Hokitika - Greenstone time!

We continued on down the road (for about 2.5 hrs) into Greymouth, bought a tarp because it was starting to rain, but of course stopped. we camped just outside of Greymouth for the night. Then the next morning we headed into Hokitika - great gem place!! lots and lots of greenstone.
Trivia what is New Zealand Greenstone? same as BC Jade. in fact they import it from us and make rings!! have to read the labels to get the NZ stuff. the name for the greenstone is Pounamu.
it is a treasured spiritual significance for most NZ ers. the stone has been and still is used to denote authority, for adornment and for making peace. Very neat that BC has this stone in common with NZ!
after our gem lessons we went to the glass blowing shop. We sat there for a long time just mesmorized by the men as they made their creations. It was a wonderfully full day!!

so funny to see all the seagulls facing the same way - into the wind! just like the boats
Kyle playing with the waves on the beack in Hokitika
this was at the beach , they were teaching the kids how to make a blue pengin home to help save them. this was the garbage can there
this is the NZ ruby! very dense stone- the lady in the shop was so lovely she gave me my own
Ruby rock is only found here in Hokitika NZ, also know as Goodletite. crystallizations consisting of corundum (ruby and sapphires) tourmalines, muscovite, chromite, and margarite. this is a rock formation unlike anything else on earth! these minerals form a conglomerate rock which contains crystallizations large enough to be viewed as individual formation within the rock

this lovely owl is carved from greenstone. look at the different colours!
the town clock! we loved this little town. lots of learning here


here the kids are polishing the greenstone. those are diamond sanding sponge!
Emma amiring the painted stones. She and Maya went to the beach and collected a bunch and plan on painting and selling their own! be prepared for when we get back!