Jaipur: The Pink City

Fortunately, at the official government tourist information center, we met a nice British couple that was interested in going on the same tourist circuit as Dana and I. Nicknamed the "Golden Triangle", the circuit covers Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.

Jaipur is the largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It's a really popular tourist destination, thanks to the ancient citadels, forts, and temples from the 16th and 17th centuries.

On our drive to Jaipur from Delhi, we stopped at the Amer Fort.

From K - India I

From K - India I

Built in 1592 out of red sandstone and marble, the fort was built by a senior general of the Mughal Empire. It combines Hindi and Mughal design elements.

From K - India I

From K - India I

From K - India I

The fort was amazing because it felt like my first real taste of India. We barely spent any time in Delhi, and it was chaotic because we were trying to plan a way to get out and explore Jaipur and Agra. So when we drove up to the Amer Fort, it really sunk in that I was in India. The beautiful architecture of the fort, the chai tea stalls by the road, and the curious Indian tourists made this visit a fascinating experience.

When we got into the town of Jaipur, we walked into the old city, also called the Pink City because of the color of the sandstone buildings.

We saw the Hawa Mahal, an 18th century palace designed so the women of the palace could observe activity on the streets without being seen themselves.

From K - India I

Jaipur has many beautiful buildings and historic monuments, but the actual city itself is crowded and overwhelming. Like most places in India, trash fills the streets and you have to be constantly vigilant so you aren't run over by a motorbike or car. It definitely takes some time to adjust to the noise levels and crush of activity.