Jaipur, India

We left the hotel at 9 AM because a certain member of our group wanted a later departure. Our guide warned us that it would be hotter later in the day. His forecast was accurate!

We began the day with a photo stop at the Palace of Winds (Hawa Mahal).
This monument is adorned in an ornate pale pink facade with tiered baroque-like architecture. The original design was intended to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and public festivals in the streets below without being seen.

We then continued to a parking lot where we were transferred to an open air jeep. Bob, Jenni and I sat on bench seats in the back of the jeep. Bob had to hunch over to fit and his head still hit the ceiling.

It took quite some time in the hot, uncomfortable jeep to reach the top of the hill to the Amber Fort.

On the way to the Amber Fort, we stopped at the Panna Meena ka Kund. This is an interesting 16th century yellow-colored stepwell that lies in the shadow of the Amber Fort. The stepwell has geometrical designs and sharp shadows that has been restored. This stepwell was built so the people of Amber could collect water, which was later used by many temples nearby. Women also came here to fill their water pots for household work. Panna Meen ka Kund was also a resting place for many travelers as the temperature inside the stepwell is a bit cooler. But it is still India HOT!

We reboarded our very comfortable jeep (insert sarcasm) and made our way to the Amber Fort. The Amber Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Fort is surrounded by fortified battlements and overlooks the Maotha Lake. One of the most interesting features of the Amber Fort is the Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors) where a single lamplight is reflected in the numerous mirrors, lighting up the entire room.

Did I mention that it was HOT ?

Raj was not feeling good yesterday. He has a very sore throat. I gave him some cough drops yesterday. He hired a local guide to guide us through the Amber Fort and the Panna Meena ka Kund.

We began in the large courtyard. The new guide was almost impossible to understand. Raj knew that we could not understand the new guide so Raj took over and gave us a very informative tour even though it was clear that he was in pain.

After the tour of the Amber Fort, we reboarded our luxurious (again, insert sarcasm) jeep for a ride back to the van. We were thankful that the ride down was much shorter than the ride up!

We next had a quick photo stop at the Lake Palace (Jal Mahal) Water Palace. Jal Mahal is a palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan, India. The palace was originally constructed around 1699; the building and the lake around it were later renovated and enlarged in the early 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber.

We continued to a Textile Factory where we learned about the hand printing of cloth. We were given a short time to shop. I would have once again like to have more time but others of our group were sitting by the door tapping their feet.

We had lunch at a restaurant near the textile factory. This lunch was not great. We are once again questioning if we will be having lingering effects from this meal.

After lunch we continued to Jantar Mantar. This is another UNESCO World Heritage Site built by Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century. It is the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world, having 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition.

At the Jantar Mantar, Raj was able to hire a local guide who was fairly easy to understand.

Our last stop was a jewelry shop. They had fantastic prices but, again, the group was not interested in browsing. I guess that I should be happy because this probably saved us some money.

We then went to the hotel.

I asked Raj if he wanted some cold medicine. He said that he would love some. I ran to the room and returned with some Alka-Seltzer Plus. He was very thankful.

As I waited for the elevator, I looked into the shop in the lobby. Lo, and behold, those members of our group who were so opposed to shopping were NOW SHOPPING!

Since we had such a late lunch, Bob and I decided just to have a beverage before we retired for the evening. While we were discussing the day's events, Dale and Jenni walked into the restaurant. The four of us had a lively discussion as usual. Some members of the group enjoyed ice cream.

I retired to the room leaving Bob with Dale and Jenni. This proved to be a dangerous option as the three of them went shopping.

I was thankful for the wonderful shower, air conditioned room and comfortable bed.Read more