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VII 2013 – USA, part II

 

GO TO:    Part I    Part III    Part IV    Part V

 

After a very boring drive on the desert highway we arrived to San Diego. J. Gajowniczek photo.

  

Happy Asia at the coast. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

San Diego is known for its numerous beaches, mild climat ... J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

... and of course surfing. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Houses on the pier. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

View from the end of the pier. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Yachting is very popular too. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

We really enjoyed the climate of San Diego ... J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

... and its easy atmosphere. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Sunset Clifs with surfers. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Surfers seen from the Sunset Clifs. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Sunset Clifs. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Sunset Clifs. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Sunset from Sunset Clifs. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Military cemetery. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Military cemetery. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Military cemetery. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Military cemetery. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Military cemetery, view to San Diego downtown. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Military cemetery, view to San Diego downtown. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

We found a area with mineral streets :) - here Feldspar St. with spelling mistake. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Garnet Avenue. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

And Hornblend St.. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

We love marine animals so we visited the SeaWorld - something between a zoo and an amusement park. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

SeaWorld. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Capitan Nemo in SeaWorld. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

SeaWorld. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

SeaWorld. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

SeaWorld. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

There were roller-coasters too but we focused on animals. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Flamingoes. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Flamingoes. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Penguins. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Penguin. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Seals. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

One of most ineteresting animals we saw - Beluga whale. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Polar bear taking a nap. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Killer whales are one of the best known attractions of the park. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Killer whales - they are giant. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

...and very vivacious. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Killer whales show. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Somersault! J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Asia playing with dolphins. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Asia playing with dolphins. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Asia playing with dolphins. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

San Diego is well known for surfing. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Asia always wanted to try this sport so she did not miss the opportunity. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Prepared. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Surfing Asia. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

In San Diego we visited our friend John Attard - collector and owner of the www.attminerals.com. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Part of John`s collection. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Big wolframite from John`s collection, Tazna, Bolivia. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Wulfenite from Touissit, Morocco. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Big for the locality hubnerite from Baia Sprie, Romania. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Scheelite on muscovite from China. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

In the evening we visited Gaslamp Quarter - the historical heart of San Diego. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Next day we made a trio to Coronado island. Spectacular view to San Diego downtown. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

San Diego downtown. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Very high and long brigde going from downtown to Coronado island. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Driving through the bridge. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Spectacular view from the bridge - US Navy Battleships, protective barriers around them. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Spectacular view from the bridge. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

San Diego ZOO - a must-see attraction of San Diego. It houses over 3700 animals. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Incredible section through an underground anthill. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Working ants, they look for leaves ... J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

... take them underground ... J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

... and construct the nest of them. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Nice insects - cockroaches from Madagascar. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

There were a lot of different reptiles. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Snake. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Snake. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

And something for fossil collectors - snakes skeleton. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Lizard. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Crocodiles swimming with turtles, looed like they were good friends. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Long-neck turtle. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Flamingos. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Chimpanzee - looks like he has a nice time. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Warthog. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Colorful bird in one of a few giant aviaries. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Coala bear - most of them were sleeping after an Eucalyptus meal. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Antelope. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Hairy wild pig :) J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Polar bear - it was so hot we really felt sorry for him. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Panda. There are only 46 giant pandas in zoos outside of China. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Panda eating dinner, looks like it needed diet :) J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Young Panda. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

View from the aerial tramway at the San Diego Zoo. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

In the evening we went to visit La Jolla - well known resort with clifs, beaches and seals. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Numerous, very loud seals and sea lions at the coast in La Jolla. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Numerous, very loud sals at the coast in La Jolla. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Seals are swimming next to people. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Seals are swimming next to people. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Beach in La Jolla. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Beach in La Jolla. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Next on our way was Falbrook and Pala area. Google maps.

 

Next on our way was Falbrook and Pala area. Google maps.

 

First we visited Bill Larson and Pala International (www.palagems.com) in Fallbrook with our friend Mark Mauthner. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Part of the lab of Pala Int. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

The important part of Pala International bussines are fine gems. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Bill Larson in his office, library of old mineralogical books in the back. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Part of the library with shelves full of great minerals. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

One of many shelves, this one with Mexican specimens. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tourmalines and other minerals from Southern California pegmatites. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tourmalines and beryls from the Pala area. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Great combo from the Oceanview mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Other part of Bill`s collection including famous fluorite on baryte from Berbes, Spain. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Immense tourmaline on quartz from Himalaya mine, California. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Bill Larson with his probably most famous specimen - Kunz`s kunzite - with photo of Kunz keeping the same specimen and an old drawing of the piece. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

"The core" of Bill`s collection. One of the world best private collections. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Shelves with the famous blue-caps from Tourmaline Queen mine and specimens from other Southern California pegmatitetes. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Famous blue-caps, much more spectacular in person. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Big crystals from the Tourmaline King mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Bill with the famous "The Snail" rhodochrosite from N`Chwaning, South Africa. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tom in front of the recontruction of Himalaya mine pocket in Bill`s office. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Recontruction of the pocket from Himalaya mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Other part of Bill`s colelction are fine carvings. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Birds carved from tourmalines. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tourmaline hummingbird drinking nectar from quartz flower. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Our next stop was the famous Himalaya mine. Google maps.

 

First we visited "Tourmaline Dig" where visitors can dig in dupms and find gems themselves paying small fixed fee. If you are interested in visiting see details here: www.highdesertgemsandminerals.com. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

"Office" of the gem diggings. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Visitor trying his luck. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Look what I`ve found! J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Pink tourmaline on quartz. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Gems digging. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Time to go underground! J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

The gate to the paradise :-) J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Going down. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Going down. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Shoring. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tom is going down, note pegmatite veins in the walls. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Security pillar with pegmatite vein. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Spectacular pegmatite vein outcrop. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Vein with black tourmalines J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Old wall built in the early years of the mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Pegmatite vein with cleaned pockets. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Pockets in the vein. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Cleaned pocket with lepidolite and pink tourmalines. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Scott Ritchie, specialist in local pegmaties and gems miner. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Chatting underground with Scott, Jessica and Leila. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Happy Mark Mauthner. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Time to go up. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Going back to the surface. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Go toward the light. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Asia and Tom happy after visiting Himalaya mine. M. Mauthner photo.

 

Some of the recently dug specimens. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Freshly mined quartz with tourmaline. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Gemmy tourmaline. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Selection of the recently mined tourmaline crystals. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Big doubly terminated tourmaline from Himalaya. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

The big one, from older diggings. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Mine car with interesting plates, their other mine is for sunstone. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Going back from the mine - landscapes surrounding Himalaya. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

View from the way back from the Himalaya mine. Google maps photo.

 

Next day we visited mines in the famous Pala area. First was Oceanview mine.

 

Fee dig in Oceanview Mine (www.digforgems.com). J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Fee dig in Oceanview Mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Gem diggers. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

We had the privilege to visit the mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Going inside. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Mark showing huge kunzite crystals in the mine walls. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Huge kunzite crystals in the mine walls. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

We had luck - new pocket was just opened! J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tom and Mark cleaning the pocket. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

First quartz crystals start to show up. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Using water to clean the pocket. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

At some point we noticed different crystal sticking out in the pocket ... J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

It turned out to be a huge morganite! Probably the biggest one found in the mine! J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Mark examining morganite crystal still in situ. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Mark examining morganite crystal still in situ. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Here it is! Big morganite! J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tom cleaning the crystal. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tom with huge morganite. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tom with huge morganite, that was a lucky day! J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Morganite after first washing. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Loading content of the pocket to the buckets to transport them to the surface. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

We tried to dig more. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

But only big quartz crystals showed up. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Coming back to the surface. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Mark is cleaning content of the pocket. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Buckets with what we found. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

One of the quartz crystals. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Happy Tom with freshly mined morganite and Tourmaline Queen mine in the back. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Next day was the visit in Tourmaline King mine area.

 

View to the Pala town (to the left) and hill with Tourmaline Queen mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Famous Tourmaline Queen mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

View from the Tourmaline King mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Workings in the Tourmaline King mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Pegmatite in the King mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Tom and Scott examining pegmatite. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Old tunnel with the rails sticking out from the mud. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Spectacular old specimen from the Tourmaline King mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Eric Cordova showing specimen and planning to find many more like that in the near future :-) J. Gajowniczek photo.

 

Erik showed us also torumaline specimen from Cyro-Geni mine. J. Gajowniczek photo.

  

GO TO:    Part I    Part III    Part IV    Part V



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