Gyokusendo Cave in Okinawa: Travel Photo Thursday

Tourists in the background are passing through Gyokusendo Cave in Okinawa, Japan. In the foreground is a limestone stalagmite called "The Golden Cup". Springs flowing within the cave fill the cup to overflowing and the pool of water surrounding the formation has been named "The Fountain of Happiness".

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More on the Caves of Okinawa at CNNGO





Related Link: PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: CAVE

Just Me and a Python

Here's a shot of Yours Truly holding a Python. It was taken back in June of this year after I came out of Gyokusendo Cave.

Down in the caves it was nice and cool but, when I got back above ground it was kind of hot and steamy, even rained a little. So, the tourist traps where you could go indoors and suck up free air conditioning, once you paid the six or eight bucks to see the snake show, sounded like a plan to me.

Back in the old days when you went in the Snake House here, they used to have a real show. They'd turn a snake and a mongoose loose in a cage together. And there would be a fight. One of them would come out of the cage dead.

Times have changed. Now natural enemies are only allowed to do that stuff out in nature. So, the critters get to spend a long time behind bars and get to come out for tourists to poke, pet and take pictures. What's up with that?