Rajastan Part 2

Ok, I'm feeling so much better!
Rajastan is a state in India & Jaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur are all cities in Rajastan. Zahra and I went to Jaipur and Pushkar, today I'm in Jodhpur and leaving tonight for Jaisalmer. I've been staying at the Havali Inn Palace, this place is so cool. A Havali is a palace, this building is 200 years old and has been converted into 2 hotels. There's a roof top terrace restaurant where I've spent a lot of time trying to get better w/ views of the fort and the town. Once the sun sets, the noises that come up from the town transport you to another time. In one corner you'll hear drums for a while, then someone will turn hindi singing on from a loud speaker and right now, the muslim call to prayer just started, so beautiful arabic is being sung throughout the city. All this of course amongst the constant horn honking :)

Most of the cities in India are similar, but it's when you get outside the bigger towns is where the character of India shines. I think that's why I like Jodhpur...and Rajastan for that matter. The towns are smaller and have more character, people are friendlier although I still get hassled and stared at but so does every tourist :) and everyone is selling the 'best' textiles and spices in town, so shop keepers are constantly trying to draw you into their stores...but you get used to it. Jodhpur is also known as the blue city b/c so many of the buildings are painted blue. I'd like to tell you some romantic story about it, but there's not - it's actually a termite deterrent that they've used on the buildings - lol!