Our 2012 buying trip brought us to Bali, Java, Bangkok, Chaing Mai, Hanoi, Kerala and Delhi; great locations with wonderful product selection. Once again we were able to find some very interesting and original merchandise; while having fantastic experiences.

• Making way for an elephant in a busy Delhi market is something you don’t do slowly, or forget!
• Getting stuck in traffic on an old, very narrow, Cochin spice street is an experience where the smells linger in your memory!
• Having a coffee in old Hanoi while watching wedding parties arrive, is a symphony of colours, behaviours and expectations.

During our trip we used many different modes of travel; air, boat, car, train, tuk-tuk and bicycle. Having gone through a wide variety of traffic jams, in many different countries and cultures, we now realize that one of the most flexible ways to get around is by bicycle. A mass of people on bicycles can always find a way through a congested street; trucks, cars or motorcycles are less adaptive. With this thought, we have brought back a wide selection of bicycle products from around the world. Beautiful bicycle paintings from a Jogjakarta (Java, Indonesia) artist, bicycle furniture from India, tire mirrors from Bali and many other cycle items. It sounds eclectic because it is. With all the talk of bicycle paths and new modes of transit in Ottawa we thought we would bring products that reflect some of the old and new ways to move around.

Of course we have purchased a much wider selection of home décor and handicrafts for many other tastes. This year there will be an expanded selection of carpets and kilims with new durries from India, for the retro look we sourced new metal furniture in Bali and India, and wide selection of beautiful root furniture from Indonesia. The jewellery, carvings, instruments, pottery, ceramics and much more … are back in full force again.

We look forward to showing all our regular and new customers our selection in October and November 2012. See you soon.