) that is totally crazy in its decoration, really cool. Its a pity its on a line i rarely ride :(. If i was intereseted in photography and did own a decent camera maybe i would have tried submitting some pics of the different stations.
I am quite sure the cool approach in our subway layout is not intentional though but just something considered to be a practical way of doing it at the time.
Hmm...the author must be rather easily impressed...
These aren't even mediocre photos of these cave structures....
Mato Grosso do Sul is a province, not a town. By the way, very nice places! I live in Brazil and I intent to visit some of the brazilian caves this year.
FYI, the computer case is from
http://mashie.org/casemods/asteroid1.html
Super Awesome post. I've always loved caves. But in a way they always creeped me out too. I would like to see more posts on caves please:)
Neat info all, post updated. Thank you!
Wow. I have a real urge to go into a cave right now! That one that went really deep is crazy. I would love to scale down that one.
Fantastic caves, fantastic pictures. I want recomended you a spanish cave named "El Soplao" and over all his excentrics stalagmites.
http://www.elsoplao.es/itinerario.htm
Thank you for the blog.
If you notice on the Cueva del Fantasma pic, you'll see two tiny things in the bottom, near the lake. Those are the actual helicopters. I live in Venezuela and have been there. It is really breathtaking.
You made me had a "Total Recall" on that last pic.
There is no words to express. simpppppply suuuuuperb
You should find pictures of The Choranche cave in France (Vercors Dept : 38) you'll can see very rare and the thinest stalagmites in Europe !!
Don't miss this cave if you are ever in southern Arizona!!! http://www.explorethecaverns.com/cave.html
other great cave pictures here:
http://www.picturestoryblog.com/2008/12/high-water-sub-solomon-cave-tennessee.html
and look for Earth from Below
wow very cool
Extremely inspiring and amazing work. You are amazingly creative!! Thanks for sharing.
Great photos. Where did you get this idea? good work.
Nice collection. I believe that one pic is badly identified, tho. This one seems to be of Poco Encantado in Chapada Diamantina, Brazil (northeast): http://lh6.ggpht.com/abramsv/SQde_tocAkI/AAAAAAAAi00/3H-tDGkaWuU/s1600-h/10053456456ethgf.jpg
these are sickkk
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