Thai handicrafts

Following the temple visit we decided to look at some traditional Thai arts and crafts, so I dragged Frank around a jade showroom. Who knew jade came in "Imperial", "apple", "lavender", "blue", "white", "gold", "black". Not me, and I am a jade fan. Prices were up there, however all products did come with an authenticity certificate. Next we visited a silk factory, Jolie Femme, and saw the silk making process and again a gorgeous showroom, this time making a couple of purchases.

There is a strong connection to the French in Thailand, and I have also noticed a lot of French tourists. Probably more than any other nationality except for loud Americans. My favourite destination for shopping though turned out to be Baan Celadon. This style of ceramic is traditionally Thai, with a pale green glaze being what celadon is known for. Apparently now a shade of blue is in production and proving to be very popular. We did purchase a few pieces here, and are actually shipping home a couple of things. Fingers crossed they arrive safely. Again, seeing pieces in production was interesting and I was able to explain some of the basic processes with regard to glazing to Frank which was nice.

The artisans are highly skilled, so I was glad they had finished lunch and were again working. Unlike the silk factory where after arriving at lunchtime a bell went off and the workers downed tools and disappeared in a matter of seconds. No public service lunch time flexibility here. 30.1.2013