Merry Christmas from Udaipur

My change of plans turned out to be a wonderful move. I decided to come to Udaipur to meet up with friends and celebrate Christmas. It was quite the extravaganza. Our group consisting of an Austrian, German, Swede, and later on, a fellow American enjoyed a wonderful rooftop dinner of wonderful curries and plenty of wine. The restaurant even had a fully lit and decorated Christmas tree. The city itself was also alive with the Christmas vibe. Shop owners were always quick to say "happy Christmas". After a wonderful sunset, the city skyline came alive with fireworks. It was quite amazing the way that the Indians embraced the Christmas holiday. Later in the evening, traditional Indian musicans showed up and provided great background music. The lead singer in the group even wore a santa hat given to him as a gift. It truly was a wonderful experience. Udaipur itself is another unique Indian city. The old city is situated on a beautiful lake that has two massive palace islands within. Udaipur is called the Venice of India, and even though I have never been to Venice, I must agree. It is a charming place. The locals here pride themselves on the fact that the James Bond movie "Octopussy" was filmed here. From here I continue the trip South and really into the unknown. I am anxious as to what Southern India has to offer. At the moment I have no plans so I am anticipating some interesting experiences in the days to come. I will pretty much be hopping any trains or buses I can get on and stop when I am satisfied with where I end up. Should be fun. I wish you all a merry Christmas.

The Christmas crew

The Christmas dinner

The Christmas view

The Christmas surprise while wandering the streets

(this place never ceases to amaze me)