half of my india budget

for the special few who might actually understand and laugh at me for this.

so i was window shopping in delhi yesterday. i met an older gentleman who was probably in his mid-fifties along the way. he was eating an ice cream cone. anyway, he ended up leading me to a coffee house where locals hangout. but before we sat down for coffee, he said, "oh, let me show you this good kashmiri carpet place that is just around the corner." out of politeness, i went into the store which had rich carpets and silks hanging on the walls. the salesman started rolling out carpets and explaining the quality and history of kashmiri weaving.

whoosh, carpet, whoosh, carpet, whoosh.

i listened attentively and oohed at the appropriate times. i was enjoying the salesman's distinguished english and a kahava (a special kashmiri drink) with cookies.

whoosh, carpet.

now, you all know what persian carpets are like. they were mostly in bright bold colors that never match anything in a house like cinnamon hot red, royal blue, forest green. and the patterns were equally gaudy.

whoosh, carpet.

he rolls out one in MY color!! an olivey-lime green, more olive than lime. it also has browns, golds, and a hint of orange. the pattern is interesting but not too obtrusive. it could match a lot of my furniture and my taste in decor. i loved it. i bought it. i spent more than half of my trip's budget for it. but it'll be shipped directly to my door in chicago. and it's an investment that'll be passed down for generations right? besides, carpets go under a different budget heading - housewares/furniture. i left laughing at myself. only i would randomly meet a man on the street and end up spending more than $500.