Our first night in Jaipur we catch a Bollywood movie, "Rajkumar", at the Raj Mandir cinema. The movie is silly, colourful, violent, funny, and action-packed, as are the crowd, cheering and hooting the hero and heroine on to their inevitable victory over the baddies and romantic union, all with several dance numbers thrown in. It's a film I would probably find vacuous if I understood the dialogue, but works perfectly when I don't.
The following morning, we head to the Jantar Mantar, a giant's astronomy kit, with enormous sundials accurate to one minute and instruments to discern the altitude and azimuth of the sun and constellations. It is like an astronomer's sculpture park of modern-art curves and angles.
Finally we head to the City Palace. It is difficult not to become blase about stunning monuments once you are onto your sixth or seventh, taking on the mien of the stray dogs which loiter disconsolately without intent. Even so, the Pritan Nivas courtyard is beautiful, with four gates carved with animals and set into pink walls for which Jaipur is famous.
At this point, even though the whole group is lovely, I definitely require a break, and relish some free time in the afternoon to float freely into mental space without intrusion.
The following morning, we head to the Jantar Mantar, a giant's astronomy kit, with enormous sundials accurate to one minute and instruments to discern the altitude and azimuth of the sun and constellations. It is like an astronomer's sculpture park of modern-art curves and angles.
Finally we head to the City Palace. It is difficult not to become blase about stunning monuments once you are onto your sixth or seventh, taking on the mien of the stray dogs which loiter disconsolately without intent. Even so, the Pritan Nivas courtyard is beautiful, with four gates carved with animals and set into pink walls for which Jaipur is famous.
At this point, even though the whole group is lovely, I definitely require a break, and relish some free time in the afternoon to float freely into mental space without intrusion.
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