Story Time

I loooovvvveee books. I can spend hours and hours in a bookstore drinking it all in. I'm not specific either. Books of all kinds make me happy weather it a novel a cook book or a nice, fresh, still-in-the-plastic moleskin diary. Heaven. So when I need a fix in Bangkok, I head to Kinokuniya.

Kinokuniya are a Japanese chain of bookstores. Apparently they used to be a coal mining company??? Weird. Anyway, They have the best range of books in Bangkok. They sell books in Thai, English, Japanese and Chinese. Their store are big and airy with shelf upon shelf of tasty delights just waiting for your perusal. I feel so happy and comfortable there. They have an excellent comic book area *squeal*. I have also doubled my cookbook collection thanks to this lovely store. They have a great range of Chronicle cook books, my favorite. Kino's has magazines to, including Frankie!!! Hooray!!!

My favourite is the Siam Paragon Store. It's on the 4th floor of the department store. They have a cafe in there to that make pretty good coffee. Sometimes I buy a couple of books and while away an afternoon there. The one at Emporium is pretty good too. I have found a few things there that I've never seen at Paragon. The Kino's in Central World is the smallest and it also has the smallest range of books in English. It has more of a Japanese focus (as does the whole department store which is why I love it!). If you're into Japanese craft books and magazines this is the place for you!!

There is also B2S in Central World, another book store (they sell cd's too). It has a large range, but not as good as Kinokuniya. They also have a cafe but the atmosphere isn't as nice either. Like the Emporium Kino's though, B2S can have some interesting books you can't find anywhere else.

So if you need a literary fix, head to Kinokuniya. I promise you will not be disappointed!!! Why can't we have a book store like that in Perth (and don't tell me we have Borders, the range there is crappola and the coffee is Gloria Jeans. BLECH!!)

Oh!!!!! and If you are in Singapore you need to go the Kinokuniya in Takashimaya! It will blow.your.mind.

Cheap and Cheerful!

One of my favourite places to go in Bangkok is the flower market. You just take the ferry from Sathorn Pier down to Monument Bridge and walk back towards Tha Tien Pier (I normally walk from Tha Tien though because I get a massage at Wat Po first). It used to be a fish market but it was too smelly and was causing a lot of pollution so the King turned it into what it is today. I forgot to take my camera with me (as per usual) but I am going with Kim in the next few weeks so I will take some then. But here the flowers I got yesterday.

Aren't they stunning!!! You can buy just about every kind of flower you can think of at the markets but my favourites are the orchids. I would never be able to buy them in Australia because they would be around $20 a bunch. But I got the purple ones for 20baht (60 cents) and the red and yellow ones for 70baht ($2.30). CRAZY!! They last for ages if you change the water every day and they make my apartment feel more like a home.

I just love the purple orchids. They almost look like someone has painted them by hand in the most luscious shade of purple they could find.

These are also so so so lovely. They are flower rings for Buddhist offerings. A Thai guy told me they were very lucky. The little white flowers smell wonderful too, which is the main reason I buy them. They make my house smell fresh and sweet. I wish I knew what kind of flower they used. They usually only last a day or two. I get 3 out of them if I put them in the fridge overnight. It seems to keep them fresher. But at only 40baht ($1.30) each I can't really complain. Just look at the exquisite detail! It must take them ages to make.

*le sigh* So pretty.