Jade

View from Lewis Pass
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Refreshed after our evening in the thermal pools we headed over Lewis Pass, one of the three pass through the Southern Alps. Which is not that many as the Alps cross 75% of the South Island.

We stopped for Lunch at Greymouth, a small town located on the West coast. On a wander about we happened to visit the “Jade Boulder Museum” and learned a little about this rock called Jade that the Maoris are so crazy about.

..they don’t know about the Jade..

View from Lewis Pass
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It turns out to be one of the strongest stones that Earth has spurted out, falling not to far behind diamonds. Ancient cultures uses these stone for their tools and weapons., Due it is incredible toughness and ability to be finely polished, it was not to long before this stone became of high value, and used for ornaments and jewellery. This resulted in the Maoris together with the ancient Chinese and Aztec empires valuing Jade way above Gold and Silver,

The saying that caught our eye the most in the museum was from the Aztec Emperor “Moctezuma” (1466-1520) after he met the Spanish Conquitestor “Cortez” for the first time.

“Thank God, they are only after the Gold and Silver, they don’t know about the Jade”.

Now just before you think its time to start collecting Jade, you would be well warned to abide the Maoris Jade warnings. It is very bad luck to obtain Jade by any other means other than as a present.