Jodhpur to Jaisalmer - the Golden City and a golden camel

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Namaste!

I am sitting in a roof-top computer room at Shahi Palace, from where I can look up and see the huge golden fort of Jaisalmer.

After finishing my email yesterday in Jodhpur, Gareth and I left our bags under the kind watch of the owner of the internet cafe and walked towards the clock tower which marks a central part of the market area below Meherangh. We strolled around, and were constantly pestered to buy everything from fruit to plastic buckets and sarees. I did stop in at a shop to look at the salwar kameez, and purchased a white and blue one for 450 rupees.

We walked around for another half hour while the sleeves were sewn on (they are fitted to your own preference), and then returned. I had a great time showing the young shop assistants the pictures that I brought from home (Niagra Falls, polar bears, etc). For their part, they seemed to like to unfold every single one of the neatly folded sarees and Rajastani style dresses...I guess it keeps them busy refolding!

With darknesses falling, we chose a rickshaw around 7pm and headed back to Meherangh to try the rooftop dinner. We were met at the entrance by a guard and ushered to the terrace in the elevator. There was only two other people seated, and a young boy was playing traditional Rajastani music in a small alcove of the wall. With the city laid out below and the Umaid Bhawal palace visible beyond, the scene was haunting to say the least.

We ordered two non-veg thalis (only thalis were on the menu this time!), and two lassis (of course!). The food was delicious, and we were served by gentlemen in Rajastani dress - with great turbans on their heads, and slippers on their feet. Only 8 or so more people ended up arriving before we left at 9:30 pm, so it remained a quiet evening. Fireworks from a wedding were set off at one point, and I wondered if that was where Jim and Pam from the train were (they were invited to an Indian wedding!). I also saw some kind of huge cat, which someone else called a sword cat, climb the wall near the terrace - it reminded me of a racoon by its size and shape.

Gareth and I finished our dinner with sweet chai and took the rickshaw directly to the train station. It was alot easier to find the train at the Jodhpur station than it was in Delhi! Platform three was a short walk, and we found the right compartment without trouble. Six berths on one side (lower, middle and top) and two on the other. I shared my area with two french tourists and an Indian family - a lady named Angla, her husband, and young son. It was late, 11 pm, and the little guy was pretty crabby. I let him play with my LED flashlight to cheer him up, and I almost didn't get it back! After working on postcards for a few minutes, the lights were turned out and I slept.

That is, for about five minutes until the little guy started hacking like a smoker and screaming! I guess he was tired AND sick. The poor parents had their hands full, but some medicine helped. Thanks to Eric, I had some ear plugs, and slept the rest of the night soundly.

The train arrived in Jaisalmer an hour late, at 6:15am. Walking out made me feel like a celebrity being chased by the paparazzi! Standing 100 feet from the train station was a long line of hotel touts, waving signs and screaming for attention! They were held back by a big Army officer, who we saw beat them back with a stick to their signs! The sign for Shahi Palace was at the end of the line, and I followed the man to a jeep. After a short wait, we were off, winding through streets in the predawn.

I was worried at first, because we pulled into an area that seemed a little dirty, but I quickly saw the hotel. Built of golden Jaisalmer sandstone at the base of the fort, Shahi Palace feels like a desert castle. The floor is marble, and there were curtains waving in the breeze. There are three floors, and the central areas are a 16 foot square (4x4) section of metal rungs - you can walk on it easily, and also see through to the other floors. Breezes flow through easily too.

My room on the second floor, #43, only has a small rectangle high on the wall to let in light, no window. But it does have gorgeous sandstone walls, a big bed and beautiful hangings on the walls. A window with opaque glass opens fully to the hall to let in more of a breeze if I want. There are cool marble floors in the room and the ensuite bathroom. I washed and braided my hair, and washed my sandals before taking a short nap.

By 7:30 am I was dressed in my new white and blue salwar kameez and wander out barfoot into the hall. A small area opens directly outside and has a thin mattress and pillows to relax on. I admired the fort, almost overhead, and then headed to the roof-top to have some breakfast. Everyone was so friendly, and I drank some great chai and ate some yummy veggie packoras while I watched the sun rise over the fort.

I practiced a little Hindi - I can count to five (ek, do, teen, char, panch) and say things like small (chota) and big (budda) - with the guys on the rooftop.

I knocked on Gareth's door and after a lot of nice lounging around on the rooftop and deciding on some camel safaris, we struck out for the fort around 10am. It is only about a ten minute walk through the streets to the fort entrance, and then there is a great maze of streets inside. There was some beautiful items that I may go back for tomorrow. I found that the shop keepers were much less intense here than in Jodhpur - friendlier and less pushy. The desert gives everyone a quiet and pleasant spirit here.

I did buy a great white top from a young merchant, and we stopped in at the Little Tibet resteraunt for a snack and bathroom break. The snack was better than the bathroom! In a tiny 4 foot by 4 foot stall was the eastern style toilet, but no where to hold onto! I did manage to do everything necessary without any problem, so all is well!

Back at Shahi Palace at 1230, we grabbed a light lunch of pan and some curry type dishes, before taking off in the Jeep for our safari. We stopped first at a special cremation park where maharajas are cremated and their remains kept in special small temples. The architecture and history was very interesting. From there, we stopped at a 300 year old Jain temple and explored the very detailed carved walls.

The next two stops were in villages, one Muslim and the second Hindu. Little children followed us and begged rupees, candy and pens. The drive took a long time, along a variety of paths. We shared chai tea on the floor of a house in the Hindu village, before setting off on camel back around 3:30pm. Mounting was a little like a horse, and the camel stood unexpectedly, in a three part rocking motion, but it was steady and comfortable once up. My camel was Rahtia, and the other was Caria.

At first, a young boy and his father walked, leading the camels, which was a little disappointing. But as soon as I asked if I could try, they gave me the reins! A small piece of metal goes through the nose of the camel, and the reins are attached to this. Its a little like a horse! I was able to make it break into a slight jog, and spin around. With my scarf streaming out, I felt like a desert queen.

We rode for an hour and a half, stopping for pictures and watching the landscape change from sand and low intermitent brush to true sand dunes. With the Thar Desert stretching out before me, Pakistan was not too far away. We met up with the gentleman from the hotel and his friend from the Hindu village in the dunes (they had driven in the jeep). They had chai tea simmering in a pot over some stones, and a vegetable packora was being prepared. The five of us talked for hours as the sun set, and ate great food around the fire. I even got to go on a another short camel ride under the half moon, going even faster than before with the village man riding behind.

We talked about a lot of things, especially the stars, before climbing into the jeep to come back. It was about a 45 minute drive back, which gave a lot of time for mulling over the day...and what a day! I am so impressed by the friendly nature of the four brothers who run Shahi Palace - they and their cousins are always looking for ways to make everyone happy. Downstairs is a framed letter from a lady who named her son Jora, after one of the brothers, because she was so impressed!

Indians seem to have trouble pronouncing "Eileen", and so I now always introduce myself as "Elli" - a good nickname! Even Gareth calls me Elli!

I think now I will change my plan and stay here an extra day. Jaisalmer is so beautiful! I'll head to Mumbai on Monday, and relax here a while longer. The best thing about Shahi Palace is the amazingly friendly people! I wish I could live here!!

I hope you enjoy the pictures! ~Elli

OUT

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Photos

View from the Meherangh
Here is Jodhpur seen at night

Jaisalmer Fort Alley
A little girl leans out of the "lucky window" in an alley.

Sunset
Here I am leading Rhatia across a dune after sunset.

Comments

[Jen]

Fantastically Jealous!
Camel rides at sunset! Chai in India! Butter Chicken! I just finished catching up on your advantures. Glad you're having a great time. I admire your guts for taking off to India on your own! Stay safe! Can't wait for the next installment! :-)

[Gianni]

Great pitures Elli!
The pictures are fantastic. Glad to see you're enjoying the adventure. You look completely at home on the back of that camel. I gather the camel wasn't too ornery! They usually like to spit at the rider when they aren't happy... :) Take care. Stay safe! Gianni