Day 251, Udaipur, India

Playing the flute at the gift ceremony 

Everything takes time in India. We ended up not seeing the actual wedding ceremony last night! It happened at 2.15 in the morning and lasted two hours and Shanna and I both missed it. Having said that, lots of the other guests also didn't get there, so we didn't feel too bad. It got so cold outside, and nothing was happening, as in, no music or dancing, so it was too long a wait.

We saw so many other ceremonies and beautiful things though, and in the end it didn't really matter.

The gold and diamond jewellery 

After breakfast and checkout we were meeting in the gardens to farewell the bride and groom at 10 am. We finally bid them farewell at 2.00, such is the Indian timetable. 

However, that's totally besides the point.

Our stay and attendance at the wedding has been beyond description. Everyone, and especially the bride's mum and sister, made us feel so welcome and involved us. There were more gifts for the guests, a beautiful gold medallion as well as a solid gold picture with the frame engraved with the bride and grooms names. The married couple sat on a bench, receiving their gifts from the opposite family; gold and diamond necklaces, bracelets and earrings as well as gifts for both the in-laws. This is definitely a different world altogether.

With the bride's mum, receiving
another gift

Especially when we came back from the Palace into Udaipur old city and our guesthouse. Outside as we got out of the taxi there was a man begging; his legs were so badly deformed that he was having to use his hands to get around, he almost appeared to be a double amputee, scooting around like that. How can you reconcile that with the opulence we have witnessed for three days, I just do not know, don't know if you ever can. 

After check in to the guesthouse we went for a walk to the museum. The most interesting part was the artist in the foyer, selling miniature paintings. We had a great chat with him, he painted my thumbnail to show he really was an artist and we made his day when we both purchased paintings of him.

With the artist 

Dinner back up on the rooftop restaurant and an early night, the last few days have been pretty full on.