Friday, February 06, 2009

ENTERING RAJASTHAN

JAIPUR - FEBRUARY 2008

Jaipur, located at a distance of 260 kms from Delhi, is the capital city of the State of Rajasthan, India. At an altitude of 431m above sea level, it usually has three main seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. The winter months of November to February are the best time to visit!

***


"SHERATON - After a road trip in India, be it short or long (it always takes much more time than you could anticipate), you need a rest. In Jaipur, we stayed at the Sheraton, which, not being the Rajvilas Palace (fully booked, as usual...), is perfectly acceptable... And we were greeted with...


"FLOWERS - The strelitzia reginae (which are quite common in my birthplace - Madeira Island), also known as «Bird of Paradise»"


"MUSIC - well they weren’t Ravi Shankar, Niladri Kumar or Zakir Hussain, but anyhow... And..."


"DANCE!"


"POOL - Next morning the sun was shining, but the temperature was low. No diving!"

***


"ALBERT HALL - Constructed in 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh, who was then the king of Jaipur, wanted the building to be used as the town hall. However, his successor, Madho Singh, decided to convert the building to an art museum, currently the oldest in town"



"MUSEUM - I wonder how someone manages to get into without suffering the inclemency of pigeons' projectiles..."

***


"TURBANS"



"BADI CHAUPAR is probably the most crowded location in Jaipur and its shops are great tourist attractions"




"JOHRI BAZAR - It's said to be famous, crowded, and also a shopper's delight..."


"CEREALS - But you may find many other things to buy when you stroll around"

***

There was an alternative to lunch: a restaurant at a five star hotel or a typical restaurant downtown. The choice was obvious...


"TERRACE"


"BUFFET"


"TANDOOR"


"NAAN"


"MUSICIAN"

64 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi everybody! After a road trip you need some rest! But Jaipur isn’t a city to take rest, as you’ll be able to see on this and the following posts. And Rajasthan is a beautiful State to visit. I haven’t shown yet what I saw, but I tell that one day, I’ll get back… ;))
Meanwhile enjoy and have a fabulous weekend!

Anonymous said...

Some excellent photos capturing Jaipur. I enjoyed the other-worldly historical stronomical site the best in Jaipur.

Anonymous said...

Came over from Lori's. Facinating photo journal. Always thought I'd have been there by now, but for now, your mini tour here and the two previous posts on this page will have to suffice.

It shall always be a mystery to me why the goats in one of your photos were wearing "T" shirts!

Azer Mantessa said...

The strelitzia reginae "Bird of Paradise»" ... I had no choice but to save the picture. It's something I have never seen before. It's beautiful. Hate it when you say it's common at your birthplace ... grrrr

Not fair!

"POOL - Next morning the sun was shining, but the temperature was low. No diving!"

hahahaha ... this one i like!

alicesg said...

Hey trotter, another series of lovely photos. OMG, there are so many pigeons there...lol. Love the street scenes, what a wonderful sight to look at them. You are now filled with so many beautiful memories of your trips. May I ask you a question? Which is your most memorable trip and in which country?

Dawning One said...

Jaipur is so wonderful.I have never been to India and not really considered going there but your photos are compelling. The bird of paradise if my favourite flower. When I lived in Sydney it was always in my garden but where I live now it just gets too cold and icy in the winter and even though I try to keep it going over winter (in a pot) it normally doesn't survive. This year I'm going to put it in my house and see if it will survive this way. at least there won't be frost on it.
Can I take a copy your bird of paradise photo?

Baron's Life said...

You've captured the spirit of Jaipur with these wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing mate.
Are you a professional photographer? I mean what do you do in life? Just curious to know...so much talent

Lakshmi said...

Ive been to Jaipur very briefly and it was more of a tourist perspective than a traveller..and it did bring nostalgic memories..waitg to know more abt yr trip

Vamsee Modugula said...

I am glad you liked Jaipur and hope you come back. Great pictures of the palaces and street scenes. It feels like I am walking in a street in Jaipur when I scroll down.

Anonymous said...

A very colored and lively post, Gil. Albert Hall is a very pleasant view. I like the whole sequence of fine photographs, the turbants in the terrace are astonishing!
Have a fine week ahead!

~vagabond~ said...

All the photos are so colorful and represent India at its finest. The museum with all the pigeons is lovely! Do keep posting. :)

Thérèse said...

The number of birds explains the number of turbans lol!

Pietro Brosio said...

Gil, I've just read your comment on my blog: I really hope one day you can take a trip to Torino!
Have a good weekend!

My Unfinished Life said...

so wat all did you buy at the johri bazar..nice pics of jaipur..i have been there but it was an official visit so missed out on seeing a lot of places..if u have visited the amer fort and jantar mantar there, plz put up the pics!!!

alice said...

Love this series with people!
Like a bit less all these pigeons...! Have a nice Sunday, Gil.

bindu said...

Ah, Rajasthan! I've never been there ... but want to go some time. The colors of Rajasthan are legendary, and your pictures show them well! Looking forward to more.

Ann said...

Stunningly beautiful, your photographs are amazing, I have never been to Jaipur, but having seen your wonderful shots, I would go in a heartbeat ! ( just need to win the lottery...lol :0) )

Joy said...

I liked the look of the museum, but what really caught my eye were the colourful items of shopping!

Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and leaving your comments. Enjoy a sunny weekend!


joy
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Nikon said...

I love the shot of the street with the endless tourist shops & then the bazar!
The pigeons are a bit plentiful :-)

Ron said...

Very nice pics once again. It amazes me how the ladies balance the pots on their heads.

Beefybob7 said...

Yep I missed the open air WC last post.

Maybe the dog was thinking...
"No one takes a photo of me when I'm doing that!"

Anyhow great shots as usual. Am getting hungry from later ones.

Still feeling so unworthy missing that shot.

Light and Voices said...

You caught my interest immediately with the dancing sculpture. I simply adore Bird of Paradise flowers. And then came photographs of the street scenes filled with people and vendors and building with lots of pigeons everywhere. I stopped and looked again at all the turbans. Amazing photos!
Joyce

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photographs. I was in Jaipur this past August and loved the city. Luckily the weather was good too.

Unknown said...

Hi Gil....pigeon projectile..Yes, how does one cover him/herself from it haha. That dance looks amazing, I imagine her swirling around and such vibrant turbans, does the SIKs live here. Yummy..I'll go to that Tandoor restaurant anytime.Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

So this is Jaipur. Looking at your photos it’s indeed a very unique and interesting place to visit. I love the great shots of Albert hall with hundreds of pigeons congregated around the building. Awesome!

Daniela Valdez said...

Thanks for your comment in Spanish :)

That last picture is great! I love the colors in all of them!

I promise, I'll make a post about San Miguel de Allende!

Daniel Chérouvrier said...

Fabuleux, féérique, fantastique !

Anonymous said...

It's great to have an insight in life in a country so different from ours. - What a nice welcome in the hotel. Didn't you have any difficulties with the food there?-
Have a nice weekend, too.

leo said...

Hi Gil, am back from from almost 14days of hiatus fr blogasphere. Here's visiting you first :) Love your previous post on India's everyday life. What made it more interesting were your poignant comments which described the accompanied pics brilliantly. Good job! I heard Jaipur is beautiful. Cant wait for your next pics on it. Have a good week. Peace.

Anonymous said...

"Musician was a personal favorite". I noticed all the pigeons before you made a comment about them. Don't do any cloud watching. :)

Daniela Valdez said...

BTW I tagged you!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to visit Rajasthan. Jaipur, Jodhpur, etc are beautiful gems of India. You've captured the moments! I'm awed to see the flock of pigeons on the art museum!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

These were fascinating photos Gil! A lot to look at in each one. The tandoor and nan were my favorite -- I guess I'm hungry :-)

I like the musican's large moustache and sideburns --it that a fasionable look for men there?

Have a good week and watch out for those pigeons!

Cheers, Pat

Shionge said...

The sights & colours is amazing :D

Sigma said...

Lovely series, I must say. Some really wonderful and colorful pictures (and some not-so-flattering ones too!). Btw, did you happen to go to Bharatpur?

Maria Verivaki said...

brilliant post - this is the kind of travel i would like to do too

GMG, when i do travel posts, i usually embed a google map into the post so i can show people where i am. could you do that too (india is a big country!)

Olivier said...

je suis sous le charme du "ALBERT HALL", il a une superbe architecture et puis tu as pu manger tandoori et j'adore ça.

Anonymous said...

very beautiful story for ones more

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Ah the magnificence of the Pink City! I first visited there in April 2005! Right you are when you say that it is not a place for rest! Brilliant pictures as always!

hpy said...

There's quite a profusion of birds on ALbert Hall. Are they edible?

Oman said...

i aould almost feel the culture of the place thru your photos. india is really a mystical place and you are so lucky to have traveled there.

Lawstude's Latest Post: Find Calm in the Wild Waters.

adelynne said...

do tell me, gil - did you like indian food? :D i think some indian cuisine is GREAT, since there are many indians in my country. i love their curries! i also want to know why you think winter is the best time to visit jaipur. is it because it's usually hot and warm there? so winter is a cooler time? does it snow?

Cergie said...

Albert Hall ? A-t-il un petit quelque chose à voir avec le "Royal Albert Hall", bâtiment dédié à la musique à Londres ?

En tout cas voici un post dédié à tous les arts, Gil : la musique, la danse, art floral, culinaire, vestimentaire, la sculpture, l'architecture bien sûr comme toujours... L'art de vivre tout simplement.
(Les déjections de pigeon portent chance et font pousser la barbe et les cheveux ; si tu trouves que tu es assez bien pourvu - ce que je veux bien croire - et les éviter, acheter et porter un turban est conseillé)

PeterParis said...

The street life is fantastic to see! How I wish I would be there! One day!

lyliane six said...

Le monsieur de la dernière photo a une superbe "baccante" mot d'argot français qui signifie: moustache.
Le monument est magnifique mais il doit être très abimé avec ces déjections d'oiseaux?
Qu'elle vie dans les rues, on dirait les "souks" indiennes. j'admire toujours autant leurs couleurs de costumes très chatoyantes.
Je reviens un peu sur le blog, car depuis jeudi, j'étais bloquée par un superbe mal de dos, même m'asseoir m'était pénible, heureusement toutes tes belles photos et commentaires de voyages me redonnent la "pêche".

Huzhar said...

So many nice pictures you got here. Never been to India, will be in my list in the future. Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Seeing my India thru your eyes is very different. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi everybody! Rajasthan is famous for its Forts, its Palaces and its colours... I would love to get back and visit the other cities I haven’t seen. It seems that you also found it an interesting place to visit! At least that’s what I take from your reaction to the first post on Rajasthan!

Mark,
I fully agree with you; with regard to the astronomical site, it will come on the next post; but reduced, because there isn’t much space left to post the hundreds of pictures I took in Jaipur!

Jay,
Great to see you landing here! And happy to see that you enjoyed the posts on India; the last one was the eleventh in the series... ;)

Azer,
You’re welcome; feel free to pick all the flowers you wish; the garden is open... ;))
As open as the pool, the difference being the low temperature of the water... ;)

Alice SG,
Those pigeons are a plague... The problem is how to deal with it!!
Difficult question. There were so many: the safari in Kenya for animal life; the cruise in Tahiti for South Pacific; the visits to New York, Paris, London, Rome, Buenos Aires...; the experience in Easter Island; Australia, New Zealand...; Brazil... I don’t know... ;))

Dawning One,
Living in Sydney with birds of paradise, that’s definitely a treat!! You surely may take a copy of the picture!

Baron,
Thanks. You’re too kind and I don’t think those pictures deserve such a compliment... No professional; or better, professional, but in Law... ;))

Lakshmi,
Curious to re-create the split between traveller and tourist; nowadays, we all would love to be travellers, but in the end we all finish tourists... And that’s necessarily not that bad, at least to take into account what Jean-Didier Urbain wrote on «L’Idiot du Voyage”... ;)

Vamsee,
Glad that you enjoyed strolling in Jaipur just by scrolling down this post... ;))

Pietro,
Those turbans were truly astonishing!! The Albert Hall was a great surprise... because of the pigeons... ;)
Hopefully I’ll make Torino one of these days; my wife was there many years ago, but I couldn’t make it... ;(

Vagabond,
I’m not sure it represents India at its finest, but it was intended to give my best view of it... ;)

Thérèse,
Your right; but even so, I’m not sure the turbans ensure protection... ;))

Shooting Star,
I’m not a good shopper... ;)) Shame that you were there in an official visit; that facilitates things, but doesn’t allow free time to stroll around... ;))
You’ll need some patience to get to Jantar Mantar and Amber Fort... ;))

Alice,
A true plague those pigeons; there is no chance to keep the monuments decent with those thousands of birds around... ;))

Bindu,
The colours are legendary and deservedly so..!!

Ann,
Thanks for your first time comment here! Don’t think you’ll need the Lotto to get there, unless you wish to stay in all those palaces they have changed into hotels... ;))

Joy,
Strong colours are something you won’t miss in Rajasthan...

Paul,
The shops are amazing; but those pigeons are a threat... ;)

Ron,
That lady is an artist: dancer! And she managed to put two more on the top and continue to dance... amazing!!

Bob,
I was counting on you to notice that one... ;)
Tandoor and Naan: please help yourself... ;)

Joyce,
Glad that you liked! Thanks!

Gennaro,
Thanks for your first time comment here! Glad to read that you had a nice weather in August in Jaipur; that’s against all odds and forecasts... ;))

M.Kate,
Not an easy task, to avoid the pigeon’s projectiles... Of course one may wear a turban, but I’m not sure it will suffice... ;))
I think there are Sikhs everywhere; the musician is definitely Sikh!

Asian Traveler,
Awesome, but dangerous... ;))

Dana,
My pleasure, the «Portunhol» comment... ;) San Miguel de Allende must be interesting! Thanks for the Award. I’m truly honoured! And loved to see your post. I’ll get back to comment...

Daniel,
Merci! C’est pour tout ça que j’aimerais bien y retourner... ;))

Ingrid,
I love Indian food; actually, I love food, period!! So, no problem at all… ;))

Leo,
Great to read you back! Jaipur is lovely, and you’ll confirm that in the next posts! Keep commenting!!

Lynn,
Better avoid the clouds; otherwise, it may happen that it isn’t rain what you’re catching… ;))

Kyh,
Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer… they’re on my short list… Hopefully!!

Pat,
Tandoor and Naan? Please help yourself! ;)
The musician must be Sikh! With that coloured turban and the moustache… ;))

Shionge,
Great colours, indeed!

Sigma,
Great to read you back here! No, I haven’t made Bharatpur. Mistake, as I probably could have made a diversion, but time was too short... One day! ;)

Maria,
Thanks! I’ll try to include a map, but it’s already so hard to choose the pictures that to find a decent and publishable map seems a huge task... ;))

Olivier,
Tandoori, curry, tout ça... ;) L’Albert Hall semble être magnifique (je ne suis pas entré), mais les pigeons… ohlala…

Vaggelis,
Thanks! Great pleasure to read you back here!

Rakesh,
I see that you still keep the enthusiasm of your experience of the Pink City! No wonder, it’s wonderful!

Hélène,
Pigeons! Do you eat «pigeon farci au foie-gras et truffe noir»? Ça va, non ? ;))

Norman,
Mystical, might be! Mixed feelings, sometimes…

Addy,
Indian food? You like it? We are then two, already!!! Summer is hot (45ºCentigrade), monsoon is rainy; so you have only winter left. I haven’t seen any snow, and temperature was quite comfortable – 22º C during the day, sunny, no rain… ;)

Lucie,
Il semble que cet Albert est le fils de l’autre Albert de Londres (le mari de Victoria). Albert Edward, il est devenu Edward VII, mais avant, comme Prince de Galles, il est allé à Jaipur et la ville a été mise en rose à cette occasion…
En ce qui concerne les pigeons, je te dis que j’en ai l’expérience… Un jour, en traversant le jardin du Ranelagh, que Peter connaît bien, j’ai reçu un projectile directement sur mes cheveux. Réaction: «Oh shit!»; j’étais avec un ami américain… Et lui: «Oh, literally…»;))

Peter,
It’s definitely an amazing experience!

Lyliane,
J’espère que ça va mieux, ton dos… C’est affreux, quand il souffre…
C’est le problème des « jolies pigeons »; ils abîment tout… Une vraie peste…
Les couleurs du Rajasthan, tu les vois là… Superbes!

Syaa Fiqq,
Thanks for your first time comment here! Wish you can make it to India in the near future!!

Cuckoo,
Different, but hopefully also quite interesting… ;))

freefalling said...

Love your turban photo!
And that pool looks fabulous.

Anonymous said...

Letitia,
I should have bought a turban...
The pool looks fab, but it was cold; no diving... ;))

indicaspecies said...

Madeira Islands, huh? Fabulous!

I wish to spend a new year's eve there sometime! Do you like fireworks?;)

Anonymous said...

Celine,
You MUST!! ;))
Seriously; it's an unforgettable experience...

Tinsie said...

You've got some amazing photos here. I love the street scenes! Thanks for sharing :-)

GMG said...

Tinsie,
Those street scenes live? Better than a movie... ;))

kuanyin333 said...

So many wonderful photos! The turbans and portraits especially!

Anonymous said...

Kuanyin,
Always happy to see your smile here! I should have bought a turban... ;))

Marie-Noyale said...

What a beautiful smile to end the post!
Those bazars seems like a heaven for photographers too!!

Anonymous said...

Marie-Noyale,
The Sikh(?) musician is a character...

ßrigida ∫chmidt © Copyright said...

Wow trotter! It must be so hard for the woman to dance with all that heavy vases on her head. Anyway, did you watch Slumdog Millionaire? You should see it. One of the best movies this year. It is filmed in India and it got 9 out of 10 Golden Globe Awards. The setting is in Bombay and Delhi, and other parts of India. Best movie.

I also saw your Maui post. I live in Hawaii (Oahu and Big Island), unfortunately I haven't been to Maui and Molokai yet :( Thanks for sharing all of these.

Anonymous said...

Bridge,
That's amazing: I had a copy of Slumdog but the sound was poor, so I decided to go to the cinema to see it, but unfortunately couldn't find a break to maker it...
Maui is my favourite in Hawaii... ;)

Louise said...

Such colors! And the pigeons DID appear to be problematic!

Anonymous said...

Louise,
I tell you: those pigeons are a plague...

A Lady's Life said...

I love indian bazaars and tandoori and the spice shops.
Albert Hall is a sight and I too wondered about the birds lol

Trotter said...

Lady,
Bazaars and tandori? Jaipur would be your Dreamland... ;))