On the way back from the Amber Fort to Jaipur we stop at the Lakshmi Narayan Temple. It has many beautiful marble carvings, but photography is not permitted inside the temple or around the entrance where any part of the interior might be visible. We are not sure who this is, above.

A few of us decide to splurge on lunch at the Rambagh Palace, which has operated as a luxury hotel since 1957. Originally built in 1835, it served as a hunting lodge and retreat for several members of the Singh family. Madho Singh II added squash and tennis courts, a polo field and an indoor swimming pool, to make it the complete pleasure palace. All of these amenities survive to make the hotel a spectacular luxury resort. In 2009 it was rated the best hotel in the world by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. We have an excellent lunch, and then explore the grounds, which include a train that used to bring royals to the palace, and some vintage vehicles preserved from the time the palace was converted to a hotel.

Our evening meal is at the home of a Rajput family. We meet many of the family members and are given a tour of the house, which is located just off of a busy street. The house completely surrounds a courtyard, and the sounds of the city are almost entirely muted there and in the home.. We linger after dinner for a bit more conversation before returning to our hotel.