Its the end of February. Holi festival coming up, we decide to go to Jaipur in the car it is about 270km, it took us 7/12hrs what a journey, the traffic here terrible jam after jam, they say it is to do with the commonwealth games here in October, but it could be the huge amount of cars there are on the roads now. The weekend was great, it was a revisit for us, and Jaipur, seems to have got dirtier, and expanded. The two half's again, rich get richer, poor get poorer, living on the streets in more muck and poverty.
Street family trying to sell trinkets.
Boys selling paint powder. Beggar with children. in pram. These are just outside the palace.
The pink palace is beautiful and well worth seeing.. And a lot of ‘pink’ in Jaipur. All the building are painted pink. As it was Holi time everyone is in festive mood, and enjoying dancing. Decorating any thing that moves! lovely elephant.
We moved on from Jaipur, not far away is the Amber fort. We did not go again having visited it last time we were here. Great experience navigating up (and down) a steep hill on the back of an elephant. Could have been one of these! who knows.
From there we drove to see the palace in the lake, I was a bit disappointed as it would have great to got in a boat to visit, but 'no can do'. It was a very hot day, and lovely having the breeze on you that has been cooled by the lake. We sat for ages watching the water buffalo on the move. 'Good move to build the palace in the middle.'
A Great day was followed by very tasty food whilst sitting in the roof top restaurant of the hotel. Good nights sleep for the long journey home tomorrow. The following morning was time during Holi festival that you throw powder paint at each other, i think in friendship! These are some of our fellow guests celebrating on the hotel lawn, i made the mistake to go and have a look.
Gopal drove us to Jaipur and he stayed with his family as he originates from area. His parents and other members of family live in a village in the Rajasthan country side. He has a sister who lives in Jaipur. We visited them both, it was very nice to see their homes and how they live. His sister’s husband has a sari shop, they took us and I tried on loads of beautiful sari’s embroidered in gold, with jewels and so heavy, I Still do not know how to put on a sari. Also! I am now the proud owner of a sari. However could never compete with an Indian Memsaab wearing a sari they have a way of carrying themselves that really shows best of a sari.
The two saris each side were in excess of 4-5000 rupees.
We decided to call into Gopal's Village on our way home, as we had planned to go back a different way through the villages to try and avoid 'jams' but also to see the lovely country side Of Rajasthan. Each village we passed there were people who had been 'Holied' (covered in powder paint)
We pulled into the village where Gopals parents live. Everyone came out to see 'the foriengers', it was a whistle stop tour with an entourage of villagers trailing behind. We did not have time to stop which was a shame it would have nice to have sat and had a cup of tea an a chat.
And! the battery in my camera died. Oh well there is always 'next time'
These are the only shots of the
Village i got before the battery died.
The Kids, Temple and inside Gopals
parents home, with his brother.
Finally this is our car, Suzuki Maruti x4. The work horse that
got us there and back, even though we had a puncher at one point, not surprising considering most of the villages still have dirt roads.
