Christmas in Udaipur

It takes me a while to leave Jodhpur because I can't find the right route in the maze of small streets. Fortunately, a motorcyclist I ask for the right route is willing to drive a bit ahead of me and within minutes I'm driving out of town. 

The roads to Udaipur are beautiful and mostly in good condition. A short part actually goes through wooded hills, where many monkeys sit on and along the road. 

In Udaipur I also have to go through small streets for the last few hundred meters and then the navigation loses track. After a few questions I am standing in front of the hotel and a little later I walk into the romantic city. Udaipur is also called the Venice of India. Not because there are canals, but there are a lot of buildings on the edge of the two lakes in the city. In one of the lakes there is also a beautiful palace that serves as a hotel. On the mainland of the city is also the City Palace which, just like the streets of the city center, was the backdrop for the shooting of the James Bond film Octopussy.

On the street I am often approached by local 'residents' who have all been to the Netherlands at some point and/or have friends or family living there. Sure. And they all happen to have a shop just down the street. They are masters in entering into and maintaining a conversation, but it slows me down enormously and the next person who speaks to me really keeps walking. 

There are a lot of 'handicraft' shops with beautiful miniature paintings, tailors, jewellers, etc. but if you look at a shop for even 2 seconds you will have a conversation so I walk past them all.

Fortunately, there is little or nothing to notice of Christmas here because I do miss the cosiness and atmosphere that precedes it. Today, Christmas Day, I am also in this city and apparently parties with live music are held here and there. We will see.

Anyway, I wish everyone who reads my stories a very Merry Christmas and a New Year with all the happiness and lots of love!

This entry was posted in Azie, India