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with a day stop over in delhi, and anorther early morning train arrival - we wandered the streets of old delhi. one of the few things open was jama masjid, india's largest mosque.
cheap beds for those looking for something more comfortable than the pavement.
off to rajasthan, where the interior of our train got very dusty and sandy as we entered the desert.
on our way to the annual desert festival, we stopped in lodhruva to visit some jain temples.
dancing at the festival, todays events are held at sam sand dunes.
riders preparing for the camel races.
the spectators.
we heard there is a moustache competition at the festival, this guy gets our pick for the winner.
festival goers on the dunes.
jaisalmer 'the golden city' and its fort.
the city is filled with meticulously carved havelis - traditional residences -made of golden sandstone.
the stunning nathmal-ki-haveli.
view from the fort.
hired a scooter and headed for the village of khuri and its sand dunes.
stopped for shave at this shack barber.
back in jaisalmer and looking up at maharaja's palace.
just inside the main of the fort.
a local playing his kamayacha. he sang for us a famous rajasthani love song. brilliant.
jodhpur - the blue city.
sardar square and the clock tower.
weding precession.
mosaic tile work adorns many buildings.
roofless abodes make it easy to see home life.
the sun sets on another day.
inside the meherangarh's fort walls for a tour.
spikes on the massive doors to hinder the attacking armies elephants.
hand prints left by the maharaja's widows as they left the palace compound for the last time. it was customary to throw themselves on their husbands funeral pyre.
fancy howdahs - seats for the maharaja when carried on an elephants back.
hand threaded silk make up the colours and designs on this blind.
a covered howdah for the maharaja's wife.
old fellow giving a demonstration on the hookah pipe and opium tea making.
detailed sword handle in the armoury.
camel bone carpet weight.
inside the the palace, amazingly decorated rooms.
holi chowk, the women's courtyard.
the view from 125m up on the fort walls. originally, only brahmin priests had their houses painted blue...now no longer the case in the blue city.
james bond was here. beautiful udaipur by lake pichola.
just for valentines, luxury accommodation at jagat niwas palace hotel.
rooftop with the city palace in view.
the ultra luxurious lake palace hotel, formerly the royal summer palace.
puppet show during dinner.
the courtyard of our hotel.
city palace, the largest in rajasthan.
udaipur is known for its miniature paintings, here is an artist at work.
jagdish temple.
they're with the band.
rooftop terrace views...
sacred ghats line lake pushkar...in pushkar.
its wedding season, so in the daytime - female, and the evening - male precessions make their way through the streets.
sunset with savitri temple atop the hill in the background.
men dancing at another wedding precession.
holy man, known as a sadhu.
another sunset on the gahts.
monkeys.
our insane, (but efficient) auto rickshaw driver in jaipur.
hawa mahal in the 'pink' city.
colourful bangles for sale at siredeori bazaar.
while jenny shops, i take photos of traffic...
traditional shoes - jootis, at nehru bazaar.
this 150 year old camera still takes a good photo.
developed on the spot.
its not uncommon to see the entire family on scooter or motorbike.
more colours on johari bazaar.
shortly after arriving in agra, we took a little trip 40km west to fatehpur sikri. this was the capital of the mughal empire for only a short period (1571-1585).
apart from the mosque which is still used, the fortified city was abandoned after emperor akbar's death as the area suffered from water shortages.
the 5 storey panch mahal.
the treasury.
fine carved exterior of the birbal bhavan.
elephant gate.
the view of the grounds from atop the hiran minar (a tower 21m tall).
and here is what we came to agra for, the taj mahal. first ones in the gate at 6:50am.
yes its as impressive as you've heard, and why it was built only makes it more remarkable.
close up of the marble carvings and 'pietra pura' - marble inlay work on the taj's exterior.
its hard to stop taking photos of it...
artist working with marble pieces inlaid with semi-precious stones.
filing the stones for a perfect fit.
better call the cable guy...theres a problem with one of them wires...
spot the dog.
and back to the taj for sunset, this time we take in the view from the north side of the yamuna river.
wow.
with a day stop over in delhi, and anorther early morning train arrival - we wandered the streets of old delhi. one of the few things open was jama masjid, india's largest mosque.
cheap beds for those looking for something more comfortable than the pavement.
off to rajasthan, where the interior of our train got very dusty and sandy as we entered the desert.
on our way to the annual desert festival, we stopped in lodhruva to visit some jain temples.
dancing at the festival, todays events are held at sam sand dunes.
riders preparing for the camel races.
the spectators.
we heard there is a moustache competition at the festival, this guy gets our pick for the winner.
festival goers on the dunes.
jaisalmer 'the golden city' and its fort.
the city is filled with meticulously carved havelis - traditional residences -made of golden sandstone.
the stunning nathmal-ki-haveli.
view from the fort.
hired a scooter and headed for the village of khuri and its sand dunes.
stopped for shave at this shack barber.
back in jaisalmer and looking up at maharaja's palace.
just inside the main of the fort.
a local playing his kamayacha. he sang for us a famous rajasthani love song. brilliant.
jodhpur - the blue city.
sardar square and the clock tower.
weding precession.
mosaic tile work adorns many buildings.
roofless abodes make it easy to see home life.
the sun sets on another day.
inside the meherangarh's fort walls for a tour.
spikes on the massive doors to hinder the attacking armies elephants.
hand prints left by the maharaja's widows as they left the palace compound for the last time. it was customary to throw themselves on their husbands funeral pyre.
fancy howdahs - seats for the maharaja when carried on an elephants back.
hand threaded silk make up the colours and designs on this blind.
a covered howdah for the maharaja's wife.
old fellow giving a demonstration on the hookah pipe and opium tea making.
detailed sword handle in the armoury.
camel bone carpet weight.
inside the the palace, amazingly decorated rooms.
holi chowk, the women's courtyard.
the view from 125m up on the fort walls. originally, only brahmin priests had their houses painted blue...now no longer the case in the blue city.
james bond was here. beautiful udaipur by lake pichola.
just for valentines, luxury accommodation at jagat niwas palace hotel.
rooftop with the city palace in view.
the ultra luxurious lake palace hotel, formerly the royal summer palace.
puppet show during dinner.
the courtyard of our hotel.
city palace, the largest in rajasthan.
udaipur is known for its miniature paintings, here is an artist at work.
jagdish temple.
they're with the band.
rooftop terrace views...
sacred ghats line lake pushkar...in pushkar.
its wedding season, so in the daytime - female, and the evening - male precessions make their way through the streets.
sunset with savitri temple atop the hill in the background.
men dancing at another wedding precession.
holy man, known as a sadhu.
another sunset on the gahts.
monkeys.
our insane, (but efficient) auto rickshaw driver in jaipur.
hawa mahal in the 'pink' city.
colourful bangles for sale at siredeori bazaar.
while jenny shops, i take photos of traffic...
traditional shoes - jootis, at nehru bazaar.
this 150 year old camera still takes a good photo.
developed on the spot.
its not uncommon to see the entire family on scooter or motorbike.
more colours on johari bazaar.
shortly after arriving in agra, we took a little trip 40km west to fatehpur sikri. this was the capital of the mughal empire for only a short period (1571-1585).
apart from the mosque which is still used, the fortified city was abandoned after emperor akbar's death as the area suffered from water shortages.
the 5 storey panch mahal.
the treasury.
fine carved exterior of the birbal bhavan.
elephant gate.
the view of the grounds from atop the hiran minar (a tower 21m tall).
and here is what we came to agra for, the taj mahal. first ones in the gate at 6:50am.
yes its as impressive as you've heard, and why it was built only makes it more remarkable.
close up of the marble carvings and 'pietra pura' - marble inlay work on the taj's exterior.
its hard to stop taking photos of it...
artist working with marble pieces inlaid with semi-precious stones.
filing the stones for a perfect fit.
better call the cable guy...theres a problem with one of them wires...
spot the dog.
and back to the taj for sunset, this time we take in the view from the north side of the yamuna river.
wow.
