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 Inside the temple stands a monumental lingam, the sacred symbol of Lord Shiva. In Hindu tradition the lingam represents the creative force of the universe — the endless cycle of creation, destruction and renewal. Locals were so happy to welcome us, excited even, wanted selfies and thanked us for visiting. Devotees perform a ritual known as abhishek, gently pouring water, milk or oil over the stone while offering prayers. Watching Mr Chatterjee perform this ancient ritual up close is surprisingly moving. The smooth stone slowly darkens as the liquid flows over it, collecting in channels below — a simple act repeated for centuries. Our friend, the mining guy above right in the picture and his brother took us on a VIP tour.. The temple is full of local agate, many gemstone decor and huge lingam stones. For people who work with stones and minerals every day, it felt strangely appropriate. Our trip to Khambhat began with gemstones and ended in a temple celebrating one of the most sacred stones of all. After saying our goodbyes, we left Gujarat — though not before hearing about one of its little quirks. The Dry State… with One Curious Exception Gujarat is famously a dry state, where alcohol is frowned upon and totally prohibited. But our mine-owner friend told us about a fascinating loophole. When he goes on holiday with his family and friends they head here... Just off the coast of Gujarat lies Diu, a small island that was once a Portuguese colony. Because of its unique history, Diu today belongs to the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, where the liquor laws are far more relaxed. Yes it's news to me.. it's the first I heard of this place.. one for the bucket list!   So while Gujarat itself stays dry… a short drive over the Diu Ghoghia Bridge and you can legally enjoy a drink on a tropical island with Portuguese forts and palm trees. India never fails to surprise. From Dry Gujarat to Wet Goa From there we drove back to the city of Vadodara, got one of the four flights that day south to Goa — another former Portuguese outpost, but far better known. The contrast could not have been greater.. but.. In Gujarat the alcohol free dry state.. Both places are full of kind and warm people. Goa is always a good place to pause, catch up with friends and — importantly — catch up with POs and paperwork after a busy sourcing trip. A few well-earned People’s Lager helped the process along nicely.  The Great Escape After a few days it was time to split up. Toni flew Goa → Kochi → Doha and then onward to Europe. Incredibly, the Doha flight turned out to be the last flight heading to Europe that day. A bit of luck was clearly on his side. He is now safely back in Málaga, Spain, breathing a well-earned sigh of relief. Meanwhile Bondhan and I headed north. Mr Chatteree came to the airport with us.. he was heading back to Kolkata. Us to Delhi then Bali.. on this trip Bondhan (our man in Indonesia) and Chatterjee (our man in India) have become firm friends.. So now in the departure hall it was time to say goodbye until next time..  Yes... There were tears shed.. Goa → Delhi → Bali. Which brings me to where I’m writing this now. Back in Bali Bali has welcomed us back with big winds and heavy rain. At the same time, tourist numbers are currently down because several Emirates flights have been cancelled, leaving hotels and beaches quieter than usual. For those of us working here it’s a strange contrast — dramatic tropical weather, but also a rare moment of calm before the island fills again. For now it’s back to work with our Bali team and artisans, preparing the next wave of products for you. Today we went to Ubud.. which is like artisan heaven.. .png) After all, the journey from gemstones in Gujarat → temples → Goa → Bali is just one small part of the story behind the things we bring to your shops. And as always… More adventures are coming soon. Take care.. Hati Hati (as they say here) David |