Teófilo Otoni, MG, Brazil

August 26, 2009 08:30 p.m. ( local time )

(August 26“ Wednesday): Visit downtown centre square gemstone market and FIPP

Next day we were supposed to go to other mines in the area, and besides we had planned to perhaps travel until Araçuai. None of these happened. We finally agree with the group to stay in Teófilo to better enjoy the show and what Teófilo Otoni has to offer, relaxing a bit for a long trip back to Rio de Janeiro.

And this is what we did. In the morning visit at the central square where there is a duty free open sky market, where hundreds of dealers display, show and sell their gemstones freely. Very enjoable. At the square we were luck to watch few sloths on the tall trees. They are traditional presence in the square that has been their natural habitat for a long time, or at least since I was born (I was born and raised in Teófilo Otoni and know the sloths since then).

In the afternoon we went back to the FIPP where everybody could wander, admire and buy gems. Very nice fair. It is worth going, definetely. At night we had dinner accompained by Toni’s friends (Sao Paulo University geology professors).

Overnight at the Hotel Capital das Pedras.

The show at the square

Centre Square in Teófilo Otoni

Negotiating at the parking lot

Typical gem dealer

A display of gems at the square

See the sloth?

Dinner with geologists

Bargaining at the centre square

Hotel Capital das Pedras

Hotel Loby

A nice terminated green tourmaline

A selection of tourmaline