We awoke to colors and light all around. The incredible stained glass panels of our corner-room windows sent in an incredible, diffused light that gave the room a warm glow. The bright blue walls, light blue light fixtures and marble-tiled floors conspire to make our room feel bright and open.
Despite it, getting out of bed was difficult. We have the most comfortable bed since Istanbul - which was the best mattress of our trip. I've never had such a nice hotel room for $39 a night. In fact, I've paid many times that for less. This is exceptional.
In our brief exploration of town last night, we walked the very touristy area in which we're staying. Jodhpur was a city which happened to have some tourism. Udaipur has tourism - and there happens to be a blah-city outside the old-town.
The narrow, windy streets sloping down the hill to the lake around which Udaipur is centered have auto-rickshaws, cars and bikes zipping by or creating gridlock when they try to pass. The area feels like somewhat of a cross between Kathmandu's chaotic, built-up tourist district, Thamel and Old Town Hania on Crete - where the area past the ugly new city is charming and the reason tourists go.
Lake Pichola itself - even at night - is gorgeous with old temples, incredible hotels, marble ghatts (steps acting as docks along the water), a royal residence turned five-star hotel on an island in the center and another palace on the lake's other island too. With the sparkling lights of the surrounding town bouncing off the water, it's gorgeous.
While I'm not usually a fan of being in "touristy" places, they also come with infrastructure that can be nice - especially when the area around lacks infrastructure. The old-town section of Udaipur is littered with hotels, restaurants of all types, bakeries, cafes, leather shops, art galleries, handicrafts, and spas. There are boats giving lake tours and shuttle to go see the Monsoon Palace on the hill. It's all here.
Udaipur is a stop on the "Israeli Circuit". Israelis - particularly those who have just finished their military service - seem to travel within their own tourist trail. India being a country that's safe and tolerant is heavily traveled by young Israelis who especially frequent Goa, but also Hampi and parts of Rajasthan.
Judging from the amount of Hebrew signage in the windows, and the number of restaurants offering Israeli cuisine, we've hit a throbbing vein of Israeli tourism. The good news - shakshuka and falafel on laffa are options. How do they have laffa bread? Make BIG naan - it's practically the same thing.
This was nice to after a woman from New York told us last night how India is crawling with incredibly cheap Australians - which she said as if they were lowly and disease-ridden. She also thought all the backpackers were shockingly old. We can report that we haven't seen a bunch of diseased, old, cheap Aussies - just some young hummus-eating Israelis.
The daytime weather is warm and breezy with temperatures in the 70s, night doesn't drop much below 60 degrees and the fresh air from the lake and surrounding green hills is fantastic.
Best yet, most of the restaurants in town are on the roofs of hotels and guesthouses. Not only do they have incredible views of the shimmering water and greenery below, but most of them have WiFi. For the first time since Istanbul, we can walk around town, find a nice place to eat and drink and work while admiring a view. Where Region 1 allowed us to integrate working with seeing different parts of town, Region 2 has largely chained us to our hotel, or in Mumbai to cafes in malls.
After feeling hostage to a semi-moody Internet connection last week, I feel as though Udaipur has come along to liberate me. With so far, more consistent speeds and absolutely fantastic views in the afternoon sun, Udaipur may bring a little Region 1 back to our very Region 2 lives.
At the end of the day, dodging all manner of vehicles on the road may be annoying, but the town dripping with four large palaces - two in the middle of the lake - and the gorgeous surroundings gives us something worth running for our lives.
Despite it, getting out of bed was difficult. We have the most comfortable bed since Istanbul - which was the best mattress of our trip. I've never had such a nice hotel room for $39 a night. In fact, I've paid many times that for less. This is exceptional.
In our brief exploration of town last night, we walked the very touristy area in which we're staying. Jodhpur was a city which happened to have some tourism. Udaipur has tourism - and there happens to be a blah-city outside the old-town.
The narrow, windy streets sloping down the hill to the lake around which Udaipur is centered have auto-rickshaws, cars and bikes zipping by or creating gridlock when they try to pass. The area feels like somewhat of a cross between Kathmandu's chaotic, built-up tourist district, Thamel and Old Town Hania on Crete - where the area past the ugly new city is charming and the reason tourists go.
Lake Pichola itself - even at night - is gorgeous with old temples, incredible hotels, marble ghatts (steps acting as docks along the water), a royal residence turned five-star hotel on an island in the center and another palace on the lake's other island too. With the sparkling lights of the surrounding town bouncing off the water, it's gorgeous.
While I'm not usually a fan of being in "touristy" places, they also come with infrastructure that can be nice - especially when the area around lacks infrastructure. The old-town section of Udaipur is littered with hotels, restaurants of all types, bakeries, cafes, leather shops, art galleries, handicrafts, and spas. There are boats giving lake tours and shuttle to go see the Monsoon Palace on the hill. It's all here.
Udaipur is a stop on the "Israeli Circuit". Israelis - particularly those who have just finished their military service - seem to travel within their own tourist trail. India being a country that's safe and tolerant is heavily traveled by young Israelis who especially frequent Goa, but also Hampi and parts of Rajasthan.
Judging from the amount of Hebrew signage in the windows, and the number of restaurants offering Israeli cuisine, we've hit a throbbing vein of Israeli tourism. The good news - shakshuka and falafel on laffa are options. How do they have laffa bread? Make BIG naan - it's practically the same thing.
This was nice to after a woman from New York told us last night how India is crawling with incredibly cheap Australians - which she said as if they were lowly and disease-ridden. She also thought all the backpackers were shockingly old. We can report that we haven't seen a bunch of diseased, old, cheap Aussies - just some young hummus-eating Israelis.
The daytime weather is warm and breezy with temperatures in the 70s, night doesn't drop much below 60 degrees and the fresh air from the lake and surrounding green hills is fantastic.
Best yet, most of the restaurants in town are on the roofs of hotels and guesthouses. Not only do they have incredible views of the shimmering water and greenery below, but most of them have WiFi. For the first time since Istanbul, we can walk around town, find a nice place to eat and drink and work while admiring a view. Where Region 1 allowed us to integrate working with seeing different parts of town, Region 2 has largely chained us to our hotel, or in Mumbai to cafes in malls.
After feeling hostage to a semi-moody Internet connection last week, I feel as though Udaipur has come along to liberate me. With so far, more consistent speeds and absolutely fantastic views in the afternoon sun, Udaipur may bring a little Region 1 back to our very Region 2 lives.
At the end of the day, dodging all manner of vehicles on the road may be annoying, but the town dripping with four large palaces - two in the middle of the lake - and the gorgeous surroundings gives us something worth running for our lives.
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