The bus from Pushkar to Jaipur takes about three hours. It’s amazing how quickly you get used to your surroundings. Now I don’t give the crowds or the chaotic traffic a second thought as we head to our hotel by tuk tuk.

Our hotel, Utsav Niwas is fine and I think I’ve even figured out how to use the shower.

Jaipur, the pink city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is more terracotta than pink. The city was painted pink in 1876 on orders of the Maharaja of Jaipur to honour the visit of Prince Albert (later King Edward VII) as pink represents hospitality. The old city is surrounded by walls and several gates allow access in and out. Modern Jaipur is the 10th largest city in India with 3.5 million people. 

 

 

Our orientation starts at one of the gates of the old city. We walk through the vegetable market, then down a street that sold everything and anything from bags of peppers to refrigerators. An elephant saunters slowly down the street. 

We view the outside of the Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Winds. It was from these small windows that the royal women would watch the processions down below. They could see out but people couldn’t see in. We get a better view of the Palace from the restaurant rooftop across the street.

While riding in the tuk tuk we pass a large naked guru walking down the street.

We stop near the Prince Albert Museum which is gorgeous on the outside but apparently the exhibits are basic and quite boring on the inside. We take pictures and cross the road to an Indian food court.

There is a 10Rs fee to get into the attractive, outdoor food court. No McDonalds here, we order supper, sharing amongst ourselves so that a variety of foods are tried by all. A large amount of ice cream is purchased.

 

 

We grab two tuk tuks for a Jaipur night tour, stopping first to take nighttime shots of the Prince Albert Museum, with it’s ever changing coloured lights which reminds me of Disney’s Cinderella Palace.

It is an auspicious night for Hindu people in Jaipur so Garima worries that the temple will be packed however the Birla Mandir Temple was fine. It glowed white in the nighttime lights. Climbing the hill, we leave our shoes and enter the temple. Garima explains many of the Hindu texts and art on the walls. 

The war memorial is our next stop, also illuminated in coloured lights. If you have the time, there are explanations of the recent wars India has fought.

We also briefly stop for pictures at the statue of the world’s greatest archer, Arjuna, in front of Jaipur cricket stadium and at the state parliament building.

We pass more wedding processions including one with the groom on a beautiful white horse amongst many costumed men carrying chandeliers on sticks. Fireworks explode in the sky above us.

Last we see the statue of the Maharaja. I’m exhausted. We return to the hotel where I sleep like a rock.