Rokokallio re-scan

 

The Finnish Caving Association had a nice meet-up in May ... we went to the Rokokallio, a high cliff in Vihti. High for Finland at least :-) Everybody joined... men, women, and dogs... and I worked with Ralf to systematically go through the cliff area and take positions and photos of all the caves. There's a total of 21 underground holes in the cliff and under boulders, though a few the holes are perhaps too small to be proper caves. We used Ralf's addition to the association's cave database user interface (Psgeo) to make the getting of the positions easy.

This article shows each cave along with its coordinates.

But first, the team. Here's Ralf:

And me, and the cave dog:

And the whole association's team:

Then to the caves! We go from top first, then at the bottom in order from south to north. There is a total of 21 cave, albeit some are small cavelets. For each cave we give a brief description and coordinates that you can click. All the caves are also registered in the Caving Association's cave map where you can conveniently track your own position and where the caves are.

Similarly, there's a Google Maps "Map" that lists all the Rokokallio caves. Click here.

There's also been a number of articles previously about Rokokallio. See here, here, here, and here.

1. Päällysluola (top cave)

This is the first cave I visited. In fact the only cave on my first visit... it is easiest accessed and most visible. While it is not the biggest cave, it is quite interesting for being a deep crack that you descend in, and requiring some technique to manage the ups and downs.

It is also only cave in the Rokokallio group of caves that is on top of the cliff. A nice set of cracks. You can go almost all the way down the cliff in  the narrow cracks. You can also get some nice views out of the crack towards the cliff, while inside the cave.

Coordinates: N 60.48954881 E 24.47716950

2. Lippaluola (roof cave)

A medium-sized roof cave at the bottom of the cliff in the south-east end of the cliff line. In the winter there's nice icicles from the roof.

Coordinates: N 60.48901567 E 24.47911417

3. Kahdenkolon luola (two-hole cave)

This cave is to the left of the Lippaluola (#2 above). There are two entrances in this cave, leading under the cliff. There's also a tunnel to the left of the left hole, but we think it is not enough for a human to crawl through to the Halkeamaluola (#4 below).

Coordinates: N 60.48904422 E 24.47887458

4. Halkeamaluola (crack cave)

To the left of the Kahden kolon luola (#3 above). A crack leads inside the cave. One might be able to go through to Toinen nuotiopaikan luola (#6 below)  from here, but it may be too tight.

Also called earlier Kysymysmerkkiluola (Question mark cave).

Coordinates: N 60.48902752 E 24.47860982

5. Kivenalusluola (under-boulder cave)

This cave is a roof cave, under a large boulder, resting in ground and on top of a round smaller boulder. It is often partially filled with water.

Also called earlier Kallionalusluola (under the ground rock cave).

Coordinates: N 60.48897687 E 24.47849946

6. Toinen nuotiopaikkaluola (2nd firepit cave)

Another roof cave that covers a firepit at the bottom of the cliff. Part of the cave is a roof cave where the fire pit is. As an aside, I would personally not put fires under large rock formations, the danger of the rock above cracking is too big.

The cave also continues towards the previous cave (#4, Halkemaluola), inside the cliff. There's a connection, but maybe not big enough for a human to go through. Unless they are squeeze box competition winners from the Caving Association, of course... 

Coordinates: N 60.48900947 E 24.47835822

7. Pikkuhalkeamaluolanen (small crack cavelet)

A tiny crack between two boulders, and a bit of roof from the boulder on the cliff side, so maybe a cavelet of some sort, but not a real cave.

Coordinates: N 60.48902511 E 24.47828102

8. Syvä halkeamaluola (deep crack cave)

Very high and extremely narrow crack that forms an L shape. You have to chimney high to be able to pass through the most narrow parts of the crack, such as the tip of the L.

To enter this cave, one has to either crawl under a tight entrance that connects a side crack to the actual crack (second picture below). Or, one has to descend from the sides of the actual crack by jumping to a big rock stuck in the crack.

Coordinates: N 60.48911451 E 24.47785843

9. Pikkukiven alusluolanen (small boulder underside cavelet)

Technically, there's some space under a rock, but too small to be called a proper cave.

Coordinates: N 60.48917481 E 24.47765967

10. Lohkareenalusluola (boulder underside cave)

An interesting cave that continues somewhat long. Starts under a large boulder but continues inside the cliff face.

Coordinates: N 60.48927176 E 24.47759326

11. Terävän kiven alusluola (cave under a sharp rock)

A nice cave under a boulder that has a sharp end sticking up. Several entrances.

Coordinates: N 60.48925214 E 24.47746969

12. Kallionkololuola (rockhole cave)

A cave that begins with a bit of a roof first, then continues inside the cliff face.

Coordinates: N 60.48933681 E 24.47736754

13. Pikkulippaluolanen (small roof cavelet)

A small roof cave, maybe not big enough to be counted as a proper cave.

Coordinates: N 60.48938861 E 24.47730367

14. Päänuotiopaikan luola (cave of the main fire pit)

A roof cave that covers a firepit at the bottom of the cliff.

Coordinates: N 60.48948062 E 24.47701703

15. Kivikasan luola (cave of the rock pile)

A nice small cave between large boulders.

Coordinates: N 60.48943347 E 24.47692366

16. Ahdas luolanen (tight cavelet)

Small but tight!

Coordinates: N 60.48964983 E 24.47683379

17. Pääluola (main cave)

The main cave is a complex maze under boulders and between cracks. There's cave tunnels or cracks going vertical and horizontal and in 45 degrees, openings at the bottom and at the roof and everywhere... even includes some tight spaces. Much recommended!

Coordinates: N 60.48968823 E 24.47657484

18. Hiotun kiven luola (cave of the smooth rock)

A superb cave of few rooms, with clear marks of erosion in some of the rocks, presumably caused by water during the ice age.

Coordinates: N 60.48984167 E 24.476194353

19. Käytäväluola (corridor cave)

A small cave that forms kind of a corridor.

Coordinates: N 60.48990472 E 24.47601665

20. Yläkolon luolanen (upper hole cavelet)

A small cave towards the higher part of the cliff face.

Coordinates: N 60.49006185 E 24.47585927

21. Jakoluola (divider cave)

An entry is divided first by a boulder into two, and then inside the cave also continues later in two directions.

Coordinates: N 60.48998734 E 24.47555210

Read more urban exploration stories from theurbanexplorer.net, and other underground stories from planetcaver.net. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot or TGR. Photos and text and coordinates (c) 2023 by Jari Arkko and Ralf Strandell. All rights reserved.

Union Square pool

I'm staying at the Parc 55 hotel in San Francisco. It does not have a pool, but the same chain runs the next door hotel, the Hilton Union Square, so guests in my hotel can use their pool. It is up on the 16th floor. Pictured above at night from the 41st floor...

Quite a nice pool area. No changing rooms other than bathrooms. But, there's towels, a large hanging out area and chairs, sunshades, and it is sheltered from the wind. The water is very warm, so it was not a problem to go for this dip at 5am in the morning before my meetings :-) 

The main pool water was maybe 30 degrees, and the Jacuzzi.. too hot. Not sure how hot, but I could not stay more than a minute, if that.

 

Interestingly, it seems both Parc 55 and the Union Square hotels are in some kind of financial limbo... their owner has stopped paying loan payments, and has walked away. At least at the moment the hotels themselves still work though.

For more sauna and swimming stories, check out planetswimmer.com and saunablogger.cool websites! And of course the Planetcaver, and Planetskier blogs for other stories in Blogspot and TGR! The photos and text (c) 2023 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved. I never take photos of other saunagoers or swimmers and visit when there is simply no one else or the facility has been closed or booked only for me. 

The REAL Postojnska Jama

 

Riding the train to the inside of the Postojna cave in Slovenia. The ride takes eight minutes through wonderful cave scenery. And then the actual cave tour starts, lasting an hour and a half. Is this the best show cave in the world???

Why is this article called the REAL Postojna Cave? Well, because some time ago we visited another Postojna Cave, in Czech Republic. But that cave, while nice, was tiny. See the old article here.

But back to Slovenia. This cave is massive, truly massive - over 24 kilometers long. And big enough to easily fit train tracks in. 

Postojna is really a major tourist destination, and can take a large number of tourists, yet everyone gets to experience all of the cave. Inside the cave, there's also a shop, world's only in-cave post office, and a concert hall. Once you take the train back to the surface, the village built to house the cave continues to offer more things: there's a hotel, shops, restaurants -- with "cave burger" on the menu - 

I also want to mention the olms living in the cave. A few are also held in a large aquarium that you will see during the cave tour. These are very rare animals. Here's a photo:

Here's the video of the train ride:

For more information about Postojna, the official visitor's site is here and the wikipedia article here.

Let's look at the stalactites:

Straw stalactites in the roof:

People on the tour:

Here's one of the tunnels inside the cave:

And the concern hall:

And views from the beginning of the tour:

Here's the cave's entrance:

Postojna is a wonderfully organized, clean, and well-served tourist location as well. They have the world's only underground post office, there's restaurants, shops, a hotel, expo facilities, etc. in the area. Well done!

The author:

Read more urban exploration stories from theurbanexplorer.net, and other underground stories from planetcaver.net. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot or TGR. Photos and text (c) 2023 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved.

The Iron Lung Sauna

How about some iron lung therapy to go with your sauna visit?

Hmm... found in the Vila Minka hotel in Ljubljana.... we did not try the iron lung, however. It came with some oxygenation treatment, which also seemed suspect.

But the sauna was very nice, even if just a small infrared one. Still, a bit pricey for 60€ per use.

The control box for the iron lung:

And here's the sauna:

And the hotel lounge next to the sauna:

For more sauna and swimming stories, check out planetswimmer.com and saunablogger.cool websites! And of course the Planetcaver, and Planetskier blogs for other stories in Blogspot and TGR! The photos and text (c) 2023 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved. I never take photos of other saunagoers or swimmers and visit when there is simply no one else or the facility has been closed or booked only for me. 

Slovenia lakes swim

 

My personal favorite lake was the Lake Bohinj (above pic). Pristine, clear water, almost no signs of civilization long the lake shores and the green-covered mountains around. Wonderful, just wonderful. But Lake Bled was also good, obviously with more castles and other human structures and services around...

We were swimming here on lake Bohinj, one of the official beaches: N 46.28216 E 13.88040. Parking was a bit scarce, but available and inexpensive.

Then on Lake Bled parking was very scarce and expensive, we paid 20€ for few hours at a Hotel Park's (!) parking lot. 

Also, interestingly, there was a 200€ fine for swimming outside the official beaches on Lake Bled. I wonder why?

But never mind, I chose avoid the police and swim at an official beach, the Grajsko kopališč or the "Castle  Swimming Area", as it was right underneath the Bled Castle on top of the steep cliffs rising from the lake side. Here's where the beach is: N 46.36851 E 14.10068.

Below are some pictures from Bled. First my tired feet getting a fresh bath:

The beach as seen from above, from the castle:

And down at the beach it looks like this:

There were some odd structures under the water on lake Bled. Anybody know what these are:

And then to Lake Bohinj. How nice is this?

For more sauna and swimming stories, check out planetswimmer.com and saunablogger.cool websites! And of course the Planetcaver, and Planetskier blogs for other stories in Blogspot and TGR! The photos and text (c) 2023 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved. I never take photos of other saunagoers or swimmers and visit when there is simply no one else or the facility has been closed or booked only for me.