I was up for the dawn next morning, and had my coffee as the sun came up, the old man arriving there too. And after working on the internet I had breakfast there, served by yet another waiter, who turned out to be the brother of the one who had done much for me on my earlier visit. But I had failed to identify him to the management by name, so it was only the following day that I was told this, and by then it was too late to establish contact again with Gaji Khan.

After breakfast I walked down the hill and into the town, for shopping as well as to see again the haveli I had loved on the previous visit. But the best of them, the Salim Singh Haveli, was now closed to visitors. I had thought it magnificent back in 2015 but this time I could only take a picture of its imposing façade.

I consoled myself with the Patwon ki Haveli which I had been to on the last visit too, but I could not recall much of it. It was in a set of several, of which the first had been bought by the state and maintained by a museum. The rooms were richly decorated, with lovely frescoes and there were grand beds and drawing room suites and also a splendid display of brass, animals and weapons. And as was usual in this magical city, the terrace on top commanded great views, including now to the battlements of the fort.

I went on then to the Nathmal ki Haveli, but that was in private hands and, as seven years earlier, I only saw its central courtyard. But I loved its façade, and also the grand sandstone elephants outside.  

I was lazy to walk back so took an auto up the sleep slope and through the several gates, and then read in bed after another warm bath for which once again water was brought. After finishing an early Galsworthy novel I had soup for lunch, and then packed though they had said the room could be kept for me at no charge. I had the previous day arranged a desert package, and this morning I had extended it at not very much more to cover some sights en route.

So in the early afternoon I walked down the hill to the car to set out for the desert.

The pictures are of sunrise and the old man admiring it, breakfast and the city gate and the facade of the Salim Singh Haveli, and then interiors of the Patwon ki Haveli.

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