Bundi to Udaipur Day 7 - 24th October 2012

Part 2 - Chittorgarh and arrival in Udaipur

Return to Part 1 - Leaving Bundi & Tuk Tuk travels

Washing clothes in the same reservoir...

 Me at the ruins of Kumbha's Palace overlooking the unfortified lower city...

Miche in front of one of the many carved stone temples...

Horses in front of the impressive Victory Tower (Vijay Stambha)...

Built in the mid-15th century, it's over 120 feet high and covered in sculptures and carvings. After the Taj Mahal, I think this was my favourite piece of architecture on the whole trip...
 

A Langur on a nearby building, a guide was giving us a potted history on the tower, when this chap decided to wee (& worse) over him...
   

A laid-back Langur...

Less laid back, another langur had got too close to this nursing mother for her comfort...

 

Carvings on Samadhishwar Temple...

I liked seeing this sign, it felt uplifting. I hope it catches on, there's just so much beautiful history that's at risk of crumbling away in the modern rush...

Padmini's Palace

It was the pursuit of Queen Padmini's beauty by the Sultan of Delhi that led to the siege in 1303 and the first of the city's tragic Jauhars...

Looking back up to fortifications from below Gaumukh Reservoir...

Arrival in Udaipur

We arrived at Udaipur at dusk and travelled in an Hindustan Ambassador (with a dodgy handbrake) through the labyrinthine streets, where we were so close to the buildings that we would not have been able to open any of the doors if we'd needed to get out and that's before you threw in the traffic and the constant honking. Passing strangers would lift motorbikes out of the way or provide guidance through gaps with seemingly no clearance whatsoever.

Hats off to the driver, he took it all in his stride, if I'd been driving my car, I'd have either ended up in jail or in a padded room...

Our chariot - based on the old Morris Oxford and has been in continuous production in India since 1958...

In our room for the first night...

Burning an effigy of a demon as part of a festival...

You can't burn an effigy without a few fireworks...

View of Udaipur reflected in Lake Pichola from the hotel's roof terrace...