Breakfast in the garden to the dulcet tones of a citar player.
Some of our group had an early start hot air ballooning. We all set off together at 9.15 in the minibus for the Amber Palace way up on a hill. The bus could only go so far and then we took to jeeps for the rough steep climb to the top.
The views from the top were stunning. We learnt a lot about the king and his wives and corcubines. The architecture was amazing with intricately carved marble and stonework and painted patterns using natural colours.
There were so many wonderful patterns and designs, U couldn’t include them all here.
We had lunch at AARNANDAM restaurant then Dot and I returned by tuktuk to the hotel to rest as the heat was getting to us.
The group met up on the roof garden where the guys had been sharing some Kingfisher beers then Dot and I left in a tuktuk to make our way to a family about half an hour away for our Indian cookery lesson. It was a very bumby and busy ride through the rush hour.
we were finally greeted with garlands placed over our heads and dots on our foreheads. mum and two daughters led us upstairs where we met dad and two young boy helpers.
We sat on a sofa and acquainted ourselves before moving to the kitchen to begin cooking. The tensions left us all as we added herbs and spices and rolled the dough. I was particularly keen to see how to make Masala chai.
After a tasty meal of Lental Dhal with Paneer curry, plain rice, spiced cumin potatoes, followed by Sweet almond balls, and chatting about every possible subject with mother and daughter, we left in an Uber around 9pm.
The driver spent most of the half hour journey texting just leaning on the steering wheel!
