Jaisalmer, India
The “Golden City”.
Most buildings in Jaisalmer are made of beige sandstone, and the town is overlooked by a large, lived in, fort that looks like a massive sandcastle. The village within the walls of the fort is very medieval looking, with narrow jagged streets, livestock wandering everywhere, and homes made of stone and mud. We had a few days to relax and explore this ancient city.
One night, we wandered through the narrow lanes within the village, until we emerged at one of the many sandcastle towers, complete with canon. There wasn’t another soul around, which is a rare experience for us these days. We watched the sunlight fade over the golden city below.
During the day, the main thing there is to do is shop through the thousands of little stores, or get some custom clothes made. For the fun of it, I got fitted for a traditional Indian skirt and top. It was ready within a few hours, and only cost around $5!
Another night, we wandered the lanes until we emerged at a rooftop restaurant, to have a couple of warm beers as we watched the sun set. 5 young boys entertained us with energetic singing, Bollywood-style dancing, and traditional instruments. That’s where we met up with a Dutch couple, and joined them for dinner, taking a break from the usual tour group gathering. We went to a home-style restaurant in the fort, which turned out to literally be someone’s home. We went up some stairs, to find 3 shabby looking tables with dilapidated chairs. The chef/waitress was an old lady who couldn’t quite make it up the stairs, so we had to go downstairs to order and to pick up our food. It definitely felt like an authentic Indian experience.
