Spelunking Today
Posted by Andy Hockley on 2 May, 2008
Well, yesterday, really. We spent our May 1st holiday underground in a cave not too far from here called Sugo Barlang (where barlang means cave) or Pestera Sugau in Romanian. Romania has loads of really interesting caves, I’m told, many of which are more dramatic than the one we went to yesterday, but this one was pretty interesting all the same. Some pictures (as ever, click on them to view full size)
This effect is apparently called “Leopard Skin”:
For some unaccountable reason back in the 70s some part of the Romanian army was billeted in this cave, so many of the stalactites and stalacmites got snapped off, which is a shame, but it does mean you get to see the cystalline stuff in the middle:
More broken bits, but still pretty cool.
A bat. A cat? No, a bat.
A pair of brave cavers
Csíkszereda Musings 
Gadjo Dilo said
You probably know this already, Andy: the world’s first speleological institute was founded in Romania (in 1920 in Cluj-Napoca, by Emil Racovita). Hurrah!
Andy H said
I didn’t actually, GD, thanks for the info. One day I must visit the famous ice-cave which is not far from you in a place called Scarisoara – ever been?
Gadjo Dilo said
I never have, no. The wife’s been, but I think it wasn’t her cup of tea. There’s also the Bear Cave (Peştera Urşilor, in Romanian) in Banat, which I’ve heard is very impressive.