Jodhpur - The Blue City

Our next stop on our Rajasthani tour was the city of Jodhpur, where the sites (and smells) are nothing short of dramatic.



This was the view of the fort from our hotel. It stood above the city on a hilltop, overlooking the whole town (more on that later).



Usually you have to pay an entrance fee to enter the fort, but somehow we managed to sneak in the back entrance. And by back entrance I mean a giant doorway that stood open, with a security guard and a sign posting stating the cost of admission, but no one there collecting money. Again, we're breaking all the rules...



The fort was massive and formidable. There were beautiful gardens and foliage surrounding the walkways as we climbed toward the summit.



It was also a functional fort, as you can see from the numerous cannonball marks. For those of you having trouble finding them, they are circled for your convenience.



Some of the incredible intricate detailing on the walls and windows.



Just one of the fort's defenses.



A window onto the Blue City.



We managed to capture an impromptu game of cricket on one of the rooftops as we looked down over the city from the fort. Look closely and you can even see the ball flying through the air!



Jodhpur is intensely crowded; the old part of the city is navigable only through a network of alleys that are full with pedestrians, shops, autorickshaws, and, of course, cows. There are also open sewers through much of the city, which along with the cows packs quite a olfactory punch!