By motor and elephant to the deserted city of Amber, 6 miles north of the new city – a fortress containing a wonderful palace and Hindu temple and surrounded by a wall climbing up the hills with look-out towers at intervals. Some of the rooms are still magnificent with marble carvings and mica decoratins although deserted over 200 years ago. It is said that the Ruler, Emperor Sawai Jai Singh II, visited Constantinople and saw a city on the level with long broad streets running parallel with each other. On his return to Amber he determined to descend to the plains and build a similar city. Amber is beautifully situated and the cost of building the fort, walls, palace and other fine buildings must have been enormous. Our elephant, “Josephine,” gave us the old sensation of being in a small boat on a choppy sea and enjoyed her “jaggery” and basket as well on reaching the top of the hill. After lunch we visited the Maharajah’s Palace, stables and gardens and saw his at exercise. Visited the Gem Palace and then to the hotel where there were more gem merchants – immense stocks of precious stones laid out on the steps of the hotel.
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