As many as 70 million Chinese folks live in caves

[BaguaKicksAss]

Some pretty nice ones too . Not all as rustic as one might think

 

http://www.offgridquest.com/homes-dwellings/building-methods/689-chinese-caves

 

 

[soaring crane]

Yeah, awesome :-)

 

There was a long detailed documentary about them on TV here not too long ago. Of course the Chinese government isn't happy about the situation, but as I recall, they're not taking any action against the people. They're looking into ways to turn them into a tourist attraction or something.

[Silent Answers]

Certainly looks cool for those of us living on the other side of the fence, I know I'd be very tempted to live in such a place if I were single. Unfortunately, a large majority of those millions probably don't have a choice in the matter, and the definition of cave probably includes the mud-brick style homes you see in the very rural parts of the country. The people in these super rural parts do have a simple life, but it's often more a result of circumstance rather than a preference for that way of life.

 

Most old mines, caves and mountains here have been turned into poorly run tourist attractions. I've even seen the government bricking up the entrances to some caves to stop people from trying to live in them. (not sure if that was for safety concerns - but I strongly doubt it)

[soaring crane]

I've even seen the government bricking up the entrances to some caves to stop people from trying to live in them. (not sure if that was for safety concerns - but I strongly doubt it)

 

yesss that was in the documentary, too. Officially out of safety concerns for the people. But not really.

[GrandmasterP]

Warm in winter and cool in summer.

There was a docu on TV here a while back where someone stayed with a Chinese family in a cave house.

It was most comfortable.

Edited September 12, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Nungali]

Coober pedy mate !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Built thirty years ago by three women using picks and shovels: ' Faye's Underground Home' ;

 

Edited September 13, 2014 by Nungali

[BaguaKicksAss]

That is awesome!

 

There is only one thing missing with many of these, sunlight coming in through the large windows... and being able to have plants thrive.... Perhaps two stories would be perfect, one underground and... wait, I already have that with the basement here lol.

[Nungali]

You're funny !

 

You can make fake windows, but no view of course. The worst aspect is there is no flow through of energy (says he whose cabin has one wall with only one window in it - the other walls have 4 , 7 , 14 and 3 windows in each ) ... but still, when its 43 deg C ... one might not want that 'energy' flowing through ?

 

Since they are opal miners I always fantasize about the 'secret room; they didnt mine, the one with seams of opal through the walls and floors

 

Edited September 13, 2014 by Nungali

[BaguaKicksAss]

You're funny !

 

You can make fake windows, but no view of course. The worst aspect is there is no flow through of energy (says he whose cabin has one wall with only one window in it - the other walls have 4 , 7 , 14 and 3 windows in each ) ... but still, when its 43 deg C ... one might not want that 'energy' flowing through ?

 

Since they are opal miners I always fantasize about the 'secret room; they didnt mine, the one with seams of opal through the walls and floors

 

 

That, would be my meditation room...

[Nungali]

 

How to make the fireplace

 

[voidisyinyang]

amazing - there's some cave houses in Turkey I think - umm along the St. Croix River there was a Swede immigrant living in a cave back in the day. Where it gets 20 below Zero F. in the winter - https://www.google.com/search?q=cave+house+turkey&client=firefox-beta&hs=ywH&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=TfYVVNnZGcGTyASmlYDICw&ved=0CB8QsAQ yeah similarly swanky caves in Turkey.

[BaguaKicksAss]

Wow, those are awesome!

[GrandmasterP]

http://nottinghamcavessurvey.org.uk/history.htm

 

There are a lot of cave houses in Nottingham.

Not used as such now but they used to be and some within living memory.

Edited September 15, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[joeblast]

 

Most old mines, caves and mountains here have been turned into poorly run tourist attractions. I've even seen the government bricking up the entrances to some caves to stop people from trying to live in them. (not sure if that was for safety concerns - but I strongly doubt it)

mines are dangerous

the ones I've seen/been in, extremely chilly also.

[JinlianPai]

If your jealous of people who lives in caves then you might be a tao bum.

[GrandmasterP]

mines are dangerous

the ones I've seen/been in, extremely chilly also.

 

Can't remember where it was but I saw a thing on TV where old salt mines have been turned into health spas with hotels, holiday homes and all sorts of swish facilities underground.

[Nungali]

years ago (when you could do stuff like this) we squatted in an old abandondwaterfront house. It wasnt built in a cave but butted up against a cliff. Too close - the cliff had a little waterfall and stream that had rotted out the back wall and some of the foundations. So we just pulled down the back wall and had a lounge room open to the rocky cliff with ferns and rock orchids, a little trickle of a waterfall , pulled up some floor boards so the lounge room had a creek running through it - planted some ferns in there. Terrible for mozzies though - but no worse than camping

 

Great spot, had the remains of a wharf and one of us had a boat so we could sneak in and out (without having to go up the hill through this old path and past another house to the road) and go shopping and fishing, etc. We had a fireplace outside for cooking.

 

Loved it ! We got away with it for about 3 months until someone turned up one day "How long have you people been living here ! ? "

 

It got sold and developed (like all those old places in my old stamping grounds did), now there is a $3 Mill crap house built over it.

[BaguaKicksAss]

You get squatters rights after a certain amount of time .

[BaguaKicksAss]

Some pretty caves here: http://www.vocativ.com/culture/society/cave-houses/#!bQhbmJ