Jaipur – The Pink City
It was mid-September, and we were in Agra. Sitting atop of our rooftop palace, locally known as the ‘Vacation villa’. We had been discussing the bed, the most comfortable hotel bed I had ever slept in. We were packing away the Kurta, respectful clothes purchased for our wonderful early morning visit to the Taj Mahal. Grabbed a tuk-tuk and made our way to Agra Fort Station. We had tickets for the early morning train to Jaipur. Picking your way through the masses sleeping on the floor of the railway station, you get a real sense that India is a country always moving.
Hours later we arrived in to the noise and chaos of Jaipur. After the majesty of Agra, Jaipur appeared to be moving at a million miles an hour. The moment we stepped from the train to the platform we were bombarded by taxi touts. Swerving all attempts to guide us towards overpriced ‘tourist’ taxis, we walked out to the main road. Our intention was to grab a tuk-tuk, but with Hindi being the main language in this region we found it difficult to find an English-speaking driver.
Perseverance saw us eventually make our way to the centre of the old city. We had booked ourselves into a Heritage hotel in the middle of the city. At £6 a night, this was a hotel geared more for the locals. But ours wasn’t a poorer experience because of it. It felt like a melting pot of travellers and residents in the middle of a vibrant city.
The ‘Pink City’ is not as ‘Pink’ as the Indian Tourist board would have you think. They also like you to think that it’s all repainted annually. It most certainly is not. It’s more of a dirty Sandstone, than a Pink.
The city has treasures to explore, including the Amber Fort which puts the Taj Fort to shame. The day we visited we went by way of the number 29 bus and a 20p ticket.
It’s certainly worth a visit, the fort itself sitting above majestic lakes with formal gardens and surrounded on the hillside by fortifications which would make you think of the Great Wall of China. We self-guided, our visit, but guides are available.
At one point we escaped past the tourist masses into quieter areas within the fort walls. We were looking for vantage points for more unusual photos. Later found by the Guards who offer to guide you back to the tourist areas for a ‘tip’.
This is a fort of beautiful old audience areas, of mirrors and mother-of-pearl inlay and of Instagrammers utilising the amazing backdrops for their next ‘production’.
Over three days we visited the Palace of the Winds (take a coffee in one of the cafes opposite for the best views) and the Jantar Mantar. We walked the markets and visited the Guinness World Record holding temple. Ate street food for snacks, and samosas for lunch. The food here is excellent, but sugar-free drinks are hard to find.
We hopped around town jumping on and off buses (there didn’t seem to be bus stops, but waiving them down seemed to work). Saddened by the amount of plastic in the Man Sagar lake, and the rubbish piled between the houses.
Our hotel included breakfast which appeared to be just toast, but things improved when we discovered their excellent chef and a menu! Our last night here we spent people-watching whilst sitting on the roof at the front of the hotel building. Overlooking the Main Street, watching the activity on the street below shift with the changing light. Watching the monkeys on the opposite side of the road, run in packs along the building facades, dropping down to the stalls and stealing their supper.
Our balcony was protected with wires. We never did find out if they were electrified!
The following morning we found our bus out of Jaipur and made our way to Pushkar.
Follow our trip through Rajasthan with Pushkar & Jodhpur
