Days 11-15: Heading to the country side & Udaipur

We have just updated our blog with some photos - it is painfully slow to load them, so that is all you get for now.

Tonight we are catching a train to Mumbai and from there we are flying to Goa. But first, we should backtrack the last few days.

We visited Jodhpur, the blue city and had some very famous Lassi. These ones are flavoured with cardamon and saffron and so thick that you have to eat it with a spoon. The touch of fresh butter on the top is why they are called Makhani Lassi (butter lassi). Yes, we are eating very, very well. In fact, I feel like I have gained 5 pounds. We scooted around the old market in Jodhpur, witnessed a full traffic jam in an area about as wide as my Honda Civic! Rickshaws, bicycles, pedestrians and cattle all came to a complete stop until a police officer came by and sorted out the matter. Later we had dinner at a guest house where we listened to Indian tabla music from a CD that Rakesh bought for Jon. It was lovely in this garden area.

The next day we left for Ranakpur - where there is a very large Jain Temple. This temple has 1440 pillars intricately carved from marble. Absolutely stunning. The country side around Ranakpur is stunning. The fields are filled with either sugar, mustard or rice crops surrounded by huge majestic red sandstone mountains. We really enjoyed this drive. Then we went to Kumbalgarh Fort. This fort is surrounded by the second largest wall (next to China), it was 36km long. Again, beautiful views of the country side from the peak of the fort.
That brings us to our current city, Udaipur. We had our last dinner with Rakesh on Wednesday evening, he left Thursday at lunch. We are okay on our own, even though Jon has got us lost - okay only once!

Sitting on a cafe yesterday afternoon, our first hour alone. We sat at a marble table drinking Mirinda. The sun is burning hot but the air is a perfect temperature. Birds of prey soar in the sky above the lake and palace. The city is surrounded by sandstone hills. In the distance, you can hear the prayer service from across the lake. Unlike other larger cities, we can only occassionally hear the horns on the streets below. The breeze is soft and balmy. A gaze down over the edge of this rooftop oasis reveals a young man staining leather pieces later to be used as bookcovers. Behind him his family's laundry dances in the breeze.

Last night we had dinner on a rooftop patio under the orange lit moon, with fireworks in the distance while watching Octopussy (James Bond). Do you remember that scene in India?- James is being chased by the bad guys through the streets of Udaipur. Every restaurant shows the movie during the dinner hour - it was pretty funny!
In the morning, we have watched women washing their clothing, mostly saris at the Ghats of Uaipur. Udaipur has two beautiful lakes. Our hotel was on Fateh Sagar - each morning we had our Masala Chai while watching the sun rise over the lake with the pink mountains in the background. We are really enjoying Udaipur and being alone in India. It is quite exotic and charming in all its craziness.

While, here we go off to the streets of Udaipur for our last day. The train leaves at 7:45 pm, eventually arriving in Mumbai at 2 pm on Saturday. Let's see how this works out.....

Oh, for those who have asked: the weather has been beautiful everyday (except one day of slight showers), around 25 and no humidity. The food, well, we haven't touched North American food yet - we love the food! Aloo Gobi is the best here! No Delhi belly, colds are now gone (yes, I infected Jon). Sweets off the street are amazing - we love Cashew Barfi. Samosas are different in every city, but all yummy!

To our BBQ Hut Friends: Have a nice dinner tonight - we will be eating train curry!

Until Goa....