Jaipur and Amber Fort

Jaipur, the famed Pink City of India, is the main gateway into Rajasthan. A colorful city famous for its palace and its shopping opportunities, Jaipur is also a good base for exploring the medieval Rajput citadel of Amber, which flourished for centuries before the local seat of power moved to Jaipur.

Riding a cycle rickshaw towards the gates of the Pink City, the heart of old Jaipur.
One of the gates into the city.

Cart vendor outside the gate. Note the distinctive pink walls, painted that color in the 1800s to honor the visit of the Prince of Wales.
The old city is crowded with cyclists and shoppers.

Flower vendors on the way to the palace.
A grand gate leads into the City Palace -- pink, of course!

One of the main courtyards of the palace.
The hall of private audience, or the Diwan-I-Khas. Note the vessel to the right - the largest silver vessel in the world, used to store Ganges water for Maharaja Madho Singh II on a trip to England.

A musician inside the palace.
The muscian's son.

Susanne poses by the peacock gate, the most famous portal in Rajasthan.
A palace guard in traditional turban.

A stone elephane guards one of the palace buildings.
The Palace of the Winds -- a giant facade on the outer wall of the palace, created by the maharaja to allow the ladies of the harem to discreetly watch the goings-on in the busy city below.

Even today, the Palace of the Winds stands guard over a major thoroughfare.
The Jantar Mantar astronomy park. A sophisticated collection of early 18th century structures designed to measure the movements of the stars, sun and planets.

Each instrument, designed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh himself, has a specific astronomical task, though they look like whimsical modern architecture.
A view of the park from atop one of the tallest instruments.

Another view of the park, with the palace in the background.
Susanne posing in the park.

A group of siblings visit the park with their parents.
Indian men just love to pose for pictures with Susanne! They approached us and had me take pictures of them with each of their cameras.

Susanne takes a picture of some local kids outside of the old city.
The smoggy streets of modern Jaipur.

The cenotaphs of the Jaipur maharajas.
They were built to commemorate the cremation ceremonial place for each raja.

Many of the cenotaphs, or chattris, remain in wonderful condition.
An abandoned lake palace on the road to Amber.

An Indian tourist posing outside the lake palace.
A view of the modern town of Amber, with its many temples.

Susanne and Andy pose outside Amber Fort.
Closeup of the fort, built by the Kachchawaha dynasty at the end of the 16th century.

A view of the fort's main courtyard from above.
The inner courtyard, leading to the women's apartments, or zenana.

The ornate passageways of the fort.
Young tourists at the fort.

A mahout poses with his elephant, waiting for eager tourists willing to pay for a ride.
It's a quiet day for the mahouts.

Even the elephants get a little bored.

Jaipur & Amber Fort | Pushkar Camel Fair | Jaisalmer & the Thar Desert | Udaipur | Chittorgarh
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	Riding a cycle rickshaw towards the gates of the Pink City, the heart of old Jaipur.		One of the gates into the city.
	Cart vendor outside the gate. Note the distinctive pink walls, painted that color in the 1800s to honor the visit of the Prince of Wales.		The old city is crowded with cyclists and shoppers.
	Flower vendors on the way to the palace.		A grand gate leads into the City Palace -- pink, of course!
	One of the main courtyards of the palace.		The hall of private audience, or the Diwan-I-Khas. Note the vessel to the right - the largest silver vessel in the world, used to store Ganges water for Maharaja Madho Singh II on a trip to England.
	A musician inside the palace.		The muscian's son.
	Susanne poses by the peacock gate, the most famous portal in Rajasthan.		A palace guard in traditional turban.
	A stone elephane guards one of the palace buildings.		The Palace of the Winds -- a giant facade on the outer wall of the palace, created by the maharaja to allow the ladies of the harem to discreetly watch the goings-on in the busy city below.
	Even today, the Palace of the Winds stands guard over a major thoroughfare.		The Jantar Mantar astronomy park. A sophisticated collection of early 18th century structures designed to measure the movements of the stars, sun and planets.
	Each instrument, designed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh himself, has a specific astronomical task, though they look like whimsical modern architecture.		A view of the park from atop one of the tallest instruments.
	Another view of the park, with the palace in the background.		Susanne posing in the park.
	A group of siblings visit the park with their parents.		Indian men just love to pose for pictures with Susanne! They approached us and had me take pictures of them with each of their cameras.
	Susanne takes a picture of some local kids outside of the old city.		The smoggy streets of modern Jaipur.
	The cenotaphs of the Jaipur maharajas.		They were built to commemorate the cremation ceremonial place for each raja.
	Many of the cenotaphs, or chattris, remain in wonderful condition.		An abandoned lake palace on the road to Amber.
	An Indian tourist posing outside the lake palace.		A view of the modern town of Amber, with its many temples.
	Susanne and Andy pose outside Amber Fort.		Closeup of the fort, built by the Kachchawaha dynasty at the end of the 16th century.
	A view of the fort's main courtyard from above.		The inner courtyard, leading to the women's apartments, or zenana.
	The ornate passageways of the fort.		Young tourists at the fort.
	A mahout poses with his elephant, waiting for eager tourists willing to pay for a ride.		It's a quiet day for the mahouts.
	Even the elephants get a little bored.