March 19, Bangkok

Thursday, March 19 - Day 44 - Bangkok

Despite the short night, Dick heads to the lobby breakfast area at 7:40AM with his computer to work on the blog and find some coffee. Carolyn shows up a little before 9AM and we enjoy a nice breakfast. Back in the room Carolyn sends the laundry out...laundry and dry cleaning are included in our package rate.

The next thing on the agenda is a trip to S.J. International Jewelers. Carolyn knows a lady here by the name of Lily who has done some very nice work for her over the last 11 plus years. Carolyn collects precious and semi-precious stones and pearls during our travels and then brings them here to be custom mounted. The concierge calls S.J. International for a car to pick us up. It arrives about 11:30 for the 30 minute drive so we are off to spend money!
 
Bangkok is a maze of closely placed building of all ages and descriptions. S. J. International is a virtual fortress of a shop in a building that looks more like an old mansion than a business. We enter through a solid steel sliding gate in a high metal and stone fence with guards everywhere. Then we are escorted up the steps into an entry area and then through heavy, sliding, security controlled doors into the show room. 

 We ask for Lily and she comes from the back and remembers us from six years ago and the pieces she made for us. We lay out Carolyn’s stash from our trips to Columbia, Brazil and Tahiti plus some of her pieces that need repair or reworking. After an hour looking at Carolyn’s drawings, doing some fine turning on some and reworking others at the designer’s suggestion, we agree on the designs for ten pieces and put a hold on one ready made piece. Dick sends emails to the mothers of our granddaughters with questions and we will get back to Lily tomorrow with those answers, it is 1AM at home.

The driver takes us back to the hotel where we explore the hotel arcade. Carolyn is now looking to check the other item off her Bangkok to do list...a seamstress to make up the fabric. We have used one for years in central Bangkok, but it is hard to get to the shop even using the sky-train and hot too! There are three shops in the hotel arcade. After visiting each, Carolyn picks one. The lady has some fabric she likes and is easy to talk to, but there are a couple of other shops that have been recommended that not far from the hotel before a final choice is made. We then take a shopping break and go for afternoon tea at the lounge. The lounge is an airy spacious room over looking the gardens and the hotels spirit house.

Relaxed and refreshed, we ride the hotel ferry up to the next stop and walk through the Oriental Hotel to the OP shopping area to check them out. She decides on one of the shops with some fabric she likes, but we will have plenty of time to make the items after we return.
That item checked off for now, we head back to the hotel. 

About 6:30 we go to the lounge for cocktails...included in our package and find that the spread of dim sum, small bits of both Western and Asian foods, cheeses, dips and vegetables is so extensive we wind up making a very tasty meal.
 
It has been a welcome slow day, but we are ready for an early bed time anyway. We enjoy watching the river traffic for awhile; our 16th floor balcony has a super view, and then turn in.