Jodhpur

As the train was so late we arrived to Jodhpur around 9ish and took a tuk tuk to the Clock Tower, started walking. This is more difficult than it sounds, trying to get away from tuk tu drivers and their accommodation commission is almost impossible. Not knowing where we were going exactly we were approached by a guy dressed head to foot in white (turns out he was from a hostel)  and he“fished” us from the street. It turned out to be a nice place with a terrace with amazing views to the fort. Checked in for 2 nights (cost 400 rp p night, but room was comfy and very clean). Had dinner at their restaurant, big portions, quite reasonable and fresh (every time someone ordered a dish the guy had to run to the market to get the veg – it was funny as the restaurant was on the roof you would see the ingredients arrive up the side of the building in a bucket) , browse the internet for a while (free!) and went to bed around 11 (blankets were so warm!)

The Blue City

Bright & early the next morning we went up to the Fort, price was 300 but included audio guide, which was a good value, they also were showing a lot of objects and rooms. Beautiful views of the Blue City from there. From here you really see why it is called the Blue City as most of the buildings are painted in a bright sky blue colour. Also the amount of Eagles & Vultures you see from up here is astonishing, they fly down through the city as well. On our way back down we happened upon a head shaving ceremony for young Hare Krishna monks, it was just taking place on the side of the street.

Later in the afternoon we headed down to the city center and saw the clock tower market (had a lovely saffron lassi there) and the lake and a few temples. Whilst walking through this city you really feel like you are in India, it is one of the few under developed tourist cities left.  For dinner we ventured to the hotel next door and had some dinner there and a couple of beers chatting with a mix of Europeans in the roof garden, good fun was had by all (along with a lot of beer).

After breakfast the next morning we got a tuk tuk and went to the Palace were the Maharaja still lives (the other part is a luxury hotel with 250rooms). The building was built around the late 20's and the interior are Art Deco, the architect was British. The images are brilliant and of you are an Art Deco fan have a look, but don't go to see it unless you are staying in the hotel part as you only see the 3 rooms of the museum on the tour and none of these rooms are impressive.

From there went back into the city and walked to the Fort and from there to the Mausoleum across the fort. The building was beautiful and in general very peaceful. While we were here there was a bride being escorted blind folded by her husband around the tombs as part of their wedding celebrations. This was only one of hundreds of weddings over the days we were there, the most impressive was the daughter of the Maharaja (we saw the fireworks the night we arrived and they lit up the entire city).

We decided to buy blankets for the train journey when we returned into the city and as it was as cold as expected and we didn't regret having bought them. We met this nice guy selling spices there, he offered us a tea and wasn't pushy towards us buying something from him. We sat with him for about 30 minutes while he told us the story of his shop and about saffron. They blend a tea with saffron to fight against the cold of the night (it is lovely, not as nice as the saffron Lassi though).

If you go to Jodhpur you will be told the story about Jermery Irons who apparently bought the city clean when he came to visit, pinch of salt please!