Rajasthan 5 january 2010

Rajasthan 5 January 2010
Breakfast at Fort Mad Hogarth in the Courtyard. We have a walk through the village below the Fort, meet children playing cricket using bricks to make stumps. This is truly rural Rajasthan. A child probably less than 2 years is staggering around a courtyard shoving the goat out of the way. His young mother is happy for us to take photos of him, then I realise she would like to have one of herself and she is delighted when I show her the result. We are invited into a house where ladies are smoothing coloured stones and making necklaces with them. I buy one each for Jo and Faye. Then, in another part of the village, a girl is sat outside a doorway making bangles and we see that inside the door is a tiny shop, filled with finished bangles. I buy 3 each for the girls. They are doing well today.
Now we have to leave Mad Hogarth and we are very sad.
On the way to Jaipur is The Amber Palace. There is a Fort and the Palace sitting precariously on the crest of a long steep-sided mountain. The walk up to the Palace is much needed exercise for us, but we pass elephants carrying other tourists less energetic than us. Our guide around the Palace is Mr Vicas Bhatachraya. He has been showing visitors around here since 1959 and explains brilliantly the history and purpose of the various buildings in this fascinating and beautiful place.
Jaipur itself is a busy town and after checking into the Diggi Palace Hotel and meeting the Maharajah who owns it, we have a quick orientation walk through bazaars and town gates.
Then to a nearby cinema and Hindi movie 'The Three idiots'. Only about one tenth of the dialogue is in English, but we follow the film reasonably well and enjoy it. It is a very professionally made and popular movie.
Then a meal and to bed after a very good but long day. All the best, John