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| Day 4 - Jodhpur
The Mausoleum
Our Home with the Jodhpur fort in the distance
The fort
Looking through the windows built for the ladies of the harem!
The stonework was beautiful, but we're not sure how well they could see through them.
Jodhpur is also known as the Blue City.
Our Lunch HotelDuring the 1930s the Maharaja of Jodhpur built this palace as a public works project. It is now a beautiful 5 star hotel, still run by the royal family. In fact, we met the current maharaja's great-auntie while we were there! She works as a greeter in the hotel, at the age of 91!
Day 5 a.m. - Sawai Madhopur
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Mouse over this one, for some fun!
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A strangler fig, and a peacock pretending to be a pigeon!
Some of the other wildlife and scenery in the park.
A stork silhouette
Back at our rolling home.
There were very few times when we could sit and look at India riding by. This was one of them, and Yannis took full advantage of the opportunity!
On the steps down from the building on the left is where a queen exposed her
face to an invader who had laid siege to the castle for months in an effort to
save the realm. The invading king could only glance at her in a mirror
mounted on the ceiling. After seeing her, he was unable to keep this
promise of breaking the siege of the castle, and a war resulted.
The Victory Tower
Outside of every temple to Shiva sits a cow. Here's one.
The castle walls.
The garden through Anika's eyes.
This time we visited a famous art studio. The artists range from apprentice to master and they all spent most of their lives replicating the great works found in the
city palace.
This is now a hotel, owned by the current Maharani of Udaipur, though it is leased out. He owns several luxury hotels under the name of HRH.
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local restaurant and shoe shop.
washer women
Coot running on the water!
Elephant loading zone?
Once again, hustled out of bed before dawn. This time we tour on rickshaw, leaving the kids behind to sleep. It was freezing cold and this time there wasn't even a blanket! The personnel on the train are all very disappointed in the bird sanctuary since the monsoons the last three years have been weak, and most of the pools within the park are dry. Consequently, there are only 60 odd varieties of bird to be found in the park today, whereas 3 years ago there were over 200. We were still enthralled, however...look at those storks! And there was a fishing kingfisher, and great ducks and ibis and spoonbill. The only complaints: (a) not enough time there and (b) poor lighting since it was an overcast morning.
Saros Crane
Eurasian Spoonbill
Isn't the red debris on the water fascinating? It looks like it's solid ground until you notice that the birds' legs are sunk in it.
Spoonbill and Grey Heron
Intermediate Egret and Black-headed Ibis
Common Kingfisher, Blue Bull Antelope
? Spot-billed Duck Black shouldered kite (?)
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built for Mumtaj Mahal, the favorite wife of Shah Jahan, the mogul ruler of what is now India, Pakistan and large parts of Afghanistan. He was the last religiously tolerant Muslim emperor, and the great-grandson of the Akbar the Great. His third son imprisoned him in the Red Fort in Agra until his death some 8 years later. The third son killed the first two sons in order to be next in line for throne.
The entrance gate
<<< The mosque next to the Taj.
The "Pinkies" (our bus group)
This one reminded Yannis of the "Beverly Hillbillies" sitcom.
This time for inlaid stone table tops.
Laxman and Shivran - our coach attendants. Anika loved the ceilings
From the Palace on Wheels we headed off to Varanasi to see the Ganges
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