At the parking area, before we started our walk to the cable car that was to take us part of the way to the Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave, there was a souvenir stall with magnificent postcards of the inside of the caves. They had a selection of brilliant different hues lighting the ice. ‘Wow’, I said to myself and although I knew I wasn’t allowed to take photos inside I had my camera at the ready. Inside the enormous cave, it was completely different, everything looked pitch black and bleak with a sprinkle of natural ice colour every now and then. I then said to myself: ‘All this effort just to see this huge cave without even any lighting (except for the dim candle lights we were carrying) and where you couldn’t even distinguish which was the ice and which was rock! I have to take some shots to spite the no photography warning’. Here are four of them – all taken without flash, it was even difficult to look through the viewfinder. They may look beautiful but that is because I gave them some interesting hues at the processing stage (after all, that’s what they did with the postcards). At one time, when the guide kindled some light while he explained something in broken English which most of us did not understand, he saw the orange beam from the focus lamp on my camera and immediately called out, not to me personally, but to the whole group, not to take pictures. But I still did; I was angry for having to take such a strenuous walk to find an empty cave.
All in all, at the end I felt disappointed at the struggle we had to go through to see an empty dark cave. However, I still feel thrilled when I see the pictures and remember the amazing challenge to arrive there.
Some info on the cave:
The Eisriesenwelt (German for "World of the Ice Giants") is the largest ice cave in the world, extending more than 42 km but only the first kilometer, the area that tourists are allowed to visit, is covered in ice.
The first official discovery of Eisriesenwelt was by Anton Posselt, in 1879. He published his findings in a mountaineering magazine, but the report was quickly forgotten.
Alexander von Mörk (de), a speleologist from Salzburg, was one of the few people who remembered Posselt's discovery. He led several expeditions into the caves beginning in 1912, which were soon followed by other explorers. Von Mörk was killed in World War I in 1914 when he was still in his early twenties - an urn containing his ashes is inside a niche in the cave – we saw it and I sneaked pictures of this, too.
Many thanks for your views, comments, and FAV’s. They are very much appreciated.
I am glad that you did and I like the second one most. I was expecting something thrilling inside the cave, I think making the effort is the thrill in itself.
I'm so glad you defied the instructions and took some photos! Interesting account of your visit. There are times when I think a no photos rule is reasonable, but not after all you went through to get to a disappointing cave!
interesting shots and narrative. have been places i was not allowed to take photos if a flash was involved, like performances. but this seemed a bit strange?
A great collage of all you beautiful captures.
In a wide space flashlight is not useable. The flash is to small to lighten the whole. I see this often in sportsarena`s ,it`s useless.
Ian
In a wide space flashlight is not useable. The flash is to small to lighten the whole. I see this often in sportsarena`s ,it`s useless.
nice montage