Due to a national Dominican holiday, there was no school today and we had a day off. Hence, this morning, Katelyn and I went to Las Cuevas de Cabarate. Having previously gone spelunking (with a guide, of course) in Honduras, I was extremely excited to visit caves once again. In Honduras, we went deep underground, until the air thinned dramatically and breathing became difficult. Those caves full of beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations. After visiting the caves, we went to Puhlapanzak, an enormous natural waterfall with several swimming holes.
Today, the caves were quite different, We visited three different caves, dispersed around an area which is also home to 25 Dominican families. The area used to be public land, and a man named Jungle John guided many tourists through the caves and surrounding area. Jungle John, who was half-Canadian and half-German, even built a bar, bathroom, kitchen/oven, and dance floor out of stone and cement in order to enhance tourists' experiences. He guided many scuba divers through the watery channels beneath the caves, all connected and each full of wonder. When Jungle John died in Canada, he asked that his ashes be brought back to the Caves, where they have remained ever since.
Some time after Jungle John's death, the Dominican government signed a contract with the area to take control of the area in order to create a naturally protected area. Today, the caves are only accessible through the government-paid tour guides.
The first cave we visited was once a theater stage for local Domincans, complete with a stone throne. This cave extended 25 meters (not very far; to give you some perspective, the air felt no thinner there. At the bottom of the cave was a clear pool, 8 feet deep, known as the Cave of the Romantics. Legend has it that if you swim in this pool, you will emerge five years younger. Luckily, I remained a solid 24.
The second cave had beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations, including the very popular Adam and Eve formations.
The final cave had a very large swimming area, full of carp. I jumped into the swimming area from a ledge twenty feet above the water! This took a lot of courage, and many false starts, but I was so proud of myself for doing it!
One of my daily goals is to conquer my fears in some manner. Today, I swam in the dark (the guide turned off the flashlights for a moment, and then I also swam into the far recesses of the cave where the light did not reach) and plunged into water from what was, to me, a high height from which to jump. I would call this a successful day!
Today, the caves were quite different, We visited three different caves, dispersed around an area which is also home to 25 Dominican families. The area used to be public land, and a man named Jungle John guided many tourists through the caves and surrounding area. Jungle John, who was half-Canadian and half-German, even built a bar, bathroom, kitchen/oven, and dance floor out of stone and cement in order to enhance tourists' experiences. He guided many scuba divers through the watery channels beneath the caves, all connected and each full of wonder. When Jungle John died in Canada, he asked that his ashes be brought back to the Caves, where they have remained ever since.
Some time after Jungle John's death, the Dominican government signed a contract with the area to take control of the area in order to create a naturally protected area. Today, the caves are only accessible through the government-paid tour guides.
The first cave we visited was once a theater stage for local Domincans, complete with a stone throne. This cave extended 25 meters (not very far; to give you some perspective, the air felt no thinner there. At the bottom of the cave was a clear pool, 8 feet deep, known as the Cave of the Romantics. Legend has it that if you swim in this pool, you will emerge five years younger. Luckily, I remained a solid 24.
The second cave had beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations, including the very popular Adam and Eve formations.
The final cave had a very large swimming area, full of carp. I jumped into the swimming area from a ledge twenty feet above the water! This took a lot of courage, and many false starts, but I was so proud of myself for doing it!
One of my daily goals is to conquer my fears in some manner. Today, I swam in the dark (the guide turned off the flashlights for a moment, and then I also swam into the far recesses of the cave where the light did not reach) and plunged into water from what was, to me, a high height from which to jump. I would call this a successful day!