We fly to Jaipur. We are happy that it is on time and uneventful. We get let off the extra baggage weight because it is almost Marc’s birthday.

Jaipur is known as the pink city. Actually it is all terra cotta (orange). We love it here.

We go to an outdoor observatory and see all the different astrological and time keeping devices. It is fascinating and impressive. It is huge. We take a ton of pictures and it is getting hot. Different from the south where it is hot all of the time, the north is cool in the mornings and at night. We are beginning to cook.

Perhaps I’ll blame it on heatstroke. Marc clearly lost his mind. I started to take pictures of snake charmers (knowing I would have to pay them) and next thing I know he is next to the charmers, petting the cobra. Yep–he’s touching the venomous snake that keeps snapping at tourists as they pass by. Five minutes after he is done, I’m jealous that he has another wildlife encounter I don’t have.

We go into the active city palace of Jaipur. There are portraits of all the former kings and princes. Please note that I didn’t mention queens and the princesses. They are skipped. Including the king’s daughter whose son will grow up to take over the throne. She is skipped.

If the royal family is in residence, a flag and a quarter will be flown because in days of the king who created the observatory–he was such a great man–he was considered a man and a quarter–hence the flag flying tradition.

That same king was invited to England. He was worried about the drinking water so he had crafted two gigantic silver urns to carry his potable. The urns sailed with him to the UK and during the passage and back, and of course his sejour in England, he only drank water from the urns.

We were so sick of Indian food, that we requested from lunch McDonalds. Mmm…1/4 pounder with cheese. I almost started to cry at the counter when I realized that there wasn’t any beef on the menu. More chicken? It will have to do, but what we wouldn’t do for a burger, or a delicious steak. No hamburgers at McDonalds? WTF???

Since it wouldn’t be a guided tour without the attempt to sell us something, off we went to a carpet place. We were amazed that they burnt the back side of the carpet. Natural fibers don’t burn and of course are more expensive which leads to the theft of cashmere and silk yarn. We said no, we already bought a carpet.

On the boat ride to Elephanta, I had traced an insect bite on Marc’s thigh and watched it get bigger, redder and hotter. He told me it had been there for almost a week. Considering that almost a week had past since I began to nurse him (including forcing him to take the emergency antibiotics that my father gave me) we decided to call in for reinforcement. Next thing I knew an on call doctor made his way to our room. Marc got a needle in his behind, was given three different kinds of oral medication, cream, and another visit with the doctor.

The next morning we go for another elephant ride. We have a lovely breakfast where I made friends with a temple cat and much to the horror of the waitstaff–I begin to feed the cat bacon and butter.

We go to the Amber Fort and are impressed. It is huge with a very long retaining wall. We can’t stop taking pictures.

Next thing we are at another “stone museum” and I happen to find the only ring I like. It is a big sapphire, un-faceted, un-cut and is called a cabochon. It is oval and looks like it is from Cartier. Despite the fact that it is Marc’s birthday, I get the ring as he loves it as much as I do. Sizing is included in the price. First thing we will go to the jewelry judge and get it appraised. We think we got a very good deal.

The doctor shows up. Marc gets another needle in his popo and a good prognosis. The bite is still red, swollen and huge. I am not happy and convinced he is going to lose the leg that I love.

Other Jaipur impressions…