Qutab Minar

We drove today from Delhi in the Indian state of Haryana southwest to Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthap, a drive of about 5 hours with about an extra hour for lunch. Our first photo stop was at the Qutab Minar, a victory tower built in 1193 to commemorate the defeat of Delhi’s last Hindu kingdom. It is a World Heritage Site.

On the Road

On the way to Jaipur, we passed many homeless people and camps. A very sad sight.

On the Road

We also started seeing many stray cows including these walking along the road.

On the Road

We also passed the “peeing wall,” a sight that I just didn’t get used to seeing.

On the Road

We also drove past a large city with modern apartment buildings though I do not know its name. These show an expanding middle class in India.

Lunch

We ate lunch at an Indian restaurant on the road. The Indian food we had was very good though I wish I had become more familiar with it before I traveled to India as I did not know what most of the food was. This dish in the photo was ordered for me by two tourmates who knew Indian food. It is called thali and is of different kinds of Indian bread (or sometimes rice) that you dip into various sauces. So very very good.

On the Road

Cows were often seen on the side of the roads. Cows are set free when they stop giving milk, but cows are not used for food even when they naturally die.

On the Road

We also started seeing camels that are used to pull wagons.

On the Road

There was also some very pretty scenery in the countryside that we drove through.

On the Road

Cows and also goats and sometimes pigs are seen eating from the trash left on the sidewalks and roads and elsewhere.

On the Road

Homeless tents along the road.

Jaipur

Arriving at the city of Jaipur, known as the “Pink City.” It was painted pink in 1876 to celebrate the visit of the Prince of Wales. The city was built by the Mughal Savai Jai Singh II, with work beginning in 1727.

Jaipur

The most famous building in Jaipur: the Hawa Mahal. It is part of the palace and was built as a high screen wall to allow the royal household women to view the street without being seen.

Gem Store

After checking into our hotel, we were taken to a gem store which not only sold jewelry but also items made from jade, etc.

Entertainment at Dinner–Movie

We were entertained at our buffet dinner at our hotel.

Night Shopping

After dinner, we went to the Jaipur shopping street. Many very nice things to buy in India including scarves, jewelry, clothing, bedspreads, handbags, and artwork.

I put the rest of my photos on two slideshows:

http://www.peggysphotos.com/day4a–delhi–to–jaipur/

http://www.peggysphotos.com/day4b–delhi–to–jaipur/

(Slide Shows, Asia, India, Days 4a and 4b, Delhi to Jaipur.)