We are once again back in Rajasthan in the north. Thankfully it is much cooler than it was a few weeks ago; but still, extremely interesting & very chaotic.

On our first day our guide took us to the city center by the old clock tower where we were able to see how the locals shop.

On this trip we have found the Indian people to be the kindest & friendliest people we have ever met. I wonder if this is because of how kind they are to all animals. Every morning, the first piece of bread is offered to a dog or cow in the neighborhood. The same is done in the evening with the last piece of bread.

In walking through the market our guide showed us a no-kill mouse trap. It is not considered appropriate to kill a mouse because Ganesh who is the Hindu god of Wisdom, Luck, & New Beginnings uses a mouse as his vehicle & is considered as a symbol for him to overcome obstacles.

In the same location we also visited the Toorji Ka Jhalra Stepwell. It was built in 1740 & has now been restored.

For Westerners, it is hard to understand how traffic works here. The streets are overflowing with people, scooters, cars, trucks, tuk-tuks, carts, and cows & dogs. Nary a second passes without a horn sound blaring; yet, somehow it works & we always get to where we are going OK.

Thankfully, we had a peaceful quiet hotel in which to rest. It once belonged to a wealthy family & is now a beautiful hotel.