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Hello. I am Teena.
I live in a country between the Julian Alps,
Up the Mt. Triglav I'll go some day.
the Adriatic sea ...
and the plain, left after a vast landlocked sea broke its way east 500.000 years ago.
Mura river is so beautiful.
This country is not far from ...
Slovakia ...
and Slavonia.
I live in Slovenia.
This name sounds even better in English language.
It has LOVE in the middle
S at the beginning ...
and NIA at the end.
What's funny about this Slovenia is that it has quite a few caves.
Most caves are vertical, with big entrance shafts like this one,
some begin with a small pit but open up in a big cave below.
Some caves have very large entrances.
Some caves are just tight, in Slovenian we call them čurka.
By the way, talking about language. Do Slovenians speak English?
Of course not. We speak Slovenian.
All who do not speak Slovenian, would prefer this film in English.
But we are, as we are.
And better to have this film subtitled than to have it in poor English.
Particularly attractive is water in caves.
Large water caves are real queens.
They are unmatched.
Slovenia is small, it is about the size of the state of New Jersey.
Yet is has over 10.000 registered caves.
By Slovenian regulations cave must be either 33 feet long
or 33 feet deep to be registered in the national cave registry.
Smaller holes and dens such as this one are left alone.
In other countries it may be different.
In Poland 5 feet is enough for a cave to be a real cave.
Now enough cave advertising.
Let us see what this story is all about.
It all started at my grandpa's birthday dinner.
Well, brave you are. - Mary, this is delicious.
Will you also like some potatoes?
You bought a very hard cheese, Mary.
But it tastes good. - To me. - Real good.
Mateja, will you have some eggplants? She and Matthew.
Of that Clint Eastwood.
make a wish!
Happy birthday, grandpa!
Mmm, what a lovely cake.
It is time to slice it, Jani, hey? - Yes.
We can't wait. - Well, yes.
And what present would you like for your birthday, Tina?
Well, maybe uncle Marc could help here.
What should he do?
You say it, Mary.
Well, children have grown up, they like to listen to his exciting stories.
He will be glad to hear that. What exactly do you have in mind?
He is a caver and he could take us with him to some cave.
That will be a piece of cake. The cave train departs on the hour, starting at 9 p.m.
Train really rules.
I agree.
Ship is also a good thing.
Postojna Cave is the best Slovenian show cave,
but we have all seen it many times.
For the birthday boy.
So now we would like to see some new cave, a cave that nobody has ever seen before.
That's not a piece of cake any more.
To get a new cave you have to find a hole in the ground
with a draught which indicated a cave is below.
And what do you do next?
The rest is just plain hard work. You dig, and you dig and you dig.
How long do you have to dig?
Very rarely it takes a day or so, usually it takes months.
Digging, that's just not for me.
What about an old cave, where you find a new tunnel?
That's digging again, only this time the worksite is dark, wet and muddy.
Here the altitude is about 2.000 m a.s.l., so the temperatura is about 2⁰ C.
Look at it. - Nice machine, isn't it?
Starts like lightning, and the new gasoline is excellent, does not stink.
Is there really no other way to find something new?
In some caves there are mazes of small tunnels, like holes in Swiss cheese.
Cavers sometimes go into such labyrinths with an intention to get lost.
And?
Well, 1/2 hour or even sooner they are again where their "being-lost" journey started.
But not always?
Not always. Sometimes they find a new, unknown cave.
Bingo! That's what I am going to do.
No, you are not! You know where does wanton behavior in the mountains lead to?
I know where, and I know Yanni. Into trouble.
So it seems, boys and gals, that you will have to settle for an old cave.
Never mind. You will persuade Marc, daddy, won't you?
My dear, is there anything I would not do for you?
So, my boy and my girls, ready for action? Did you have nice dreams tonight?
Yes, yes, of a sea and sand ...
I dreamt how I was chasing a big rooster.
I had something like a prophecy in my dream. A gypsy woman ...
Hello! - Hi! - Hello.
Here we are: Yanni, Tina and Betty.
Betty is Tina's friend, familiar with gymnastics and climbing.
Hi Betty, so you would like to see some rough cave, too ...
Yes, Tina talked me into coming.
You also have a backpack?
Yes, I will come, too. A last minute decision.
How come?
Jason would not allow Yanni and Tina to go without me.
So my brother takes no chances. Well, who knows what I would do if I had wife and kids.
What funny shoes and dresses you have ...
Why funny? Boots we also have, caving suits and helmets are with you.
And you said the trail to the cave is quite easy.
Mary likes to look pretty, and the girls also do not want to fall behind.
Let's go.
Why we didn't go by car? We could take more food with us if we did.
Train is more comfortable, and you are not
forced to return after some through-cave.
Through-cave, cool! At one side in and at the other side out.
Guys, you should know passionate Marc is about trains.
And there is plenty of food.
Why do you have two backpacks?
Well, I told Mary what to take with her,
but still I took some extra gear.
What is in the long parcel? It looks like a shotgun cover.
Paddle shafts are in the parcel and a boat is in the big backpack.
Look, look, how clever the girls are nowadays, you guessed it all.
Go now. Platoon, move on!
Is it far to the cave?
See, he smiles, it is not far.
You will know when we will be there.
Should we go right? - Yes, just do it.
The entrance is very near.
Let us see who finds it first.
Just be careful, it is an abyss.
Come here! Here it is!
Close, Betty, close, it is a cave alright, but ends quickly.
This cave is also wrong? It is not steep enough?
Yes, it's better than the first one, but still not the right one.
Marc, give us one more try.
Let us wait to see if this one is right.
Over here!
Don't go too close!
A real abyss.
This is it. White maze. It has such nice white walls.
How do we get down? Isn't it too dangerous?
It sure looks OK for a batman, but for us - break your neck.
I have seen cavers on TV, they descended on just one rope.
It is called single-rope-technique, but you do not have the gear - and training.
So we can just turn around and go home!
We shall use what my grandfather and his pals did 50 years ago.
When computers are not available, typewriter is a nice machine.
You can put on the tracksuit first.
You will help her put the boots on afterwards.
Look, what fancy *** I have. - My underpants are the best.
You cute you are ... Just like two penny buns. - Thanks, the same to you.
What funny dresses you brought us!
Funny, funny! They are from my grandpa.
Years ago he invented some "nature-friendly" photography.
How "nature-friendly"?
He dressed the models so that they blend with concretions perfectly.
Nice of him.
What do we do with our civilian clothes and backpacks?
We pack all in my big bag, it is a through-cave,
we exit at another entrance.
Yerko, a friend, will collect the ropes and ladders.
Turn your cell phones off, they are of no use in a cave.
Well done!
Mary, you will go first, you know the ladders from the fire-brigade practice.
OK. When down, I will help the kids.
You shall release the rope for me? - Yes, you shall see.
Oh, ghosh!
You need some more rope? - Release it a bit!
Look at her, girls and boys. One foot in front, one behind.
Rope!
Rope!
Rope!
I am down!
Rope is free!
I will go next and will tell you how to go.
Thank you, Teena.
I was afraid, I will have to go down after Mary.
Sometimes it's really fine, ladies first!
Boys are such yellow-bellies!
It's not so scary, Yanni. You will make it. - Yes, yes.
Release the rope a bit, please.
It is OK, Betty!
Release the rope!
2 more feet, and you are down. - Excellent.
Rope is free!
See, Yanni, it's a piece of cake. Even girls can do it.
Relase!
Relase!
You are doing fine, Betty, just fine.
Should I help you?
Rope is free!
Oh, Santa Barbara!
Santa Barbara, patron saint of us diggers, help me get down.
OK, new ladder roll starts here.
Damn! (F..k!)
Stop fooling around, Yanni. Marc is holding you, he thinks you fell.
OK, OK, here I go.
Grab it! - OK, the gear is down!
What do you say? Easy descent, pure delight.
Delight or not, we are all down, safe and sound.
Where do we go now? How come that you don't know? Down, down and just down.
And why the boat? It's such a clumsy bag.
There is a small lake in the cave, if the drought didn't eat it away.
And the girls could take a ride, wouldn't they?
The girls, the girls, what's wrong with a little boat ride?
If it is not dad that you have wrapped around your finger, it has to be some other guy.
Any volunteers for the small bag?
What did I tell you? Marc will hump the big bag and I will hump the other one.
Yanni, the girls will take the parcel and I will help you carry the bag.
Careful!
Isn't the cave beautiful? - Yes.
The chimney leads towards the surface.
Can it be climbed?
Yes, but it requires drilling holes for many pitons.
Careful here!
Girls, here, quickly! Look what I have found!
Oh, oh! He will jump!
Girls! Stop screaming! What is it?
Corkroaches and spiders!
Such cute little animals and such a terrible clamor.
Do I have to go here through?
Yes, unfortunately. But it is worth it, the chapel is pretty.
How do we do it?
Just follow me. It is a very short crawl.
We shall all get dirty. - Never mind. Overalls can be washed. And we have gloves.
Pass me the bags.
Now crawl through, just as I did.
Now you will see who is the hero! Chapel, here I come!
You are doing fine!
I am through! A piece of cake!
Mary, neither Betty nor me wants to be the last to stay here.
I very much agree!
No problem, girls. I will go last.
Oh, where am I crawling to?
What an echo. - And what a view.
Now careful. The climbing is a little tricky. Watch your step.
Oh! I can't make it! - Just slide down.
Here I come.
Easy, Yanni, easy! - Make room, I will jump!
Here I come!
Is this crossover known for a long time?
The Chapel is known since Adam and Eve, this traverse is new.
How was it discovered?
Myran from Logatec, 10 years ago.
He poked his nose high enough to make it through.
Are there many caving clubs?
Marc said there are 48 caving clubs in Slovenia. - So many?
And Marc is the top guy in DZRJL, the best club and the oldest, too.
DZRJL, you say. - Yes, Ljubljana Speleological Society,
since 1910.
Real top guns, that old guys.
1910, wow! Older than the city of Las Vegas!
All caving clubs are fine in their own way,
and I am no top guy, just equipment manager.
See - who has the equipment under control has it all.
Are we now in a different cave? - In a new part of an old cave.
Enough chat. What about a snack?
We barely started and you are already hungry.
Yanni, Marc will tell us when it is time to eat, probably soon.
What a slope. And what scenery.
A lake used to be here, quite a large lake.
And where is it now?
Probably global warming has something to do with it.
Could be, the lake was smaller every year, but now it is just gone.
Unbelievable.
So, girls, no boat ride today. Maybe some other time.
Poor Marc, he carried the heavy bag this far.
Is this the end of our journey?
The difficult part yes. The other exit is an hour away, easy cave.
Only the labyrinth remained.
The labyrinth? Cool!
Fine. No need to carry the food any further.
We can eat here.
If we get lost in the labyrinth we could use a snack better.
What is enough is too much.
This bags of bones would never eat, but I am hungry.
You piggy pig! - Oh!
Yanni, if we eat in the labyrinth, lost or not, would it be OK?
It is close, and I am hungry, too.
Let it be, but better be it fast.
I would just marry this stalagmite!
And I will be your witness. - How splendid!
Labyrinth starts here.
Don't be afraid. It is small and we can always hear each other.
So now we disperse and try to get lost to find something new.
No high hopes, girls. Just have fun.
Splendid. I will wait here and take care the food does not get lost.
Cuckoo! - Hello!
Was it an echo? - No. It was Marc.
Let's turn the lights off and wait for the girls. - OK.
What happened, girls? - Ghost is here! - Big, terrible cave ghost!
Show me where it was.
Yes, but you go first.
I could have thought who the ghost is!
No hard feelings, girls. It was not my idea.
It is forgiven, Marc. - But not to you, Yanni. Watch out from now on!
Lunchtime!
Do we still have to wear helmets?
No, we are not below an abyss, you can put it down.
What a relief!
Never better.
Marc, what a feast. It's a most pleasant surprise.
No big deal. Such lovely company.
It's nice to hear that I am lovely. - Lovely as a frog!
Marc, how can you eat garlic? - And you had such high opinion of him, didn't you?
Garlic is fine, I like it very much.
Girls, the odor is terrible but Marc does nothing without a good reason.
Yes, pyramid builders in Egypt ate garlic and grandpa likes it, too.
I remember he once cited a Chinese research that showed life-saving merits of garlic.
End of story, girls. You've better get used to it.
Better death than foul breath.
It's your choice, mine is garlic.
Let's play, who can hold the handstand longer. OK? - Yes, good idea.
3, 4, go!
I win. - Let's do it again. - 3, 4, go!
Now me! - Yes, one more. 3, 4, go.
Me again. - 3, 4, go!
we slipped. - We sure did.
What I would give for some football now!
Let us do a backbend now! - Yes.
Look, what's up in the ceiling!
How did this ball get there? - Who would know?
High water probably left it in the cave.
The ball is in our hands!
Who will fetch it now? - Not me, not me! I didn't throw it.
You see anything, Teena? - Not yet.
Come. I am through. A piece of cake.
O, look, the ball.
I was not here yet. - Me neither.
Should we tell the others? - Oh yes! It may be known or, maybe, not known.
You remember I mentioned a gypsy woman at the railway station? - Yes, what about her?
My grandma goes to a fortuneteller from time to time, once I went with her. - And?
In my dreams last night ...
Mmm, good day! Good day, Mrs. Pulleyner, at your service.
And who are you, pretty girl?
This is Betty, my granddaughter.
And I thought she is your daughter!
Please, follow me, here we go!
Welcome! ... So it is.
What will we find for you, my girl?
I see a long journey ... You will get lost.
Deep in the dark. - In the dark? Sure?
True. Deep in the darkness.
Oh, will I save myself?
You will be saved, if the black beard will help you
Black beard?
So the hall must be new, for sure. - What about the black beard?
Marc really has black hair, just his beard is a bit short.
What do I know, maybe he is that black beard. - He is handsome, he will be the right one.
Well, we may have found something. - What would it be?
A large hall we have not seen yet. - Let us have a look.
It is new alright. - We found a new hall!
Look here above!
This place could be named Keyhole hall.
Let us check if it goes on.
Come, come, the cave continues!
I am down!
Trampoline, I am coming!
What a blow!
Now you see why we have helmets. Rock does not hit you, you hit him.
Go, Teena.
What a beauty. - Like an onion.
Well, now a 5 minute break! - Yes!
What is it, Marc? - What, they have put a stone down my neck.
How itchy it feels now!
Scratch me on my back, please.
Enougj, Marc? - OK, it will do.
Nearly as good 50 shades of grey.
What did you say? - Nothing, just what a fancy T-shirt you have.
Oh, what a jump! - Oh, I think I will faint.
Well, pass me all this down.
Marc! ... Hold me!
Uncle Marc! Can I go here? - Yes, just watch out not to fall.
Catch him! ... Let go. - Turn around!
Baby girls, give a break, too.
And now? - Push your foot here inside, descend slowly. - And slide the leg down.
Thanks! - Now across the puddle into the mud!
Move on, uncle Marc, let's go.
Mud!
Oh, geez, what a mud!
Can you make it? - Don't tumble here, you hear! - I won't!
Now hold here. - All is muddy. - Here you have a rock in the water.
Give me your hand! - Grab here with the other hand ... - OK, give it.
Yanni, Marc will help you. - Splendid, bravo!
This is ... - Don't say!
Just move on. - Don't be afraid, Teena.
Come on, Teena, come.
Do I pull you here straight? Just give hands. You can stay there. - Give him hands.
No go! - You need help?
Si? - Ja. - Ne. - Tako, stric.
Move, Yanni, move!
What do we do now? Aren't we far enough?
I do use watch in a cave, by my light I guess we are now about two hours on the way.
I am not pushing you, just for the sake of the kids.
How are you, babies? Dog tired or just worn out?
What do you say, Betty? - If you brought your tons here, Yanni, we did it easily.
OK, Mary, we go for half an hour more, if the cave ends or not, and we go back.
Agreed.
What do we do now? - This really looks difficult. Wait, I'll try to climb down.
Come on, Marc.
We can do it. Come down, I will help.
Geez, this is mud! Can I slide down? Do it, but gently.
I will try to slide down very slowly.
What a dysentery!
Can I help you?
Charge!
Yanni, come on. Go, go, Yanni!
Me too, Marc, me too. Mary, can you help?
My feet are so heavy!
Well, let us move on.
Here is a rock in the water ... OK.
Use the upper path, is better.
The cave ends here. We made at least 300 meters of a new cave, maybe more.
Look at you, dirty as pigs.
Look, look, who is talking. - You should see yourself. A walking piece of mud.
Where are Marc and Mary?
Maaaarc! Maaaryyyy!
Marc! Mary! - We are here! Over here!
Pass me the bags, please. - Are you sure?
Shouldn't we go back now?
Just trust me. It's OK, you will see.
Any left? - No.
You see, it is true!
Marc, Marc, where have you brought us?
To a lake. At least the girls can have their boat ride now.
Mary, it is late, and the lake is so dark. Can we go back now?
It is late alright. But we managed to connect two caves.
How do you know it? - I've been here before.
Are you 333 % sure? - Almost.
And when will you be completely certain?
As much as I recall, we are half an hour away from the entrance
of Black Pearl Cave, of a nice water cave.
And I will know for sure at the end of this lake.
What do we do? Do we believe him?
He is a man! He will know alright!
So what if he is a man? We women are just as good as men.
What women? I only see one.
He is so pretty, and so strong. I believe him.
OK, Marc, you heard them. Let's hope your feeling is right.
Your hope is also mine.
Stop, Yanni, it is enough.
Such a small boat? How do we all fit in?
Didn't I tell you I am the equipment manager. I brought another boat.
Now listen! Mary, Yanni and the bags will go in the
small boat, other 3 will go in the big one.
Be careful in the boat, never stand up.
The water has 10⁰ Centigrade. Is not suitable for swimming.
Avoid rocks, they will puncture the boat in no time.
When embarking or disembarking, wait for me.
Blades are fragile, push the boat from the walls with paddle shafts.
Me first.
Well, Yanni, go.
Now sit down. ... Lean forward, wait, I must take the bag, too.
So. Give me the paddle. He said with handles, didn't he?
You are aground.
Push the boat off!
Yanni, hold the paddle like I do. This way.
And paddle only when I tell you. - Yes, my commander!
OK, I am holding it.
The paddles.
Thank you. - Make some room for myself.
This way.
Are we all in? - Yes, just paddle.
Drive here in, between the rocks. - Yes. - Not yet.
Is it enough here?
Wait a little. ... Give the paddles.
Can I go out? - Not there, here in front.
Take the paddles, too.
Give way.
Give the bag, Yanni, and step out very slowly.
I am out! - Give me your hand.
What do you say, Marc? - It sure is Black Pearl Cave. And your paddling was just fine.
Now we haul the boats across the rocks?
Exactly. Only not we, just Mister and Madame.
It is slippery here. - Careful!
Can you make it? - Yes, Marc, sure.
A little slower!
Hand over the paddles.
You seem to be so faraway. What's on your mind? - I don't dare to say.
Maybe you lahko meni poveš.
Come closer.
Could I learn the same way?
Could he, but at the end of our voyage?
OK, girls' secrets. I can wait.
Easy, easy!
We are in.
Yes, you may go.
We discovered this rock!
Careful, Mary, rocks are right below the surface.
Nice echo, isn't it?
What's over there?
Southern dry gallery. We discovered a tunnel, parallel to it.
Teena, look what do we have between these rocks.
They really look like black pearls.
Grab the paddles!
Paddle, will you?
Do you know some poem?
Yes I do. My dad taught me one the other day.
How does it go?
Sur le pont d'Avignon l'on y danse, l'on y danse
Sur le pont d'Avignon l'on y danse tout en rond.
Nice.
Nice, nice. But stop shaking the boat! We may capsize.
I know a poem, too. - OK, let's hear you, too.
High upon Highlands, and low upon Tay, Bonnie George Campbell rode out on a day.
Drive the boat over there.
Now you step out. But do it slowly.
Now I will move over. - Should I step out? - Slowly, do not tip the boat over. Go.
Give the paddle. - OK. Hand the bag. - Come in, Yanni.
Careful, that we do not tip over.
Careful, avoid stepping into the deep, you'll get water into the boots.
OK, let us go out now.
Careful, the water is deep in places.
Oh boy! I have water in my boots!
Is it far to the entrance? - It's right behind the corner.
What now? - No big deal. There is a piton on the wall.
And where is it? - Here above.
Is there something he doesn't have?
OK.
Mary, you go first. Just slide down the rope into the boat.
Easier said than done. I hope I can manage.
Use your behind, your behind.
This way? - Yes, yes.
It's not that difficult.
Careful. Pull the boat to the wall.
I am holding it.
Paddles!
Thank you!
It is OK.
Easy.
Careful!
Sunshine, sunshine!
Will this movie have a sequel?
Yes! I will grow up and a new adventure is in the wings.
It starts in the cave high in the mountains ...
and leads down, all the way
... down all the way to the sea.
What a light!