Drove into Jaipur and it started as a visual feast. Here is a pic of me taken by Val with a famous Jaipur landmark in the background ... The Lake Palace.
I am facing a multitude of rides ... camel, bullock cart and elephant. Well ! We chose the elephant ride
We got onto Poonam and off we RRrrockked for the sum of Rs.200 + tips.
Then it was the Amber Fort ... we couldnt get the elephant ride up the steep hill as the elephants are only allowed 5 trips and they had finished that when we arrived .... so we drove up there with our driver Mahavir. Gees ! The "tourist guide" pests are never ending + the touts for small cheap souvenir objects. They cant take NO for an answer.
Just loved it here once we got inside. Val and I went exploring the multitude of passages and steep dark stair wells. We even got lost which was a little adventure in itself. From there it was to lunch and both of us had a traditional Rajisthani Thali ... what was really nice was the maize chappati and mint chappati. Then it was to the City Palace .... The touts here were bloody awful .... It was nice inside and we had mp3 audio guides to explain all to us. But we were getting tired .... On our walk back to the car the touts continued. Even a beggar woman with her infant asked me for Rs.50 so she could feed her child ..... Got into the car truly exhausted and mind fucked. Sorry for the language folk but there is no word strong enough for how I felt.
Got back to the hotel and ordered a refreshing pot'O Chai. You can see us on one of the hotel terraces enjoying the pot. Took a rickshaw ride up the street for Val to buy some bangles (She got ripped off by about $6.00)
Wrote out this blog report on the hotel internet and now just going to have a snack for dinner. Of course the lassi and saffron, cashew and pistachio infused Gulab Jamun is mandatory for me. Then tomorrow we are off to Bikaner at 9 am ... Wonder whats in store ... The Rat Temple will be fun ! Hope I can get to an internet cafe. Until then .......... Namaste !
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