The day started with sunrise yoga.  We are in the high desert, so the mornings are cool and the daytime temperatures comfortably warm and sunny with no humidity.  This morning, as we did yoga, a peacock landed nearby, flocks of crows flew overhead, as did parrots.  Last night, we did yoga to the sound of trains in the distance and to the sound of crickets in the nearby grass.

After yoga and breakfast, the first stop of the day was to Jaswant Thada, a mausoleum built by a queen in 1899 in memory of her husband, Maharaja Jaswant Singh.  This marble structure is beautiful and the views of the “Blue City” are impressive from this lofty site:

Gorgeous marble columns on the outside of the mausoleum:

Views of the Blue City of Jodhpur.  Many of the houses are blue and it is thought that the color blue keeps the houses cool.  The coolness is essential as summer temperatures can get into the 100s:

Inside the mausoleum, you can see the light coming through the marble!  The thick marble is transparent and wonderfully luminescent, just like in the Taj Mahal, in some parts of this structure.

A beautiful young Rajasthani family.  This young couple was sitting at a cafe and had just ordered lassi drinks.  Their adorable and happy daughter has her eyes rimmed in kohl, thought to beautify the eyes. She also has a smudge of kohl on her face (forehead) to ward off the evil eye.  The smudge is thought to not look beautiful so the “Evil Eye” would be tricked into thinking this child is unattractive and would then not bother to want to take this child from their parents nor do the child harm.  I really love this photo!

Mehrangarh Fort is set on a high hill overlooking Jodhpur.

The enclosed palaces are intricately adorned with long carved panels and latticed windows exquisitely wrought from red sand stone.  This fort has a huge museum inside, housing a marvelous collection of artifacts owned by the royal family and beautiful Mogul miniature paintings that have toured the world, including the Seattle Art Museum. It was a show called Cosmos and Garden.

The women of the royal court looked out into the courts from behind latticed windows.

The royal bedroom (The floor is painted and looks carpeted.  The room is mirrored so a single oil lamp could light up the room):

The Flower Room where entertainment (dance, music, poetry) took place (gold ceiling):

A vendor in the market. Color, color, color!!!  Beautiful textiles. This place is shopping heaven.

And finally a visit to the famous Maharani textile warehouse…wals-to-wall, rooms and rooms filled to the brim with incredible works of art, table runners, table cloths, bed spreads, scarves, etc…You name it, they have it.  Beautifully hand crafted work.  I was without my wallet so have to make a trip back here tomorrow to do some shopping (Linda Teri: this is THE shop I told you about!!):