Jaipur – Day 1
We were at the train station before 7a.m. for our 7:30 train
and, surprise, it was delayed – 90”.
Uneventful trip but not nearly as posh as our very first trip with Sally
and Richard. We’ve arranged for
pick-up by our hotel, and the car and driver are right outside the station.
The Hotel Anuraag Villa is lovely – a real hotel! We have cable tv, fast and reliable
internet, room service, and a lovely garden for eating. It’s in the Bani Park neighborhood,
advertised as being ‘upscale’ and quiet. Spend the rest of the day relaxing, watching tv, and
using our Macs. We’ve arranged a
car and driver for the following day for our excursion to the famous Fort, one
of three ‘protecting’ Jaipur.
Jaipur – Day 2
Same driver as our train pickup fetches us late
morning. A young man and the first Indian I’ve seen
with braces!! What’s he doing
driving a tourist car? Must pay a
lot better than we thought! We
tell him straightaway that we’re probably not up for three forts.
The Fort is the iconic sight in Jaipur. Visible from far away and connected to
what looks like the Great Wall of Rajasthan, it’s certainly impressive.
We opt to walk up (whew!) rather than take the elephant ride (it’s in a chair-like thingy holds four people) but it’s a good climb (took us 12”) and gave us an up close view of beggars on the steps.
View from the top. That white line snaking up the hillside in the distance is part of the 'great wall' and there are steps in it to get to the watch tower on top.
Partway through the audio tour, we’re joined by two policemen/guards who take us into some back corridors and point out views not on the tour. I think the payoff for them is a photo op with each of us. Still not sure what this photo with us thing is all about but we just nod and agree – it seems to make them so happy!
View from one side of the maharaja's quarters. The rooms of the wives and concubines were laid out so that he could visit one without any of the others knowing. And then there was the stone spa for those hot nights.
Neither of us could figure out how anyone got into this spa. It was about 7' deep and those seats were about 4' down. And the whole thing is solid marble.
This part of the fort was a labyrinth of steps, passageways, and dark corridors; without our soldier guides we would still be wandering around! The carved grillwork over Tim's head is one of scores of such installations all over the place, solid marble, painstakingly carved in elaborate patterns, no two alike.
Maybe the most interesting part of this fort is the 'water delivery system' which brought water from the lake below to the maharaja's chambers - and his companions. (Yes, that is as deep as it appears!)
I didn't get a shot of the enormous turning mechanism which palace personnel pushed around and around and around in order to bring all this water up to its point of use.
Last photo - leaving the fort parking lot amidst an enormous swarm of pigeons.
There are two more forts on the ‘composite ticket’ but we’re
‘forted out’ for now and head home for some beer in the lovely garden at
Anuraag. 
