Ancient Water, Venetian Water

On our way to Italy today, we visited Postojnska Jama (Postojna Cave), the world’s third largest cave behind Carlsbad and Mammoth in the states. Pictures were unfortunately not allowed inside, but it was as awesome as Blanchard Springs in Arkansas. 

Did you know that caves are, as this had been, safe places to be during an earthquake because they are hollow? Slovenia has 21,000 known caves with 300 new ones discovered each year. This is earthquake and natural hot springs country. Some of the stalactites and stalagmites we saw take 10-30 years to grow one millimeter, other formations like the limestone curtain shapes take 100 years to grow a millimeter. It was amazing to see rock that predates Christ. We headed into Italy, entering first through Trieste ending in Venice. Arriving the evening of June 18^th, we also spent the 19^th and 20^th of June in the city directly with a transition to Tessera for the night of the 20^th. 

Perhaps because it is June, Venice’s beauty is all the more tragic. People go to see it but there are so many people there taking it in, that it’s far beyond its human capacity in the touristy areas of the city. While car free, the boats and smell of diesel, noise and canal stench takes away from the experience. I’m not sure the future of this place unless somehow it is treated more like something precious and a larger entity intervenes. Our hotel, while optimally located suffered from mold and inability to properly handle the mid 80s humidity. I wish our stay had been much shorter. 

Venice didn’t disappoint me with its artsy and traditional food creations. I now have a third Venetian mask for my collection.

The Naval history museum which is partially translated and even has a Swedish section is time well spent. The museum has a very impressive collection of armaments from wars and model boats. The oldest pieces on hand are 17^th century vessels and a lovely room devoted to the evolution of the modern gondola.