A Day in Jaipur

Today we visited the Amber Fort.

We got up the mountain to the fort on elephants.

We rode 2 to an elephant with the mahout (elephant trainer).

 

Oh my goodness, I have to tell you what we encountered before we got off the bus to go to the elephants - snake charmers!. Two of them - at first I thought one of the cobras was plastic but it snapped at the charmer and started rising. It was a little creepy, but they had their fangs removed. We saw them again up in the fort. The charmers play their flutes and the cobras rise and look around.

 

  Then we had encounters with the most aggressive vendors I've ever faced. Their attitudes were I don't care if you want it or not you're gonna buy it. I showed them! However, when we got to the local market area I went wild. Saw the Palace of the Winds and the Palace on the Lake.

Both very impressive, as well as the Amber Fort. The view of the area from the fort is spectacular. Jaipur is considered a wealthy city, but still looks like poverty - piles of dirt and all kinds of trash mixed in, people just squatting along the street to use the restroom.

Pollution is also bad. It has also rained a small amount both afternoons. Keep your fingers crossed that our Air India flight is still operating when we get to the airport tomorrow in Delhi. A lot of the flights to Asia have been cancelled, but our flight is considered VIP because it is going to the US. I'm ready for a trip to Scandinavia where it's much, much cooler!