Palaces.Forts.Repeat
After what seemed like a never-ending tour of endless forts and palaces on a 9 day tour of Rajasthan,I arrived in Udaipur expecting the expected – MORE PALACES! And it lived up to the expectations. A tour to city palace starting with the royal gate, Sheesh Mahal (Palace of glass and mirrors), Moti Mahal (Palace of Pearls) and innumerable paintings showed again the riches and glory of the past.
It took good two hours to see the whole palace and we were exhausted mainly due to the crowd (weekend mania!). As we were at Udaipur for a limited time we set to explore it on foot and started towards Fateh Sagar. Clear water, lush greenery, blue sky and with mountains at the backdrop presented delightful view. One look at the lake and all the weariness vanished into thin air.
After rejuvenating views of the lake, we were back to Bunkyard. The staff here are chilled out and it is a good place to meet interesting people from all over the world. Our sunny afternoon passed listening to engaging stories. A woman who decided to explore India on last-minute and now is here for almost a year. A Australian who drove a tuk tuk all the way from Kerala to Jaisalmer and many more!!!Besides having affordable and tidy rooms, this backpackers hostel has amazing rooftop terrace which offers fanciable views of the city.
For someone who loves sunset, I was treated with alluring views.Definitely among the best sunsets I have seen. Having seen the desert and dry part of Rajasthan so far,the huge lakes and lush greenery paints a different picture altogether. Not at all the Rajasthan I had in mind.
Needless to say I was chair bound enjoying the views ( I have mentioned THE word views way too many times now :D
We had booked for the cultural show at Bagore-ki-haveli in the evening and found ourselves looking forward for the show. The songs,colorful lehengas, local dance and puppet show unveils the rich culture of Rajasthan. The artists put their soul in the performance.If you ever visit Udaipur DO NOT MISS THIS.It is the best cultural show I have ever seen.We walked out mesmerized with the performance.
Udaipur is a comfy,pleasant and lush green city offering superb views ( There!I go again on views). Many call it City of Lakes but to me it will always be City with scenic views <3