Escaping from a Kashmiri carpet shop, meeting Nancy and Bill ...

After lunch in the Kashi Art Cafe, we were tempted to visit a Kashmiri carpet shop - Azad had to wait outside - he was not allowed to enter -

We'd gazed upon the gorgeous silk carpets, deftly unrolled before us by smiling minions - like Ulysses we had to stop our ears to the patron's siren songs - 

This carpet will be a gift for your grand children - the girls in the mountains would weave this carpet for their husbands - the design of this carpet goes back tens of generations - 

I could have been in Taroudant, or Mugla, or Istanbul - how many times had I heard this oily patter? - 

Sophie had bolted first - I followed, then Anne - I cast a look back at the elegant patron - he was still smiling - the barefoot boys were rolling up the carpets - 

Azad was snoozing in the auto rickshaw - when he saw us, he grinned knowingly - 

That evening, we'd met up with Bill and Nancy - they were staying overnight in Jew Town, before their flight next day to Toronto - 

We sat on the terrace, sharing precious stories -