Jaipur, Palace of the Winds

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Namaste Everyone
The train journey from Jodhpur to Jaipur was easy, comfortable and uncrowded until we arrived at Jaipur station, where the taxi and tuk tuk drivers were just far to intrusive and pushy. Thankfully our hotel had arranged transport, we willingly pay for this service as it means we don't have any hassles off the driver not being able to find the place or taking you to one of their choice for which they get commission and you pay extra!! It's peculiar that the drivers can be really pushy, the same person asking you at least 5 or 6 times where you are going, do you want a taxi do you want a hotel? But when you are really tired and answer the slightest bit brusquely, they take immediate umbrage and can get rude. The best thing to do is always smile politely and say no firmly to everything. They do eventually get the hint, but still stand very close just incase your transport doesn’t show!!! Enough complaining, we were collected by a very nice friendly tuk tuk driver and taken to Sajjan Niwas, a super hotel recommended by the hostel in Jodhpur. We arranged immediately with Salim, the tuk tuk driver to take us around the next day to see all the sights of Jaipur, all day for 400r, seemed very good value.

Next day we spent going into the Pink City, it’s really an orangey coral colour! The Palace of the Winds is quite magnificent but not in the same league as the fort at Jodhpur. The City Palace is interesting, largest silver pots in the world used for taking the holy water from the River Ganges to London!! We looked at all the museums and the government run craft centre which is a really good place to get an idea of prices for souvenirs. We finished at the famous Water Palace which isn’t as good as the water level is too low. A little shopping to finish the day!
Next day we visited the Amber fort 11k outside Jaipur, again with Salim. We didn’t take the soft option of an elephant ride up the hill to the fort; you can also go by jeep. This again must have been spectacular; even now it’s fairly impressive. The ladies Gardens are well laid out and the Queens Palace is even now very finely decorated, using cleverly placed mirrors to spread light and heat when it was needed. Below there are bathing Ghats and geometric patterned formal gardens. We'd seen enough of Jaipur and unfortunately also Salim, he wants us to go on a tour with him but his price is much too high and he won’t take no for an answer so we’re glad to leave and head to Pushkar.
The hotel in Pushkar was just outside the main part of town in a country setting it was owned by a relative of the hotel in Jaipur and we had a room on the second floor of a small cottage style building looking out to the hills and it also had a small swmming pool.
Pushkar is a very holy place with over 400 shrines and temples and bathing ghats surrounding the lake which is at the centre of the town. As it was the start of a festival when we arrived it was very busy, lots of country people arriving to celebrate, their belongings in all manner of bags and cloths and carrying them in all manner of ways!! We spent a very enjoyable 5 days at Pushkar, relaxing, walking in the hills to various temples swimming in the pool , lovely to cool off in, and although the town was busy it was pleasant to walk around without much pressure. Also in Pushkar there is the only (?) Brahmin Temple in the world, so we had to visit there. Now it’s back to Jaipur and on to Delhi for the next part of our Indian tour.
Bye for now
Maggie & Arnie

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