Hello once again from Teofilo Otoni, Minas Gerais Brasil...
I'd like to welcome all of you new readers to our periodic newsletter. I'm
usually a more frequent writer, but matters other than business have been
diverting my attention. I wanted to at least get out a short newsletter
regarding the upcoming shows here in Teofilo Otoni for those of you who may
need some final info for travel plans.
We are happy to inform you that our TWO annual gem & mineral shows are
shaping up nicely. The first show is set for July 14-18 2004, and the Feira
Internacional de Pedras Preciosos (the Main Show) is set for August 17-21
2004. The shows have been very well attended and have maintained a super
display of goods over the past few years. It is a show well worth attending.
If you are interested in visiting, reservations can be made at any of the
following hotels, all clean and comfortable, costs range between
US$20-$30/night. If you encounter a Portuguese language barrier, you can
call our office for assistance in booking reservations: 011-55-33-3522-4205
Hotel reservation info dial 55 (country code) + 33 (local area code)
Nobre Palace 3521-5824
Capital das Pedras 3523-5400
Palmeiras Hotel 3523-5100
Lancaster Hotel 3522-3131
All of the hotels are within walking distance to the show, or a very short
taxi ride. The show is in Praca Tiradentes, right in the middle of the
downtown area. Our office is also on the Praca, on the top floor of the
Banco do Brasil. Be sure to drop in and say hello!
The fabulous "piscina neon blue" Paraiba Tourmaline shown above is a
whopping 45.1ct, loupe clean, trillion cut GEMSTONE of the finest quality. I
must admit also that it is the most rare, most beautiful, and most expensive
colored gemstone that I have ever held in my own hands. Asking price is
US$30,000/ct, or US$1,350,000/stone. This incredible one of a kind filet
gemstone can be seen at our office, with advance arrangements.
Amazon mining update: Jungle Gems has closed all of our activities in
Rondonia and Amazonia. We are no longer mining topaz or opal. Logistical
aspects of working so far away from our base in Minas Gerais got to be too
much for us to handle. We are currently negotiating other mining projects in
Minas Gerais and Bahia, and will be sending out reports of our progress in
coming newsletters.
Some of our regular readers have asked me why the newsletters have slowed to
a trickle over the past half-year. Well, sometimes it's necessary to
re-group, re-organize, re-plan, etc., and that is what we have been going
through here at Jungle-Gems.com. I must admit though that not all of our
activities have been gemstone related. After nearly 2 decades of me saying
that I want to buy some beachfront property, I finally found my piece of
paradise in Bahia. With a couple of good friends, Carmine Scopino and Dr. Ed
Perelka, we are the new proud owners of 53 acres of gorgeous beachfront in
lovely Bahia State. It is only a half days drive from Teofilo Otoni, to an
area slightly south of Porto Seguro. As I was looking for my piece of
paradise, I spent many months looking at everything in the area that was for
sale. There are some fine opportunities still available at what I feel are
very low prices for beachfront property. Maybe my perspective is off after
being raised in Southern California, but prime latitude beach properties are
extremely costly in all parts of the world. We will be posting offers here
in our newsletter in the coming months if any of you readers are also
interested in retiring to the beach :-). Inserted below are a few pictures
of the Southern Bahia coastline...
OK, now you can see where we have been spending time away from the gemstone
business...
We are now somewhat reluctantly going back to work in Minas Gerais. It's
mid-winter here, so we better do some work before summer returns eh? Those
of you who have submitted requests for goods will be hearing from me soon.
I'll send out a "show report" on the highlights, complete with all the
rumors surely to be heard, after conclusion of our annual gem and mineral
shows. Until then...
Regards from Brasil ~ Kirk "Tomas" Bond