The Invitation:

His Highness Sri. Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and Her Highness Smt. Pramoda Devi Wadiyar requests the pleasure of the company of Barbara T at Cocktails & Dinner at The Palace.

Edit: I just hijacked this pic from Mandi's online site...Mr. and Mrs. Maharaja...nothing like an Indian smile!

So I got dressed up (along with this beautiful girl) and spent the evening at The Palace...a REAL Palace, actually used in this country for Palace type things. Do I need a reminder I am not in America any more? We shook the Maharaja's hand on the way into the Palace and enjoyed an evening under the open sky taking in the Royal Fashion Show. I can not put into words the connundrum but along with elegance we were blasted with "I am proud to be an Okie from Miskokie", "The Chicken Dance Song", "Phantom of the Opera", and a few others. Hmmm. I am going to be sad to leave this culture.
Here are some pics from the evening: