My second week in India was all play, no work! It took a lot of planning to decide where else to go in India. A week is such a short amount of time, so I didn’t want to travel to more than one city. Should I stay in the southern part of the country and explore more around Bangalore? Or go up north and experience a totally different part of India? Ultimately, I decided on Jaipur, one of the most popular cities in northern India to visit. Looking back, I may have made a different choice. But, I would have missed out on a few serendipitous experiences that I’ll remember forever.

There’s a saying that anything is possible in India. That saying was true for me during my time in Jaipur.

PATRIKA GATE

First stop – Patrika Gate. This is an insta-famous site in Jaipur, and for good reason. Just look at the vibrant colors and patterns!

HAWA MAHAL

Possibly the most iconic building in Jaipur is the Hawa Mahal, or “Palace of the Winds”. You can read about the history here, if you’re interested. So, now is the time to say something about Jaipur that is not immediately obvious from travel blogs and Instagram. It is 100% true that the architecture in this city is unbelievable. What you don’t see on the internet is that these places are surrounded by traffic, tourists, shop stalls and the beautiful chaos of the city. I guess that’s true to some extent everywhere, but it was even more like this in Jaipur than any other place I’ve ever been. This isn’t a bad thing…it was just surprising.

Here’s a classic shot of the Hawa Mahal.

And here’s the four lane main road in front of the palace. Trust me, it was BUSY.

So don’t believe everything you see on the internet and social media. And maybe hire a really good guide or fixer if you go to Jaipur for photography.

WALKING THROUGH JAIPUR

More than one person advised getting a driver in Jaipur. As an avid walker, I kinda ignored that advice. Bangalore was just fine once I got the hang of it, so how could Jaipur be so different? Well, I was wrong. Even though Bangalore’s traffic is much worse, the traffic patterns and lack of sidewalk space in Jaipur were difficult to navigate. A local would have had no problem at all, but it was tough for me. But I did walk for half of a day…that’s all I had the nerve for! I would LOVE to go back to Jaipur and hire a local guide to walk with me. Even though it was difficult, seeing the city unfold at street level and walking pace was an utter joy.

CITY PALACE

Wow, this place is beautiful! The big draw, if you can find it, is the inner courtyard, or the Pritam Niwas Chouk. Contained within this courtyard are four gates (doors, really) known as Ridhi Sidhi Pol. Each has its own theme and ornate decor. Even if you miss the gates, City Palace is a nice place to explore. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to take the guided tour, which takes you through several interior spaces. Based on the exterior, I imagine that the interior is magnificent.