by Debbie Ross
Womens Travel Network founder

Day 07 India tour – Jaipur, City Palace, shopping in the local market Bollywood Movie and dinner at the Exotic Marigold Hotel

This morning we visited the Jantar Mantar, the largest of the five remarkable observatories representing the high points of medieval Indian astronomy and the City Palace, a former royal residence built in a blend of the Rajasthani and Mughal styles.  After touring the sites in the city we visited the 5 star Trident hotel where we had an enjoyable lunch.

Back on the bus we head back into the heart of the city to explore the markets where the locals shop. What an experience!  the steets are filled with people going about their daily lives, the traffic hums in the back ground, motorcylces, cars, pedicabs, cows and pedestrians all vying for their place on the busy streets.  There are rows and rows of  fabric stores,  the ladies delight in shopping for tops,scarves,pashminas , shoes, bangles and more.

To save time we decide to take pedicabs to the spice market. What a hair raising ride!

IIn the spice market their is a delightful odour coming from the shops and the displays are very colourful. I enjoy this opportuity to mix in with the lcoals and to observe their daily life. We purchase teas, spices and scented oils.  There’s a great flower market in front of the spice shops. What a colourful sight to see.

We board the bus for our transfer to the jewelry factory. After a demonstration on how their fine products are made we are taken to the show room to shop for jewelry. Our shopping expedition over, we head back to the hotel to change for dinner and get ready for a Bollywood movie. Our movie of choice is Hey Bro, a comedy spoken only in Hindy. The actors are quit attractive and the music and dancing are a treat.  

Dinner this evening is at the Narayan Niwas Palace Hotel. This fabulous hotel is where they filmed the movie “Exotic Marigold Hotel”.  Dinner is in a covered tent on the lawn of the hotel.  The night air is warm, the full moon shining down on us and musicians and dancer entertain us with their tradtonal music and dance.  This is a special evening for one of our girls, it’s Rowena’s birthdya. Everyone is happy to celebrate this joyous occasion.  This has been a long, busy, fun filled day.