Going with the Flow -- October 1

The day began with an early breakfast at our hotel, Park Prime, in Jaipur. Sanjay told us it was important to get out early since it would be a very warm day. We stopped near Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) to take pictures. Of course, there was an onslaught of hawkers trying to sell us their wares. It’s a beautiful façade of sandstone windows that were used by palace ladies to watch outside happenings while retaining their privacy.

We continued on to the area below the hill of the Amber Fort. Interesting that the pronunciation does not include the B. The fort was constructed in the 16th century. We rode on jeeps with bench seats for 4 in the back. One person was able to sit next to the driver. (No door on the side.) A winding bumpy road up the hill and then a hill walk up some more. We walked through the various “rooms” and had the chance to take photos from the higher terrace. For the most part, we tried to stay in the shade to keep cooler since it was very HOT. A woman in our group actually passed out and fell to the ground. Fortunately, she wasn’t seriously injured with only a bump on her head from hitting her glasses. We drank a lot of water. Before leaving, we had an opportunity to go to the toilet. Sanjay had told us that sometimes they don’t have water so the better toilet area is closed. Problem when we went there wasn’t water but no electricity. I decided I would go anyway and just walk carefully. There were women there to assist us walking in the unlit area. I used the eastern squat version since it was all that was available at the time. (At that point, after drinking so much water, I would have been happy to find a tree to stand behind.)

We rode back down the hill in jeeps to an elephant stable. People can hire an elephant to ride up to the fort instead of the jeep. Seems that there had been some safety issues in the past (people injured or killed taking the elephant ride), but they started offering the rides again. No way was I going to do something that could be very dangerous. Besides, I had my special elephant ride in Thailand. The elephants live in buildings that have cement floors. Not a happy existence. Their mahouts (handlers) have a special relationship with them.

Back on the bus to Jewels Emporium for an informative tour of their workshop. Afterwards, of course, we were led to the showroom. I made some purchases. Since we weren’t having lunch included, Sanjay arranged for sandwiches, drinks, and fruit, all in the sitting area of the showroom.

We returned to the hotel. There was an exhibition and sale of rare and exclusive Rudrakshas in the hotel. Rudralife is the only organization, which provides genuine Rudrakshas that have been tested and certified. Steve and I, after looking at the exhibits, had a reading done to evaluate what would be the best combination of Rudrakshas for each of us. We placed orders and were told they’d be ready tomorrow. It was an interesting experience for me.

I took a quick shower and we joined the group for an outing to the terrace in the square (to observe the traffic/people and take pictures) followed by a visit to the bazaar.

We experienced firsthand what we’d been told about “Go with the Flow” as we crossed the street while the traffic (cars, bicycles, motorbikes, cabs, and cows) were moving all around us. No running, just leisurely strolling. Not something I would ever imagine would be safe but all of us survived. At the bazaar, I purchased some bracelets and marionettes there, both at bargain amounts. Fun to just walk through.

After a short drive back to hotel to pick up a couple of people, we were on our way to our second Home Visit Dinner of the tour.

As we arrived, we were seated and the man of the house told us about him and his family. He is a descendant of royalty so there were pictures of the family, mounted animal heads, and furniture that belonged to his father. He gave us a tour of his home showing us the bedrooms and bathrooms. Most impressive were a stone waterfall at the side of the staircase, the huge shower off the master bedroom, and the collection of bangle bracelets. We spoke with family members that were also there to meet us. The buffet dinner was set up outside in the garden, with excellent food available. I gave the lady of the house some items I brought as a gift and we boarded the bus for the return ride to the hotel. Very tiring, long day.