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India

Jodhpur
Jodhpur is called the Blue City and we immediately saw why.  Our Lonely Planet says ‘ Jodhpur itself is an extraordinary city:  a cubist mass of sky-blue angles, spread along the edge of the Great That Desert’.   The old city is surrounded by a 10 km 16th century wall.  Apparently, the blue was traditionally associated only with the Brahmin class; but now anyone who wants a blue house can get in on the act. Our hotel proprietress (taking time from busily arranging saris and jewels for her sons’ upcoming weddings) told us blue also kept the bugs away.
The pastel colors outside our hotel door (left) and as seen through our window (right) were a daily reminder of how beautifully these shades mesh.

The highlight of Jodhpur is its  hilltop fort and palace - this is the view from our hotel roof.
Too cool to be covered on this page, we have another for touring it!

Scenes from around town

We did get out and wander the streets, however, resulting in an overwhelming number of photo ops!
Breck was more than happy to volunteer for his fair share - in our favorite beer bar as well as when receiving a flower from a street vendor.
  
He met local tailors and played with the kids in the street (ha, ha - get it  - kids?!)
He stood a silent guard at the fort and even tried on the Rajasthani formalwear. He looked so good in his hat that Dave had to try one as well - and he ended up buying it!
The cows and the ricks (and the blue painted buildings) were indeed everywhere, and we had to often watch our steps while wandering the back alleys.
  
Camels are still used for hauling (and we spent time this trip on a camel safari), and the local men still gather on the street so play cards in the evening.
  
The colors of Jodhpur are not just confined to blues, though. Pinks and reds are everywhere in the clothing market, and oranges dominate the street sari-and-hair combinations!
  
Old and you alike welcomed us to the town, from these girls in a rickshaw to the lady whose house was across the alley from our hotel. I love her sunglasses!

We were glad too, to meet this cricket-playing girl! We don't often see both genders swinging the bat, so it was a refreshing change.


Heading out from our hotel, we'd always pass this bicycle shop, though we weren't sure who all the bikes were for.

We met this group of boys and one of their grandfathers, and a more excited group we've yet to encounter. They all huddled around the camera, looking at the pictures, and asked us to take "just one more!"
The old clock tower is one of the key landmarks in the city itself, and it was here that we found the bustling city market. Everything that could be bought or sold was right here, waiting for that perfect bit of bargaining!
  
The nighttime glow of the temples and buildings contrasts sharply with the craziness of the downtown during the day, but as the sun sets behind the buildings, we relaxed and reviewed the days' adventures.

Rajasthan trip 2010:

Jodhpur - Jodhpur Fort - Jaswant Thada - Evening performance - Bishnoi - Nagpur - Karni Mata - Jain temples - Bikaner - Camel ride - Festival

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