A few of my favourite things

A few of my favourite things

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Arriving at new, exotic places.

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Warm welcomes with drums, dancing, costumes.

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Gorgeous textiles.  Silk, wool, cotton, all with the most exquisite designs.

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The quirky and the slightly unusual.  The fact that I can enjoy looking at something without needing to bring it home!

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The oddball store.  The one selling things made from sisal.

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Spices.  The wonderful aroma when stepping into a spice market.

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Hardware stores.  Places selling everyday things which aren’t quite the same as at home.

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Displays of unremarkable things which somehow manage to achieve remarkable status in some way. 

Yes, those are buckets.  Plastic buckets.

So, time to reveal the purchases today, here in Cochin.

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Three gorgeous shawls: a wool/silk blend (pink/grey weave) a patterned silk “pashmina”, a wool shawl with chain stitch embroidery over 99% of the surface.  A stone pendant in greens, greys, blues in a silver mount.  A variety of spices including two varieties of cinnamon, cardamom pods and mace.  Finally, a three-storey tiffin carrier, the bargain of the day at just 300 rp, less than £4 from the amazing hardware store where I could have spent all day.

Shopping complete, we’ll do the sightseeing bit tomorrow.

Cochin

Cochin

Other peoples’ laundry

Other peoples’ laundry