Fully equipped with warm clothes, boots and poles, we ventured into our first cave system, the Skocjan Cave. Quite apprehensive at first, we were glad for the cement paths as big as sidewalks, wide stairs and sturdy pipe railings filled-in with strong wire mesh. Thin puddles stained the walkway, but the footing wasn’t slippery. Still visible from early explorations, the original treacherous paths had ropes for railings, if any, and narrow stairs. Near our exit, which used to be the entrance, the old steps were the size of a splayed hand. We walked high above the enormous “dripping stones”, as they call all the formations, made from literally endless drips of water and calcium carbonate. As I gained confidence, I looked over the railings down to the forest of stalagmites and up to the pointy stalactites.
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