Under the mountain - many boring pictures

[The_Traveler]

We went for a drive out East and South of the small city called Hpa An in the generally non-tourist section of Myanmar. Turning off of the barely paved road onto a heavily rutted dirt road, we bumped about 2 or 3 km and eventually came to an area of flooded rice paddies and, on the other side a steep karst hill. Karst is porous, soluble limestone and is prone to sinkholes, cracks and water-formed caves.

After crossing a small bridge, we pulled up in a large, but shady dirt parking lot which was bordered by a paddy, a small food hut and a quite large white plaster elephant.

1)

2)

We walked up the stairs next to the elephant and founf ourselves in the entry of a huge cave that extended back into the mountain.

Note that no shoes are allowed.
3)

The walls of the cave were lined with statues of the Buddha - all besutifully done.
4)

As we went back further into the cave, there were large linked rooms and, wherever there was space there was a statue or an altar.

The people in pink robes are Buddhist nuns
5)

6)

7)

Every shot in this cave required significant editing to balance the harsh highlights against the murky shadows.

 

[The_Traveler]

Whereever there was a bit of light, either natural through a hole in the ceiling or from a bulb, there was an altar - and usually someone praying.
8)

9)

10)

Eventually the light from any natural openings was gone and the dim bulbs high in the ceiling cast almost no light so we were reduced to clambering over very large and hard boulders - usually finding our way by contact.
No shoes were allowed and initially we were grateful for the damp, gritty surface of the floor until we realized that it was damp because the ceiling was covered with bats and the mist was the bats defacating.
11)

After 25 painful minutes we saw light ahead and eventually broke out onto the shore of a small, heavily vegetated lake. There were shallow boats and paddlers who, for one dollar apiece would row as back under the mountain, along narrow canals through the fields back to where we started.

12)

 

[The_Traveler]

This passage through the caves and back by boat was a highlight of the entire trip.
13)

14)

15)

16)

17)

 

[SquarePeg]

That one of the cave wall lined with Buddha statues is really interesting. Great people shots as usual. The way that their colorful clothes contrast with the cave is very eye catching. They didn't mind you taking their photos while they were praying?

 

[The_Traveler]

Thanks
I don't spend much time with the camera at eye level.
I make any adjustments when the camera is down there, pick it up and shoot, then return to my waiste - as fast as I can.
Unless they are actually looking at me, by the time they notice any movement, the camera is lowered again and I look innocent.

 

[JacaRanda]

Both interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for sharing something I will (likely) never get to experience.
I can't imagine having to take my shoes off and walk anywhere outside (wimpy, soft feet, rarely barefoot outside in my life).

 

[jcdeboever]

Very cool you are able to travel abroad and experience different cultures. I did not view them as boring but more interesting. Such a different way of life. Thanks for posting.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[sashbar]

2 and 4 are my favourite, great shots.

 

[andramaxy]

your pictures may seems simple at first yet they are still interesting. All of them can deliver a clear messages to me, and also love the way you narated them one by one, i think you can make a good journalist

 

[baturn]

Amazing little travelogue for us folks who have never taken the opportunity to go there ourselves. Both interesting and enjoyable. Thank you.

 

[The_Traveler]

Both interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for sharing something I will (likely) never get to experience.
I can't imagine having to take my shoes off and walk anywhere outside (wimpy, soft feet, rarely barefoot outside in my life).

Except for the stones and stubbing my toes repeatedly, the cool dirt was soothing until I realized that it was a layer of bat feces that I was walking on.

Very cool you are able to travel abroad and experience different cultures. I did not view them as boring but more interesting. Such a different way of life. Thanks for posting.

2 and 4 are my favourite, great shots.

Thank you both for looking and taking time to comment.

your pictures may seems simple at first yet they are still interesting. All of them can deliver a clear messages to me, and also love the way you narated them one by one, i think you can make a good journalist

I like to talk about pictures but, usually, that influences the viewer to overlook faults in the picture because they get into the story.
IMO, most of these are 'I was there' kinds of pictures and only a couple would really stand on their own as pictures. I would print perhaps only 5,6, 7 and 8.

None of the last set (13 - 17) are really anything but bad snapshots and are not showable except for illustration.
In my defense, I was trapped sitting on a very tippy boat in the blazing sun so the choice of shots was small and, tbh, I was uncomfortable as hell and concerned about ending up in the water with all my equipment.

Amazing little travelogue for us folks who have never taken the opportunity to go there ourselves. Both interesting and enjoyable. Thank you.

This kind of travel is really sort of easy in the absolute am-I-going-to-get-lost-or-die sense because the countries are safe, the people are wonderful beyond belief and the expense is small.
The biggest cost is the airfare which is ~$12-1400 RT to Bangkok then ~225 to and from any of the surrounding countries.
It does take a bit of an adventurous spirit, a lot of reading and asking questions of the travel community in preparation and a willingness to accept travel, sleeping and eating situations that are less than comfortable.

 

[snowbear]

Thank you, Lew.

The hill in #17 is very typical of karst topography.