Day 35 - The Amber Fort

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Eric reported in for “roll call” not feeling his usual “chipper” self. He’d been up all night with an upset stomach and looked very tired and drawn so he chose to remain behind for today’s adventures. What a shame as I reckon he would have had a great day. So the remaining five of us gathered for a tuk-tuk ride through the pink city and up to the Amber Fort, about 11 kms on the other side of town. The Amber Fort was the original capital of the region but was moved as the population grew as growth was no longer possible on the precarious, rocky mountain top where it is situated.

After a brief stop for an ATM, we started the ascent to the fort. Before too long we were greeted by the most spectacular view of the massive stong-hold, high on a mountain ridge. High stone walls climbed up from the valley below and along the along the ridges in every direction one gazed. The view was very reminiscent of the images of the Great Wall of China I have seen. In spite of Intrepid’s position on the issue and the views of some others, Cheryl, Kerry and I elected to take an “Uber Elephant” up the very long and steep path from the valley bottom to the fort. With hindsight, gathered on the descent later in the morning, Kerry’s Achilles would not have made it to the top so this was a good decision if she was to see the fort. She’d already missed out on the fort in Jodhpur for that reason.

We boarded our elephant, named Maia, and started the slow, rocking ride up to the top with an endless stream of elephants ahead of us and behind us. Maia showed us wonderful views of the valley below as she very slowly made her way up the hill, giving us the occasional shower from her trunk as she went. I didn’t time it but I reckon the journey took her about 30 minutes. At the top she passed through the main gate into a massive courtyard and made her way to the far end where we alighted. We paid her driver n “well above the award” tip (which he wasn’t pleased with the, the ungrateful beggar) and joined the rest of the group when Cheryl’s ride came in after us.

This is a truly impressive structure in every imaginable way. Our guide, Sunil, spent a good couple of hours showing us the important architectural features of the building while putting it all in the appropriate historical and cultural perspective. The fort is a maze of rooms, passageways, steps, stairs, dark corridors, large open spaces, stone columns supporting beautifully constructed archways all centered around a large geometrically laid out, Persian-influenced garden. Sunil led us across the large public square to start the long, stepped descent to the foot of the fort. For the entire journey we were endlessly harassed by the touts trying to sell us all sorts of crappy souvenirs. These guys win the award, hands down, for the most persistent and annoying I have ever seen anywhere in the world. They’re in a class all of there own! To our amazement, a couple of them had found us amongst the throng of people in the square to offer us photos of us they taken as we rode up on our elephant. How they found us I’ll never know! But no sales were made, despite their heavy discounting as we continued to say NO!

At the bottom, we found our waiting tuk-tuk drivers and were whisked away back towards the city, stopping on the way to take a snap of the Water Palace, set in the middle of a man-made lake. It’s under re-construction by the government. I’m sure in years to come it will be a major tourism asset for Jaipur.

Back on the outskirts of the pink city we stopped for lunch and then visited a nearby gemstone creator and retailer. I’d promised Kerry a ring to celebrate the sale of Oban Woods so this seemed like a good time and place to make good on that promise. After looking at many designs she chose a ruby and diamond piece set in white gold. It fitted her finger so on it went and there it stays. We then visited a store where the art of block printing is practiced, an art form for printing colours and designs on fabric, peculiar to this part of Rajasthan. We tried to find a design for a shirt for me to be made but nothing excited either of us too much.

From here we headed for the centre of town to view the famous Wind Palace which is nothing more than a facade on the main street from behind which the ladies of the Court could view the proceedings of major events without being seen, which was the custom of the age. A spectacular building, no doubt. The day was drawing to a close so Irene, Kerry and I took a tuk-tuk back to the hotel where we met the rest of our crew for dinner at a very nice, new restaurant across the street later in the evening.