Dream trip Spain: & St Michael's Cave, Gibraltar

We went to St. Michael's Cave while visiting The Rock of Gibraltar, (more on Gibraltar later).

Wikipedia has this on  St Michael's Cave and also this on the Rock_of_Gibraltar  .

My hubby about to enter the cave.

Entrance to St Michael's Cave

In the cave they have signs like this to help tell you about things.

Sign at St. Michael's Cave, Gibraltar

I was so excited to see the caves I barely looked at the signs.  All I could think about was seeing the different features in it.

When I think of caves I think of Stalactite  and Stalagmite and wondered what would be there.  I copied this from Wikipedia since I found the diagram to be so helpful.

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Image showing the six most common speleothems with labels. Enlarge to view labels.

A stalactite (UK /ˈstæləktaɪt/, US /stəˈlæktaɪt/; from the Greek stalasso, (σταλάσσω), "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem (secondary mineral) that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone. The corresponding formation on the floor of the cave is known as a stalagmite.

Well here's the first thing I saw.  I was amazed by it.

stalactite & columns  in St Michaels cave, Gibraltar

 I tried taking a lot of pictures but most of them didn't turn out.  They had a lot of lighting in the cave with artificial colors that in some places helped but for the most part hindered getting good photos for me. Such as this one below.  The lighting accented the stalagmite but it washed out all the Stalactites coming down from the ceiling.

A stalagmite highlighted at St Michaels Cave, Gibraltar

 I think the biggest problem with taking photos was the shear magnitude of the cave.  If you stood back and tried to take a photo it just wouldn't take, even using a flash.  The only ones that seemed to do well were the ones that were close by or the ones were the lighting was good on a particular one or in the stage area.

flowstone at St. Michaels Cave, Gibraltar

 I thought this area was neat because you could actually see the water dripping onto the rock.  The closer I looked at it I kinda got upset because I had seen where some one had carved into it. But then I remembered people used to picnic here and I doubted they realized how delicate a cave really is.  I just hope in time mother nature will reclaim it. 

flowstone with green lighting on it and water dripping on to it.

Everywhere I looked I was seeing incredible things. After awhile I just gave up trying to get a photo and then just walked around and totally enjoyed it.  Every once in a while I would see something and try to capture an image of it.  None of the photo's I took did justice to the magnificence of the cave.  I was just glad I got the photos I did get.

Stalactites & a drape to the right.

 My camera slipped as I took this picture but I thought it was still neat

St Michael's Cave, Gibraltar

Here is how I wanted it to look.

Columns in St Michaels Cave, Gibraltar

Stalactites & straws in St Michaels Cave, Gibraltar

  I really liked this one because you could see the crack in which the water was percolating down  through which was causing these stalactites and straws to form.

stalactites and straws -St Michael's Cave, Gibraltar

column forming  with a possible straw in St Michaels cave, Gibraltar

  This one had the best drapes.  It was over the sitting area of the concert hall and it looked like some of the rocks had been broken off.

Drapes in St Michaels Cave, Gibraltar

 Now a days the cave is used for concerts because of its acoustic qualities.  Here's my husband standing
  near some of the seats.

St Michaels Cave Concert Hall

Look at this column that was in the middle of the seating!  Wouldn't you love having this block your view.  I know I probably would look more at it than the people playing in the orchestra.

A column in St Michaels Cave, Gibraltar

And here I am standing in front of the column. 

I just wished I had taken more photos.  I was surprised that when I looked at them I didn't get a good one of a stalagmite.

I muse:  I would love to hear a concert in this magnificent cave.  I'm sure it would sound incredible.