Hello everybody!
Today was indescribable, but I will try to pay it the justice it is due. After breakfast at one of the nicest hotels any of us have every stayed in, we drove to the ancient capital of Amber. This area is just outside Jaipur. It was here that we saw the Amber Fort. The fort was constructed in the 17th century. Before the city palace was constructed in Jaipur, Amber was the seat of power. The fort was beautiful. There were levels of ramps leading up to the main area. It sits on a large area of land and the sun looks like it was made to cover the fort.
To reach the top of the fortress we rode an elephant up the ramps! The elephant ride was about twenty minutes long. You always think an elephant is big, but when you are riding on top of when you realize it is huge! The elephant behind us kept spraying water out of its trunk.
After being let off of the elephant we were able to see the top of the fortress which consisted of courtyards and halls. Each room was unique and beautiful. The walls had paintings and semi precious stones lay in the walls. My favorite room was the Sheesh Mahal, meaning hall of mirrors. A single lamplight is reflected in many mirrors and will light up the entire room. This also allowed the room to keep heat in during the chilly nights. This hall of mirrors was so beautiful and each mirror was imported to India to complete the room.
The day grew hotter as we visited the city of Jaipur. We visited the City Palace and the palace of winds. The day was very busy and filled with laughter, good conversation, growing bonds and most importantly an unforgettable experience.