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9:46 ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif)
uaephotos, a new community for pictures of the UAE. Fancy your own skills? Feel free to share your shots of the country with us.
22:04
9:23
18:05 Jewel of Lebanon
The Jeita Grotto is one of the most astonishing places in Lebanon. Created by nature, it is a huge mountain cave with calcium’s stalactites and stalagmites.
Once you reach to the entrance you can feel a breath that intercepts you because of rupture and unexpected panorama. It seems like you get inside a mysterious fantastic kingdom.
Jeita Grotto is first phase winner of the national qualifiers of New7Wonders of Nature campaign under the participation rules of N7WFoundation and will represent Lebanon to the world.
(photos from www.jeitagrotto.com)
Geologically these caves represent a tunnel or an emergency exit for the underground river which is a basic source of the river Nahr Al-Kalb (the River of the Dog). The caves and grottoes are known since Paleolith era; however their repeated opening has occurred in 1836 and attributed to the priest William Thomson. He was an American missioner who has dared to go down approximately 50 meters inside this cave. He had reached the underground river, and had shot from a gun. The reflected echo has convinced him that he found a cave of a very huge depth and importance.
Later the caves were investigated again by two engineers from Beirut Water Company and their friend priest Daniel Bliss, and the president of the Syrian Protestant College. During two expeditions in 1873 and 1874, they managed to reach to the depth of 1.060 meters into the basic grotto which is a source of the river Nahr Al-Kalb. The River of Dog supplies Beirut with water. Eventually, they were stopped by "Hell Currents» where the river turns into a falls stream through the sharp edge as a razor stones.
Giant’s stalactites are characterized with unique compositions. They represent images of fallen asleep figures of people, mysterious animals, trees, antique cult symbols and constructions. From one side you can “recognize” a wise man-philosopher in an environment of high temple columns; he has inclined his head, and reflecting about destinies of the Universe. From another side you can suddenly “notice” a beautiful forest-nymph who playfully hides behind trunks of trees, and attracts you by giving a smile. Somewhere on the far distance, among underground lakes and the rivers, the islet "sees" a throne of the unknown governor or secret keeper of this cave…
Steps withdraw above and above, to the new levels of the grotto... It is horrible to look downwards because underfoot is a real precipice! The warning inscriptions: "slippery" adds more excitement.
It seems to me that the most impressing is to take a trip by boat along gorge inside the lower gallery of the cave.
Once you are inside you can feel the silence, relaxing pacification, transparent lake’s water behind the boat board and surprising views of an underground kingdom with effective light illumination. Yes, this is a real miracle of nature. It is difficult to express sensations by words, but this beauty you need to see by yourself. Unfortunately, taking photos inside the caves is prohibited. But there are a lot of cards on sale in the nearby souvenir shops once you leave the grotto. I have bought a couple for memory of a place which could be truly described as one of the “wonders of the world”…
