365 Days #302 - Postojnska Jama - Diaphon Souvenir (mp3s)

MP3:
The Postojna Cave (Postojnska Jama) (5:29)

Wanna go exploring caves in Yugoslavia? Someone did in the 1970s and came back with this neat set of 12 transparencies and flexi-record (with commentary), housed in a card folder. This 'Dia-Phon Souvenir' celebrates the beautiful Postojnska Caves (now located in Slovenia) and does it's best to recreate the experience of being there in person. In the caves visitors can walk on foot or descend into the cavern on a small electric train and witness the extensive rock formations as well as seeing the Proteus Anguinus, or 'Human fish', native only to subterranean waters.

I love the spooky, slightly distorted, haunting background music with piano, woodwind, harp, strings, celesta and a gong, which sounds almost oriental, especially in conjunction with the narrator who reminds me of Mr Sulu from Star Trek (George Takei). I love the way he says 'stalag-mites and stalag-tites'. I also like the fact that there is a cave called simply 'The Lovely Cave. How cute is that?

I wonder if they still use the same music today? It would be very effective also if they piped this into the caves as the tourists walk round. It would certainly make me want to visit.

While it seems that the record was recorded in several languages, to save money on printing costs the sleeve is multilingual, thus the instructions are in mousetype. They are also very precise, use out-of-date language and are clearly designed for idiots telling users that they will need a projector to show the slides and a gramophone to play the record.

If anyone's interested to find out more there's a page on The Postojnska Caves at Wikipedia.

- Contributed by: David Noades

Image: Cover

Media: Flexidisc
Label: None
Catalogue: None
Date: 1970s

Comments

[bartleby]

I remember as a kid we visitied the Luray Caverns I think in Virginia. At the time they contained an organ which utilized the natural rock formations to create sound. It might still be there but this is a while back (1972-3).

i was in the postojna caves in 2003 - unfortunately they don't play music!!!
Well worth a visit if you're ever in slovenia.