Second Annual Pilgrimage to Thinkenstein's Casa and Cave July 2011
In proximity to Las Marias, Puerto Rico, the Geodesic dome he made, along with the Cave He Dug, see below, along with some wildlife, and nature too.
Giving some small measure of just how far down the hill the dam is...
With camera at the ready, I follow Bill DOWN the hill. First set of steps is just outside the house, and then...
The Mango Road (a set of "zipper stairs" that Bill made)
is buried under thousands of rotting mangoes, from years of fruit dropping!
Then there is a sloped section, leading to a flat spot where Bill has finished the ground with cement, and has built a dome with a bathroom, and the site has running municipal water (you can drink right out of the faucet, it's clean to USA standards!).
And now, DOWN the hill to the small fracture in the rock that formed the spring and water feature.
And, then, down some more. Note the switchbacks!
And, Frish next to the dam, which is supporting the pipe, that Bill hauled down the hill.
And, Bill, cleaning out the lower pipe, that drains basically to the bottom of the pond, which is a small fault line in a very hard bedrock (volcanic). Since the hill is only a couple hundred feet above this spot, it is rather a good indication of just how much rain falls here, since it runs all year long (about 10 gallons a minute during early July (pre-rainy season!).
We put the dam between what we hope are two bedrock sections.
About 2/3 of the way back up the hill towards Thinkenstein's house, there is this marvelous tangle of vines, and I'm standing at such an angle, and they are so mixed up, it is very difficult to get the true perspective! There are a lot of very large vines in this pic, that are all part of one vine, I believe.
Bill, up trail, with a bit of a slope behind!
My Mental State was really good, couldn't figure out how to cool down after marching up the hill from the dam however! And, yes, that shirt is soaked, it was a little over 90F and 80% humidity for sure...
This kinda looks like I've hung myself from the clothing line, which, upon reflection,
would have been much more comfortable than I was at that moment...
Lizards and other wildlife
Sapo (toad) just outside Bill's back door, it's green, not orange really, that's an artifact of the flash (nighttime shot). |
Brown Mass at base of tree is termite mound |
Beautiful and large snails on a Papaya stalk |
"Call Me!" (Honk Horn by squeezing round object, that's the front door bell!) |
They look at each other from the side, then threaten each other with open mouths ready to bite, see pix below. The darker one actually did latch his jaw onto the other one, who immediately played dead, and was eventually released. |
They can walk up a vertical wall, especially ones as rough as the cement walls at Bill's. |
Both Open Mouths Threatening, and they definitely do bite each other... |
Pictures of Casa de Thinkenstein
Lousy pic but cute frog on Bill's thumb knuckle!
Bill's in here somewhere!
HERE'S SOME PICS AS PROMISED.
Guest house and garage looking up the driveway (See location button below, HWY 3370 ends here) Bill's house is on a two lane track up to his parking pad, and house.
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Path from driveway to house. The original hurricane shelter is left center and was the first dome built |
A snake sculpture to greet the guests! |
View from the roof
View from spiral staircase towards original house
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Looking into the loft from below |
Front Door Detail |
Inside Front door Detail |
Side door detail |
Side door open |
The front entry way |
Good looking spider inside hurricane shelter |
Front of original house he built and lived in for several years without water or electricity (half a mile from anyone!) Then came the hurricane shelter, then the hole that became the cave and then he built a really big dome to keep all of it safe and dry 36 years of work, and counting... |
Original house on right side, dome covers all, looking towards kitchen |
One of three entry doors |
Roof is coincident with the top of the Jungle |
From the roof |
Sculpture in Garden |
Side of house |
Silicone curtain for bathroom/shower privacy
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This is the TOP of the cave. It is also next to the front door, and in the middle of the living room! The right angled structure was a jig Bill invented to allow him to continuously dig, using pulleys and rope it dumped the dirt to the side, and then returned the bucket! The cave is about 30 feet DEEP. (Several Years of Digging, about 150 feet of 8 foot tall ceilings plus rooms and things down below!)
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Guaba' and his uglier brother live in the cave! On my screen it's about the right size, like about a hand width..! |
Bill Mellowing Out after long day! |
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