You’re
walking down a smooth, stone path in the heart of a deep cave. It’s sloped in
many areas, so you have to watch your footing. You might have walked down the
flatter middle of the path, were it not for the big, shimmering pool sitting
there. Reaching breathtakingly high on either side of you are sheer, cliff
walls. They tower impossibly high over your head until they disappear into
intense darkness.
But,
ahead of you is anything but darkness. Lush, green leaves hide the rock walls
from sight, and dusty sunlight breaks into the room in a sharp beam. You round
the corner into the next cavern and stop. Before you stretches a mighty jungle.
Thick, unspoiled vegetation is filled with birds and other life.
You’re
standing in the heart of a living jungle, and yet you’re still deep in the
earth in a dark cave. How is this at all possible?
Welcome
to Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. This cave is truly one of Mother Nature’s most
amazing places. It’s the single biggest cave ever found. And, yes, it truly
does have a full and beautiful jungle right in its heart.
Somewhere
along the line, some parts of the cave ceiling cave in, allowing in just enough
sunshine and moisture to keep the jungle flourishing. We can only assume the
earliest seeds must have been dropped by birds or blown in on a breeze. Either
way, being separated from the rest of the world by some degree, this jungle has
become its own little ecosystem. Scientists have begun discovering or seriously
suspecting unique species of plants, insects, hare and, possibly, even a new
monkey! (It should be duly noted that not all of these have been conclusively
confirmed.) These are creature that would live exclusively in the cave jungle
and nowhere else! That’s pretty impressive.
But
then again, everything about Son Doong is pretty impressive. Remember that stone
path you were wandering down to reach the jungle? Did I mention that path is
about the width of the average highway? And that’s just the beginning.
They
say there are caverns big enough to house a Boeing 747, or an entire New York
City block, sky scrapers included! There’s even one cavern, they say, that so –
er – cavernous that it has its own climate. In spite of being entirely “indoors”,
it sometimes has its own clouds! Is there anything about this cave that isn’t breathtaking?
If it wasn’t so far away, and a wee bit difficult to reach, I’d love to go
exploring.
When I
say it’s a wee bit difficult to reach, I only mean that to get there, you first
have to hike through deep, Vietnamese jungle (lovely though it may be), and
then descend into the deep cave opening on the end of a climbing rope. Should
be too hard to get to -- for your average Olympic Athlete.
But
there is some concern for Son Doong, these days. It was found for the first
time by accident many years ago by a farmer who was out for a stroll on his
land when suddenly the earth disappeared from under him and revealed this cave.
However, many years passed before anyone would explore it, because the locals
were a little bit nervous of the roaring sounds that came from deep within it.
I can see how that would be a little nerve-wracking. (The roar turned out to be
a subterranean river.) However, in the last few years, expeditions have been
arranged and the exploration has begun. Can you imagine being the first to
stumble upon that jungle?
Now
that the cave is more well-known and a source of un-ending fascination and
curiosity, a company has seized an opportunity to make a bit of money. They’re
organizing tours! People can now actually pay to go down to the cave just for a
tour!
Naturally
folks are going to want to see this wonder. I wouldn’t mind. But mankind seems
to have a long, exhausting history of leaving trash and damage wherever he
goes. As soon as you hear that people will be marching in there by the busload,
you get just a little nervous. There's even been talk of installing a cable car to enable hundreds of people to tour the cave each day. Fortunately, that plan has been stopped by protesters.
How long will this one of a kind, amazing place
remain pristine and beautiful? Are they
taking measures to ensure visitors don’t leave with anything they didn’t bring?
Who
will protect this treasure that Mother Nature worked so long to design?
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