Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Centre would not have occurred to us, and I see from prior journals, not anyone else, had we not had the good fortune of knowing Q. We ran up the steps, opened the main doors, and how awesome! There are no doors to separate you and the individual boutiques on this floor; everything is laid out so tastefully, and the handmade touch is everywhere; be it the merchandise, the display, - there is nothing ordinary looking. Even the sales girls (and most if not all are girls) glide in and out of the shops to ensure you are not left without assistance, should you need it. Some of the girls actually look overdressed, as if attending some sort of black tie affair. The paper and paper goods stalls were an immediately draw to me, naturally, as I'm always curious about paper and how other people use it. Saa paper is king here, and is used for just about anything you can imagine, aside from the usual stationery and journals. Clothing boutiques feature many handmade goods from the northern hill tribes, and you begin the recognize the colorful and geometric patterns which originate there. Furnishings and decorative accents for the home are irresistible draws; if you like shopping Pier One , Cost Plus and Pottery Barn , you'll be drooling like a newborn.

They also had a magnificent display of women's clothing and accessories, calling attention to a sale, in the midst of the traffic path. There are 5 floors in this mall, all accessible by elevator or stairs. I need to talk to you about the bathroom facilities. Ladies, take tissues or napkins; guys, you can handle it. First, all toilets are in the ground. There is NOTHING in the way of paper for personal needs, or even to dry your hands. All there was in the corner of the stall was a bucket of water. Very tricky for performing certain bodily functions, albeit not a deterrent.

I bought some great lingerie at Central Dept Store , the country's biggest retailer. The prices were in line with the US in some cases, higher in others. Both Chuck and I loved Hong Kong based drugstore chain's Watson's . I was actually able to see Garnier's skin care line there first before it hit the US. They are definitely giving the UK'S Boots a run for the money. A separate entry follows for the meal we had here.