From Rio to Minas Gerais: Like 20 Years in Brazil...

🔮 How I Ended up in the World of Stones (Spoiler: The fault of the Brazil)

So I have to confess something to you. After 20 years in Brazil, I thought I'd seen it all. Rio de Janeiro, the beaches, the carnival, the caipirinha... But what was something I didn't expect? Returning to Italy with a collection of lucky necklaces.

It was a Sunday morning in Ipanema, I was strolling among the stalls of the Hippie Fair (yes, it really exists and no, it's not just for hippies), when a Carioca lady stopped me...

"Você precise de proteção, meu filho," he tells me with that typical Brazilian smile. And before I could say "no obrigado", he had already put a necklace with an emerald around my neck.

"Para as viagens," he explains to me. "Brazil has the best emeralds in the world, you need a green color."

Now, after 20 years there, I thought I knew all the Brazilian traditions. But that necklace with the emerald... well, I liked it. Intense green, brilliant, typically Brazilian. And since that day I have never taken it off again.

😅 The “Aha!” Moment in Minas Gerais (Or Better: "Meu Deus!")

But the real revelation came when I went to Minas Gerais. My goodness, if you've never been there, you can't understand! It's like entering Aladdin's cave, but instead of gold, there are stones of every kind imaginable.

Amethysts as big as watermelons, quartz that look like pure ice, tourmalines that change color depending on the light... Eye drops, truly! And the Brazilians, with their natural superstition, explained to me the "powers" of each stone as if they were talking about time.

"This one is for love," a garimpeiro tells me, showing me a rose quartz. "This one is for money," pointing to a golden citrine. "And this," he smiles mischievously, showing a purple amethyst, "this is to keep you from drinking too much cachaça!"

There, I bought that right away. 😂

🌟 My Tour of Brazilian Stones (20 Years of Research on the Field)

After 20 years between Rio, Bahia and the whole of the Northeast, I can say that I have done a real doctorate in Brazilian superstitions! And believe me, each region has its own special stones...

🏖️ Rio de Janeiro: Where It All Began
- **Ipanema:** The famous Hippie Fair on Sunday. Here I bought my first emerald necklace
- **Copacabana:** Street vendors with stones "blessed" by the ocean waves
- **Leblon:** The chic shops where they sell "fashion" crystals (same powers, tripled prices 😂)
- **Barra da Tijuca:** Shopping centers with "modern" stones for younger Cariocas

🌴 Bahia - Salvador: The Spiritual Center
In Salvador I understood that the stones are not only beautiful, they are SACRED! In Pelourinho, the candomblé women of the Bahia region explained to me that every orixá has her own stone.

"Oxum loves gold," a woman dressed in yellow tells me. "Iemanjá prefers stones as blue as the sea."

And there I bought my rainbow obsidian, "for the protection of Exu," they told me. I never quite understood what that meant, but I've never had any problems since! 😄

🌊 Nordeste - Ceará and Fortaleza: The Stones of the Wind
In the Northeast, between Fortaleza and the endless beaches of Ceará, I discovered who use stones a lot "charged" by the constant wind.

"The sea wind cleanses the energy," a fisherman from Jericoacoara explained to me as he showed me crystals smoothed by the wind and sand.

There was something special about those stones... Maybe it was the air of freedom on those endless beaches, or maybe the wind had truly "purified" them. Who knows? 🌬️

💎 Minas Gerais: The Final Paradise
But the real shock was Minas Gerais. Guys, if you think you've seen beautiful stones, go there! It's like stepping into Mother Nature's warehouse.

Amethysts as big as televisions, quartz that look like ice sculptures, tourmalines that change color... And the prices? A tenth of what you would pay in Europe!

"She's generous on the ground", said a garimpeiro. "As pedras grow like plants."

And I was right. In Minas Gerais you don't buy stones, you adopt them! 😂

🤔 The Brazilian Lesson: "Energy Boa" Exists Really?

After all these years and all these places, I have understood one thing: Brazilians have a relationship with energy that we Europeans do not understand.

For them, everything has energy: people, places, stones, even cachaça! 😄

And the stones? They're like little "buoy energy" batteries. It doesn't matter whether you believe in them or not, they work because YOU believe in them.

It's the magic of Brazil: it teaches you that faith moves mountains. And even stones! 🇧🇷✨

🌟 My Two "Discoveries" Favorite

After this Brazilian experience, I started to become more interested in these stones. And now in my "travel arsenal" (yes, I call it that) I have two necklaces that I never leave home:

💚 The Brazilian Emerald: "Green Luck"
This is The necklace the lady from Ipanema gave me. Deep, bright green, with that Brazilian touch that only they know how to give to things.

"Green is the heart of hope," she always said. And she was right: since I've been wearing that emerald, luck seems to follow me.

Perfect when:
- I have to make important decisions (like, "Should I take this flight or wait?")
- I'm stressed about a complicated trip
- I need Brazilian "green fate"
- I want to remember my carioca years 😄

🌈 Rainbow Obsidian: My "Proteção de Exu"
I discovered this in Salvador, in the spiritual heart from Brazil. The Candomblé women explained to me that it protects against negative energies.

"You protect those who believe," they said. And even though I never fully understood the whole Candomblé theology, one thing is certain: since I've been wearing it, I've had fewer hassles! 😂

And I must say, it works. Or at least, since I've been wearing it:
- Fewer problems when traveling
- More ease in overcoming difficult moments
- Lots of compliments (women they love rainbow reflections)
- Feeling of being more "protected" Brazilian style

🤔 But Do They Really Work or Is It All in the Head?

Here's the million-reais question! And my practical answer as a traveler is: who cares?

Seriously. If wearing a stone makes me feel more confident, more centered, luckier... what's the problem? It's like wearing a lucky T-shirt or making a superstitious gesture before a flight.

The placebo effect. It's still an effect, right? 😉

And let's face it: they're also beautiful to look at. I've received more compliments on my necklaces than on any other accessory. There's obviously something catching your eye...

💡 How to Choose Your Own (Without Looking Like a Hippie)

After 20 years of "field research" between Brazil and Italy, here are my practical tips:

🎯 Follow the Brazilian Instinct
As they say in Rio: "O coração não erra." If you like a stone at first sight, take it. You don't need to know its esoteric meaning. If it attracts you, it's probably the right one.

🌍 You take your lifestyle into consideration.
Do you travel? Emerald is perfect: elegant, goes with everything, brings good luck.
Do you like to stand out? Rainbow obsidian always works.

💰 Don't Spend a Fortune
Gemstones don't have to cost as much as a Rolex to "work." I paid 20-30 euros for some of my favorites in Ipanema.

🎨 How I Wear Them Without Looking Weird

At first I was a little embarrassed. Me, with a stone necklace? But then I understood the Brazilian makeup:

✈️ Traveling
Under the shirt. Discreet but always with me. Perfect for passing security without awkward questions.

🏢 At Work
Emerald with a shirt. Elegant, professional, no questions asked. In fact, they often ask where I bought it!

🌅 Weekend Casual
Rainbow obsidian with t-shirt. It's very "I lived in Brazil and I have stories to tell".

🍸Special Evenings
Both together. Layering always hits the spot (especially with women, I must say 😄).

😂The funniest reactions

"Do you really believe these things?" - My answer: "I lived in Brazil for 20 years. EVERYONE there believes it. Who am I to say they're wrong?"

"Have you become a hippie?" - "No, I've become more interesting." 😎

"Do they really work?" - "Try it and tell me. But buy it in Brazil, they have more energy there!" 🇧🇷

The great thing is that often those who ask more questions end up buying one too he...

🌟 The Practical Side (Why I Am Always Practical)

In addition to the "spiritual" aspect, lucky charm necklaces have advantages concrete:

💝 They make perfect gifts (cheap but meaningful)
🗣️ Cool icebreakers (people always ask questions)
📸 They make photos more interesting
🎒 occupy zero space in the suitcase

💪 give you security (true or perceived, always security is)

🇧🇷 make you remember the most beautiful journeys Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> 🔮 My conclusion as a skeptical convert Style = "vertical-align: Inherit; "> twenty years ago I would never have thought of writing an article on the lucky necklaces. Today I can't imagine a journey without.

Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> will it be Brazilian superstition? Perhaps. Will it be carioca placebo effect? Probably. But do you know what? It works. And in an increasingly complicated world, if a 30 euro stone helps me to feel more centered and protected, welcome!

Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> also, I have to admit one thing: since I wear them, I have happened more with women. Coincidence? The Brazilians would say: "Não existing coincidence, they are Boa energy!" 😉

Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> So if you are thinking of trying, my advice is: do it. In the worst case, you will have a cute accessory. In the best ... well, you may find that Brazilian magic really exists.

Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> and if someone makes fun of you, tell him that someone who lived 20 years in Brazil advised you. I will have to learn something, right? 😄

Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> as dizem no brasil: "quem não theme fé, não themes fate!" 🇧🇷💚

Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> 💎 From mines of minas gerais to your heart 💎
20 years of research between authentic crystals-guaranteed energy
< Style = "vertical-align: inherit;"> Discover the stones that have changed my life