Neil Island, Andaman

Thursday 19 June 2014

Udaipur

Jaipur - Ajmer - Chittorgarh - Udaipur
  • Book a hotel on the lake side preferably facing the palace. This would also mean you are in the old part of Udaipur which has a different air about it.
  • The City Palace is among the most preserved ones I have seen. The paintings and even utensils are kept for view. Area around palace is also full of artistic work.
  • Go for Monsoon Palace for the sunset. There is a restaurant at the top that serves good snacks which along with the location makes it very special.
We reached Udaipur by noon and started searching for a suitable hotel. It was serendipitous for us to find Hotel Lake Pichola at such short notice. It is one of the hundreds of hotel adjacent to Pichola Lake but also has a view of palatial complex across the lake. Our room was modest in a royal fashion.

City Palace across Hotel Lake Pichola @ Udaipur

By 3 we were refreshed and immediately drove to the City Palace which gets closed for entry early. The tickets are exorbitant but the palace is a must watch. The route within palace is fixed and covers most of its grand treasures. We completed the tour by 4 and settled in the restaurant within the palace compound for light snacks.


City Palace @ Udaipur

By 5 we were again sitting in the bar-restaurant of another hotel Amet Haveli. This one is at the edge of peninsula shaped land and hence surrounded from three side with water. Both City Palace and Taj Lake Palace were visible while we asked for a pint of beer each and savored the experience.


City Palace at Night @ Udaipur

Our plan for next day was to cover Ranakpur during the day and Monsoon Palace during sunset. Ranakpur proved to be tedious and by the time we returned we had no calories left. We visited the local market and even bought a cloth painting. We took a short nap and later in the night had a most beautiful dinner at rooftop overlooking the palace lighted in the dark.


View from Monsoon Palace@Udaipur

Last time I was here, Udaipur was one of the four halts in the long journey from Delhi to Bangalore. The drive from Jaipur was amazing that last time. We had visited Monsoon Palace in the evening and pampered ourselves with chocolate brownies at the garden restaurant there.

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