Now that I have been here a few days, I finally had the opportunity to begin exploring Jaipur. Today is Gandhi Jayanti (Gandhi's birthday), which is a national holiday in India. It seemed like a perfect day to get out and about.
Amit and Shubhi posing on top of the wall
Perched on the wall (Shubhi and I)
Masala tea from the chai wallah
Jal Mahal and Man Sagar Lake
My roommate Amit and I woke up very early, and our friend (and fellow interpreter) Shuhbhi met us our our apartment soon afterwards and we headed out. Scooters and motorcycles are incredibly popular, in addition to the autorickshaws and regular rickshaws. The honking is incessant, and traffic is certainly frightening for foreigners. Never mind the fact that they drive on the left side of the road and lanes are merely suggestions. However, the early morning ride found the streets quiet, with the occasional man riding an elephant, or camel-drawn cart bringing goods to the market.
We drove the winding Aravalli Hills to Nahargarh Fort, which means "Abode of Tigers". At one time, this fort was joined with 2 other nearby forts to provide defense to the city. It has now virtually crumbled to the ground. However, sitting upon one of the few remaining walls allows for some of the most breathtaking views of the city, especially at sunrise!
View atop Narargarh Fort of Jaipur
After our sunrise gazing, we rode down to the Jal Mahal (Water Palace), which is situated in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. There we stopped for chai wallah (a person that makes a spiced milk tea--often called masala tea--on the roadside) and to feed the fish.
Let the adventures continue...
That is some fantastic scenery. I am glad you are so open to try the "diverse" samplings of that culture... spiced milk tea. So how was it? I hope you are really enjoying yourself.
ReplyDeleteHaha imagine a cross between chai tea and the milk at the bottom of a bowl of coco puffs ;)
DeleteWow! So beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete