And yes, I did survive without getting the 'Rona.  I also had a great time and more than a little adventure.  The show was pretty well run, with most folks respecting masking and social distancing.  One development--which may also be reflected in Tucson--there was a lot of very nice vivianite and ludlamite available.  Prices ranged from reasonable to "are you kidding?"  I also noted that there were a lot of imperial topaz crystals and cut gems with prices a bit less astronomical than in years past.

Tourmaline crystals remain outrageously priced, while decent cut tourmalines remain a bargain if you are willing to look.  In part this is due to the high number of lapidaries in Teofilo Otoni--and tourmaline facet rough provides an inexpensive and interesting medium for experimentation (due to its multicolor nature and pleochroism).  I came away with a lot of nice stones and a few really nice ones.  And speaking of pleochroism, it's getting much harder to find good andalusite at reasonable prices--although I did find a few.

Finding rare minerals at Teofilo Otoni is always a matter of luck, and this year luck was on my side.  I found a great beryllonite crystal, a nice, big andalusite crystal, some decent hureaulite and a lot of decent tantalite at a price where they would almost be worth it just for the tantalum!  There was also a guy with great rutile and quartz from Diamantina (although you had to watch for repaired crystals). 

All in all, the show was a lot of fun, and I spent a good week surrounded by my fellow rock geeks.