amber fort

today we drove up to the amber fort...it's out of town and up in the mountains..as you drive up the road you see a wall that goes up and down the tips of the mountains...a mini wall of china...the fort was built in the 1700's...it's high up in the mountains with an older fort that's at the top of the mountain...they used that one first , then moved down into the amber fort...it was very beautiful with an entrance for the maharajah and a separate one for his wives..he had 12...we drove in an old jeep on a very, very bumpy road...they are always restoring things here, but don't seem to get anything done..we saw elephants-they were dressed up for the new year celebration that is this week..when we got out of the jeep there were so many beggars, people selling things it's was hard to walk..all wanting money from us....we saw camels, wild pigs..lots of different animals...on the way back to the city we stopped at the summer palace which is built on a lake..for some weird reason, the ground floor is always under water...strange...we got back early, so we laid out...russ had a massage first, then kathy and i had one..it was in the same room..guess they thought we were a couple...the spa is in a building made of tents., but with a regular floor, windows and doors...another greasing of my hair...can't believe how greasy it was...must have put a few cups in it...we were supposed to have a little cooking lesson tonight, but it didn't work out..too bad...so tomorrow we are going to drive to agra...the taj mahal! can't wait...

jaipur

today we saw jaipur...or the pink city...it's the old city with a huge pink wall around it...we went to the city palace...as we drove in our guide pointed out people selling bird feed to others..he called it a 'bird restaurant', people buy the bird seed to feed the birds..and monkeys that are around...we then went to an astrology park...there was the biggest sundial in the world...plus all these horoscope things..they are really into that here...we then went to the palace, didn't go into the palace except for this museum they have..interesting...we drove around the city and saw other things..we also saw where they make fabric and rugs...they hand stamp the fabric with a design...saw how they polish gems for jewelry etc...we also saw many camels pulling carts...donkeys, elephants,cows standing in the middle of the road, dogs, lots of animals wandering in town..we also saw some 'snake charmers', we see ladies that sweep the leaves off the grass, they need a rake, if any of you saw ' the amazing race' last sunday, it featured jaipur...it's alot like that...crazy...our tour got back sort of early...so we had time to kill today and it was cloudy...so, we wandered around our 'colonial' hotel...it really reminds of being at some english peoples house for the weekend...we went to the 'gymnasium' and they had ping pong, so we played, russ killed us...then we played at the pitch and putt...the little guy that works there was going to be our caddy and russ invited him to play..i think he ended up winning...we also threw darts...on a very small dart board, and played ring toss...i won! tonight we went to this italian resturant at the hotel..it was outside...the waiters are so nice...they know exactly what we want to drink..oh, we also saw them making 'naan' which is indian bread...it was pretty cool to watch...the chef told us tomorrow that he will show us how to make some 'gravies' or i imagine curry...that will be fun...we watched american idol...which is delayed a day...and we saw Kelly! that was fun...anyway...that was our day..

jai mahal

i put a map of india on so you can see where we are, where we're going, etc. we started in mumbai, flew north to udaipur, then flew farther north and in-land to jaipur...then, we'll drive east to agra, then north to delhi and south again to mumbai...today we got up early and flew to jaipur...it was on a pretty small plane...but, the flight was fine...jaipur is a larger city about 3 million people...we are staying at the jai mahal...it is an older hotel, reminds me of an old english type hotel from the 1940's...alot of workers working on the gardens as they call them...ladies sweeping the leaves off the grass...clipping the weeds from the grass...we laid out at the pool today...there were birds that thought the pool was a large bird feeder or something..anyway...a nice slow afternoon...tomorrow we'll go sightseeing...tonight outside on the hotel there are supposed to be activities like a little mini bazaar, puppet show etc...should be interesting...