Blue Christmas, quite literally

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Hot desert sun, pale blue buildings, enormous fort rising up from a hill in the middle of the city...it's just the kind of place we hoped for to spend the christmas holidays.
We had all sorts of pleasant surprises coming our way in Jodhpur.
Jasmine and I discovered one of our new favorite things...Makhania Lassi. A lassi (yogurt drink) flavored with cardamom, saffron and rose water!
Eeek! It's most enjoyable.
Also, we were invited to a Christmas party hosted by a lovely english teacher who owns a guesthouse. We didn't quite understand, until we arrived, that the christmas party was being hosted by her young english students and we would be submitted to round after round of dancing and christmas carolling.
It was fun, though. Made us smile. And the best part was that when we arrived we saw a whole bunch of young indian girls dancing on the dance floor and admist all of them, in the centre of the dancing frenzy...was our dutch friend Anjo whom we met in Nepal!
We happened to bump into our lovely dutch friends at a childrens christmas party. How wonderful.
On Christmas day we went to visit the old fort and palace rising up in the middle of the city. It was really great. They give out audio guides that are usually pretty geeky but it was so well done that we didnt mind walking around and looking like nerds for a couple of hours. The narration and information given was outstanding. The palace itself was incredibly well preserved and truly breathtaking.
I made Guillaume promise to me that we could live in a palace one day too.
When we returned to the hotel after our day of sightseeing, we cracked open some beers and sat around the christmas tree that i ever-so sneakily bought in Delhi and brought with me. We opened presents and laughed a whole lot.
When our dutch friends showed up we went upstairs to the rooftop of the hotel where the owner was putting on a wonderful christmas party and dinner for all the guests (grown ups only, this time).
We ate, talked and laughed alot. It was a truly wonderful Christmas.
The guesthouse was so comfortable (and BLUE) that we got really comfortable there really quickly. And like always...didnt want to leave!
Jodhpur had charm, with the narrow, pale blue streets of the old city, friendly children everywhere who just want to shake your hand.
And of course....the food. We checked out some Rajasthani specialties. Corn bread, garlicky mustard greens, rice with dried fruit and potatoes and other wonderful things.
Yup, I think that we are starting to fall in love with Rajasthan.

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Photos

Comfy Cow
He's not the only one taking naps in the middle of the street, I will tell you THAT much.

Talking business
at the sweet shop

Typical
just your average Indian street action.

YUMMMM!
Makhanyia lassi!

Narrow blue streets
the atmospheric old city

This is why
I will never be able to fully understand India or Hinduism.

The scene
of the interesting old fort of Jodhpur

More fort stuff
it was cool cuz we could go up on the wall and check out the old cannons!

Mmmm...pure opulence.
This was the entertainment room in the palace...sigh.

Another room
for entertaining the guests. oh..and smoking opium too, they sure did that alot, crazy maharajas!

Me
all Bindi-ed up and ready for CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas cuddles
at the fort.

City of Jodhpur
sure is neat looking.

Action
in the old city.

Cool blue
keeps the buildings cool in the summer heat

Kids...again!
They are EVERYWHERE! and love to have their photos taken!

Mustached Sun God
We asked..but still dont get it.

Fort View
From our guesthouse rooftop

Just hanging out
at the tomb

and again
enjoying the cool shade on the marble tomb.

Guillaume said...
that it would be cooler if i didnt pose.

Great rickshaw
Jodhpur seemed to have the best looking ones in India.