True, as Cicerone says, you can buy clothing anywhere - and yes, I love teh bargain clothing shopping in SEA - and I DO buy, but my great focuses have been things that you cant get anywhere else... beautiful wood carvings that I have up on my walls at home (and are truely beautiful and unique and cheap in Thailand!), as well as beautiful wooden vases, bowls, placemats, candle holders... silk tablecloths, runners etc.

enjoy!!!

OK shopping gurus- where can I buy a reclining budda (in a much small size of course that the famous one!).

Bill
Probably at a souvenir shop just outside Wat Pho... haha

Check out the Exotic Thai store at Paragon Mall. They might have something like that. Also, the NariPhand store in the back of the Intercontinental Hotel....

Carol

You can buy small reclining Buddhas in many “antique” shops and curio shops. Try the River City Mall or the myriad of small shops in the lanes around the Oriental Hotel and along busy Thanon Charoen Krung (New Road) between the Oriental and the Shangra-La. Just understand that the Buddha is not sleeping or relaxing, he is actually at the moment of death and has entered Nirvana….that is why he is smiling so serenely.

The amulet market.

Cicerone - I didnt ever know that about the reclining Buddha, well you learn something everyday.

Yes, he is certainly happy, but not for the reason people who aren't Buddhists would think! I'm not a Buddhist myself but find the meaning behind the imagery fascinating. If someone wants to display one, I thought it might be helpful to have an understanding of its meaning. (I had a weird experience here involving a crucifix in the cathedral in Macau and some non-Christian PRC tourists that I won't go into, but suffice to say that lack of knowledge as to the meaning of religious symbols applies to many of us.)

Well now Cicerone now that you have enlightened me as to the meaning of the reclining budda the wife wants no part of it!
I however will get one for my office cube!

Cicerone - i am now curious about your wierd experience in Macau???

And to make things more complicated about the reclining Buddha pose, there is the pose representing nirvana (meaning he will cycle back through life) and paranirvana pose which means he "is not coming back" as our guide at the Dambulla caves said. The Reclining Buddha at Wat Po is of the Nirvana type. The pose representing the Buddha in nirvana is sometimes called the sleeping Buddha.

I know a lot of the shopping centers in Bangkok also have restaurants in them. Are there any shopping centers that have a lot of good, inexpensive Japanese restaurants? Unfortunately, I don't like Thai food and always eat Japanese when in a country whose food I cannot tolerate as you always know what you are going to get. Japanese food is consistent around the world.

susiesan
You'll have no problem finding Japanese food in BKK. MBK comes to mind, as does Paragon.

susiesan,

You cannot tolerate Thai food? You can find inexpensive Japanese food at Otoya, Fuji and other chain Japanese food restaurant and they are in most shopping malls. For something more unique and still not that expensive try the restaurants in the Central World shopping mall.

Link for restaurants at Central World - http://www.cpn.co.th/hungryguide/cen....asp?page_no=1

susiesan, "Japanese food is consistent around the world."..ah soo! my unagi donburi in asakuksa will have the consisitency with the unagi donburi in st. albans, ny?...i'll bet you a manapua it doesn't.

Oh susiesan, just go to Mos Burger at Central World or Siam paragon. You never have to go anywhere else. Hanuman lists them as his FAVORITE restaurants IN THE WORLD. lol.

Just secretly - me too. I'm prepared to fly to Bangkok right now for a Mos Hot Dog Meal.

dogster,

I don't consider Mos burger as Japanese food, hence I didn't mention the illustrious restaurant's name, rather a Japanese take on American fast food. My new favourite is the Thai branch(Central World) of Mo Mo Paradise from Japan. Now that's Japanese and a great all you can eat Shabu Shabu or Sukiyaki plus all you can drink Ashahi draft beer! Sounds like the perfect place for the next Bangkok GTG.

I see the central world has a nobu but not the nobu by nobu matsuhisa. i am not a food snob but a good reputation is important when it comes to raw fish.

So which Japanese restaurant has the freshest sashimi? It would be interesting to try a wider selection of fish than the usual suspects one usually finds in the USA.

dog
If you are considering heading to BKK for a MOS, hang on just a couple of weeks or so and "we" can meet at Haagen Dazs!! I seem to recall that your favorite hotel is right there at Central World... as is my favorite HD ice cream sundae.

(You can't remain anonymous forever...lol)

Carol

sounds like a winna, hanuman. count me in.

i'm in too