Friday, April 1, 2011

Travelling Stones-Part 3 (Bangkok and Thailand)

THAILAND

On my travels to SE Asia in March. I had already visited Australia via Hong Kong in January/February. I then started my second trip of the year back through Hong Kong and visited Vietnam (See Travelling Stones Part 2-Vietnam with the White Marble), then I did a few days in the heart of Bangkok to do some unique stone shopping as one of the largest markets I had ever been to. The Chatuchak (or Jatujak (aka JJ) ;Thai: จตุจักร) weekend market and is the largest market in Thailand. I spent many hours just poking through the main section where stones and other items could be found. That had just about everything else there too. It was a good thing I got there early, because by about 1pm, it was so packed, it was like fighting a crowd leaving a concert to get in. I had too much stuff in my bag and left almost 20lbs heavier.

Chatuchak Market: Larger than a few football fields.

First thing in the morning, still getting set up.

I managed to get a few samplers of some of the stuff. The plan is to return again next year and get a few more items if they are popular.

Blue Granite

Serpentine Beads

Serpentine Column Beads

Lapis Lazuli

Tibetan Turquiose Round

Tibetian Turquoise Oval

Serpentine Leafs

Large Turquoise

Garnets

I picked up a few raw stones, and a few pre-cut/beaded stones. One of the best finds was a handful of Lapis Lazuli and Tibetian Turquiose. I also got a few fun Sepentine varieties like some of the yellow /green columnar and round stones. I had to just try a few of the stones for 2011 Rock line items this year, with none making it to market yet, due to the third big trip of the year to Peru in Oct/November, but I will be making much more in early 2012. See the 2012 ROCKLINE upcoming.

Some of my earliest uses of the stones I got in Thailand are

Tibentan Turquoise Necklace: made from beads from Bangkok JJ Market

Blue Granite Square necklace

Serpentine Stone Bead Necklace:from JJ Market in Bangkok

Lapis Lazuli Stone Beads: from the JJ Market in Bangkok

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Travelling Stones-Part 2 (Vietnam and the White Marble)

VIETNAM
Vietnam was one place that I had to visit in my lifetime, for various reasons, but little did I know that out of the tourist stops that I visited, like Ha Noi and Ha Long Bay. Saigon and the Mekong Delta and Hue, that I would find a little place named Hoi An (near DaNang) where there was exceptional White Marble just in the Mountains. Marble Moutain was a visit I would not forget. I spent a day with freinds visiting the temples and pagodas and seeing some incredible Breccia karstification inside the Mountain caves. Many of the industry around DaNang and this tourist stop was Marble carving and statues. Amazing work. I got a sample from one of the local carvers. I managed to find a small stash back in Hoi An of Marble stone beads and Pendants to bring home and build some Jewellery.

Marble Mountain near Hoi An, Vietnam

Carved and Built Stairs into the caves of the Mountain

Caves and Karstification with Breccia columns

Pure white Marble: I was give a sample


All things were carved from this Marble. Amazing!

I managed to find a small vendor who sold a few strands of the White Marble in their shop. Not a lot and more expensive that I thought.

Marble Beads

Stone Pendants

Marble Twisted Beads

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Travelling Stones-Part 1 (Australia)

AUSTRALIA:

My first big change for me in years was leaving my full time job of 12 years. I had wanted to take time off strickly to travel. So, I was hoping to travel in a big way this year. Well I did!! I left mid January for Australia via Hong Kong and spent almost a month there. I really had only booked this trip with 10 days notice. I had other parts of my winter planned but this was more of a surprise to me. I had a chance to visit Woolengong, Sydney, Melbourne, the Outback (which is all around Alice Springs et al) and then to Perth (where Cyclone Yasi re-routed me from going to the east coasts) to do the coastline there. I saw some of the most amazing geological sights in all the years I had done field trips as a Geologist, but this time was for pleasure. Unfortunetly, with all the costs of the country combined with some of the stones not marketed as well as I thought they would be, there were mainly raw stones purchased, with a few exceptions. I however plan to work some of them up before they make it to any necklace or jewellery piece. I managed to get a few good local stones. A chunk of Crystoprase from a local market, Amethyst, Mookite, and Garnets. I even found a place in the Blue Mountains that had the neatest Opal pendants and Primodial Petrofied Algae (Zebra Stone) and some Tiger Eye items. I also saw the modern day Wollami Tree (@Wollami Gems Store) which was the results of finding seeds that were found deep in the Blue mountains, now grown into the modern Wollami tree, side by side with the its equivalent, the ancient fossil. Really cool!!

Blue Mountain Sunset

Three Sisters: Blue Mountains

The Wollami Tree and the Wollami fossil.

Some of the stones are shown below. I even bought an Ammonite Shell specimen which was actually from back home in Alberta...I had to cause it was a good one and probably a lot cheaper than what I would pay back home.