Karen & David's travel

Today is basically a travel day from the desert to Jodhpur.  We stopped at Osian to check out some temples.  As I was heading to what I thought were a group of temples, some suspicious looking guy yelled at me and told me to go the other way.  Since my driver asked me to follow him, I did; and so I just found myself a spot guide.  He turned out ok - took me to the temples, waited patiently while I took my pictures, told me what I can and cannot do, etc.  His facts might not be 100% correct, but he got me to the temples.  When we got back to the car, he took me to the group of temples that I was heading to originally ... they were just ruins! The Sachiya Mata Temple has 16 spectacular arches at the entrance way.  Unfortunately somebody decided to put a blue tarp on top to shield people from the sun and a railing in the middle ... and thus they were not spectacular anymore!  The Jain temples turned out to be better ... I was the only one ...

Havelis in Bikaner So I started my tour of Bikaner by taking a tuk tuk ride to see the havelis - which are in the middle of the old town and is not accessible by car.  The driver is good ... we were brushing past cows, people, other motor cycles and cars, making harrowing turns and squeezing through impossible space. And we went through a busy bazaar and down many small alleys.  It was an incredible and exciting experience, one that words cannot adequately describe - you have to experience it yourself! Gorgeous havelis with their intricate stone carvings. Anup Mahal -  Hall of Private Audience in Junagarh Fort in Bikaner Golden swing set Beautiful stone lattice work for women to hide behind so they can see what's going on outside without being seen! I used the audio guide to tour the fort and palace.  It was OK, but not as exciting as it was described in the guide books ...  maybe because ...