So when I get a weekend in India after a long, tiring week, what do I do? I wear myself out even more trying to see cool places! I’m a glutton for punishment. But I love to see the variety offered by India. So many amazing things to experience and unique sights!
I arrived in Jaipur and took a cab to the hotel. There I met my friend Gaurav who was kind enough to accompany me on my adventure! I think he was probably just worried that I would get lost on my own… Either way it was nice to have him along to argue with the cab drivers!
It’s funny: I compared the hotel I stayed in to the “luxury” of the palace we visited. Personally, I’ll take A/C any day!
This was a cool little palace built in the middle of a lake.
The city of Jaipur at night. What a sight!
This was a cool place we found. It is a fort that they have converted into an open air cafe. The perfect place to enjoy a sunset!
Amer fort and palace. Spectacular when lit up at night!
Inside the Amer palace.
These courtyards are pretty intricate. There was an area near here that was made from tiny mirrors called “Sheesh Mahal” I just like the name… đ
Later that night, we went to a place called Choki Dhani that is like a traditional village. They had traditional music, dancing, magic shows, elephant and camel rides and, of course, some traditional Rajasthani food!
Here’s where we ate sitting on the floor. I couldn’t tell if the building was built around the dead tree or if the tree was brought in after the fact…
The two maharajas and their feast! Great food that will burn out your insides! That’s what I call an “Indian cleanse!” I should market that…
Crazy about turbans!
We made a quick stop at the Birla temple.
This was at a place called “Jantar Mantar.” Gaurav explained it to me as a crazy, chaotic place. As I was walking through, I recognized these as instruments to measure and track the heavens. Astronomy!
My dad would be in heaven here!
This cool dude was hanging out by where we parked the car. I couldn’t help but get a selfie with him. Of course, he wanted a tip for it. I guess not everyone can look that authentic…
On the way out, we passed by the fort wall which ran up the mountain ridge. It reminded me of the great wall of china!
We drove 4 hours to Delhi. Gaurav’s family invited me over for dinner. They have just finished some renovations of their home and were very generous to host me.
The next day, I did some brief exploring in New Delhi. I tried to go to the red fort, but it was closed. These pics are the best I could do.
This was an interesting memorial garden for Ghandi. I thought it was interestingly simple.
The rest of the time was spent in meetings. We had a couple executives in town, so we spent a lot of time preparing for those discussions. It was nice to get more acquainted with them, but it made the trip that much more exhausting!
The final highlight of the trip was spending some time with Vikas and Khushboo. We had grown close to them last year when we lived in Bangalore and it was nice to see them again. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay as long as I would have liked, but they were gracious and understanding.
After that, I flew home to my wonderful wife and kids who I missed dearly! It was nice to be back in their loving arms. Signing out for now! Peace!