Rolling Stone : Other gem materials and minerals of Mexico

Friday, January 15, 2010

Other gem materials and minerals of Mexico

Miscellaneous:
Much fine lapidary work is done with obsidian. At Teotihuacan archeological site near Mexico City there is an obsidian workshop where for the benefit of tourists the Indians fashion traditional arrow and spear heads for sale. However, some obsidian has a beautiful flow structure which is emphasized when polished into spheres and other ornaments. The varieties known as Sheen Obsidian (yellow sheen), Rainbow Obsidian (rainbow sheen) and Snowflake Obsidian are particularly striking..
The largest Mexican deposits of obsidian are near Guadalajara and have been mined for thousands of years. A recent visit to the obsidian mines and a workshop is described by John Pint, "Obsidian in Mexico", click here.

The silver mining regions that I visited north of Mexico City (Pachuca and Guanajuato to Zacatecas) are a source of many mineral specimens of interest to the collector. The gangue minerals include quartz crystals often with an amethystine base, calcite as platy rosettes (calcita en hojas) and as spiky "dog tooth spar" and massive fluorite. Silver minerals include native silver, argentite, ruby silver, and the common sulfide minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite and galena are plentiful. I was tempted to buy some colorless topaz crystals and rare danburite crystals up to 5 cm size.

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Accommodation in Managua and Granada

Accommodation in Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas is a tourist town with a wide spectrum of accommodation, ranging from five star hotels (5), to large backpackers (2) to numerous small family guest houses, or hospedajes. Hostels can be found from the website Hostel World and provide private rooms for US $20 to $45. Large backpackers, Casa Azul and Compass del Sur are listed with Backpackers Chileand offer economical accommodation ranging from $10 to $20 dorms to shared rooms with a buffet breakfast for $3.50. They are similar to a large South African backpackers and offer tours, excursions, Spanish classes, you name it and they'll provide it.

Most economical are the family guest houses or hospedajes costing $10 to $15 per person, and listed in guide books like Lonely Planet. A family may rent out to travelers a couple of rooms in a large family house. If you are lucky you may get to share their kitchen to cook meals and learn some Spanish for free at the same time. So you learn how a Chilean family operates. In Puerto Varas I have gone back and stayed at the same hospedaje three years in a row. (and with a different companera each time, which confused mama)

Cape Town for backpackers

Backpackers are very well accommodated in Cape Town. There are dozens of exciting backpackers to choose from. A little booklet called "Coast to Coast" lists them all, with details for booking. The same information is on the Internet for Southern Africa, just put in "Cape Town" for the region.

I shall not recommend any backpackers because that would be unfair and half the fun is finding a good one that suits you. Important factors in your choice are that the backpackers should have good Internet facilities, a good kitchen and dining area, a travel bureau office, a swimming pool, and be close to a popular restaurant, plus any more factors? Many backpackers have ALL these facilities and are converted mansions of old. Lucky you!