jon w turner asked:


  The living intermingle with the dead in my best place to visit in Paris. Just look over there . . .  There are cats afoot in old Pere LaChaise cemetery – many cats – lazy aloof cats just wandering among the graves. There are also walk-in tombs of stone shaped something like, & not much larger than, telephone booths; but if you peek inside them, many have exquisite stained glass in the back or something else to make them remarkable & worth your closer attention.

  Pere LaChaise is most famous for the many celebrities buried there. Oh my goodness, there lies the sculpture of Victor Noir, sprawled out just above his earthly remains, killed in a duel over political intrigue. More unusual than other sculptures, this one has poor Victor lying there with full, bulging erection beneath his trousers, an eternal erection in bronze. Hoping for fertility & luck, people have rubbed that bronze spot bright, & there is great contrast with the surrounding oxidation. Romantic youth leave love letters to each other in Victor’s hat clutched for eternity in his dead hand.

  Yes, there are many celebrities buried here, from Oscar Wilde to Jim Morrison, whose final resting place has become a shrine for his followers, a regular pilgrimage to make on their things-to-do-in-Paris checklists. Ciagrettes & stronger stuff are smoked beside his grave by his admirers; they pass around wine in brown paper bags. You may even find, written on tombs & elsewhere as graffiti, directions to Mr. Morrison’s grave, some of which will lead you far afield from his actual grave, if placed there by some wiseacre.

  Well, there’s another cat. He’s black & he’s timid & he’s trotting away now. More than once I’ve taken photographs here, just to arrive back home & have them developed & find some cat I hadn’t even noticed in the background.

  Oh, but who cares about cats & celebrities in Pere LaChaise? for they are only secondary attractions. The main attraction of Pere LaChaise is that it’s one of the most beautiful settings you will find in Paris. There is plenty of greenery & places to picnic if you are of the morbid type. There is eerie but beautiful statuary & funerary sculpture around graves, clinging to graves, peeking out of graves, etc., & you would think you would be more apt to find them in art museums. Yes, Pere LaChaise cemetery is as beautiful as anything you will find in Paris, in all seasons & in all kinds of weather . . . whether you are lucky enough to come across a black cat.

Michael Wilson asked:


All of you must have heard about Florida and its’ rich cultural heritage. Florida is located in the Southeast region of United States, and is known for its’ natural beauty and cultural offerings. So, if you don’t want to be a part of busy and expensive places, then Florida has loads to offer. A vacation in Florida offers endless possibilities of unusual places to visit.

Historic Bok Sanctuary

The historic Bok Sanctuary stands on the highest point in the state of Florida. Built in 1929 by Edward W. Bok, the tower was constructed of pink and gray marble from Georgia and coquina stone from St. Augustine. The tower is also surrounded by beautiful garden on either side. Visitors stroll the many pathways leading to the Tower, see seasonal blooms, friendly animals, and special events throughout the year.

Tallahassee

It is the capital city of Florida and is located among the hills, moss-draped oaks, and stately pines of Florida’s panhandle. Tallahassee has become a community where tradition and family are important. The largest numbers of people work for the government. Services and retail trade also employ many people in the area. It is considered as the major point of government and higher education in the state.

The Amazing Golf of Panhandle

In the town’s center, the historic old district features over 900 buildings, constructed as far back as the early 1800s, which are listed on the National Register. Visitors Center provides maps, ideas, and directions for experiencing Apalachicola’s historic downtown while on your vacation in Florida. Exhibits include photographs, articles, and knickknacks from the camp’s heyday.

Pensacola

Pensacola is a must see on a Florida vacation. Known as the “City of Five Flags,” it has been Spanish, French, British, Confederate, and American.  It is known as the home of naval aviation and proudly exhibits more than 150 aircrafts and planes (of different types).

Well, above are some of the historical places in Florida which you must definitely see!

David Cowley asked:

Polished Garnets

India and Idaho are the only two places in the world that star garnets are found.  They range in size from a grain of sand to golf ball in size.  Star Garnets display a reflection of the light with a four or six ray star, which is caused by an inclusion of rutile in the gemstone.  Idaho is the only known place where six ray star garnets are found.

The U.S. Forest Service operates a star garnet gemstone collection area at Emerald Creek Idaho.  For a fee of $10 per day the treasure hunter can search for garnets and remove a maximum of five pounds of gemstones.  Screen boxes, buckets and shovels are provided by the Forest Service; however you should bring drinking water, snacks, sunscreen, hat, gloves and a container for your treasures.  The treasure hunting season starts at the end of May and lasts until after Labor Day.  No pets allowed.

How Is It Done

Use the shovel and fill your five gallon plastic bucket with dirt and rocks at the mining area.  Next take your bucket to the screening area and sift all of the dirt and sand leaving only the rocks.  Next take your collection of rocks to one of the two sluice boxes to wash the material and look for garnets.  Any rock that appears to have a shiny plastic like shine could be a garnet.

Rough Garnets

The garnets found at emerald creek are nearly opaque and will be a dark reddish or purple in color.  Good quality large gemstones are rare and about one half of the gemstones you discover will not be of a quality suitable for cutting or polishing.  Many of the stones will show a four ray star but the six ray star is quite rare.  A good quality star garnet may fetch up to $100 per carat.

The garnet name is believed to have come from the pomegranate.  Many of the ancient pieces of jewelry have clusters of red stones that do look a lot like a cluster of pomegranate seeds.  Travelers often carried garnets to protect them from accidents.  Legends suggest that garnets will glow at night and will protect the owner from nightmares.  Noah has also been rumored to have used a garnet lantern to navigate the Ark at night.

Happy Treasure Hunting.

sluice box