Loom from North Thailand

Shoe Shopping!

photo by leah valle

a small section in the Platinum Fashion Mall in Bangkok where there is a display of collections of shoes for sale. This is a girl's dream come true. Shoes in various colors and sizes and heels are available. Style varies from conservative pumps to high heeled peep toes to gladiator sandals. All at a very affordable price. (note: when shopping in Bangkok, the higher the quantity, the lower the price)

Working elephants in cambodia

Unlike Bangkok, this elephant in Cambodia is not a begging elephant. You can feed it with bananas that you can buy from the park or from the Mahoot, the elephant caretaker, but mostly this elephant, for $20 will let you ride on her back and walk you through the park. This elephant is 50 years old and despite its huge size, is not the biggest in the herd.

After a day's work, she is given a shower, and if you wait for that, they might allow you to hold the hose so you can give her a bath. =)

Pottery Making in Batrang

All the pottery that we sell in the store is handmade. These are some of the photos we took in a small warehouse in Batrang, North Vietnam. The flowers are painted by hand and after it cools off from the kiln. After the artwork is applied the pieces are fired a second time giving the distinctive Batrang patterns.

Although we have pottery from many countries and makers Batrang is always a great place to go, it has been for more than 900 years. They began making pottery around 1000 AD. In an early and successful attempt at industrial espionage two Vietnamese Diplomats posted in China returned home. On the way they stayed for two years (travel was more leisurely then!) in a region of China famous for their fine work. They brought the knowledge home with them and Batrang began a long history of fine ceramics.

In such a small village there are close to 50 different companies, each making everything from traditional designs which tend to be very similar to designs fully unique and cutting edge which give each maker an identity which stands alone.

Our main supplier from Batrang asked me if I would like to see her factory. I had been there several times over years but never been invited to the place where she made all her goods. She handed me a helmet and I jumped onto the back of her motorbike and off we went, ripping down 900 year old alleys almost too small for a car to pass. Even if the alley had been a broad thoroughfare, our driver/agent/translator, Hong Minh was not one to place his new BMW in harms way. Needless to say, we beat everyone to the factory. On the ride over I saw 100s of half spheres lining the walls of the lanes. When we arrived and I was ushered up into an ancient brick building, only then did it dawn on me that these were dung drying to be used as fuel. Fitting as the kiln and building were what is known in the industry as "Old". I will try not to be too technical but sometimes you just have to. The old kiln was being used to bake larger outdoor pots. Down one flight was a very modern set of high speed wheels used to produce uniform turned bowls for various uses. Down one further floor to ground level was a computer operated, stainless steel, large carts on railroad type tracks kiln which was just too cool in this very traditional brick building. This was where the elegant sushi plates and tea sets were being made. Pieces made in a building hundreds of years old but headed out to a very modern world, to Japan, Europe, the US, Australia, virtually every where. Quite a day for us indeed.