Boxing Day -
After breakfast Pradeep took us to Mehrangarh Fort. The fort is the one you see in all the tour guides, red stone, tiny screened windows and balconies.
The Fort is beautiful and sweeps you back to another time of veiled ladies, twinkling mirrors and marauding men. It is proudly restored by the royal family and managed with the right amount of sideshows and hawkers.
We then visited Jaswant Thada, Rajasthan's Taj Mahal made with near translucent marble.
After lunch at 'On the rocks' seemingly a popular venue for western and local tourists we went to a polo match.
The idea was recommended by the hotel owner, a former player, who proudly showed us his photograph of Prince Phillip meeting his father. The hotel walls are adorned with original sepia photographs of a bygone era.
Mr Singh informed us that the umpire today is English. We arrive at the enormous field and walk along to see the horses. A guy with a familiar southern accent asks us if we're English and we ask him to explain the rules briefly. He tells us he used to play but now he umpires and coaches a little.
The polo is really enjoyable, we watch the final two chukkas of a game in play, then a new game between Desert Warriors and Southern Stars.
Back at Ratan Villas we do some research on Jason Dixon, the umpire - just happens he does know a bit about the game of kings, he is former Captain of England's polo team.
I forgot to comment on this one: it gives a cinematic mental image of twinkling mirrors and veiled ladies. my history leaves to be desired, so don't know about the marauding men.
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