After traveling thousands and thousands of miles from my home country (Germany) here I, landed in Rajasthan with my wife 'Jennifer' and daughter 'Amelia'. Till now, what I know about Rajasthan was-- that it is a "land of the Kings, (Maharajas)".
After coming to Delhi and staying there over night, we boarded a plane for Jaipur-'The Pink City of Rajasthan' - the other name for the city, as was told by our tour operator. Here, I would like to give my special thanks to the 'Rajasthan Holidays Tour Operators' who made our stay in India the most memorable one. We reached Jaipur City in the morning -the journey was quite comfortable one. The weather was very pleasant with a clear sky, The aroma and charm of the city were enough to raise the zest in us and our sprits were ready to baptize into this 'New World'. After having a lavish breakfast at our hotel and relaxing for some time we headed out to the beautiful 'pink city'. The city is exquisitely painted in the shade of pink--- maintaining the façade of the days of old. It is simply breathtaking!

First Day
Our first destination was Amber Fort- situated on the outskirts of the city. Throughout our journey 'Bhima'- our guide up dated us on the history of Jaipur City as well as its forts and palaces. To my amazement, the fort was perched on quite an elevated height and the best part was the elephant safari up to the fort. Little Amelia was very excited to ride an elephant.

"My -My", my wife exclaimed!! The sheer enormity of the Amer Fort took our breaths away. Girdled by huge barricades and watchtowers, the fort was constructed by the Kachhawa Rajputs. 'Bhima' emphasized on the architectural splendor of the fort-- a delectable mix of Hindu and Iranian artistry. The Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors) was another attraction of the fort, completely embellished with an exquisite array of resplendent mirrors, reflecting the sun rays thus, shimmering the entire halls.

It easily took us two hours to explore the entire fort. Its museum, temple, moat, cannons and architecture showcase the splendor of a bygone era.

On the route to Jai Garh, we took a halt at the most beautiful bee-heaved structure, known as 'Hawa Mahal or The Palace of Winds'. It is a multi-layered palace with a vibrating number of windows and stone screens. I was quite surprised to know that the palace was basically constructed for the royal ladies to enjoy the bustling bazaars down the palace. Amelia was absolutely stun listening the captivating stories of 'Bhima'---and couldn't stop asking, "why those ladies didn't come to the streets to enjoy the markets, why they use to peep through these small windows,..........?. She had endless list of questions, ultimately, Bhima stopped her inquests by saying - "India has a diverse culture"! Our visit to the Jal Mahal - a ravishing palace amidst the lake was also worth, but we couldn't stay there for a long.

We reached Jai Garh situated on a hilltop, built by Raja Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur City. "This was more known as the treasure collection zone, where the royal treasures use to be guarded- a fabulous amount of wealth"! Added by Bhima.
For that day it was all, we were very tired and therefore reached our hotel in the evening to get an early sleep--- to enjoy the morning feast of Jaipur.

Second Day
Next morning we visited Birla Mandir, a dazzling temple made of marble, dedicated to Lord Vishnu- the Goddess of Hindus, surrounded by its panoramic gardens. We also visited the Jantar Mantar - a famous observatory based on all science studies and the City Palace- a royal palace famous for its artifacts, where the royal family is still residing.
The shopping at Jaipur was a thrill, there were bustling bazaars thronged with people holding the royal charm. Seeing that much crowed on the market streets, poor Amelia was scared and wanted to run away from there, but later on she was little normal and was also enjoying shopping from the hackers lane. She collected some items for her beautiful long hair and bead necklaces, whereas my wife was busy bargaining (important aspect in your shopping) as told by 'Bhima'. She has almost emptied my wallet.

Rajasthan's arts and crafts have an ethnic appeal that is truly irresistible. Its pottery, jewelry, metalwork and textiles are all characterized by an earthy feel and vibrant colors. In fact, Rajasthan's handicrafts are reflective of its rich cultural heritage.

Finally, we were off to our last destination for the day - we drove to Choki Dhani,- a 5-star ethnic village resort. It is some thing not to be missed sight if you really want to enjoy true Rajasthan culture and its cuisine. All three of us enjoyed the typically Rajasthani cuisine, the food was limitless, and the attendants were so courteous that not for a minute we find our plates empty--- there was endless course of food which was not having any end-my wife got so conscious after eating such a rich food that she started complaining of putting on more calories.

The resort portrayed the small model of a typical Rajasthani village, replete with huts, folk dancers and singers, camel and bullock-cart rides, arts and crafts, even a magician! My wife and Amilia both enjoyed the traditional dances performed by the local artisans. Their dresses, jewelry were of quite interest for my wife and even she didn't hesitate inquiring about their whereabouts.
We were totally spellbound by all the allures and even spending there more then two hours, seemed too less for us.

Reflection of Jaipur City
Jaipur was a unique experience. The palaces and the forts were almost spirituous. I came away thoroughly wonder struck by the grandeur of Jaipur - an ancient land that has so much to offer, in terms of its natural splendor, royalty, culture and traditions besides its busy life.