Where my feet have been

 In recent years, I've definitely started taking photos of my feet more regularly whilst travelling. Tonight, I went through all the photos I have on my computer and realised that I had actually started this trend in 2008 when I was in China. It's been interesting looking over where my feet have stood over the last 7 years, and how disappointed I am that I didn't take more prior to 2011. I wish, for example, that I had photos of the cool boots I bought in Harbin, of my feet hanging over the edge of the Chinese/North Korea border, or on the great wall. But I still have the memories of those so that will suffice, and I will continue to document all my future journeys. Looking up is definitely important, but I really like pictures of where my feet have taken me!  

Sanya, China

Changsha, China

Seoul, Korea

NakSeongDae, Seoul

SeoulDae, Seoul

Seoul, Korea

Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei, Taiwan

Daebang, Seoul

Krabi, Thailand

Phuket, Thailand

Railey Beach, Thailand

Phuket, Thailand

Incheon, Korea

Everland, Korea

GyungBukGung, Seoul

ChangDeokGung, Seoul

DongJeongJin, Korea

Gangnam, Seoul

Jeju, Korea

BorYeong, Korea

Seoul, Korea

Airport Subway, Seoul

Suzhou, China

Moscow, Russia

Irkutsk, Russia

Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw, Poland

Cologne, Germany

Epping, Essex

Tenerife, Canary Islands

Brittany, France

Tower Hill, London

Essex, England

Edinburgh, Scotland

Florence, Italy

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain

Sailsbury, England

Sailsbury, England

Bloomsbury, London

The Hague, Netherlands

The Hague, Netherlands

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Essex, England

Jaipur, India

Agra, India

On the way to Nepal, India

Bloomsbury, England

The Amber Fort

We passed it on the bus journey to Jaipur, all of us snapping photos out of the windows as we sped past. A dusty looking orange complex of buildings set high up on a hill, overlook a placid lake below. The next day, shepherded back onto our bus, we travelled back to this structure, tour guide in tow and cameras at the ready.

This was the Amber For (pronounced Amer Fort). We were offered Elephant rides to the top, which having experienced twice before (Here and here) I wasn't exactly enthused by. Thankfully when everyone else realised the size of the queue we decided to sack off the idea and walk up. 

Our guide took us around the four sections, stopping to give us information about each one. History and traditions that I have since forgotten. The impressions and feelings conjured whilst visiting places remain while facts and figures are lost to me. Parts of the Fort were beautiful, clever in design and reverent to their spiritual nature. However, I wasn't exactly blown away by the Amber Fort. And especially when compared with the beauty of the Taj Mahal. This fort was build primarily as a military structure, with safety and security as it's purpose. It was never supposed to be a stunning structure set up on the hill. Perhaps I should have listened to the historical commentary more closely, but after the stunning temples and palaces of South East Asia, I guess I had been spoilt into expecting beauty in royal/religious buildings.

The view that women would have been permitted when this was a working palace.