Day #15: Blue City
Jodhpur,
This city sounded like sweet music to our ears. For the first time after our wedding (08/09) we were heading for a real break. We had booked a five starts hotel called Raas. This oasis was located at the centre of the noisy and labyrinth-like Blue city. Our first days in India were intense and led us to absorb city after city the essence of Rajasthan with their vibrant colours, strong smells, infinite number of new faces, loud noises, and spicy flavours. Now our mind and body needed some rest.
We arrived by night bus at 4.30 am. The unthinkable happened: we got to see Jodhpur deserted. The chaos was sleeping for once. This peace and quiet was a great sign and the exact feeling we were looking for. Nevertheless, streets looked soulless and even dirtier. There is no doubt that most of the beauty of India is made by the chaos of its people. We could now understand how India's chaos was a good and a bad thing at the same time. Beauty would be found in the frontier of both: balance.
Raas is a very beautiful red-sand rock palace where traditional and modern architecture meet. It is located just at the bottom of Jodhpur Fortress’ hill, making its location a breathtaking view spot. Some of the elements that made this place special for us were: its comfortable swimming pool area, its marvellous spa, its innovative herbal infused drinks and our room 336. This oasis was hidden behind a big white door that separate the chaotic hell of the streets and the heaven on earth. The hotel had its own herbal garden where herbs were picked for delicious spicy and healthy drinks. The different types of holy basils would give beautiful herbal aromas to this place of relaxation.
We decided to visit the city and fort on the first day so we could take refuge in this oasis for the next 3 days :). At Raas, we did everything to restore our mind and body. From yoga, to different types of massages, scrubs, steaming baths, sleeping all day at the swimming pool and eating in line with our home habits and tolerances. This was a great time to reset our body and restore energy. Thank you mom and dad for giving us a bit of balance with this wedding present!
Besides resting, laziness wasn't our plan for these 3 days so we looked at what experiences Jodhpur could provide us with. We found that the most recommended attraction on Trip Advisor was the “ Flying Fox”, a zipline adventure over the fort gardens and with stunning views of the Blue city. It was a great sunset program and an exciting way to enjoy the beauty of the fort.
Last but not least, we followed the recommendations of my father and booked a cooking class with the Incredible Krishna Cooking. My father was their first client 3 years ago when travelling in India. Since then their business grew and today has become a to-do in Jodhpur. I specially loved this program because it was the best way for me to feel at home and in peace. Cooking makes this trip more human and local for me. Giving me a feeling of grounding. As a chef, it is also an opportunity for me to learn new techniques and recipes. I will share them on future posts. The cooking class took 3h30 with a introduction to the commonly used spices in Rajasthan and a full demonstration of 9 different traditional recipes. We ate some of the dishes while we cooked and the rest for dinner. It was a great informal way to cook and learn. Rekha and Rishi are the couple behind this beautiful business in search for sustaining their family in a happy way and by doing what they love.
