Jaipur, day two (01.03.08)

It's Friday, 15.02.08. At 9 the hotel owner knocks to our door. He says we need to leave, because he wants to clean the room. Ha! No way! Check in is at 10 – that's what says the writing on the wall near the entrance. And he said so yesterday, as well. Several times. Ok, all we can do is to hurry up.

Soon we leave the hotel with our luggage. In the way towards the Old City we pop in... McDonald's. To use the normal toilet. At this time there are tourists only. The Indians usually visit McD in evenings.

It's time to discover the hidden charm of Jaipur! It might be difficult as I'm still ill, the sun is spreading its arms even further and the backpack is getting heavier with every step. Doesn't matter. Fortunately, the traffic is not so bad as last night. Although the air is still full of dust. That's normal.
We enter the gate of the Pink City and walk towards Nehru Bazaar, which is connected with Bapu Bazaar. Small shops are situated in old buildings with orange walls. Neglected. Damaged. Everywhere similar products are sold – jewelery, scarfs, saris, punjabis, bags, spices and “European” clothes. Almost each shop keeper presents us their goods, block our way with scarfs and push them in front of our eyes.
„Look madam! Just look! Looking is not buying!”
Yeah, right. I've heard thousands times. Well, I think I should buy some gifts for my family and friends. But there's really nothing that would be appropriate. All right, there are few things. But the worst thing is, that even a few-second-stay in front of a shop window means that you'll probalby be pushed inside the shop. And now the ceremony starts. The shop keeper make us sit down, shows us a variety of colours and patterns. When Paulina buys tiny hindu clothes for his god-child, the seller persuades me to try sari on. Well, all right. Trying on is all I can do. In fact, I thought I would leace India with beautiful new sari. But now I changed my mind. Where would I wear it back in Poland? Anyway, I just try it on. Wow. The long blue piece of clothe is being wrapped around me. Cool. It costs 600 rupees. It's not about the price. I just don't want to. Although it look gorgeous.
Next shops, persuasion, and pestering to buy next goods again. We were supposed to go sightseeing. But before I reach the first monument I'm already equipped with new scarf, tunic an masala... Paulina's also bought many things. Maybe even more. I think I'm already fed up with this city. Maybe it's because of the fever. I need to escape this colorful labirynth, this mazy street full of stalls, see something more attractive. But it's not that easy. hawa Mahal - the place we want to reach - is situated near the bazaars.

It's the next time that I'm completely astonished by the Indian pavements. If they do appear - they're completely blocked by motorcycles, baggers, full of
rubbish, damaged or being modernised/built. And the next thing - the pissing Indians. I notice them in every city. They're squirting on the streets, everywhere, always, in any time of the day. I know, I have written about it already.
Finally, having lost our way in the labyrynth of streets (the map was useless again), we reach Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Wind. The entrance costs 50 rupees. On the way to the building we met an Israeli couple. The man comes from Poland, he had two Polish wives, now he's married to an Israeli woman. He speaks Polish a little bit. Nice. We talk with them shortly and then we split, quite accidentally. Each of us visits the Palace in a different way.
The building has 5 levels, the walls are pink, orange, white or pink, and it's full of cosy nooks. The Palace was built by Maharaja Sawaj Pratap Singh. He did for the ladies-in-waiting, so that they could watch the city life through the beautiful windows. Oh, so generous it was.

We climb to the last floor. There's a tiny terrace and a wonderful view of the whole city. I've found it! The charm of Jaipur is right here! Far away from noisy streets, annoying sellers, pestering rikshaw-men. I don't mind the sun anymore, either. There are mountain hills far away in the distance, tiny bicycle underneath, little shops, orange-pink walls of the buildings. And everything would be just fantastic if the group of Indian boys stopped gathering around us. Anyway. We ignore them and continue our trip around the Palace, walking through the white arches and up to the next terrace. This time without the view. It's time to relax. Stuff myself with plenty of medicines. The fever doesn't make the sightseeing easier at all...