A fabulous city built out of red sandstone by the Moghul emperor Akbar was inhabited briefly – abandoned because of droughtThe fabulous diwan-i-khas, where Akbar held audiences from above.In the distance the tomb of Akbar’s favourite elephant. The elephant was also the royal executioner – stomping the condemned to death. The tower has stone spikes each one felt to represent a victim!This magnificent gate that now houses a mosque has an inscription written in the sandstone down the side that translates “The world is a bridge, pass over it, but build no houses upon it. He who hopes for a day, may hope for eternity; but the World endures but an hour. Spend it in prayer for the rest is unseen.’

Then off to Ranthambore, stopping for tea along the way.In Ranthambore we stayed at a fabulous lodge – the Khem Villas http://www.ranthamborenationalpark.com/hotel-resorts-khem-vilas.htmlWe clearly weren’t the first to find it!We were here to see TIGERS – we headed off in a jeep and did not see any! Then back to Khem Villas where we listened to our fellow guests show us iPhone pics of tigers surrounding there vehicles 😦 Regardless we did see a lot of beautiful animals.Monkeys, wild boars, kingfisher (just like on the bottles of Indian beer!), peacocks and a mongooses (?mongeese??) . In the afternoon we tried again – first a leopard!and finally …. a couple of young tigers hidden by their mom in the grass! Hard to see! but wonderful