Fri 28 Nov Jaisalmer to Jodhpur
Overnight a few noisy dogs have at each other. From the balcony and our room, we get great views of the rising sun over the fort. Also views of the historic haveli next door.
One of our guidebooks calls KB Lodge a $$$ hotel, their most expensive category. Hence, everything is classy. We are up at sunrise for the included breakfast. At 1800 R we have gotten the cheapest room in the place. The other guests are paying much more. Hence, the included breakfast for this classy clientele is nicely presented: A masala omelet with lots of veggies, a whole basket of toast with butter and jam, a big pot of tea, AND fruit salad. At breakfast, we see the French couple we had met at Sunset Point the night before.
We finish our breakfast. It is 815. We don't have to check out because the hotel has extended checkout to 2 pm. We start walking through narrow streets to the fort. It feels cool (60-65 F) (15-18 C). We note the water coursing under the edges of the streets and alleys. This is an age-old sewage system we have seen in Samarkand. It functions as the drainage/sewage system for the city.
Beautiful buildings are scattered all through the city: some abandoned, some well maintained. Numerous houses are decorated with an artist's painting of Ganesh with a rodent carrying offerings. The paintings are all signed and dated. One house has a picture of cut dancing coconuts (which we later realize are probably drums) next to the Ganesh elephant. All in all Jaisalmer has resisted the temptation to tear down the old and is a very consistent ensemble.
It is 840 when we get to the entrance to the fort. There in a mandir (temple) before reaching the entry, where a group with drums, cymbals and singing perform a rousing morning Hindu service.
We are at the top at 850. We decide to visit the fort ensemble by always turning right, even if it involves going steeply uphill, until we have seen everything.
We walk behind a fellow pushing a wheelbarrow, collecting household garbage that people throw in. Our pathway takes us quickly up to a great view of the town, except there is FOG! A San Francisco fog! Today is cool - yes, cool - according to a local. This town is so dry that they haven't seen fog or mist in ages. Lucky us.
Along our way, Mike asks a friendly merchant if there is a set time for Hindu services. The answer is YES: Early in the morning until about noon, and then late in the afternoon through evening. We are told that the morning is especially auspicious because along with the rising of the sun, the "magnetic waves run east-west through the body and make the body more receptive." Works for us.
This gentleman also offered his services as a guide. A charmer, but we demurred. However, he or a friend were selling sandstone carvings. A Ganesh figure called to Carol (250 R). Maybe expensive in this market, but a way of saying thanks for the conversation.
Many merchants along the way, but no aggressive sales tactics: more a teasing "Looking is free!" or "Time to spend your money - HERE!" or "Let me help you spend."
Some way on Mike sees a money changer, offering 60 R to the $1. Mike asks if he will give us 60.5 R. Money changer says: How many dollars? $500. OK. So for $500, we have 30250 R (all in 500 Rs).
Pretty soon we are at Laxminarayan Temple, and the related (although less opulent) temple just across the road. We go through both. The next turn takes us back to the beginning point. It is 945. Here a gentleman offers us his services as a guide for 50 R. For that price, why not? He turns out to have excellent English and was a font of information. We 3 walk toward the series of Jain Temples (one ticket of 200 R gets you into the whole set). The guide offers to supply commentary in the temples but Mike doesn't feel like spending the money. We see another Sulabh (public toilet) and Carol checks it out. Our guide talks to us about the havelis we see. The sandstone construction and carving is done off site and then lowered into place in the building process.
We see a string of chilies and limes (3 chilies, one lime, and then 4 chilies) hanging at the door of most buildings. Our guide says this is to ward off the evil spirits. Dried mango leaves hanging above a window are also for good luck. At one door an artificial abstract chili and lime hanging sculpture in glass or plastic with a metal surround catches our eye. It is apparently not expensive, but we don't see one for sale anywhere. A pity - the perfect souvenir.
We pass a spice seller and ask the Hindi names for each:
Black pepper kali mirch
Cinnamon peel dalchini
Cinnamon stick dalchini
---------------------------------
Mustard flower javidai
Cloves long
Star anise badyan
---------------------------------
Nutmeg jaipal
Cumin jeera
Garlic suth
---------------------------------
?
Mustard rai
Tamarind haldi
---------------------------------
Red pepper lal mirch
Fenugreek methi
Coriander dannya
Everyone is amused that these westerners are asking this. These are everyday spices - doesn't everyone know?
We climb a small historic cannon spot to get the view - still foggy and cool, but soon the sun will come out. Soon we bid goodbye to our guide, who says we are true Indians (frugal? CHEAP?), not like tourists. We try to get him some follow-up business by recommending him to other passers-by.
An item for sale all over tourist Jaisalmer is a turban-style hat made from bright printed quilted cotton. Many non-Indians buy one for 150 R and look ridiculous. We spot a cute tyke in the center square wearing one of these turbans and snapping photos; the father then piles on two more. Click, click. A woman who looks almost Romanian gypsy is carrying a kid in a hanging basket, and begging. She's glad to take money in exchange for a photo.
Lots of signage in Hebrew. Israelis apparently come here in droves. An Aussie hotel/restaurant offers Vegemite. Cater to the visitors.
With the guide already gone, Carol insists that Mike pay the 200 R and take at least 40 pictures in the 3 Jain temples, so she can experience it vicariously. He does so.
Now the sun has come out so we retrace our steps and retake some pictures from overlooks.
It is now 1145 and time to head on down. We pass a place highly praised in the guidebooks that offers Makhania Lassi for 40 R. This drink is hard to describe: like the tastiest filling imaginable for sour cream raisin pie, with saffron and pistachios added for good measure. They are SO GOOD, we have two.
After walking out, and back in lower town, we see the Salim Singh ki Haveli, a historic building. Admission is 30 R apiece, plus 20 R for the camera. Admission comes with a personal tour. What a knowledgeable guide. We are told that this is the earliest of the Jaisalmer famous buildings, that it was built with chunks of sandstone, carved with male and female fittings (think Legos) so that the whole thing could be put together (and even taken apart) without cement (not enough water to make the cement). Even the decorations were designed with male and female ends for ease of construction. Wood insets were used to give the structure flexibility in the event of an earthquake, and to reduce the total weight of the structure.
The building was designed with a men's side an a women's side. There was a system of visual signals to enable the women (harem?) to get their needs across non verbally, and vice versa. Pitch some woo tonight?...
Then we arrived at a room with many cunning objects that the guide showed off and explained in detail. There were intricate metal animal figures that could conceal keys or perfume flasks; a flower that opened up to reveal small bowls [perfect Seder plate?] etc. He was so smooth that that it took many minutes to realize that this was a sales room. If we had chosen we could have purchased 6 - 12 kinds of aromatic oils, along with lamps, trinkets, and other replicas of clever gadgets used 400 years ago to run a household.
It was 1240 and time to get back to the hotel. Once again, we weren't careful, and we started walking southeast instead of northwest. After about 10 minutes, we recognized our mistake. There was nothing to do about it except grab a rickshaw for 50 R to get us where we needed to be.
At 1315, back at the hotel. 1330, paying the bill of 1800 R (no extra tax) and leaving. 1345, rickshaw to where the bus is leaving.
We are in seats 2 and 3 just behind the driver. We can see out the front and the side window. We can, and did, put our bags in a compartment under the bus. The bus will go faster than the one the day before. So far, so good.
But . . . every other promise made at ticketing is false. The bus quickly gets super crush loaded. We are stuck in our seats, trapped by drivers and a door. This is somewhat to the good. Nothing around us affects us except for being trapped by the door and the huge crowd on the other side of the door. And with stops, the bus is not "express-express" as promised.
Seated behind us is a smart and restless young boy whose parents are trying hard to keep him amused. After listening to him count fairly successfully IN ENGLISH to 125, Carol whips out the KwikPoint pictographs. They play a few rounds of "what is the English word for this?". Watch out: this kid will one day own your employer's company.
While on the bus, we call June Mahal to arrange a room in Jodhpur for 1050 R. OK. However, the proprietress calls back and says there is a problem. Bad phone connection or maybe some problems in communication? We don't fully understand but decide to go to June Mahal on arrival anyway.
It is 1900 and dark when we arrive in Jodhpur. We are dropped off at Pal Rd, about 4 km from June Mahal, which is somewhere in crowded Ada Bazaar in the old city.
The guidebook says rickshaws will take you into town for 80 R. The taxi men smell blood. Everyone wants 150 R. If someone hesitates, the others say something like: "Hold firm." Eventually, a guy in the business adjacent to our drop off spot sees what is happening and tells us to pay closer to 150 R. In the end someone carries us in for 130 R.
Many urban streets have speed bumps. At some point, the street has a huge bump. Mike flies up and hits his head hard against the roof. Carol is glad to be short.
The old city has narrow roads more fit for donkeys that scooters and cars. And the driver can't find the lodging on the road. He won't give up and asks repeated questions, backtracking several times. Finally, he parks the rickshaw and walk about 2 blocks to the hotel with us, carrying our bags. He gets the full 150 R. What a trooper.
The woman proprietor at this 370 year old mahal feeds us two teas and explains that she is fully booked, but her sister hotel, Cosy, about 6 blocks away in the Navichokiya area, has a room for 1050 R. If we like it, they will deliver the bags. So we and one of her employees walk over there. On the way over we pass a congenial crowd of men (geezers) playing card games on the front porch of some kind of temple. The six blocks turn up to be uphill - really UPHILL.
This is a good old-fashioned backpacker haven: some low-priced no-amenity rooms, all the way up to our relatively "boutique" lodgings. We like the room! At 1050 R it is the best buy of the trip so far and is at least as good as some of the 2000 R rooms we have been in. And it is quiet, away from the chaos in town. June Mahal was stunningly decorated, but we have lucked out here. According to the gentleman who accompanied us, the Cosy property has been in the family for generations. So we settle in. Carol does some wash and hangs it on our little balcony to dry.
Time to go upstairs to the rooftop restaurant and order some dinner and a 650 ml Tuborg (150 R). There is lots of good conversation, something we've missed since this is one of the few backpacker places we have stayed. An Aussie metallurgist tells diverting stories of his business and pleasure trips. We have great rooftop views of the Jodhpur fort from the west, too. Cosy is a winner.
Eventually to bed.
Overnight a few noisy dogs have at each other. From the balcony and our room, we get great views of the rising sun over the fort. Also views of the historic haveli next door.
One of our guidebooks calls KB Lodge a $$$ hotel, their most expensive category. Hence, everything is classy. We are up at sunrise for the included breakfast. At 1800 R we have gotten the cheapest room in the place. The other guests are paying much more. Hence, the included breakfast for this classy clientele is nicely presented: A masala omelet with lots of veggies, a whole basket of toast with butter and jam, a big pot of tea, AND fruit salad. At breakfast, we see the French couple we had met at Sunset Point the night before.
We finish our breakfast. It is 815. We don't have to check out because the hotel has extended checkout to 2 pm. We start walking through narrow streets to the fort. It feels cool (60-65 F) (15-18 C). We note the water coursing under the edges of the streets and alleys. This is an age-old sewage system we have seen in Samarkand. It functions as the drainage/sewage system for the city.
Beautiful buildings are scattered all through the city: some abandoned, some well maintained. Numerous houses are decorated with an artist's painting of Ganesh with a rodent carrying offerings. The paintings are all signed and dated. One house has a picture of cut dancing coconuts (which we later realize are probably drums) next to the Ganesh elephant. All in all Jaisalmer has resisted the temptation to tear down the old and is a very consistent ensemble.
It is 840 when we get to the entrance to the fort. There in a mandir (temple) before reaching the entry, where a group with drums, cymbals and singing perform a rousing morning Hindu service.
We are at the top at 850. We decide to visit the fort ensemble by always turning right, even if it involves going steeply uphill, until we have seen everything.
We walk behind a fellow pushing a wheelbarrow, collecting household garbage that people throw in. Our pathway takes us quickly up to a great view of the town, except there is FOG! A San Francisco fog! Today is cool - yes, cool - according to a local. This town is so dry that they haven't seen fog or mist in ages. Lucky us.
Along our way, Mike asks a friendly merchant if there is a set time for Hindu services. The answer is YES: Early in the morning until about noon, and then late in the afternoon through evening. We are told that the morning is especially auspicious because along with the rising of the sun, the "magnetic waves run east-west through the body and make the body more receptive." Works for us.
This gentleman also offered his services as a guide. A charmer, but we demurred. However, he or a friend were selling sandstone carvings. A Ganesh figure called to Carol (250 R). Maybe expensive in this market, but a way of saying thanks for the conversation.
Many merchants along the way, but no aggressive sales tactics: more a teasing "Looking is free!" or "Time to spend your money - HERE!" or "Let me help you spend."
Some way on Mike sees a money changer, offering 60 R to the $1. Mike asks if he will give us 60.5 R. Money changer says: How many dollars? $500. OK. So for $500, we have 30250 R (all in 500 Rs).
Pretty soon we are at Laxminarayan Temple, and the related (although less opulent) temple just across the road. We go through both. The next turn takes us back to the beginning point. It is 945. Here a gentleman offers us his services as a guide for 50 R. For that price, why not? He turns out to have excellent English and was a font of information. We 3 walk toward the series of Jain Temples (one ticket of 200 R gets you into the whole set). The guide offers to supply commentary in the temples but Mike doesn't feel like spending the money. We see another Sulabh (public toilet) and Carol checks it out. Our guide talks to us about the havelis we see. The sandstone construction and carving is done off site and then lowered into place in the building process.
We see a string of chilies and limes (3 chilies, one lime, and then 4 chilies) hanging at the door of most buildings. Our guide says this is to ward off the evil spirits. Dried mango leaves hanging above a window are also for good luck. At one door an artificial abstract chili and lime hanging sculpture in glass or plastic with a metal surround catches our eye. It is apparently not expensive, but we don't see one for sale anywhere. A pity - the perfect souvenir.
We pass a spice seller and ask the Hindi names for each:
Black pepper kali mirch
Cinnamon peel dalchini
Cinnamon stick dalchini
---------------------------------
Mustard flower javidai
Cloves long
Star anise badyan
---------------------------------
Nutmeg jaipal
Cumin jeera
Garlic suth
---------------------------------
?
Mustard rai
Tamarind haldi
---------------------------------
Red pepper lal mirch
Fenugreek methi
Coriander dannya
Everyone is amused that these westerners are asking this. These are everyday spices - doesn't everyone know?
We climb a small historic cannon spot to get the view - still foggy and cool, but soon the sun will come out. Soon we bid goodbye to our guide, who says we are true Indians (frugal? CHEAP?), not like tourists. We try to get him some follow-up business by recommending him to other passers-by.
An item for sale all over tourist Jaisalmer is a turban-style hat made from bright printed quilted cotton. Many non-Indians buy one for 150 R and look ridiculous. We spot a cute tyke in the center square wearing one of these turbans and snapping photos; the father then piles on two more. Click, click. A woman who looks almost Romanian gypsy is carrying a kid in a hanging basket, and begging. She's glad to take money in exchange for a photo.
Lots of signage in Hebrew. Israelis apparently come here in droves. An Aussie hotel/restaurant offers Vegemite. Cater to the visitors.
With the guide already gone, Carol insists that Mike pay the 200 R and take at least 40 pictures in the 3 Jain temples, so she can experience it vicariously. He does so.
Now the sun has come out so we retrace our steps and retake some pictures from overlooks.
It is now 1145 and time to head on down. We pass a place highly praised in the guidebooks that offers Makhania Lassi for 40 R. This drink is hard to describe: like the tastiest filling imaginable for sour cream raisin pie, with saffron and pistachios added for good measure. They are SO GOOD, we have two.
After walking out, and back in lower town, we see the Salim Singh ki Haveli, a historic building. Admission is 30 R apiece, plus 20 R for the camera. Admission comes with a personal tour. What a knowledgeable guide. We are told that this is the earliest of the Jaisalmer famous buildings, that it was built with chunks of sandstone, carved with male and female fittings (think Legos) so that the whole thing could be put together (and even taken apart) without cement (not enough water to make the cement). Even the decorations were designed with male and female ends for ease of construction. Wood insets were used to give the structure flexibility in the event of an earthquake, and to reduce the total weight of the structure.
The building was designed with a men's side an a women's side. There was a system of visual signals to enable the women (harem?) to get their needs across non verbally, and vice versa. Pitch some woo tonight?...
Then we arrived at a room with many cunning objects that the guide showed off and explained in detail. There were intricate metal animal figures that could conceal keys or perfume flasks; a flower that opened up to reveal small bowls [perfect Seder plate?] etc. He was so smooth that that it took many minutes to realize that this was a sales room. If we had chosen we could have purchased 6 - 12 kinds of aromatic oils, along with lamps, trinkets, and other replicas of clever gadgets used 400 years ago to run a household.
It was 1240 and time to get back to the hotel. Once again, we weren't careful, and we started walking southeast instead of northwest. After about 10 minutes, we recognized our mistake. There was nothing to do about it except grab a rickshaw for 50 R to get us where we needed to be.
At 1315, back at the hotel. 1330, paying the bill of 1800 R (no extra tax) and leaving. 1345, rickshaw to where the bus is leaving.
We are in seats 2 and 3 just behind the driver. We can see out the front and the side window. We can, and did, put our bags in a compartment under the bus. The bus will go faster than the one the day before. So far, so good.
But . . . every other promise made at ticketing is false. The bus quickly gets super crush loaded. We are stuck in our seats, trapped by drivers and a door. This is somewhat to the good. Nothing around us affects us except for being trapped by the door and the huge crowd on the other side of the door. And with stops, the bus is not "express-express" as promised.
Seated behind us is a smart and restless young boy whose parents are trying hard to keep him amused. After listening to him count fairly successfully IN ENGLISH to 125, Carol whips out the KwikPoint pictographs. They play a few rounds of "what is the English word for this?". Watch out: this kid will one day own your employer's company.
While on the bus, we call June Mahal to arrange a room in Jodhpur for 1050 R. OK. However, the proprietress calls back and says there is a problem. Bad phone connection or maybe some problems in communication? We don't fully understand but decide to go to June Mahal on arrival anyway.
It is 1900 and dark when we arrive in Jodhpur. We are dropped off at Pal Rd, about 4 km from June Mahal, which is somewhere in crowded Ada Bazaar in the old city.
The guidebook says rickshaws will take you into town for 80 R. The taxi men smell blood. Everyone wants 150 R. If someone hesitates, the others say something like: "Hold firm." Eventually, a guy in the business adjacent to our drop off spot sees what is happening and tells us to pay closer to 150 R. In the end someone carries us in for 130 R.
Many urban streets have speed bumps. At some point, the street has a huge bump. Mike flies up and hits his head hard against the roof. Carol is glad to be short.
The old city has narrow roads more fit for donkeys that scooters and cars. And the driver can't find the lodging on the road. He won't give up and asks repeated questions, backtracking several times. Finally, he parks the rickshaw and walk about 2 blocks to the hotel with us, carrying our bags. He gets the full 150 R. What a trooper.
The woman proprietor at this 370 year old mahal feeds us two teas and explains that she is fully booked, but her sister hotel, Cosy, about 6 blocks away in the Navichokiya area, has a room for 1050 R. If we like it, they will deliver the bags. So we and one of her employees walk over there. On the way over we pass a congenial crowd of men (geezers) playing card games on the front porch of some kind of temple. The six blocks turn up to be uphill - really UPHILL.
This is a good old-fashioned backpacker haven: some low-priced no-amenity rooms, all the way up to our relatively "boutique" lodgings. We like the room! At 1050 R it is the best buy of the trip so far and is at least as good as some of the 2000 R rooms we have been in. And it is quiet, away from the chaos in town. June Mahal was stunningly decorated, but we have lucked out here. According to the gentleman who accompanied us, the Cosy property has been in the family for generations. So we settle in. Carol does some wash and hangs it on our little balcony to dry.
Time to go upstairs to the rooftop restaurant and order some dinner and a 650 ml Tuborg (150 R). There is lots of good conversation, something we've missed since this is one of the few backpacker places we have stayed. An Aussie metallurgist tells diverting stories of his business and pleasure trips. We have great rooftop views of the Jodhpur fort from the west, too. Cosy is a winner.
Eventually to bed.
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