Jodpur - our driver got off today as we decided it's easier to take tuktuk or walk to the fort
- Shahi Guesthouse Jodpur Old City
The view of the fort is great from the guesthouse with the morning sunshine bouncing off the walls of the impressive fort standing across the ridge on top of the blue city. It was still a little chilly this early. I found the helper - Shanker was still asleep. No eggs and vegetarian breakfast - toast & banana chocolate pancakes with our instant no sugar coffee.
Mr Bantu advised to conserve our energy for the fort and take tuktuk instad of walking up the fort - very good advice! It's not a short walk, if we had stayed outside the old city, we would have our driver take us. We only managed to bargain to 50rs which seemed to be the price for foreigners. I think it was still over charged ... Sigh. Same amount to return.
Mehrangarh ticket includes the audio guide which we find to be the best audio guide among the sights. We took our time (3hr) to finish the fort and had lunch at the café at the exit - just ok for a quick lunch. Jodpur was in the former region of the Marwar (I was confused with Udaipur Mewar) and the seat of power for the Rajput Rathore clan. And Mehrangarh was probably the only reason to go to Jodpur, the market in the old city around the clock tower is pretty dull and very dusty, you can finish in 30min. M bargained for a set of bangle for 30rs which is probably the normal price - down from 100rs. Our driver told us foreigner has to bargain down to 30% and for local 30% down.
There is an area known for block printing - Balotra which I only learned later when we visited Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. I think it is pretty rural and sothwest of Jodpur, if you have a driver and very keen in textile, it looks very interesting. (I bought a book that described the process of one family in the area)Otherwise do visit the museum while in Jaipur, just at the base of Amer fort - hidden in the Amer village within a restored haveli.
We had a little difficulty finding the way back to guesthouse as we thought it was nearer. Anyway if you turn left after the exit to the markets and keep walking straight till you see a green mosque, you will find signs to get to it. Might be even more difficult in the night.
Also dinner sucks! Cook was absent due to some personal emergency and we were served sort of what we suspected leftover from previous night, it looked & tasted so similar. We did not see others having dinner.
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