Niah - The journey into the deep

Along the way to the cave, there is this souvenir shop. It is literally in the middle of nowhere with so very few customers. They have been here for a long time already as I saw them during my last trip many years ago.
We are bad buyer of souvenir and we didn't buy anything!
Along the way, we spend time to look at the nature. Before we realise it, we were at the bottom of this flight of stairs...
... leading to the traders' cave. There are wooden structures built in the 50s' still standing. It is worth noting that the joints are special. The use of nails were non existence! See how the points were held together.
I don't see this kind of design nowadays. I remember our old house was built in this manner using belian (iron) wood. They are termite proof!
This cave was where the native sold the bird nest. Nowadays, bird nest business is not done this way anymore. We can see the spider web on top of the rock... they are in the business to catch small insects for their meals!
Ok... we proceed our journey up a flight of stairs...
From the top of the stairs looking down, this is how the traders' cave looks like.
This is another view from the top of the stairs.
Then we were at the entrance to the great cave. We were greeted by this "old archeological excavation" which had halted many years ago.
On the far end of the great cave, we could see a hut. We didn't go over to have a close look. From the roof of the great cave, we could see bamboo stick coming downward. They were left there by the bird nest farmer.
The roof of the great cave is lined by swiftlets/bats ... can you spot them?
The journey into the great cave starts here...it is believed that this great cave was once under water and a great flood or whatever had swept through it and left behind sign of wavy erosion made only possible by water. Was it caused by the great flood of Noah's time?
... beautiful formation of rock inside the cave. We are about to enter the first part of the darker cave. Pictures from my posting on Tuesday were taken just beyond this point.
... I will post more pictures showing the total darkness part of the eerie black cave!