Dasa: combining three loves

This last week I began an honest search for a second-hand bookstore here in Bangkok that sold books in English. My search brought me to Dasa (with an accent over the first 'a'). While I didn't spend a lot of time here, I'm sure I'll be back very soon. They have a vast array of books in English -- they're not just the random books no one ever hears of -- and three floors of them. :)


Love #1: books

My hunt for books came when I realized that a family in our church needs some good reading material to keep them busy on slow days. I was starting to think I would have to order these books online, but low and behold here they were on the second floor in the children's section: The complete Chronicles of Narnia in one book. I casually browsed for several other authors and found several Christian ones I like. Since I didn't want to take back so many books (they are quite heavy), I just bought three.

The first one: Chronicles of Narnia. Mission accomplished.
The second one: ....something about beauty and truth? Okay, so I don't remember the title, but that's only because the cover looked interesting and was a complete impulse buy. Impulse buys on books never turn out satisfying, so I'm crossing my fingers.
The third one: The Highlord. Definitely a surprise. You see, I started this trilogy at my aunt and uncle's place this summer, but since the books are all over 500 pages each, I only made it through the first two and left before getting into the third book. Would you believe it, Dasa only had the third book in stock! God's pretty amazing to give me a treat like that (even though it's not a Christian book and is all about magicians.....hmm, does that mean it's not from God?). In any case, I'm pretty excited to start it even though it'll have to wait until I have free time, and not at midnight like it is now.

Love #2: coffee

That's right folks, this bookstore has a coffee shop. There is a very limited set of drinks, but it is good to go. No chai, however, which would make this the perfect place to be if it had that autumn-spicy goodness.

Love #3: home

So strange, but for the twenty minutes I was in there, I didn't feel like I was in Bangkok surrounded by strangers. I felt like I was home in a local bookstore in Salem, Oregon. Downtown Salem is quite quaint, and there's this little coffee shop called Governor's Cup that serves excellent chai. I felt like I was there -- only surrounded by books. There was just this eclectic vibration throughout the entire place that told me to pull up a chair, order an espresso, and open up a good book. And it felt like Oregon.

I'll be back, Dasa, don't you worry.