Jodhpur

I continue to enjoy driving through all the fascinating villages & towns of India, camera at the ready. So many of my “everyday” photos so far have been taken from the window of the car. Rich and vibrant colors constantly fly by and the constant hustle and bustle makes for scintillating viewing while getting from place to place.

Jodhpur is known as the “blue city” due to the fact that so many of the homes here are painted blue. Set against the fort and surroundings, the contrast in colors is quite stunning. Our hotel is the Umaid Bhawan Palace, which looks more like a huge national museum than a world-class hotel. The place is gigantic and exceptionally grand. The Maharaja and his family actually live in one wing of the palace while the Taj Hotel Group operates the rest of the building as a hotel.

This morning we were off the Mehrangarh Fort but unfortunately we had to leave early as I was in agony. At this point I would like to address one of the many “fears” of people traveling to India:  “What if I need a doctor?”

I have been suffering from a bad shoulder due to the weight of my camera bag and by the time we got to Jodhpur I was in agony. Our guide called a doctor who was in a local hospital. When we arrived there were people waiting but we were seen very quickly. The doctor was exceptionally nice and prescribed two medications. Cathy was with me and she was struggling to get over a bad cold. She asked the doctor to look at her and within 2 minutes he told her she had acute bronchitis and also prescribed medication. The entire visit and medications for both of us came to $40.00! The doctor has warned me that I will need further medical attention but for now this will be a great help.

After the doctor we did get to the fort, which is very impressive and well restored. In the early afternoon we visited the Jal Bhagirathi Foundation, the water conservation project pioneered by the Maharaja of Jodhpur. As many of us are becoming more aware, access to clean water is a global crisis, especially in rural communities. India is no exception and this was a fascinating visit.

We then made our way into the depths of the old city to visit Raas, a new concept hotel. The hotel is set deep in the old city and is surrounded by the blue houses yet the hotel itself is made of the local stone and it’s earthy tone provides a great contrast. The fort overlooks the hotel and I believe this hotel will really become popular.

From there we walked in the old city and visited Maharani Arts. This place has 8 floors and is filled with fabrics of every kind. No need to walk up all 8 floors as in true Indian style and hospitality, you are their guest and the merchandise is brought to you with some interesting sales pitches to go along with it. Candy and sodas are offered and it was a great visit. My favorite part was the arrival of the Fedex man to organize the shipping. In he came in local dress, sat cross-legged on the floor and did the paperwork. All in all I will take great memories away from Jodhpur, here are some of my photos: