Scratch patch

Pretty stones are often high on the list of things to bring back from a faraway country, but now that more and more places are cracking down on this kind of environmental theft, it’s important to find ethical alternatives. In Cape Town, a place called the Scratch Patch offers just this.

At first glance, you’ll see an old-looking wooden house that leads to a shop specializing in stones of various sizes and rarity. What sets this establishment apart from other gem and mineral shops is its small artificial cave, complete with a mine cart and stalactites. In true Indiana Jones fashion, the cave is littered with treasure in the form of a thick layer of semi-precious stones. 

Visitors to the Scratch Patch can pay to gain access to the cave with a small bag that they can fill to the brim with whichever stones they like. This leads to adults and children alike spending time on their knees in the cave looking for the perfect stones.