Bollywood

Today we spent in and around Jaipur. Our bus took us to the Amber Fort, stopping at the roadside for a picture of the fort and a photo opportunity as we watched a snake charmer entice a young cobra out of the basket. Some of our group freaked out when they saw it but it was a very small cobra. The elephant trip was up to the fort and we nearly enjoyed it. We did feel like Maharajas as we made our way uphill and into the courtyard. The Amber Fort is now government owned and the present maharajah (a token title) lives in the fort further up the hill. He no longer has the power his ancestors had. The building is very beautiful, decorated with frescoes painted into the lime plaster, and they are amazingly fresh for pictures done several hundred years ago. Very little is left of the internal furnishings which is a pity as the main rooms, including,the harem, must have been luxurious.

Our lunch stop was called Indiana, a restaurant founded by a local man who was sent to Indianapolis University in 1945 to become an engineer. He worked all over America then came home in 1998 to set up the restaurant. One of our party was a student at Indianapolis and was thrilled to meet him. He must be in his 80's.



We then had the afternoon free for shopping or just resting in the hotel, before meeting at 6.00 to go by auto rickshaw to one of the largest cinemas in India. It was a magnificent building, full of glitz and glamour. We soon found that the audience really entered into the spirit of the show, cheering for both the hero and the villain. It was a 3 hour film which is the current blockbuster hit in India. Despite a few Bollywood dances and lots of loud music, it was quite violent with both the hero and the villain dying in the last act and his wife and half the cast being wiped out! Not a happy ending but a great experience and a few dance moves have been learned. We had a smaller meal tonight, a delicious filled crispy pancake from South India called dosa, very filling and cheap. We'll know what to ask for when we get to Kerala.