Sayla

    Our next destination the Bell Guest House, our third to this old colonial style building set in beautiful gardens.   Very peaceful, apart from the peacocks!

The main reason for coming back is the abundance of bird life, and this time I actually found some textiles.

We visited the weaver at Vasatari.  The unique weaving technique of Tangaliya was almost lost.  It's made up of danas or beads of cotton ranging from dots to more elaborate arrangements.   The beading is done during the process of the weaving.

spinning cotton

                                                                         the loom

                                                                       
                                                                            pattern

        we were showered with bundles of exquisite cloth

needless to say some have found their way into my suitcase

more pix when I return home

a lorry being loaded with cotton

the cotton harvest has begun the next visit was to a farm acres and acres of it

we walked through a crop - the flower is white until it is pollinated when it turns

when it turns pink.    The seed pod is very hard and explodes when the cotton is

ripe, but before that you can eat the immature cotton, which I did with instructions 

         to chew and spit.  No particular taste, but apparently it's good for you

when in Rome etc.

The land is being turned into farmland with grassland similar to an African

savanna.    Full of birds and wildlife - wild boars, nilgi (antelope) and we did see

a rather large monitor lizard.   Small lakes have been dug to encourage wildlife

and there is a longterm plan to build an eco camp for visitors.

I was told that the ladies, when they had time, stitched quilts.   We met some lovely

ladies for chai and they eagerly brought out the quilts.   Definitely 'utiliarian'

big stitches, wadding of cotton straight from the bush.  Fabric polyester cotton 

with coloured boarders,    Apart from anything they weighed a ton!   Cupboards

were emptied for smaller items for sale.   I post my purchases later.   Just a 

couple of smaller items, but at least I gave a very fair price.

We had a laugh together over chai and then a bullock cart ride around the fields

keith joined the ride, after he had taken the photograph

the end of a lovely day

back at Bell Inn,  a shower and  freshen up,

gin and t in hand we watched the sun go down