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Published: January 14th 2006
The world biggest sundial
...we checked the time...!!!Hi there...another blog to catch up...shan't write too much as it's proving more difficult to do blogs here (still in Kerala..off to a house boat on the back waters tomorrow, and then off to Sri Lanka for a few weeks).
Any comments would be a bonus...cheers
Anyway...Jaipur. I was very excited, as I've been wanting to see the Palace of the Winds since I'd seen it in an encyclopedia many many moons ago (Mum, Dad..remember the purple books?)
Anyway, Jaipur did not disappoint in the flesh either. Aside from the Palace of the Winds, easily the best thing was the ancient observatory built by Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh in 1724. Amazing place, full of the most enormous (and deadly accurate) sundials, chart things etc. Jon Cassidy - you'd have well enjoyed this. The worlds biggest sundial was something like 28 meters high and the shadow moves at up to 4 meters an hour !!
Anyway, the town was cool. We had our first hotel upset, by not getting into the one we'd booked, but our driver took us to the local fleapit, that was actually OK, apart from the black hairs and stains on the sheets!
When we asked for new ones, they simply turned the sheet over!! Anyway, had some great meals, including a veg Thali in the rotating restaurant of the holiday inn tower (Dhal Makhini - 5/10)
The next day we did the Amber Fort, just north of Jaipur. Quite amazing, stuck on the top of the hill and all that. One of the best things was our guide for the day. A lovely chap in a flat cap. It turns out that he had not only just passed his exam to guide in all of Northern India, but that he got the highest mark in the country. He really knew his stuff. All the other guides had heard this, and he was constantly being warmly congratulated by all...it was quite touching.
Anyway....that's about all for Jaipur...seems so long ago now.
Steve & Lou
xx
ps. just to make you all feel a little better...it's been raining here in Kerala for the past 2 days!
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Stuart
non-member comment
Aptly Named
Well, would you explain why the building is called 'The Four Winds' I presume this is an understatement!!!!! What a fantastic country thank you for giving us an insight, we are in awe. Keep smiling and well. X Dad