The ancient Pink City of Jaipur is a desert metropolis, gateway to the vibrant state of Rajastan. By sheer luck we got a bicycle rickshaw-wallah at the Jaipur train station who was a real gem. Krishna was enthusiastic, tireless, and utterly guileless. His broken English was punctuated amusingly as we navigated the crazy city by random comments of “another, another [cow, camel, tourist, elephant, temple…].” He took us home to meet his baby girl Payal along with his wife and sister.
Then we all squeezed into a tuk-tuk (motor-rickshaw) and went to the Monkey Temple. The highlight for us was not the monkeys but the sacred bathing-ghat. 
In another stroke of luck, we wandered that evening right into a parade for a Hindu guru. We were welcomed with open arms, and immediately swept up in the festivities. At one point, Michael found himself riding on the lead cart, seated next to a pair of sadhus. 
We spent a pleasant few days wandering the streets and alleys of the Pink City, exploring vibrant bazaars, discovering neighborhood temples, and visiting the city’s impressive collection of Mughal palaces and forts.
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