Tucked within the busy streets of Jaipur, is an architectural marvel standing pyramidal 50 feet high—of red and pink sandstone—adorned with 953 jharokha windows designed intricately with latticework. Built in 1799 under the orders of Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the Hawa Mahal ("The Palace of the Winds") was designed by the architect of Jaipur city Lal Chand Ustad and is an example of Rajput Architecture prevalent in the state of Rajasthan. In the olden times, peeking behind those windows were the royal ladies practicing the purdah—observing the happenings on the street without getting seen. The direction to which the windows of Hawa Mahal opens to allows a strong breeze of wind to cool the hallway measuring just the width of an arm.

Aileen and I woke up early to start our day of exploring Jaipur. The day before we arrived on a train from New Delhi and spent the afternoon rummaging through many interesting items at Johri and Bapu bazaars. Surprisingly, the vendors here aren't as annoying as the ones on the previous stops we've had. Yes, they would beckon us to "come take a look inside five minutes", but when we politely say "No, it's alright" they'd smile back and say "no problem"

Jaipur was our 5th stop in India after Kolkata, Varanasi, Agra and New Delhi and I've come to relax my senses and the paranoia of being scammed or the fear of Aileen at being groped—as suggested by many travel warnings I've read online prior to our trip—were almost forgotten. Mainly because since the start of our trip in Kolkata, we've had the good fortune of meeting kind and helpful locals. 

Of course, the touts along the ghats of Varanasi were totally out of this world, but understandably so as they're just plying their boat trade. En route to Jaipur—our first destination in the state of Rajasthan—I quickly noticed the sudden shift of the landscape. The roads are littered with speck of golden dust, the architecture quickly turning to another page and as mentioned, more bazaars selling items escaping suggestions of modernity.

From sarees, pashmina shawls, tunics, scarves, traditional decorated shoes, lehangas in colorful bhandhej, gemstone jewelries, Jaipuri jutis, salwar suits, bedsheets, handcraft items and a lot more, had Aileen almost going mad just by trying to decide which item to buy. 

We arrived near the Hawa Mahal area around 8:30 am. The wind was a bit cold since it is still the tail-end of winter. Good for us, because summer can be hotly unbearable and walking around this weather gave us more time to explore on foot. Being in India this long we've embraced the frenetic street activities and that morning, people on the streets are just starting their day. Shops and offices are slowly starting to open. 

Coming at par with the 'specimen of fanciful architecture' label of Hawa Mahal, the surrounding buildings which also include the nearby City Palace of Jaipur does not disappoint either. There is always these contrasting images that battle it out with our senses each step we take. 

One moment we were walking a narrow street reeking with piss, cow and dove dungs, then a few steps after we will be greeted by a marvelous structure - in this case, the outer wall of the City Palace. There's always a place for chaos and beauty in India as magnified here in the streets of Jaipur. Something that our friend Mina told us, 'will blow your senses away'. 

As a traveler, it is exactly what I intend to experience. Jaipur and the bazaars, Hawa Mahal and later on during this day, the City Palace, the Amber Fort, more street walking and local foods and then some, reinforced me with what I was really expecting of India. 

As I stand across the Hawa Mahal - I imagined the royal ladies of the old days, their faces covered with only their visible sparkling eyes staring back at me. The wind blows across their veil exposing their attractive features and for a rapid stolen moment I locked eyes with one of them. 

Instinctively or intentionally, the giant creature known as the 'creator of all things' strew countless poppy and sunflower seeds over a bowl of water. With a puzzled look on their faces, his guests wondered if these were meant for the hot bread served on the table. Before someone could raise a question, dozens of graceful belly dancers entered the room bringing free flowing wine and soon the purpose of the poppy and sunflower seeds were forgotten. Over time—like thousands of years later—the scattered seeds evolved into thousands of limestone karsts spread over more than 1,500 square kilometers of Ha Long Bay.

I first saw the images of Ha Long Bay in the pages of National Geographic magazines and later, on countless travel books and documentaries. I also got wind about its UNESCO World Heritage Site distinction some time back. Just a few years ago, I still saw Vietnam as a world beyond reach for myself. Because at that time, I strongly felt the need to explore the Philippines first before I set out and see other places abroad. Still, I made a mental list of spots I wanted to see in the near future. And yes, this include seeing Ha Long Bay outside of the fine prints of a glossy magazine page.

Fast forward to December of last year, I found myself in the cold streets of Hanoi shivering in the temperatures hovering around 8 - 10 degrees Celsius. It was so cold I have to wear two layers of cool t-shirts I bought just before I left and a thick Jacket. A few friends told me that winter ain't the best time to see Ha Long Bay. The thick fog enveloping the bay during the first minutes of our sail along the bay, proved their advice to be right on the money. However, there was that scintillating feeling of being chilled by the cold wind, as I stare at the many distant limestone karsts.

One of my 'junk' mates, a Canadian who seemed to notice my uneasiness at the cold. Told me "I traveled halfway around the world to escape from the cold, didn't know it was this cold here". He followed it up with an assurance that it doesn't hold a candle to the coldest day he experienced in Canada. "I remember I was at school when the coldest day on Earth happened, it was negative 40 degrees". While I doubt at his 'coldest day' claim, I am glad I don't live at that part of the Earth.

Our junk boat may look like a beaten crap dating back to the Vietnam War on the outside, but inside it is elegantly designed with dark brown wooden interiors and fine Victorian chairs and tables. All complimenting a simple Oriental architecture. Since I was the only one not forming a couple (there's a Spanish couple, an English couple, a Malaysian couple (whom the Western travelers keep on referring to as "the Chinese couple"), and a gay couple from Canada and Denmark) I was assigned to twin cabin room by myself.

The room was surprisingly not that tiny than I expected, it has two single beds separated by a small table and a cramped up shower room with hot water. The package I got for this Ha Long Bay tour costs around $72.00 and was prepared by my Vietnamese friend Hoang who works at a Sihn Cafe Tourist branch. I know you might say that it's a bit expensive for a two-day shindig. But considering the place, all the meals, tour guide fee, bus transfer from Hanoi and back and the overnight accommodation aboard the iconic 'junk boats' of Ha Long, I find the tour fee just and fair.

Our tour guide whose name I forgot but I would address here as Nguyen was very friendly and speaks better English than myself. When he found out that I was going to Sapa next, he showed me the images from the internet of the snow that fell on Sapa the day before. "You're lucky you are going there with Snow right now". As our junk boat sailed a line towards the inner congregation of crowded limestone karsts we stopped at Titov island to climb hundreds of steps to a view deck that afforded us a magnificent scenery of Ha Long Bay.

A kick-ass 360 degree scenery that reminded me of Matinloc Shrine in El Nido, greeted my huffing and puffing self at the top. Winter or not, I figured there aren't a day that visiting Halong Bay is a bad idea. I was reminded of those moments when I just read and see Ha Long Bay on television and magazines. In that moment, I finally tore the photographs of this place out of my memory and replaced it with moving images complete with the sensation of the stinging cold.

Our last stop-over was an incursion inside Dau Go cave, and during the night we played card games and exchanged travel stories. Being one of the most well-traveled person in my clan, my travel experiences pales in comparison with my 'junk' mates'. I listened intently and absorbing inspirations from their tales of being on the road. As we bid each other goodnight half-drunk courtesy of the free wine offered to us by our tour guide Nguyen, we toasted and celebrated with wide smiles on our faces. Heading back to my cabin, I felt extra gratitude of the good karma that gave me the chance to see Ha Long Bay up close.