Part of Jaisalmer’s charm is just wandering the narrow streets, getting lost and looking in the shops. Fabrics, embroidery, camel-skin slippers, traditional dhurries (woven rugs) and shawls. Predominantly silver jewelry for every part of the female body. Nose, head, fingers, ears, ankles. Studs, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, bangles in big, chunky and massive. Old and new. Buyer’s remorse has haunted me ever since the trip into Rajasthan. Why was I so dumb and stupid? (Actually, young, dumb and stupid.) Why didn’t I do any homework to find out what to see or do? There is one bit of extenuating circumstances – no Internet to surf but still…. When I think back of the treasures to be had for a pittance. Boo-hoo…

Purely by luck, my eye gravitated to shops selling nothing but embroidery and mirror work, both old and new. That required a long sit-down to examine the shelves of patchwork, embroidery and mirror work piled up and hanging from the ceiling. There were place mats, bedspreads, banners, table runners. Ah me…should I buy old, new, small, huge and in what shades…and don’t even get me started with the gorgeous rugs. By now, ex-Marine was having one of his hissy fits and muttering, “Buy one, any one…buy two if you can’t make up your mind…let’s just get the hell out of here.”

Finally a decision. An old patchwork with remnants of mirror work still in it…View image. I usually go for the “used and abused” handiwork and it still hangs in the same spot over our fireplace, 22 years later.

Travels With Sheila is tentatively heading to Gujarat this winter and that area is also known for mirror work. Da…da…da…dum… We came back to America with a few other purchases, one common all over Rajasthan. Gazillions of shops carry highly colored pages, prints and illustrations from books that can be had for a song. FYI: It will take more than forever to look through the hundreds available in just one store and then wait until to you find out how much it costs to frame the darn thing so it floats in the frame. I thankfully only bought one!