Udaipur
On Sunday morning I woke up in Udaipur with no more fever but still with a stomachache. Singh had arranged a guide to show me the sights of Udaipur. Fortunately, I managed to not throw up while walking through the City palace, and I let my guie talk me into trying some Ayurvedic treatment for my ailments the next day.
The Vedic Ayurvedic Treatment Institute consists of about six small, clean, airy huts in a garden, none of which look as if they have running water or electricity, although some do. A propane stove also works hard to heat the many litres of water and oil that I went through in a few hours of massage, steam bath, oil-drizzling, and -- my favourite -- podikhizi, a rub with a herbal pack and hot water.
Steam baths take place right on the massage table, under a huge fibreglass half-cylinder that is hoisted into place and then filled with steam. At one point, with all the chattering and bustling going on to keep the steam bath running optimally, I felt like a guest in an Ewok village. The whole setup is surprisingly smooth and comfortable, and by the end the very kind and skilled masseuse was calling me her "daughter." Strange as everything was, it made me the most relaxed I've been in months.
I'm starting to feel more upbeat about being in India. On Saturday evening, I dragged Singh to a screening of the James Bond film Octopussy, which was mostly filmed in Udaipur. There are multiple restaurants in this beautiful city showing it every night. I have developed an empathy for the tourists who go to Tokyo or Rome and then eat fast-food hamburgers. Indulging in an experience of familiar culture, when abroad, is a form of blowing off steam.
The Vedic Ayurvedic Treatment Institute consists of about six small, clean, airy huts in a garden, none of which look as if they have running water or electricity, although some do. A propane stove also works hard to heat the many litres of water and oil that I went through in a few hours of massage, steam bath, oil-drizzling, and -- my favourite -- podikhizi, a rub with a herbal pack and hot water.
Steam baths take place right on the massage table, under a huge fibreglass half-cylinder that is hoisted into place and then filled with steam. At one point, with all the chattering and bustling going on to keep the steam bath running optimally, I felt like a guest in an Ewok village. The whole setup is surprisingly smooth and comfortable, and by the end the very kind and skilled masseuse was calling me her "daughter." Strange as everything was, it made me the most relaxed I've been in months.
I'm starting to feel more upbeat about being in India. On Saturday evening, I dragged Singh to a screening of the James Bond film Octopussy, which was mostly filmed in Udaipur. There are multiple restaurants in this beautiful city showing it every night. I have developed an empathy for the tourists who go to Tokyo or Rome and then eat fast-food hamburgers. Indulging in an experience of familiar culture, when abroad, is a form of blowing off steam.
posted by Su-Laine at 7:37 a.m.
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