Looking rather tired, Handy, Cutie, and Jane drag themselves up Gaga Karisu. The sky is clear and we anticipate a hot day ahead.
After passing quietly through the yard of the unfinished house, we are on the trail to the cave. Unable to resist a swinging good time, Chops and Jane find themselves hanging on for fear of breaking the seats. But they do look like they're enjoying it.
The last time we visited the site, this table was covered with ammunition, knives, swords and other war relics, this time, there are only the bottles left. We wonder what has happened to those historical relics. The rock pile behind the table looks interesting, and we wonder if it is a burial site, or just a pile of rocks.
Down the trail near the cave, there used to be a large bee hive buzzing with bees, we notice that the hive is gone, and only the base is left behind. We wonder, again, what has happened.
This is the only group of mushrooms by the trail. Later on, during the rainy season, there should be more mushrooms around.
We arrive at the cave. There is a low wall that one has to climb over as one way to enter the cave. Jane can be seen standing at the alter at the entrance. The large rock behind the alter is the wall for the inner room.
Behind the rock wall is the hospital "room", or basically a large cave. A small memorial is set up at the back where visitors can burn incense and pray for the wounded and the dead.
Another way to enter the back room is by going around the low wall. Recent addition of the cairns built by visitors lined one side of the pathway.
This is the first time that the surrounding area is relatively dry and open. So we decide to explore the hillside. Chops stumbles across this buried bomb. After ascertaining that it is not a root, we carefully walk around it.
A little ways up the hill, another cave appears. Chops takes a look and finds it not too deep, but probably useful for storage.
Jane takes a picture of the long roots draping over the rock face like Medusa' hair. We notice that there is an opening between the two rocks. Curious as we are, we decide to climb up and see what is up there.
Jane and Capt. Charlie scramble up the rocks, and Chops brings up the rear.
From above the ledge, we see into the cave, although it is too dark to see the memorial site.
We can see Cutie down below, through the foliage.
On the way out, Handy points out the bullet holes clearly visible on the rock wall. One can imagine the challenge the hospital faces with bringing the wounded through a very difficult path and dodging bullets at the same time.
A few of the medical items remain on this nook. Once more, previously there have been more items displayed, but unthinking visitors have selfishly taken these items meant for public viewing only.
On the trail, we check out a gun placement mount, without a gun, that overlooks another trail below. We have planned to explore that trail at a later date.
Continue from the gun mount, we trek into the boonies above the other side of the cave, The ground is very flat and has a good view of the ocean. We can also see the entrance of the cave across the trail down below.
A fierce looking vine with huge thorns that can inflict painful cuts. We look for the leaves of this vine for identification. But no luck in finding any leaves.
After this most fun exploration of the cave hospital, we are ready for a snack break before the long hike back to the car. L to R: Capt. Charlie, Chops, Handy, Jane, and Cutie.
We have had several visits to this cave hospital in the past, but this time we spent more time exploring the surrounding areas and made plans to return for the other marked trails. We rate this hike a five sneakers...
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