India Day 11 - Jaipur

Today at 8am we headed for a cup of lassi at the most famous shop in Jaipur. It is a yogurt drink made in the traditional way. Like our chai in Varanasi, our heavy clay cups were new, used once, then thrown away.

Our big stop for the morning was the Amer Fort (sometimes called the Amber Fort). It is located high on a hill and people often ride elephants up to the top. We took jeeps up after KV explained how hard the climbing is on the elephants' legs and we didn't want to contribute to their less than humane treatment.

The Fort, established in 1592, is stunning and there are many sections to it. We were able to climb up some super steep steps and see the outside and inside views of the Fort. Some of the painting is fresco style and restoration of various sections is ongoing. It was quite a busy place but I enjoyed it very much. We stopped to visit the summer home on a man-made lake.

Next we visited a jewelry shop. Jaipur has many shopping opportunities and it is especially well known for the cutting and setting of gemstones. After a demonstration, we got the chance to visit the showroom. The variety was very nice and I found a pair of earrings I quite liked, as well as a multi stone necklace which will forever remind me of India and Jaipur.

We had lunch and I chose the reasonably-priced buffet. Then the bus took us to the City Palace Museum which was lavishly decorated for an upcoming wedding. We were treated to a marionette show then we looked through the displays. 

Nearby was Jantar Mantar, an observatory first built in the early 1700's. This fascinating complex of stone and metal instruments was repaired in 1901 and is the largest one of its kind in India today. Rashivalaya Yantra are a series of 12" structures, each representing different zodiac signs. Astrology is very important in India and these structures are used to calculate horoscopes for people.

We were given time to shop in the tourist markets. The salesmen (no women) were very aggressive and it was off putting. Sometimes we just couldn't communicate and I walked out rather than fight a losing battle. I did manage to find a few gifts though.

We had quite a great evening. Our guide took us to an Indian wedding celebration. His friend's younger brother was getting married. Actually it was the night before the wedding but the festivities take place over several days. We got there just after 7 pm but KV told thus that was a bit early and most guests wouldn't be there yet. We mingled a bit and were served water, chai, drinks, and finally some wonderful food from a lengthy buffet table.

The women were dressed in absolutely gorgeous colourful jeweled sarees and had many bracelets and gold jewelry on. I wandered a bit on my own to take a few photos. I found some women making naan bread (?) and stopped to watch and photograph. One lady insisted on giving me some dough to work. I tried to refuse but she was persistent. I wasn't very good at it and I think I amused them. All in all, the wedding was a terrific experience!

India Day 10 - Ranthambore to Jaipur

Well my body didn't know what to do with 8 hours of sleep. I kept waking up thinking I had slept in. This hotel has been a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the big cities.

It was a 4 hour bus ride to Jaipur today and the time passed fairly quickly. After an ATM stop we had lunch. I ordered a boneless chicken in a tomato based sauce together with garlic naan. I am going to try my hand at making some when I get home.

Many in the group have been asking for shopping time so KV took us to a place with all types of everything made with cotton, silk and wool. We had a demo showing the process of block printing. I have picked up some wooden stamps along the way and hope to get creative with them when I return to Canada. I found a beautiful silk dressing gown, some scarves, a top and a big tablecloth. I wasn't going to get it but of course he lowered the price until resistance was futile!

Our home for the next two nights is a heritage hotel called Madhuban. There is a lovely garden in the back and the rooms' doors have the most unusual locking system (just like the last hotel). There is a long bolt and hasp on both the outside as well as the inside. You need a key to unlock the padlock as well as to lock it. The room is pretty but the walls are paper thin and I can hear unwanted noises all too well. For the first time since I’ve arrived in India, Wi-Fi is free here.

At 5:15 pm, our bus took us to the old part of the city and we walked along the sidewalks with KV helping us to sample various types of snacks and sweets. 

The streets were busy, noisy, colourful, and full of photo ops. 

We stopped at a temple and went up to the rooftop to get a good look around. There are mountains surrounding the city and we saw where we are going tomorrow.

Another great stop was a tea place and I bought some chai. The owner explained how to make it and what proportions to use of everything.

By then it was dark. We piled into rickshaws again and as as we went through the busy streets, I tried not to let the traffic get to me. It's pretty hard when you are making a turn and crossing in front of oncoming cars, motorbikes and other rickshaws. I simply don't know why large numbers of people aren't killed every day in traffic! You very rarely see ambulances or police and I have yet to see a fire truck.

Supper was at an outdoor restaurant with traditional dancing. The women dance with pots on their heads which get piled progressively higher and higher. If that isn't enough of a challenge, they are lit on fire!

Tomorrow is an early start. That's all she wrote (for tonight)!