So--here's what was cool about Jodhpur. This city was founded in 1459, by Rao Jodha. Jodhpur contributes to the fashion (I'll use that word loosely) world in two ways--Jodhpur boots, the kind that have the stretchy material on either side at the ankle so you can pull them on, and jodhpurs, those pants that sort of look like MC Hammer pants but aren't quite so baggy through the thighs. Our guide wore both at the same time. And I don't think that was a faux pas either...
Here I am standing in front of Jaswant Thada, which is the 19th century centotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. II'll have to remember to explain the difference between maharajas and maharanas in another post...But basically this is a marble memorial dedicated to the Maharaja--he ruled from 1878-1895 and his main contribution was innovative irrigation schemes that brought water to the desert. It really is amazing to me--most of the reservoirs that are still used today were designed and cited anywhere from the 1100s on. That is really, really impressive. The locals believe the maharaja has retained his healing touch even in death, so they visit regularly to offer prayers and flowers at the shrine.
This is a close up of the detailed carving on the outside of the centotaph.
This is a random picture I took at the centotaph. That couple to the left was on the train and in my tour group--a German man named Heinz and his scary wife whose name I can't recall at the moment, so I'll just call her Gretel. Heinz used to play soccer for Germany. Scary wife Gretel must not have read ANYTHING on etiquette and attire for traveling around India. Most days she was baring so much skin she looked like she shouldbe in Maxim or something. And she ALWAYS had wicked heels on--I'm talking Frederick's of Hollywood type stuff--which is ridiculous given: A. the amount of walking we were doing each day, and B. the fact that it was not on even terrain at all. Ever. Imagine the cobblestone streets of Fells Point...on a 30 degree incline OR walking on SAND in heels. So, needless to say, she slowed our group down considerably. At this particular moment, they were arguing about something. Isn't it amazing that even if you can't understand the words coming from someone's mouth you can tell what's going on by their intonation and body language? Heinz was getting ripped in to...
I snapped this picture of Jaswant Thada from the Mehrangarh Fort (up next.)
So here is the Mehrangarh Fort. It rises out of the top of a rock 410 ft above its surroundings. Navigating inside the fort was difficult--not only are the streets very narrow and cobblestoned, they are also extremely steep. This was probably the most exhausting tour of the entire trip.
Looking out over the city of Jodhpur from the top of the fort. You can see how the fort spills down the hillside. Jodhpur is the Blue City--back when the caste system was still legal (it is illegal now, but widely accepted still) the Brahmins lived in the blue houses. The bluer the house, the higher the status of its occupants. 
A plaque that hangs just inside the gates.
This is another random picture, but has a story to go with it. That half-headless man is our guide, and you can see his jodhpurs (his pants, if you have forgotten.) Total aside--this guy was the sweatiest man ever. It was disturbing. Behind our guide is an old guy showing you how they used to smoke opium out of this huge pipe-contraption type thing. Now the REAL reason I am including this photo: about 30 seconds after I snapped this picture our guide punched this other tour guide (not with our group) in the head because he was TOTALLY HIGH on opium. Nice. You may (or may not--I know I was) be surprised at how rampant drug use/abuse is in India, and how the upper classes and rulers all had multiple wives, etc. One of the rulers who lived in this palace had 30 wives at one point, and that doesn't count the women who weren't his wives that he just kept for fun. Their lives were all about sex and drugs.
Takhat Mahal is an extraordinary room--hand painted with gemstones. Anywhere you see red--crushed rubies, gold--actual gold, blue--crushed sapphires, orange--crushed carnelian, green--crushed emeralds, black--crushed onyx, etc, etc. We visited an art school where this technique is still practiced and each artist had a little pile of gems and a mortar and pestel. They would grind each color before they used it on the painting they were making. The crushed stone gets mixed with a base, but apparently it composition is a huge trade secret.
Another look out over the town from the fort.
Looking straight up at Phool Mahal, from within the walls of the fort. This part of the palace was built between 1730 and 1750 and was used for royal celebrations.
Here is a bad picture of Umaid Bhavan Palace. You can see how poor the air quality is in this picture. Not that you can tell, but the palace is built out of pink sandstone. It has 347 rooms including 8 dining halls, 2 theatres, a ballroom, several reception halls and an underground swimming pool. Begun in 1929, the palace was commissioned to create jobs for famine stricken Indians. It took 3000 men 15 years to complete. The majority of the palace has been turned into a luxury hotel, although the grandson of the rule that commissioned it still lives in a portion of it today. We ate lunch here--it was the best Italian food I have ever had. Although I will be the first to admit that it is unfair to compare it to anything else given the fact that this was my 9th day in India and the first time I had a meal I could stomach more than just a few bites of. After 9 days of living on Balance bars, fruit rollups and bottled water, this food was AWESOME.
Eating in India is a funny thing--it is such an important part of their culture, but at the same time is such a huge adjustment for a Westerner that you really can't take part 100% (unless you want to pay later with digestive horrors.) While the country is largely vegetarian, the places we ate lunch each day (generally luxury hotels) did serve chicken and fish. But I'd never eat it after seeing the condition of their waterways, etc. I don't believe there is an Indian equivalent to the USDA. I'd rather eat a fish someone caught out of the Inner Harbor than touch any fish in India. I did not have issues eating at Sharad's house or Ruchi's house--mainly because I knew who was preparing the food, and they were very considerate of me as far as the spicyness, etc. When you eat out in India, you run the risk of Hepatitis A with every bite. Hygiene just isn't practiced the same there...well, really not at all. This hotel was cool because the food staff actually wore latex gloves. This was the only place that occurred.
See, toilet paper is not a given in Indian bathrooms--no matter if it is in your house or a public toilet out somewhere. Instead of tp, you'll find a faucet and what looks like a 2-cup measuring cup right next to the toilet. Soooooo...no matter what you are attending to, you fill the little cup with water, swoosh it around with your other hand, and call it clean. And as far as washing your hands when you are finished...yeah...not so much. If there is a sink nearby it is generally so filthy you feel cleaner skipping that step. So, thank goodness for Purell and Charmin To Go. And a super thanks goes out to Amanda for giving me the heads up on this little anomoly ahead of time so I was 100% prepared.
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