Udaipur

We arrived Udaipur just in time for a dance performance in a small semi ruined palace on Lake Pichola. The performance was a charming presentation of dances from different areas in Rajasthan. Then we eventually reached our hotel- a Sheraton!- and marveled in the beds, sheets and pillows and the fact that we were staying two nights in one place. Next day, we visited The City Palace, the largest palace in Rajasthan, started in 16th century and still in the same family. The palace is situated on the lake, it's immense, too much to take in at once, gorgeous collection of minatures, and with many steps, courtyards and too many tourists. We remember the use of mirrors ( from Belgium), stained glass, carved moucharabie (jaly, stone screens that filter the light and allow to see without being seen, which is usually where the women were confined during formal ceremonies)gorgeous tiles, enameled pictures and more. We then took a boat ride on Lake Pichola and passed the gorgeous hotel Lake Palace, that used to be a Prince's palace. It was constructed all in marble and is in the middle of the lake and it's the dream picture of romantic India. After lunch we went to see a school of minature painting that was surprisingly very interesting and impressive.