Jaipur, India - November 16th and 17th, 2006

I travelled to Jaipur, Rajasthan's dusky and dirty pink capital. Hilltop forts and glorious palaces indicate its royal past. Camel carts thru the streets packed with motorbikes, rickshaws, sneeflying pigs, cows, and death looking people laying on the sidewalks, besides the death-defying pedestrians trying to cross the streets. Lots and lots of beggers young and old everywhere constantly asking for food and money.

I arrived at night so the picture was quite foggy, but in the morning I could see the partly terryfying street scene. I took a city tour in the afternoon to visit the Ambar Fort and Palace, the Observatory, Hawa and Jal Mahal (front view) and Laxminarwan Temple in the hills.

Delhi, India - November 15th, 2006

I decided to leave the two points of the Golden Triangle (Delhi and Agra) for the end of the trip. Jaipur is the 3rd point. The three are considered World Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The reason I was anxious to leave Delhi is the following: I arrived late in the night and the Smiley Inn Hotel gave my reservation to another parte due to a convention taking place in town, so they could charge 10 times the price of the room.
The taxi driver took me to a few hotels but all were full, so I ended up going home with one of the tourist information employees at 2:00am. I couldn't wait for day light to take the first but to Jaipur. Unfortunately, I was left in the condominium most of the day with the Katmandu househelper, who did breakfast and lunch for me, but everytime he needed to go to the store or else, he would lock up the house and would tell me to wait. All I could do then was look out the balcony into the street and see the ladies in sarees coming and going, and the fruits and vegs vendors selling their goods, the cows eating filthy things, and people in their patio balconies going about their lives at home. Very weird picture and situation for me. I was a prisioner until late evening hours when they finally came to get me and take me to the bus depot.