Jaipur - The Pink City

So much to say, so little time thanks to computer failure and lack of WiFi  :-)
Quick post from Sue:

After Delhi, we drove by coach to Jaipur - again with me taking lots of photos through the coach window as I'm more interested in the street life scenes than the temples and forts I'm afraid.  

In Jaipur we stopped for a quick photoshoot at Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) which used to be a viewing gallery from which ladies of the Harem could look out on the scenes below but which is now little more than a facade and stopping point for tourists to take photos

then on to Amber Fort, built in the 16th Century and set on a hill top.    We ascended by elephant which was an experience in itself.  Not so much the ride (which was funny) but the argument with the driver at the top who didn't think we'd tipped him enough so wouldn't 'park' his elephant close to the disembarkment point.   We had a heated discussion and eventually got close enough to leap across the gap!!

Everything comes at a price in India.   Whilst visiting the Fort, David and I were taken in hand by a couple of policemen who guided us round the many passageways to show us where beehives were hanging from a ceiling, where there was a special door decorated with carved flower shapes and other 'wonders'.   Then held their hands out for monetary reward!    I've become adept at taking surreptitious photos so avoiding having to pay for the privelege.  I don't mind the occasional payment but will end up bankrupt if I had to pay for every snapshot


Elephants at the bottom of the hill waiting for passengers

Elephants on the return journey down the hill, photographed from my precarious perch on our elephant - on the way up.   There should be an orderly line going up and one coming down but this doesn't always happen as you can see from this lot.

This is better!   We do have a photo of the two of us on our elephant but I need to scan it onto the computer when home

Monkeys playing at the Fort

and Parakeets.     Actually (as I'm writing this post 2 days after visiting Jaipur, I'm now fed up with monkeys and parrots having seen soooooo many at our current location at Ranthambhore National Park - that's another post)

When back in England with access to a faster computer etc I'll post more pictures and info about the monuments as the decoration is quite stunning and its amazing to think that these were built centuries ago and stood the test of time

This is an outside wall on one section of the Palace.  it is beautifully decorated with coloured stones and mirrors.  The interior is no longer open to the general public but we were told that the the walls inside were decorated with so many mirrors that the 10m room could be illuminated with just one candle

 

The Peacock Gate (for obvious reasons).  I only photographed the top part as there was a constant stream of visitors walking through the gate ... but this gives an idea of the splendour of the decoration

View from one of the courtyards

Two of the palace guards

Lady who was sweeping the courtyard

and gent who was overseeing the work!    En route between Jaipur and Ranthambhore there were lots of road repairs being undertaken and all the labourers were ladies - in beautifully coloured saris.  

Two more lady 'sweepers'

and another Palace Guard

Ok thats it for this post.

I'm going to try to postdate a post with some of my favourite street scenes which should appear in a couple of days time when we will be spending most of our day travelling it seems.

Tomorrow I hope to post a few pictures from the Ranthambhore National Park where we visited the Fort yesterday afternoon and 'overdosed' on peacocks and monkeys.   The peacocks are as prolific here as pheasants in our fields back in the UK - they seemed so exotic at first but now we barely pay them any attention.