Jodhpur, Rajasthan - The "Blue City"

Rest day in Jodhpur - visiting Mehrangarh Fort (built in 1459 by the local ruling Maharaja) and the Clock Tower - Sardar Market

Mehrangarh Fort at sunset

View of the "blue city" behind the fort

They did battle on elephants and this is sterling silver elephant seat

The intricate stone carving on all the forts we've seen is incredible when you consider it was completed in the 1400's by hand.

My 2 "Bike Husbands" Dennis (L) and Morris (R)

Token "selfie"

The Stepped Well which is a man made well with various levels that are carved into the rock and it fills with rainwater during monsoon season and as the water recedes the women would have to go further down the steps to get water.  There were kids jumping in and swimming in it!  Thanks, but no....
Here is a much better photo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepwell#/media/File:Toor_ji_ka_baori,_Jodhpur.jpg

Clock Tower and the Sardar Market

Nope - not condoms, but betel leaves to chew, various flavours

Chile, Turmeric, Coriander

Laundry day!

Jaipur - The Pink City

Jaipur and a rest day!  Also known as the "Pink City" for the colour of the red sandstone buildings.
It's the home of the Amer Fort in the state of Rajasthan.

Sunset at Jaipur with the Amer Fort

Yup, it's a "Snake Charmer" with a Cobra.

We did not take the elephant ride up to the fort

One good looking Guard - he has beautiful blue eyes 

Restoration work 

Hand carved teak blocks used to do hand block printing on either silk or cotton.  Each colour has its own block to create a design.  These artisans hand this skill down from generation to generation.

This gentleman and his family have done block printing for generations.  They are true artisans.

This craft shop also had weavers doing silk, wool, and camel hair carpets.  The weavers are also generational family craftsman.  The men do the weaving on a part time basis and are paid by the meter.  Depending on the size, they can take on average 4 months to complete 1 carpet.  Thank goodness I bought carpets when I lived in the Middle East.

There was a huge store at this location once we got through the workshops.....
(they ship internationally)

The Winter Palace - where women looked out the screened windows to see what was happening.  This location is very popular for couples to get engaged at.  There were couples getting engagement photos taken while we were there.

Winter Palace

Masala Peanuts

Jaipur - Jodhpur

Namaste!

Jaipur - Roopangarh Fort (Stage 6 - 118 km)

The smog has lifted since we left Delhi and Agra behind.  It's been lovely blue sky days with cool mornings and warm afternoons (10 'C to start and low 20's C at midday) for riding.  Had some challenging roads to ride today for a stretch - thank you Spin Sisters for the mountain biking skills and my bomb proof Kona Sutra bike!

Lunch time is an extravaganza of tasty food for our hungry bellies prepared by Vikas and Baba with the assistance of one of our bus drivers.  Today we were under a shady tree - it's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye!  Those thorns are about 1.5 inches long (3 cm).  These cut branches also act as fences - choose your spot to pee carefully!

I'm in India, sleeping at a fort built in 1648 and there's a wedding! Unfortunately, I saw the wedding preparations, but was in bed prior to the festivities starting.   I think I was in a servant's room as it connected to a much larger room.  The property is beautiful....

Roopangarh Fort - Pushkar (Stage 7 - 58 km)

The Incident - Boo!
I was accidentally cut-off by one of the other riders today and took a spill off the bike.  Landed hard and hit my head on the pavement - gotta love a helmet to protect the noggin'! No worse for wear and just added a few more scrapes to the knee, but cracked my helmet. I'll have to buy a new one when we get to Jodhpur.  In the meantime, I'll use one of the staff members helmet's as they alternate riding.

Pushkar is a very holy pilgrimage location for Hindu's that centres around sacred Pushkar Lake and the Ghats.

Pushkar - Kherjarla (Stage 8 - 130 km)

OMG - this was a long day with some bad-ass "roads" again.  We started out with 90 km of beautiful rolling hills that was followed by our 30 km of bad-ass roads and then a head wind for the last 25'ish km.  Dennis and I killed the almost single-track.  I arrived at our destination for the night and announced - "Best day ever!"  Not sure this sentiment was shared by all, but the day certainly brought a variety of roads and that 30 km section that was nasty, dusty and bone shattering (not literally though!)

Pretty sure my face was just as dirty!

We are staying in the impressive Kherjarla Fort tonight - built in 1611.  

Ciao, Cindy

Agra to Jaipur

Namaste

We have a 3 day riding stretch to go from Agra to Jaipur (the Pink city).  So funny today in Jaipur - chatting with another person staying in the same place as us and said he went to the Taj Mahal today. And I thought - how did he get to/from in a day, we took 3 days to get here!  Oh wait - he took a taxi (200'ish km).  Ha - so funny when I realized I was thinking in bike distances not driving distances.  I'm totally immersed in this trip!

Agra - Bharatpur (56 km) - Stage 3
Bharatpur is the home of the Keoladeo National Park which is a bird sanctuary right outside the door of our hotel.  I took a cycle rickshaw tour and the variety of birds were amazing.  Many photographers with giant lenses were present.  The storks were nesting and they are huge!

Bharatpur - Dausa (112 km) - Stage 4
Chai stop!
The small clay cups in the foreground are what the Chai is served in and then they are thrown away and not reused

We stayed at an amazing organic farm - Umaid Lake Palace in Dausa
- we had a cooking lesson (stir-fry veg, naan bread in the clay oven) and then we tried on Sari's and the guys donned turbans.

Dausa - Jaipur (96 km) - Stage 5

The riding thus far has been flat, flat, flat.  When we gain elevation it's from going over overpasses. The roads are everything imaginable - new highway with a nice shoulder that we share with many - traveling the direction of traffic optional; highway under construction; is that really a road? - cobble stone, rocks, dirt....  I thought I was going to chatter my teeth out of my head on our 3rd day for a good portion of the ride (described as "broken pavement"!!).

Entering towns is really interesting - the bigger the busier and when we have a "Chai or coke stop" we can become the center of attention....  The locals are very curious about our bikes and where we are from, where we have been and where we are going.

Stopping for a photo op, then you become the spectacle!

Here's a sample of our daily ride directions - 

we have a riders meeting each night and everyone madly copies and photographs the white board in prep for the next morning.  Cristiano gives us the highlights and the approximate location of the lunch stop.   

Coolness on a TDA ride is when you're making your way through a town, look to your right and see a number of women in beautiful coloured sari's coming down the steps of a Temple and the music starts for the wedding march of the bride to the wedding reception!!  You follow the procession and take it all in....

Ciao, Cindy

TAJ MAHAL

THE TAJ MAHAL

Namaste!!

Our first rest day is in Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal - this is definitely one of the highlights of the tour for me.  I'm so excited to see it.

It is breathtaking!  I was a bit emotional upon entering when you consider it was built for the King's wife out of love (after she died giving birth to their 14th child).  I was taking photos and a man started to point out various vantage points for good angles and light - I think the photos turned out well.  We booked a tour guide for our group and it was worth it.  Nice to get some of the history around the actual building and the surroundings.  

After the tour we also went to see a marble factory where they continue the art of carving the marble and inlaying semiprecious stones.  This is how the Taj Mahal is decorated and it's beautiful.

In the early evening there was music coming from the street, so Dennis and I ventured out to see what was happening as the bazaar that is close to our hotel is closed Tues.  The music was from a HinduTemple.  We were ushered in, removed our shoes and did some dancing, offered Puja and a small amount of money.  The music was non-stop - people sat and listened, got up, danced - it was wonderful.

Offering Puja

Dancing to the live music, the musicians are all sitting down behind these happy dancers

Before entering the Temple you purchase sweets and flowers to offer to the Temple God

Next up - 3 riding days and then the Pink City of Jaipur!

Ciao, Cindy