Trip to Jaipur



Elephant ride to the Amber Fort

We finally took some time off from the office and mission life and went to Jaipur, which is about 200 miles southwest of New Delhi.  The city was built by a man named Jai Singh, and was called Jaipur ("pur" meaning city or settlement).  It was also know as the pink city, because he had all the buildings painted pink when one of the kings of Great Britian visited.    For you movie buffs, this is where hotel in the movie "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" was.  We didn't find the Marigold Hotel, but we found one like it called the Hotel Diggi Palace which has been in the Diggi family for over 100 years.  We spent a couple of days between Jaipur and a small out of the way town called PushKar (which interpreted means Lotus Hand).  Rather than running on about all that we saw, here's a lot of pictures you might enjoy.

Cobra dancing for snake charmer

Snake charmers (the one on the right is holding the snake)

Block Stamping - Used in making clothes and table cloths

Demonstration of block stamping

Largest sundial in the World (Guiness Record)

Elephant ride up mountain to Amber Fort

Vendor who followed us all the way up the mountain to
sell a hand-made bed spread.  He started at 4000 rupees ($80),
we settled at 1000 rupees at the top - and we probably still
overpaid

Inside Amber Fort (lots of mirrors and reflective glass)

 

Elephant caught in traffic jam