Today dawned clear and sunny with little of the usual smoggy overcast. We boarded our bus and departed Delhi about 8:30 am for the 5-6 hour ride to Jaipur, with some stops along the way.
Although mostly flat, as we moved further from Delhi, there were increasing numbers of small “mountain” hills. This area is known for mining Indian white marble from these hills.
En route, we stopped to visit Anoothi (which means “unique” in Hindi), a G Adventures “G for Good” project led by a cooperative of local women. After an introduction to the organization, we got to try our hand at traditional block printing, one of the skills that are taught to women at Anoothi. Many of the women are poor, or single mothers, or from a bad marriage and are in need of help, including job skills.
In the late afternoon, we arried in Jaipur. The area of about 5 million residents settled in valleys between low mountains, and the topography and terrain are startlingly different from that which we had left in Delhi.
We also stopped at the Panna Meena stepwell. This one was a very different design from style we saw in Delhi.
We toured the 12th-century “Amber Fort” which sits high on the hills above the city. Fortunately, we visited in the early evening and avoided some of the crowds of visitors and the heat of the day. Here are some photos of the fort and palace grounds.
Dinner was also at the Amber Fort in a well known and upscale restaurant called “1135 AD.” The small dining area and service by the staff had us being dined in royal fashion! And the meal did not disappoint!
Oddly, Jaipur reminds me very strongly of the Manila and other cities in the Philippines. The streets, the structures, the level of activity during the day and evening all evoke strong memories, although the Manila has much more tropical type vegetation, but the other similarities are strong.
A short & witty ending…
Travel reminder: the highlight reel leaves out the walking.
