This morning we went by taxi to the Amber Fort, a few kilometres out of Jaipur. Construction was begun in 1592 and it was the capital of Rajasthan until 1727 when the growing population and lack of water forced the move down into the plain at Jaipur.
Soon after we entered at the bottom of the hill, we saw the step well, with a maze of steps down into it, where the royal family bathed. We drove to the top of the hill and the main gate. Many tourists choose to ride up there by elephant but it didn't look that comfortable.
There are several courtyards and many rooms in the palace. Mirrors were set into the stone for ornamentation. There were both ventilated summer and heated winter lodgings for the king and his wives. The gardens were also ornate and beautiful. It's common to see women in saris working in the gardens. It had cost us each 500 rupees ($10 CDN) to get in the gate (although listed as 200 rupees in Lonely Planet) and 300 rupees for a guide. He was very good and even gave us a new expression for the perpetual tourist ripoff. He said everyone looks for light skin so he referred to it as a "skin tax". Sounds about right.
On the way back to town we stopped for a photo-op at the Jal Mahal or Water Palace, a summer resort for the royal family where they would hunt ducks. Our picture was taken by a young Canadian from Winnipeg who was traveling by train through India with his wife and 4 sons all under the age of 5. They're either very adventurous or totally insane.
We also stopped at a liquor store to buy some Kingfisher beer in 650 ml bottles for 100 rupees each (about $2 CDN). Places to buy beer are not that prevalent in India. Most restaurants don't offer alcoholic drinks.
When we got back to our hotel, we took a tuktuk to Handi Restaurant on the MI Road. We enjoyed a smoky barbecue platter of various meats accompanied by naan freshly baked at the restaurant entrance. At a lot of meals we also get a side plate of sliced hot, not really sweet onions and a dish of dip to eat as an appetizer. We paid 790 rupees (about $16) including tip, and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We haven't had a whole lot of meat lately. Even our tuktuk driver seemed happy with a fare of 100 rupees each way. His tuktuk was so old and rickety that he had to go behind it and start the engine with a pull rope, like starting a lawnmower. But it worked.
To get to the Amber Fort, we had to drive through the Old "Pink" City, so-called because in 1876 the Maharajah had the entrance painted pink, the colour of hospitality, to welcome the Prince of Wales. Today it's law to preserve the pink facade on all buildings. It sounds beautiful but all the paint is old and grimy. We were planning to do a walking tour (found in Lonely Planet) of the Old City tomorrow, stopping at the City Palace and a few other sites. However, inside the old city walls is just as chaotic, polluted and dirty as everywhere else so maybe we'll just take a tuktuk to the City Palace there sometime in the next few days.
Soon after we entered at the bottom of the hill, we saw the step well, with a maze of steps down into it, where the royal family bathed. We drove to the top of the hill and the main gate. Many tourists choose to ride up there by elephant but it didn't look that comfortable.
There are several courtyards and many rooms in the palace. Mirrors were set into the stone for ornamentation. There were both ventilated summer and heated winter lodgings for the king and his wives. The gardens were also ornate and beautiful. It's common to see women in saris working in the gardens. It had cost us each 500 rupees ($10 CDN) to get in the gate (although listed as 200 rupees in Lonely Planet) and 300 rupees for a guide. He was very good and even gave us a new expression for the perpetual tourist ripoff. He said everyone looks for light skin so he referred to it as a "skin tax". Sounds about right.
On the way back to town we stopped for a photo-op at the Jal Mahal or Water Palace, a summer resort for the royal family where they would hunt ducks. Our picture was taken by a young Canadian from Winnipeg who was traveling by train through India with his wife and 4 sons all under the age of 5. They're either very adventurous or totally insane.
We also stopped at a liquor store to buy some Kingfisher beer in 650 ml bottles for 100 rupees each (about $2 CDN). Places to buy beer are not that prevalent in India. Most restaurants don't offer alcoholic drinks.
When we got back to our hotel, we took a tuktuk to Handi Restaurant on the MI Road. We enjoyed a smoky barbecue platter of various meats accompanied by naan freshly baked at the restaurant entrance. At a lot of meals we also get a side plate of sliced hot, not really sweet onions and a dish of dip to eat as an appetizer. We paid 790 rupees (about $16) including tip, and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We haven't had a whole lot of meat lately. Even our tuktuk driver seemed happy with a fare of 100 rupees each way. His tuktuk was so old and rickety that he had to go behind it and start the engine with a pull rope, like starting a lawnmower. But it worked.
To get to the Amber Fort, we had to drive through the Old "Pink" City, so-called because in 1876 the Maharajah had the entrance painted pink, the colour of hospitality, to welcome the Prince of Wales. Today it's law to preserve the pink facade on all buildings. It sounds beautiful but all the paint is old and grimy. We were planning to do a walking tour (found in Lonely Planet) of the Old City tomorrow, stopping at the City Palace and a few other sites. However, inside the old city walls is just as chaotic, polluted and dirty as everywhere else so maybe we'll just take a tuktuk to the City Palace there sometime in the next few days.
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