After the wonderful time we had at DC/VA we bid my uncle, aunt and their kids goodbye and left for Luray Caverns about 90 minutes drive from Woodbridge. Luray Caverns is a spectacular sight and its worth all the drive we need to take on the 20 mile one lane road.
Date(s): December 27, 2004. Album by Karthik Nagaraj. Photos by Priya Karthik & Tripod. 1 - 47 of 47 Total. 555 Visits.
enlarge 142KB, 800x600 1 Entering Luray Caverns. It is one amongst few caverns that are recognized by the US NPS on the east coast. The State funds its maintenance. There is not much descriptions I can give for the calcium deposits you see over here, but at some places there are indeed some artistic imaginations for some of the natural shapes of the columns. I will comment only for those pictures.
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enlarge 154KB, 800x600 12 This is yuck ! They call this as the fish market - eeow!
enlarge 177KB, 800x600 13 This is called as the Relecting pool - look at it and you will understand why. "I've been to these ca..." View Comments...
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enlarge 152KB, 800x600 23 This guy is just in the beginning phase. Amazing how nature creates itself into these shapes and forms.
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enlarge 147KB, 800x600 25 This one has more of the calcium and hence the color difference. The others are a mix of iron and other naturally occuring minerals.
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enlarge 160KB, 800x600 27 This is referred to as a Shaggy dog, try and imagine it, you will get it!
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enlarge 190KB, 800x600 31 Ain't these like robes of silk?
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enlarge 115KB, 800x600 37 This loner looks like a Christmas tree.
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enlarge 171KB, 800x600 39 Musical columns - One person decided to go crazy and got permission from the department to prong test the hollow columns for individual notes of music. He was able to do it and he identified 32 different notes of music. The park then intsalled an electronic punger and tuning prongs to get the notes out by turn of a switch. They played a sample song for us and yes it was live! Ain't nature wonderful in her offerings to us?
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enlarge 154KB, 800x600 42 The stalacite and stalagmite are about ot meet to form a column. Prasanna uncle thought me an easy way to remember which is which. The one with a 'c' is from the ceiling and the one with the 'g' is from the ground. Now you go, you cannot make a mistake.
enlarge 186KB, 800x600 43 The Wishing well - look at the number of coins in that people put wishing for something. The park donates the money to charitable organizations after a particular period of time. They have a pretty good collection. The level of the coins you are seeing is probably about 5 ft deep down.
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enlarge 153KB, 800x600 45 Sunny side up - this is not a natural wonder but workers broke off 2 pillars and they polished it to give this sunny side up look. This is only thing we are allowed to touch in the whole tour.
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enlarge 131KB, 800x600 47 Goodbye Luray, it was fun and I'm glad Priya got to see it as it was her first visit to a cavern.
