Diamonds are a girls best friend...well silver anyway!

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I ended up doing three days of the jewellery course! I went along on the first day, thinking it would just be interesting to have a go, and I loved it so much that I went back the next day. The teacher, Nugoon, is very patient, and he lets you do everything, so you really do feel the satisfaction that you have made your jewellery. There are only two of us on the course, so we get lots of personal attention. Nugoon shows us how to do something than leaves us to get on with it, usually as he disapperars outside for a smoke. I made a silver ring on Monday, and Jenny the other girl, made a pendant. So I wanted to come back and make a pendant, and she came back to make a ring!
Making the pendant was much more difficult. I spent about two hours cutting the shape with a small saw. I broke two saws as you have to be so careful with them, if you go too quickly or try to turn too sharply they break. I wish I'd just chosen a simple design now. Very pleased with the end result though!
On Wednesday I made another ring, but this time with the adddition of a stone set into it. So today, in addition to designing - I have to draw the template to cut the designs from, I was never good at art! - heat the silver with a blow torch and flatten it with a hammer, cut with the saw, sanding, soldering, cleaning and polishing, I also learn the art of stone setting. This involves using a small nail and hammer and moulding the bezel holding the stone until you get a tight fit, using decreasing angles. Clever eh? I'm beyond pleased with myself and my hand made, home made jewellery. I can't wait for someone to ask me where I got my ring from and to say 'I made it!' Maybe I could open up a little street stall offering Thai massage and food and hand made jewellery??
After finishing the course today I resist the urge to say that I'll be abck tomorrow and on the way back have a look around the shops along Thapae Road. I find an absolutely gorgeous shop that sells nice homeware, jewellery, trinkets...and the most beautiful suede bags in gorgeous bright colours, with beading and tassles. I really want one, and they're not too expensive. I don't buy one today, but maybe I'll treat myself for Christmas!
In the evening I go to a nice restaurant called Whole Earth that does Thai and Indian food, after battling through the Night Bazaar to find it. I really start to get wound up about everyone walking so slowly along the pavement, just stopping!!! I end up walking in the road to try and avoid everyone. Which is ok until I walk around a corner and realise that I'm on a dual carraigeway! The food at the restaurant is delicious, I go for Indian for a change, and I have the funniest waitress. She can't understand me, but I eventually order. I wasn't understood very well though as my food comes in stages - veg curry...then some chicken....then chapati......then rice. So I get burnt with the currry, dried up with the chicken... After I've eaten the waitress 'chats' to me and keeps running off mid conversation to get newspapers to show me! Then I go back down to find my shoes for the walk back to my hotel. In the lift up to my room a man gets in and straight away asks me where I'm from (I'm not the only one in the lift, it's full, I just made the 'mistake' of catching his eye I guess - but I don't mind!). He tells me that he's from Vietnam. So do I ask him about the interesting country that he's from and that I want to visit? No, I say ' it's cold here isn't it?' I talk about the weather! I've got 'Peter Kay Tourettes' ( as in taxis - 'been busy?' what time you on till?")! WhenI get to bed the manin the next room is watching TV and keeps laughing every couple of minutes - all tha I can hear are 'boing'noises!!!!

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Photos

Whole Earth
Sorry it's not a brilliant pic but it was a beautiful place

Whole Earth
me and the waitress