May 15 - shopping til we drop

We woke up early and jumped on the bus to go visit a small pressed glass factory showroom. Immediately everyone attacked the lampwork section as it was right inside the front door, before we found the second room filled with pressed beads. After about an hour some of us found the third room, also filled with pressed glass beads.

Boxes were getting filled, and while some were cashing out, others came back through the rooms and started filling more boxes of more beads they had missed the first time.

While we were waiting for everyone to finish, Guy and Chris sampled a bottle of slivovice with the factory owner, which had been made from his own plum tree a couple of years ago. It was fabulous.


















Then we all had lunch at a local restaurant made by a fantastic chef, in Janov.

 After which we invaded the gift shop of Vitrium (a 150 year old glass ware factory) that had closed 3 years ago but was convinced to open just for us. Guy crawled under the counter and helped select products to sell to our group.

Then the highlight of the day as we rampaged through the Gypsy antik warehouse, where we found vintage hatpins, buttons, beads, filigree, clock/watch parts for steampunk jewelry customers, and so much more. Chris loaded up on antique tool pliers and molds for bead and button manufacture. He plans to experiment once back in Australia. Good luck with that, Chris. We hope you have lots of fun!!

Later in the day, we had a friend of ours who has a button company came to our hotel and give a talk on buttons and show and tell. He had many sample cards laid out and some buttons for sale.

Dinner was Turkish Kabobs and then desert and coffee back at the hotel before heading off to bed.