Speaking of Crystals............(major dial up warning)

[Celebration]

I thought you guys might want to see the "Crystal Shrine Grotto" which is in a cemetary near me. The incredible Mexican cement artist, Dionicio Rodriguez, made this grotto out of something like five or six tons of quartz crystal, in the 1930s. Inside there are artist depictions of the life of Christ. There are lots of semi precious stones in this as well. Here goes.....

This is looking out of a Rodriguez shelter type bench, to the opening of the grotto--



This is taken inside the grotto. That column is probably nine feet tall or so. Back and to the left and right are the religious depictions.



Of which the crucifixtion is an example



Here's a chunk of quartz outside



A lot of the garden



A bench



There's way, way more. But I thought you guys would get a kick out of the crystal grotto. The crystal was probably trucked in from Arkansas in the 30s. This is on private property, but open to the public. Fortunately, it seems to be immaculately maintained.

[Angel Wings]

1. WOW!! GREAT PICS!!

I wish I were there too. :D

[FirstLight]

2. That is SOOOOO awesome!!!

I wanna live there! is it really IN a graveyard?

Looks like the artist knew a litle about sacred geometry, eh?

has a very ancient feel, like that last bench, very old.
what is the feeling inside/around it? ever had any experiences?

[Celebration]

3. It was a little bit too cool to try to get too contemplative

It was a fairly nice day yesterday, but chilly, so, no, I didn't try to stop and feel anything.

Yes it is IN the major cemetary here. It used to be family owned, and one of them, in the 30s, had this work commissioned. Anyway, over the bench you can probably see the flowers at the gravesites.

He kept his cement formula secret. Mostly he did cement that looked like wood. He would "brew" it, and people said it smelled like bananas.

This is on the National Register of Historic Places. I grew up in San Antonio, and there is a ton of his work there.

Honestly, it was Google Earth that got me to check this out again. For a long time you couldn't go into the Grotto. I think they were rehabilitating it or something. So, I have lived here a long time, and the first time I ever went inside it was yesterday. It's only about three miles from my house. My mother in law has never seen it at all and didn't even know it was there. She is REALLY religious, and it is hard for us to find common interests, so I am going to take her.

Here is another REALLY COOL BENCH--mixture of old world and space age.

[Kind of Blue]

4. I think your mother in law is going to love it.

Just Beautiful.

[I Have A Dream]

5. I'd love to visit this site.

The bench is awesome!

Thank you for sharing these pictures with us.