Day 5 Tucson 2014

Day 5

Tucson’s weather has turned; it is cool and overcast, with a prediction of morning rains. Regardless, we’re heading to a wholesale show to replenish our stocks. After registering as buyers, we’re in line with hundreds of others waiting for the show to start when the promised rains arrive. Cold water snaking down our necks with the temperature in the 50’s – an invigorating start to the day!

We acquired puffy hearts in Goldstone, Rose Quartz, Crystal, Bloodstone and Fancy Jasper, small banded Amethyst hearts, worry stones in Fluorite and Red Jasper, and animals of the Chinese Zodiac as well as others. After this purchase, we walk and walk and walk and walk and walk some more! This is a huge show!

We decide to go leave this crowd behind and travel across town to see what new material is available. Immediately, we come across a vendor from Madagascar who is unpacking cases of white calcite geodes and Celestite. He kindly allowed us to hand select egg- and sphere-shaped pieces in this light blue crystalline material to add to our bounty.

Next we return to the ‘Strip’ area where the merchants from Brazil are concentrated. Prices are all over the map, just like the gas prices in this town. (There is a wide range in the price of gasoline. Prices for standard 87 Octane can be found as much as 30 cents cheaper, simply by turning a corner and driving a couple of blocks.) Again, we walk and walk and walk and walk and walk some more! We are determined to find quality quartz products at reasonable prices. We’ll continue this search tomorrow.

At the end of the day, we enjoy pizza at Rocco’s Little Chicago Pizza, a Tucson fixture since 1998.  Everything is made fresh daily on the premises. They have a great selection in local beers. We were served by a marvelous employee, Becky, who knowledgeably guided us through our selection of drinks and pizza. Word to the wise: “Everything is huge at Rocco’s.”  We could not finish the small, deep dish pizza, even though we had not eaten all day!