Does This Sari Make Me Look Fat?

Shopaholics should not come to Jaipur. Well, they should, but they should bring an extra suitcase. Jaipur is a major shopping hub, featuring a dizzying array of textiles, jewelry, shoes, handicrafts, and so on. Haggling can be incredbily tiring but worth it, although a couple rupees here and a couple there starts to add up, as does the weight of my pack.

I tried not to bring too much of my own clothing, knowing that I would probably pick up an assortment of things along the way. Yesterday I bought a couple of tunics, a pashmina, some jewelry, a beautiful silk bag, a pair of camel leather sandals and some presents that must be kept secret (I can't blow it!). But the best purchase BY FAR was a "salwar kameez" set. Salwar is a baggy pair of pants often wore by Indian women and the kameez is a loose fitting top, although mine is a little bit fitted. The top is black with a little bit of bright blue and gold embroidery and the pants are white with matching embroidered flowers by the feet. I think I might be able to rock the top back in New York with a pair of skinny jeans. (Will those still be fashionable when I get back?)

Usually, I'm much more of a window shopper than a buyer, but it's difficult to window shop here. If you even glance at an item, shopkeepers will continue to knock the price down until you think to yourself that you'd be nuts not to buy the shoes for $1.50.

By mid-afternoon, I and my wallet had had enough shopping, and I decided to call it quits before I bought a set of Rajashtani puppets. I decided to head back to the Arya Niwas for some rest and repose in its quiet garden, as well as the 5:00 yoga session. Actually, that's only partially true. I was also giddy with excitement about trying on my new Indian clothing and admiring myself in the mirror. The verdict? In my new duds, I practically blend in.