India Day Seven: Seeing the Dame in Udaipur

From Jodhpur, we headed to our last destination in India, Udaipur. Udaipur is called the Venice of the East because it is surrounded by four lakes.

Travel time to Udaipur is six hours. Only entertainment on the road were the exotic animals we saw along the way:

In between Jodhphur and Udaipur lies Ranakpur Jain Temple, the largest Jain temple in the world.

Ranakpur Jain Temple

Jainism is said to promote non-violence towards all living things and emphasizes equality between all life forms. 

There are 1,444 intricately carved pillars inside the temple and what's amazing is that no two pillars are the same. 

Aside from the pillars, there were other beautifully carved marble pieces:

We stopped for lunch at Aranyawas, a lovely garden restaurant.

Outdoor Restaurant

I enjoyed the contrasting colors of our egg, mutton, and chicken curries.

When we arrived in Udaipur, we took it slow and spent our time exploring The Oberoi Udaivilas, one of the finest and most beautiful hotels in India. On average, a standard room during peak season costs 30,000php a night.

Rose Petals to Welcome Guests

Courtyard

True to The Oberoi Group's goal to redefine luxury, the hotel was grand but tastefully decorated: 

Lobby

Dining Area

Waiting Area

Powder Room

Room with A Private Pool

Pool

Pool from Another Angle

Highlight of our Udaipur trip was seeing Dame Judi Dench lounging at the pool area of Oberoi Udaivillas! It was so surreal to see a much respected Hollywood actor in the flesh. Our only regret was not having the courage to approach the Dame as it was a once in a lifetime moment.

THE DAME!!!

The Dame Sat Here

For dinner, we went to Ambrai located at Hotel Amet Haveli.

Hotel Amet Haveli 

Guide books say that Udaipur is the most romantic city in all of India and I finally understood why: 

Dinner with A View

The sweeping views from Ambrai was truly breathtaking with the restaurant's perfect position on the banks of Lake Pichola. If you only have time to do one thing in Udaipur, spend it by having a meal at Ambrai before dusk.  

To Die For Scenery

The view from Abrai was one of my top moments in India. Needless to say, dinner at Ambrai was the perfect way to cap our first day in Udaipur. 

Aranyawas is located at Maga Tehsil, Sayra, Udaipur - Rajasthan, india. For more information, call +91 9001992598 or click here. 
The Oberoi Udaivilas is located at Haridasji Ki Magri, Udaipur. For more information, call +91 294 2433300 or click here. 
Ambrai at Hotel Amet Haveli is located at Outside Chandpole, Udaipur Rajasthan, India. For more information, call +91-294-2431085 or click here.

India Day Six: A Day in the Blue City of Jodhpur

After completing the Golden Triangle tour of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur we headed to Jodhpur, the second largest city in the state of Rajasthan. Jodhpur is accessible via plane or train but we traveled by car and had to cover a distance of 330km.

Scenes from the drive:

After almost 6 hours on the road, we reached Jodhpur and our first stop was the popular garden restaurant On The Rocks.

Kudos to Ranjeet, our tour driver, for bringing us to On the Rocks because food was good and cheap. I also appreciated the leisurely country ambiance of the restaurant.

After lunch, we stopped at our Jodhpur hotel, Indana Palace to deposit our bags. Indana Palace is a fairly new establishment with architecture and interiors inspired by the majestic palaces found all over India.  

Courtyard

Our room was spacious and comfortable but the best thing about staying at Indana Palace was the free Wi-Fi! 

Standard Room

After resting for a few minutes, it was time to hit the attractions of Jodhpur. We first visited Jaswant Thada, a mausaleum built in 1899 by Maharaja Singh II in memory of his father.

Jaswant Thada

Jaswant Thada is made entirely of white marble and it's truly a mesmerizing sight that's best appreciated up close.

We then went to Mehrangarh Fort, one of the largest forts in India, situated 400 feet above the city.

We took an elevator to reach the top of the fort to save time. Here's the view from the highest point of the city:

Jodphur, is actually called the Blue City, because many houses are painted different shades of blue. 

Blue City from Mehrangarh Fort

At Mehrangarh Fort, there are a few notable rooms that were built by the different kings over a period of time:

Sheesh Mahal or Mirror Palace

Phool Mahal or Flower Palace: Exclusive Chamber of the Royals

Moti Mahal or Pearl Palace: Meeting Room of the King and His Ministers

It has been said that Mehrangarh Fort is one of the most well-stocked museums in Rajasthan. We did see a lot of royal items that were on display but my favorite were the different types of carriages the royals used to travel. They looked so grand:

Here are some other points at Mehrangarh Fort that caught my eye: 

We finished touring Mehrangarh Fort at dusk.

Our final stop at Jodhpur was Sardar Market, one of the oldest markets in Jodhpur because we were in search of spices.

The clock tower is the most famous landmark in the market and it was built by Maharaja Sardar Singh. 

It was chaotic so it's best to go to Sardar Market with a local guide. There are around 7,000 shops that one needs to navigate so it's very easy to get lost or be taken advantage of by unscrupulous people.

A day in the life at Sandar Market:

We eventually bought our spices at Maharani Spices which was located along a main street at Sandar Market. The store sells spices, teas, coffees, oil extracts, and even the much coveted kitchen ingredient, saffron. The store owner was friendly and prices were reasonable.

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We ended our Jodhpur experience with dinner at McDonald's to sample menu items that are only available in India. I personally didn't enjoy my non-beef burger... perhaps my palate was longing for the Western flavors I'm accustomed to. 

We visited Jodhpur as a side trip en route to our last destination, Udaipur. Jodhpur certainly had its charms but it turned out to be the least memorable city we visited in India for me. 

On the Rocks  is located at Ajit Bhawan Near Circuit House, National Highway 65, Ajit Colony, Jodhpur, RJ 342006, India. For more information, call +(91)-(291)-5102701. 

Indana Palace is located Opposite Military Officer Quarters, Benayakiya Road, Shikargadh, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342001, India. For more information, call +91 291 515 8888 or click here.

Maharani Spices is located at 113-115, Nai Sadak, Near Clock Tower, Jodhpur Rajasthan, (INDIA) 342001. For more information, call +91-291-2556084 or click here.