To pass the time while we waited in Boqueron for Mom to return from Pittsburgh, we decided to rent a car and further explore inland Puerto Rico. Our exploring took us to the Rio Camuy Caves. These caves are huge caverns accessed by taking a tram ride down into an enormous sinkhole and following a path through a side entrance into the North Cavern. The underground river that created the caves has receded back under ground and only comes up to the surface four times, once where it starts, once in the cave, one in the sinkhole at the far end of the cave, and once in the town of Camuy where it leads to the sea. The river left behind these monstrous echoing caverns for us to wonder at. The caves are large enough to fit two jumbo jets!! Millions of stalactites drip down from the ceiling and millions of stalagmites grow from the floor. Did you know that it takes from 200 to 1,000 years for ONE cubic inch of stalactite or stalagmite to form? I sure didn't. I knew it took a long time but not that long!! The formations were amazing, they resembled ice cream cones and hills and spikes and daggers. There were even ones that had grown into columns. All these sights plus huge high ceilings and the sounds of the rushing river make these caves an experience to remember.
After touring the caves we grabbed lunch at Subway and then we headed to the Arecibo observation center, home to the largest radio telescope/satellite dish in the world. There we watched a film about the astronomy center and saw the dish. We also spent time exploring the interactive exhibits in the visitor center. An interesting display the center had set up was scale 3D map of the solar system. In the parking lot there is a gold ball on a post representing the sun and as we walked to the center we passed Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. We ran into Saturn at the observation deck by the satellite. The planet stations are to scale in distances we figured even though we missed a few of them. We all learned loads at the center.
We had an amazing day exploring inland Puerto Rico and all of us returned to the boat at least a little wiser.
-- Catherine
The Cave Entrance.
Only a matter of time before everyone is wearing one of these!
The other cave exit.
Arecibo radio telescope.
I'll get right to the point on this post because I am having trouble understanding this line:
ReplyDelete"We grabbed lunch at Subway."
You do know you're in Puerto Rico, right, and that there are amazing little places to eat and lots of new foods to be tried. And you go to Subway???? Trying all of the different foods should be part of your "experience"; deciding whether or not you want your jamon y queso sub toasted should not. So get out there and try all the new foods you can!!!!!
BTW, was there a James Bond film made at Arecibo? I seem to remember one which had a scene filmed there. I think it might have been the first one Pierce Brosnan starred in, but I can't remember the name. Oh well, just remember: TRY NEW FOODS!!!!