“Jaipur is known as the pink city and for good reason. Much of the city is painted pink as it is the color of hospitality in India. It is rich in heritage and explodes in the summer with beautiful and unique festivals." ~ SpotDekho

A move from the Amer (Amber) Palace outside of town...

to Jaipur in 1727 required a new palace to be constructed...

where quite the welcoming committee awaits.

Inside the City Palace...

the Diwan-I-Aam, where the Maharajah would welcome a public audience...

now offers a regal spot for the pigeons to perch,

and also an art gallery.

For Ren Man's amusement there were more cannons...

although the 'keepers' were not amused.  Ha!

The inner courtyard of the Chandra Mahal

 has four gates symbolizing the four seasons and Hindu Gods.

Autumn is portrayed by the Peacock Gate...

while the Rose Gate (not captured😕) is Winter...

 A Green Gate with waves stands for Spring...

while the Lotus Gate represents Summer.

All so beautiful!

The clock tower was an early 20th century addition...

to the palace complex.

 A few streets away is the Hawa Mahal, 

or Palace of Winds (or Breeze),

built in 1799.

These tiny window openings are actually the back of the Palace

 and allowed the royal women to watch everyday life and festivals

 without their faces being seen.

For the color overload alone...

I would suggest Bar Palladio... 

 as one stand out restaurant...

and bar in Jaipur.

 I mean...

really!!!

Love.it.

There was not enough time to truly shop this amazing city

 so there are rumblings of a girl's trip in the future. 

"Resplendent in the hues of its noble and magnificent past, the historic city of Jaipur stands out as one of the most spectacular and culturally vibrant destinations in the world." ~ Kate Smith

Our visit to Jaipur sealed the deal...

I love India...

and its people!

All modern conveniences take a back seat...

to what has worked for years.

 Our hotel had me at Hello!!!

Samode Haveli welcomed...

and beckoned us...

with hospitality and all.the.colors...

to serene nooks... 

calling my name.

However, we quickly made note of our lovely space... 

and headed out to explore Jaigarh Fort, also know as Victory Fort.

Built to protect Amer Fort and its Palace, 
it is actually connected through subterranean paths to allow escape during war times.

Jaigarh Fort was also one of the worlds most efficient cannon foundries.

Quite an interesting read if you are curious 
about how they melted the iron ore to build these massive cannons.
Ren Man was impressed!

Fortunately, we had a beautiful day
 with an impressive view of the city of Jaipur.

We followed along with a procession to the Amber(Amer in Hindi) Fort and Palace...

but eventually moved ahead...

to monitor their progress from the palace...

as they arrived before the sun began to set.

As we meandered throughout the grounds, 

its opulence... 

explains why the fort is... 

also known as a palace.

Full on ceiling envy ensued in the Hall of Mirrors, so please enjoy.

 Currently, I have a plan for this in my home in Texas. Ha!

A few photo shoots were going on...

 while we were there,
 and their timing was perfect...

to catch the amazing sunset...

which accentuated the red sandstone.

Known for its artistic Hindu style elements...

it is constructed also of marble.

With views of Jaipur to the southwest...

and the city of Amer to the north...

every view is worth a closer look.

Our later than expected drive back to Jaipur...

allowed us to see the Jal Mahal, The Water Palace at dusk.
Once a shooting lodge for the Maharaja,
it is now enjoyed from a distance only.