Day eight - Jaipur

What an amazing day!!  Jaipur is a city of of almost 4 million. We started the day following a full nights sleep and a good breakfast. Our accommodation is terrific and the weather is sunny with a high today of 25.

A short bus ride after breakfast we arrived at the fortification that surrounded the city. 

Founded in 1727, by Maharaja  Sawai Jai Singh II, Jaipur is the cleanest of any city we have visited. And like the Maharaja, we entered the main gate of the fort in style.

The fort not only served as a defence but also as living quarters for the Maharaja and his several wives. The surroundings are spectacular a few hundred years later. I can only imagine what they were like back then.

We had spectators watching our every move as we exited the fort.

Lunch was under a canopy back in the old city, complete with entertainment. This young lad sang, and danced with moves that Jaggar wouldn't attempt.

The afternoon was a time to visit the current Maharaja's palace. As I toured the grounds and several rooms including the throne room, I couldn't rationalize the spread in wealth between these walls and the people on the other side. The guards demonstrated the wrapping of the turban.

A group of us wanted to go shopping before we went back to the hotel. It was an exercise in haggling, crowd pushing and an experience I could describe as frenetic. But everywhere we notice that the people are happy and all dressed very well. The ride back to the hotel was crazy wild with three of us in the back of a tuck tuck. I had several gin and tonics when we arrived.

Dinner was uneventful compared to the day. As they say in Australia we were knackered.