Ranakpur, Rajasthan

Two hours from Udaipur is Ranakpur, a Jain temple that must be one of the most intricately carved buildings in the world. Every surface is covered with tiny details and carved patterns, making the whole thing look like an iced birthday cake. The temple is not very big, but we spent hours walking around in circles, taking in every detail. Every time I walked around, I would find some new carving that hadn't stood out before; I must have circled the temple ten times.

The work was more intricate than anything we have seen so far, and one of the monks told us they had taken thirty years to finish the carved pillars inside. There will definitely be some Ranakpur-inspired prints coming out this year, I got hundreds of new ideas just from standing inside the temple.

Lake Pichola

We spent an evening in Udaipur on the ghats, looking out over the lake. In the middle of the lake is the Taj Lake Palace, one of the nicest hotels in the world where the Bombay Sapphire Martini was apparently invented. Having a drink at their bar was on Joe's top list of things to do on this trip, but unforunately only guests are allowed on the island. For one brief minute, we considered blowing the rest of our trip budget on a night at the hotel, but decided it wasn't the most practical idea.

Either way, the lake was one of the most beautiful and romantic places we have been in India so far. We followed it with an amazing traditional dance concert in an old, crumbling building. At one point, one of the women danced with nine giant ceramic pots balanced on her head, that were twice as tall as she was. It was incredible. Another five points for Udaipur.

Udaipur: Vacation City

Arriving in Udaipur was so refreshing after two and a half weeks in Jaipur. The city is cleaner, calmer and more relaxed, with an incredible landscape of desert and lake set between mountains. On our first afternoon, as we were standing on a ghat by the lake we had an interaction that went something like this:

Indian Man: Where are you from?
Joe and Me: (Quietly) Oh no, another scammer, let's get away before he drags us to his shop or tells us a story about his cousin's friend who can't speak English and urgently needs our help...
Joe and Me: (Loudly) United States!

Conversation continues for ten minutes

Indian Man: OK, well it was so nice to meet you! Enjoy your time in Udaipur!

This conversation may not sound shocking, but after two weeks where we didn't meet a single person who wasn't selling something, having a genuine conversation was incredible. We spent the entire afternoon wandering the streets of Udaipur, saying hi to people, talking to shopkeepers without being pressured to buy anything, and exploring local markets that we never felt welcome in in Jaipur. 

Within minutes, Udaipur made it to the top of my "Favorite Places in India" list. It's a holiday city built around the lake, so it has good food, beautiful hotels, lots to see and a very laid-back atmosphere. In Jaipur, we had a handful of good meals, but every meal we've eaten in Udaipur has been incredible, from the garlic-fried okra and naan to the chicken burger I had at the museum cafe. We are only in Udaipur for four days, but I wish we could stay longer.

Our goal on our first afternoon of wandering was Natraj Restaurant, where Anthony Bourdain ate when he came to Udaipur. Since Joe is his #1 fan, Natraj was our first stop in the city. It's far off the tourist track, through the local markets about a mile away from the main hotel area. When we got there the unlimited thalis were spicy and delicious, but the best part was wandering through the alleyways trying to find it. 

I highly recommend adding Udaipur to your travel list, this has been one of the best stops on our trip so far. And did I mention the food? Yum.