Udaipur, Jan 20--23

After driving hard almost the whole day, we arrive in Udaipur right after dark and hit the commuter traffic. Now all the cows, pigs, horses, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, trucks, buses, cars and pedestrians are trying to negotiate the street, but, just as I had heard, some of them don't use their lights! Bedlam turns into nightmare. A motorcycle that is turning in front of us goes down and the bike skids past our car, sparks flying out from all sides. The driver comes running after it, apparently not badly injured . We finally get to our hotel, and we collapse for only a few minutes since we need to eat dinner so we can really go to bed! But before we do, we glance outside to a lake surrounded by forts, palaces, fancy hotels, and restaurants all outlined with sparkling white lights.

sparkly view

first view of Udaipur skyline

Next morning we awake to a misty light over the lake. The part we can see is a fairy tale city, containing, the largest Rajistani palace where the maharana still lives with his family. Part of it has been turned into a Taj Hotel—very posh. And a small part of it is a museum housing early paintings, a room of early armaments, several courtyards, and public and private halls where commoners and then court ministers and other noblemen would inform the king of their complaints. Several rooms were covered in colored glass and mirrors, and some with precious jewels adhered to the walls. Quite a sumptuous way of life!

cupola ceiling, city palace

Udaipur city palace

city palace

lots of rubble and trash

The part of the city leading to the palace is an entirely different story, however. There are many poor families who are struggling to keep alive, some beggars, earnest store keepers, service oriented shops, vegetable sellers, 2-table cafes, rolling cart owners selling candy and chips, little shrines, and everywhere gaping holes in the sidewalks, rubble and trash and putrid water running through town or in creeks. Not everything is sparkly and bright, and all cities are plagued with this, some more than others.

Jagdish temple

The Jagdish Temple, built in 1651, is among the most interesting places we visit. It is there that we witness a Hindu ceremony with drums, cymbals, singing, and raising and clapping of hands. I'm not allowed to take photos, but it's all I can do to refrain myself.

disallowed photo of jagdish

little girl begging at Jagdish

We take a boat ride out onto the lake, get off at the island of the king's summer palace, walk around, get back on the boat, and go to dinner. We are, in all honesty, getting tired of Indian food, and I see that there are Italian dishes on the menu. I take a chance and order spaghetti, but it's definitely not up to Italian standards. Still, it's one night without curry. The setting is beautiful, right across the canal from the palace.

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The next day we visit Princesses' Garden of the Maids of Honor (Saheliyon-ki-bary) which has many of the plants that we find in Florida. A couple of young ladies ask to have their photo with me, and , of course, I'm happy to do it because I can have mine with them at the same time. One in particular is so sweet and after we take the photo with the 3 of us, she reaches over and hugs me. I hug her back, and her family takes the photo, but sadly, we had given the camera to our guide, and he didn't take the photo, so I miss it. One of several that I would like to have taken but missed.

monkeys at Moonsoon Palace

The Monsoon Palace, that we can see at night, looms high above the city on a hill. So, we are eager to drive up and see it. Unfortunately, no one takes care of it, and it is showing its age. Still, it has a beautiful view, and the hunting towers, where the raj would sit and shoot game that the servants would scare up, are visible, along with the viewing towers occupied by the ladies of the court. The movie “Octopussy”with Sean Connery was filmed here, as well as the city palace. Tomorrow we are scheduled to drive to Bundi, a city about which we know nothing.

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