Monday, 22 October 2012

Rajasthan - 2nd leg, Jaisalmer

After Bikaner we headed out to Jaisalmer, 6 hours of driving through the desert.  Dry yellow soil and small bushes dot the landscape.  Houses are small and square and look like they are made of mud.  Occasionally we see a lone man or woman in the desert tending a group of goats.  We arrive at the camel farm - only 80 kms from the Pakistani border so there are quite a few military personnel and buildings here.

In the evening we got to ride camels through the desert for several hours.  Kenna and I are riding 'Lulu' and Cole and Chuck are riding 'Disco'.  

 


 


That night we had a traditional desert meal - dahl, naan, black bread and whole bunch of other things I didn't recognise - but everything  tasted great.  We enjoyed a traditional concert- music on the sitar and tabla, singing, dancing and fire breathing!  Kenna and Chuck slept on cots under the stars and Cole and I slept in a hut with a cloth roof. 

The next day we visited the fort - built in 1156.  The fort follows the contours of the hill with 99 towers.  Over 3000 people still live within this city - selling trinkets and running restaurants and hotels in the maze like alleys.   
 
 The palace within the fort is 7 storeys and was decorated with gems, gold leaf, rugs and paintings. The design of the palace is impressive with coutyards, windows and hallways placed throughout to ensure the flow of cool air throughout the building.


 

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