Jaipur Journal....Day Two
Yet another early start and another chunk of history to explore today as I was collected by Raj and Ram and driven up to the Amber Fort in Jaipur. The final part of the journey was to be undertaken by elephant and I’ve got to be honest and say I was terrified frankly.
At that point I’d been on three animals’ back in my life - a donkey in Blackpool as a child, my rich mate’s horse at 14, and a camel in Tunisia about 25 years ago. I liked the donkey, was scared witless on the horse and got thrown off the camel, so the track record ain’t good!
Rajesh assured me I would be fine, I would enter the Fort like a Maharani - a queen - and he would meet me at the top to take a photograph of me on the Elephant’s back. As I watched endless tourists ahead of me take their seats - most of them a good 20 years older than me, I figured I should just ‘man up’ so to speak. Then I saw one of the mahouts take his elephant - which was acting up a bit- off into a side street, away from our view (so he thought) and proceed to really whack it with the metal bar they use to control them. As my time came to get on, I didn’t have much of a choice but to do it. I wasn’t happy though.
The journey is meant to take 25 minutes and give you time to take all kinds of photographs on the way up, but I had the Lewis Hamilton of mahouts and he raced that bloody elephant up to the top in 15 minutes flat! No photos, no Rajesh at the top to take my photo, and no feeling whatsoever in my hands from gripping on so tight! The old git did manage to give me some story of how the elephant needed bananas and chapattis for his dinner and how I had to pay Rs200 for that, even though he’d already been paid for the trip and there were signs everywhere saying don’t tip! He got Rs100 and I clambered off that poor beast - which I noticed had a rather large hole just behind his ear from the hook on that metal bar.
Had it been down to me I wouldn’t have chosen to do that ride, but it was all part of the the tour and I hadn’t really paid too much attention beforehand to be honest. I would say to anyone making their own way up there, don’t do the elephant thing, it’s inhumane and a rip off and you can have a much nicer trip up there by jeep.
Once my hands had stopped shaking (my biceps are still sore now two days later) and I’d had a coffee and calmed down, Rajesh took me on the tour of the Fort. Again the craftsmanship is breathtaking. One of the palaces is all decorated in mirrors, most of which are still intact, which makes for some fab photo ops. You can only imagine how stunning it must look at night with the candle light!
I was taken into the temple and this one required no money, just a good heart, so I like that one a lot, before we made our way back down the hill into the pink city itself. I found out that it’s called that because the whole city was painted pink to welcome Prince Albert when he came to visit. Ever since there’s been a rule that the buildings must be kept pink. It’s more of a salmon than a Schiaparelli though. I was taken to the Jantar Mantar aka the Observatory and given a brief lesson in Astronomy,
then to see the Water Palace. After I’d taken some snaps and old lady approached me from across the square saying ‘Excuse me miss’ and asking for money. She was telling me she was blind and I asked Rajesh how she could have walked across that square with no stick or dog, and picked me the only tourist there at that point and known that I was female without hearing me speak, if she was blind. He just smiled and told me ‘she’s a good businesswoman’.
From there we went to the City Palace where members of the Jaipur Royal Family still live though to make ends meet they rent the place out too. It had been used for an enormous society wedding the night before, with loads of Bollywood stars in attendance - I wonder if my Bollywood crush Ajay Devgan was there? There was a museum too so I got to see lots of textiles and arms and actually I rather enjoyed it! There was a part of me felt like I was on a school trip but Rajesh was such a good guide, I got interested.
That was the official sightseeing done for the day, so it was time for a bit of lunch and then the really important job of buying shoes! Rajasthan is famous for it’s colourful leather shoes and as I am going to be spending the next three months in a maroon robe on the ashram I figured I might as well get some shoes to brighten up the outfits while I’m mopping floors or whatever I end up doing. Two pairs £10 - result!
After a bit of a rest I ate dinner at the Glitz and watched the show they lay on every night for the guests, three musicians and two dancing girls and a buffet of just about every cuisine going all on the rooftop. It was just what I needed. I have to say I’m getting a liking for the music and the girls were fabulous with their dancing. Some of it is quite raunchy!
At that point I’d been on three animals’ back in my life - a donkey in Blackpool as a child, my rich mate’s horse at 14, and a camel in Tunisia about 25 years ago. I liked the donkey, was scared witless on the horse and got thrown off the camel, so the track record ain’t good!
Rajesh assured me I would be fine, I would enter the Fort like a Maharani - a queen - and he would meet me at the top to take a photograph of me on the Elephant’s back. As I watched endless tourists ahead of me take their seats - most of them a good 20 years older than me, I figured I should just ‘man up’ so to speak. Then I saw one of the mahouts take his elephant - which was acting up a bit- off into a side street, away from our view (so he thought) and proceed to really whack it with the metal bar they use to control them. As my time came to get on, I didn’t have much of a choice but to do it. I wasn’t happy though.
The journey is meant to take 25 minutes and give you time to take all kinds of photographs on the way up, but I had the Lewis Hamilton of mahouts and he raced that bloody elephant up to the top in 15 minutes flat! No photos, no Rajesh at the top to take my photo, and no feeling whatsoever in my hands from gripping on so tight! The old git did manage to give me some story of how the elephant needed bananas and chapattis for his dinner and how I had to pay Rs200 for that, even though he’d already been paid for the trip and there were signs everywhere saying don’t tip! He got Rs100 and I clambered off that poor beast - which I noticed had a rather large hole just behind his ear from the hook on that metal bar.
Had it been down to me I wouldn’t have chosen to do that ride, but it was all part of the the tour and I hadn’t really paid too much attention beforehand to be honest. I would say to anyone making their own way up there, don’t do the elephant thing, it’s inhumane and a rip off and you can have a much nicer trip up there by jeep.
Once my hands had stopped shaking (my biceps are still sore now two days later) and I’d had a coffee and calmed down, Rajesh took me on the tour of the Fort. Again the craftsmanship is breathtaking. One of the palaces is all decorated in mirrors, most of which are still intact, which makes for some fab photo ops. You can only imagine how stunning it must look at night with the candle light!
I was taken into the temple and this one required no money, just a good heart, so I like that one a lot, before we made our way back down the hill into the pink city itself. I found out that it’s called that because the whole city was painted pink to welcome Prince Albert when he came to visit. Ever since there’s been a rule that the buildings must be kept pink. It’s more of a salmon than a Schiaparelli though. I was taken to the Jantar Mantar aka the Observatory and given a brief lesson in Astronomy,
then to see the Water Palace. After I’d taken some snaps and old lady approached me from across the square saying ‘Excuse me miss’ and asking for money. She was telling me she was blind and I asked Rajesh how she could have walked across that square with no stick or dog, and picked me the only tourist there at that point and known that I was female without hearing me speak, if she was blind. He just smiled and told me ‘she’s a good businesswoman’.
From there we went to the City Palace where members of the Jaipur Royal Family still live though to make ends meet they rent the place out too. It had been used for an enormous society wedding the night before, with loads of Bollywood stars in attendance - I wonder if my Bollywood crush Ajay Devgan was there? There was a museum too so I got to see lots of textiles and arms and actually I rather enjoyed it! There was a part of me felt like I was on a school trip but Rajesh was such a good guide, I got interested.
That was the official sightseeing done for the day, so it was time for a bit of lunch and then the really important job of buying shoes! Rajasthan is famous for it’s colourful leather shoes and as I am going to be spending the next three months in a maroon robe on the ashram I figured I might as well get some shoes to brighten up the outfits while I’m mopping floors or whatever I end up doing. Two pairs £10 - result!
After a bit of a rest I ate dinner at the Glitz and watched the show they lay on every night for the guests, three musicians and two dancing girls and a buffet of just about every cuisine going all on the rooftop. It was just what I needed. I have to say I’m getting a liking for the music and the girls were fabulous with their dancing. Some of it is quite raunchy!
Labels: Travel
posted by JoJo Smith at Tuesday, February 08, 2011
2 Comments:
I can't think why, but photographs of dancing girls in India always have such a feel of the sixties about them, unless there is some obvious more modern reference. Pop Saun Connery into that photo and we're in a 19s0's bond Film.
I require photos of shoes...*be sensible*...lol.
Will you be allowed to blog and 'touch electric' while at the Ashram?
I know what you mean about the dancing girls... the whole 'hotel entertainment' concept takes me back to early 70's package holidays to Spain!
Not sure about the ashram and blogging... might save it for the book!
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