Amethyst, Quartz, Geodes, and Jesuits

 Bright and early the next morning, I took an Uber to the border between Brazil and Argentina.  It was a very easy crossing.  I got out of my Uber, stamped out of Brazil - again (even though I never processed out of Paraguay or back into Brazil) and got into a taxi.  The taxi took me to the Argentina border.  The immigration official asked me if I was coming back to Brazil or staying in Argentina, and I told her I was staying in Argentina and going on down to Buenos Aires and Ushuaia after a few days.  She said fine, processed my passport AND DIDN'T GIVE ME A STAMP!  Okay.  Two countries out of three that didn't give me a stamp!  I got the big, 100-page passport so I could collect stamps!  I'm really not liking this trend.  The taxi driver took me all the way to my hostel - which was apparently further from the center than I thought.  I got settled in before going back to town so I could exchange money.

Argentina has a black market for currency.  This is in part because of the currency controls the government tries to enforce and in part because of the runaway, 80+% inflation.  But trading currency on the black market (called the blue dollar) gives you about twice the spending power for your buck.  So, you avoid banks and official money changing facilities.  The place to go in Puerto Iguazu is Tourismo Dick.  I kid you not!  There are two major tourist bureaus in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina;  Tourismo Dick and Sol Iguazu.  They are across the street from each other.  Tourismo Dick also has a blue dollar money exchange in the office.   I went in, exchanged dollars for Argentinian pesos (at 270 to 1 as opposed to about 140 to 1) and asked about a tour to the mines in Wanda.  The lady at the tourism desk told me she didn't have any spaces left for the mines the next day, so I went across the street to Sol Iguazu, who hooked me right up, English-speaking guide and all.  Because my hostel was so far from town and away from the bus line, I asked about transportation to the falls for the following day, too.  They said that for now, the falls are requiring a guide for all visitors.  They suggested I just order the whole package from them, because they could provide me with transportation and let me get my guide from the park, but the park charges more.  Their price was reasonable, so I went ahead and got both days taken care of right then and there.

Then came the hike up the hill to the bus terminal because I wanted to take the bus to Buenos Aires instead of flying.  So, I arranged my bus, had a wonderful dish of a fish from the Parana River over a bed of squash topped with a cherry tomato reduction at a place called Pizza Color, and headed back to my hostel, stopping along the way for snacks to eat in my room.

The next bright and early morning, I met Ruan outside my hostel in a van.  I was the first pickup for the mines and ruins.  He didn't speak any English.  We picked up two more families.  One was parents and their child, about 9.  The other was a group of three siblings, two adult and one in high school. One of the siblings spoke exceptionally good English, and we struck up a friendship.  I'm trying to set up an Instagram account so I can find her and connect with her beyond that one day.  But, like many younger people, she doesn't use Facebook, preferring Instagram.

Anyway, the mines were awesome.  Even before entering the mines, themselves, you could see deposits of amethyst and quartz just laying on the ground!

Once we actually entered the mines, the deposits were even more frequent!  Our guide talked about how the area was initially settled by Polish immigrants before the mines were established, and the area has a significant slavic influence.  He also described the minerals that go into making the amethyst and quartz along with many of the other other precious stones that are mined elsewhere.  He also described grading the stones, including the color and clarity sought.  I understood a surprising amount of what he said, and was even able to ask questions and make relevant comments.  Having Tina around, able and willing to correct my understanding or clarify my statements made me a lot more confident!  He also pointed out some of the natural formations that resembled other things, like this llama!

That last one is a geode.  When we left the mine, we went by the "factory", where they process the stones, sometimes combinding them with other stones or natural items to make knick knacks for tourists.  After that, into the gift shop, where the sales ladies were definitely skilled at the hard sell and photos were not allowed.  Thankfully, my ear holes have long grown over and I have no space in my suitcase for souveniers!

Then, we headed further south, to San Ignacio.  After a good lunch, in which Tina and her brother and sister made a list of foods I need to try in Argentina, and we talked a lot about the similarities and differences between the two countries, we toured the ruins of the Jesuit mission that was set up by the Jesuit priests.  The guide discussed in intricate detail the way the community was set up, leaving no detail unconsidered.  This included not just the architecture, but the structure of the community and education of the children.  Much of this is still demonstrated in the Jesuit-based colleges and high schools in the US, such as Loyola and Xavier Universities.  The site is very well preserved and definitely worth a trip to visit.

On the ride back to Puerto Iguazu, we stopped to learn about yerba mate production.  I tried the tea, which is a mild flavor, and I may add it to my rotation of teas when I get home.  Afterward in the van, a cup of actual mate was prepared and passed around.  It is a social drink.  It is the type of thing that gets passed around between friends, but unlike in some cultures, where declining is considered an insult, it's the offer that indicates friendship.  I was offered, and the offer made me feel very good.  Unfortunately, the taste was extremely bitter, and the face I made garnered a chuckle from everybody in the van!  Later, after it mellowed, I tried it again, and it was much better.  By the end of the ride, I felt confident contribuing to the conversation about places to eat dinner in town wihout the need for translation!

At the end of the evening, when dropping people off (I was the last to go!), Tina and I expressed that we want to keep in touch.  We had no signal the entire trip, so on my notes page in my phone where they made the list of foods I need to try, she wrote down her instagram handle, and I am now in the process of trying to figure out how to set up a personal instagram account so I can connect with her.  I may have to reach out for help, so Chrissy, be prepared!  I may need some long-distance tech support!