Here is Emily on our balcony waving to the camera.
Emily took the dogs out for a walk on our back alley and ran into the local cow.
Emily wanted to see the "Real Pune," so we decided to take her to Laxmi Road. Here she is buying some local spices at Mandai Market. (Mandai translates to Monday.)
Emily got hungry, so she decided to try an Alfonso mango for an afternoon snack. They are in season right now, and she found them to be delicious. She also told us they are nothing like the ones at home. A very unique Indian treat!
Emily loved all the colors of the produce at Mandai Market, so she wanted to stroll through the vegetables and fruits. Here she found pumpkins, snap beans, carrots, and dudhi.
Emily also wanted to try the guava. Here she is buying one from a local vendor.
Emily wanted to bring a gift back to her friend Sage, so she went to the bangle galli, or lane, to look for some traditional Indian bangles.
We then took Emily to Tulsibaug. Tulsibaug is a bazaar known for kitchen wares, clothing, cosmetics, toys, and pretty much anything you can think of . . .
Here Emily is among the crowded lane looking at kitchen items . . .
Ganesh proudly sits within Tulsibaug. Emily quickly posed to take a photo with him. Ganesh is the favorite Maharastrian god in the Hindu faith.
We then took Emily on her first rickshaw ride back home.
Before we got back home, Emily also wanted to have a quick look at dupattas, or scarves. Of course, we could not stop her from buying a few.
We spot some cows in a field enjoying some hay en route home.
We have literally had a steady diet of them for the past month--they only grow when its hot, so in April and May they are plentiful. We have about one week more before the monsoon and then we will only have ordinary mangoes to choose from...Sigh.
Similar to a zucchini or pumpkin, we have been using this in omelets, pasta, a simple side dish, you name it! It's easier to find than zucchini or summer squash. I do not know how to cook it as the Indians do, but it's really good sauteed with sea salt, Herbes de Provence, onions and mushrooms.