Day 15 – Amazon Get’s Wrapped Up in Jodhpur

I should have seen it coming. Her eyes belied the truth. The last time I saw that look, that certain “je ne say quois” (French for something I can’t spell). Blame Mike Harris as Ontarians want to do). Nevertheless, I should have trusted my instincts and left my credit cards in the hotel safe.

The day started out innocently enough. A visit to another palace (at least I got to keep my shoes on) with a view overlooking the blue city. My first observation was that not all residents had got the memo. The view was more of a blue patchwork quilt with other colours interrupting the view that England had been treated to years ago. Blue city, mostly.

Then we moved on to happier times and recounted the cremations of the kings, relatives and hangers on in the memorial next door.

Now to set the hook. The guide was to take us on a back alley tour of the blue city, wending our way down narrow paths with impatient motor bike riders, frequent piles of garbage and dog poo. Trying not to slip on wet cobblestones and land in said poo, we worked our way back to the clock tower market. After much meandering our guide asked Amazon if she had seen a step well. I sighed and sat on a rock while Amazon recounted our ill fated trip to Jaipur. He then dragged me (Amazon happily skipping along) to a step well in the middle of a city.

Shortly after Amazon had sated her lust for pictures of said structured hole in the ground, then he asked if she would like to see a one of a kind textile shop nearby. Amazon leapt with joy. I was glad that the Imodium was still holding.

Several hours later Amazon emerged with half of next year’s Christmas shopping done and had her picture added to Jain’s scrap book of famous people he had sold stuff to (Sting, Bill Murray and Richard Gere were headlining his book). Oh yeah, my pocket book survived but my kids won’t be pleased with their inheritance.

Back at the hotel, the chef cooked us a special dinner although there were 6 others in the restaurant that night (one guy kookier than me, wanted plain blanched vegetables, no onions, garlic or peppers, with extra virgin olive oil on the side to be added only by him). My quirks with the meal paled by comparison.

Off to bed with visions of more Jain temples and Sargadargh Fort in our heads. Elevators weren’t a problem as the wedding was running late.