The Gem Show

The Gem Show was here in Tucson January 27 - February 12. It was a fantastic few weeks at the hostel and I've been meaning to post about it for a month now.

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the largest in the world and people come from all over to trade, sell, and buy gems and stones. We housed gem buyers/sellers/enthusiasts, jewelry makers, geologists, professors, and other vendors. It was a lively group of people, who would come back talking about their bartering adventures and share what they found. I have footage of some "show and tell" below. Unfortunately, the direct videos aren't functioning, so you'll have to visit Youtube by clicking on the links.

Gem Show Show-and-Tell

Many of the people who come to the gem show have stayed at the hostel year after year (since the 1990s). Because of this, the gem show is almost like a family reunion. Every year, the owner Peter dresses up in a roadrunner costume and puts on a pannekoeken dinner. "Pannekoeken" is Dutch for a giant pancake filled with meat, cheese, and/or fruit.

Pannekoeken