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Tijuana
Jan 20, 2005 3:34:53 GMT -5
Post by puppie96 on Jan 20, 2005 3:34:53 GMT -5
Next week I'll have a couple days in San Diego to do what I want to. No surprise that idle minds are a rockhound's workshop.
Anyhooo...I figured I'd head down to Tijuana, I can't NOT go to Mexico if I can go to Mexico. Being alone and on foot I won't venture beyond the city, but I got to thinking, I wonder whether there's a dealer in rough rock there someplace. What a great opportunity that would be....
If there's anybody around with any thoughts about this, please let me know. Also, anything suggesting places that might be fun for some casual rocking in the immediate San Diego area would also be appreciated. Thanks, guys. Yes, I know there's a "location" section, but I posted this here on purpose to hopefully get more hits...sorry if I messed up the organization....
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Tijuana
Jan 20, 2005 9:11:13 GMT -5
Post by MichiganRocks on Jan 20, 2005 9:11:13 GMT -5
Hey Puppie, can't help you specifically, but when I was in Tijuana, I ran across lots of people that kept asking me what I wanted. They said that they could get me anything that I wanted, anything. Try telling them you want some "rocks" and see what happens! Ron ps. Be careful what kind of "rocks" they get you. You might not want to bring them back over the border!
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Tijuana
Jan 20, 2005 9:19:37 GMT -5
Post by krazydiamond on Jan 20, 2005 9:19:37 GMT -5
to be honest, puppie, i'd suggest you save your time and effort (ESPECIALLY if you are traveling solo) and give Tijuana a miss. it takes FOREVER to get through Customs (both ways) and they rip you off for taxis to and from the border into the city. it's dirty, it's grubby, you dare not eat or drink anything when you are there and all they want to do is sell you crap for as much as they can pressure you into. mind you, not ALL of Mexico is like that and if you get to go to somewhere a little less..touristy, you may well enjoy a visit.
i'd suggest you make the best of your visit in San Diego, take the trolley tour, there are so many great shops (maybe a rock shop? check the phone book) and things to see. there are all sorts of City Tours you can take, boat trips available of the harbor, etc. etc....
my 2.5 cents worth,
KD
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Tijuana
Jan 20, 2005 10:47:46 GMT -5
Post by gaetzchamp on Jan 20, 2005 10:47:46 GMT -5
I don't know if I'd go anywhere and ask someone on the street for a good place to find "rocks". That might get you some good jail time.....a go-round in a Mexican Prison doesn't sound like too much fun to me. LOL,
later, gaeter
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Tijuana
Jan 20, 2005 10:58:41 GMT -5
Post by MichiganRocks on Jan 20, 2005 10:58:41 GMT -5
it takes FOREVER to get through Customs (both ways) and they rip you off for taxis to and from the border into the city. it's dirty, it's grubby, you dare not eat or drink anything when you are there Si KD, when I was there, I just walked across the border. Mexico didn't have any customs at all. Kind of scary really, couldn't help but wonder if there was anything special I should know to be sure I could get back to U.S. When I came back, there was a huge line at the U.S. customs, but they never even looked in my bag. I'm not a big fan of Mexican beer, but it sure beats drinking the water! Ron
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Tijuana
Jan 21, 2005 2:03:59 GMT -5
Post by puppie96 on Jan 21, 2005 2:03:59 GMT -5
Hola, KD, I've actually been to Tijuana a handful of times and have always had a great time, weird as it sounds. Knowing passable espanol helps with this. I'm pretty interested in Mexican crafts and I do great shopping anywhere in Mexico -- it's been a while, I'm due to get some new "totally spectacular jewelry for $10 or less" and a stockpile of gifts for next December. My big thing is Oaxacan rugs, which are expensive, but I've managed to accumulate a half dozen or so in various sizes and got them all for a price. The line to cross over always looks long but goes fast. Did you know this border crossing carries more foot traffic than any other in the world?
If you don't feel like walking downtown, when the cabbies tell you it's $5.00 to go there offer them less and you can go for $3 to $4. It's gotten to where this is a sport as much as anything else and at the end of the ride I give them a dollar tip anyhow.
Funny isn't it, stoners like us looking for rocks. I need to get the Spanish word for agate to clarify possible confusion about this issue!
Once in the countryside someplace in the Yucatan, our bus made a stop at the family's craft market or whatever (there are always these stops, you know) and there was a boy out back hand carving an ornate piece out of a gigantic slab of onyx. We watched and talked with him for a while. That was before I caught this disease so unfortunately I didn't pick his brain as I would today.
It would be so cool to find somebody there selling rough rock. Wow. Of course walking it back across the border could be a problem....
Has anybody ever picked up rocks around San Diego, La Jolla, or close by?
Thanks! I am very psyched for this trip.
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Tijuana
Jan 21, 2005 21:31:55 GMT -5
Post by rockyraccoon on Jan 21, 2005 21:31:55 GMT -5
puppie i think you ought to print out some pics of native mexican stones and take it over with you so you can show them what you want. stoner, james, & jackson are from california - speak up boys - where are the rocks? ;D
kim
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Tijuana
Jan 22, 2005 0:57:55 GMT -5
Post by puppie96 on Jan 22, 2005 0:57:55 GMT -5
rr -- now that is a good idea. What would that consist of, besides Mex Lace agate?
Someday I want to make it to the mountains in Oaxaca and hopefully to some of those amazing rock places I have read about.
Stoner's up in the northern end of the state, I don't know about the other guys....
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Tijuana
Jan 22, 2005 1:02:02 GMT -5
Post by stoner on Jan 22, 2005 1:02:02 GMT -5
Hey Kim, we live in the "other" California, the good half. ;D
Puppie, I don't know how far you want to travel from San Deigo to look for rocks, but there are a lot of places listed in my Rockhounding California book. And I remember seeing something on TV about some Tourlamine mines around the San Deigo area. Have you tried doing a search?
Ed
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Tijuana
Jan 22, 2005 2:17:00 GMT -5
Post by rockyraccoon on Jan 22, 2005 2:17:00 GMT -5
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Tijuana
Jan 22, 2005 5:17:36 GMT -5
Post by puppie96 on Jan 22, 2005 5:17:36 GMT -5
Yes to both searches. Time got away from me and I didn't order the Southern Cal rock trail book in time to get it.
Tourmaline could be extremely cool.
Stoner, if I have to be on the wrong end of CA, I'll take San Diego anytime! Or San Simeon. Or Cambria. Which are actually more in the middle, I guess.
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Tijuana
Jan 23, 2005 0:24:26 GMT -5
Post by stoner on Jan 23, 2005 0:24:26 GMT -5
Actually, for really good rocks, WE'RE on the wrong end of Ca. Most of the places in my book are farther inland, probably farther than you'd want to go. However, hit the beach areas, find a river or stream flowing into the ocean, I'm sure you'll find something there. Have a good trip and welcome to California.
Ed
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RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
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Tijuana
Jan 23, 2005 1:33:27 GMT -5
Post by RedwoodRocks on Jan 23, 2005 1:33:27 GMT -5
Sorry, I can't be of much help either. Like Stoner and James, I am in the Northern part of California! I hate LA (standard NorCal term)- it's the home of the Dodgers, over-crowded, polluted, and if they didn't steal our water (and Colorado river water) the place would and still is a desert. And, those are the good points. LOL. I guess I'll be taking some grief from folks in LA!
But, I do like San Diego!
I have read some stuff to the East of San Diego and the tourmaline mines. I think the Pala Indian reservation is nearby. Try a search on the internet that is where I read about the tourmaline mines. If you head east and north into the desert there are places with geodes and other goodies. Again, I found them on the internet.
Have fun! Cal
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Tijuana
Jan 24, 2005 1:57:26 GMT -5
Post by puppie96 on Jan 24, 2005 1:57:26 GMT -5
Thank you! I did some internet searching a couple of weeks ago and got more bogged down that typically, probably because I don't know the geographical details well enough to ID the locations. However, I did get that the more fertile areas are more in the desert, and unfortunately that's not a realistic trip -- the logistics are that I'll have the days to myself then back to SD in the evening. Not that I can't find plenty to do in SD without ever looking at the ground! I am still intrigued with the idea of trying to get some rough rock across the border. It's not impossible, after all, is there anything they AREN'T selling in TJ?
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agatenut
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 127
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Tijuana
Jan 24, 2005 7:20:34 GMT -5
Post by agatenut on Jan 24, 2005 7:20:34 GMT -5
I don't know if there are any rockshops in Tijuana, but here are some "survival spanish" words for rockhounds looking for mexican rocks : rocks: pee-ED-ras quartz: KWAR-sow agate: AH-guh-tey or uh-CHAH-tey amethyst: ah-muh-TEES-tuh opal: OW-puh-low These words could give a local resident some idea of what you're looking for. Good luck!! Ralph
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