Wake up call at 4 am, ugh. Took a quick wake-me-up shower and ran downstairs for some coffee and tea. We had to leave by 5:15 to catch a 6:15 train. We were late leaving because people didn’t wake up and even then we left them! Took the bus and almost made it when we got stuck in traffic. D decides we are getting off the bus. ARE YOU SERIOUS??! We were literally in the middle of the road, had to cross another 3-lane road of traffic. Mayhem everywhere! Mopeds, auto rickshaws, cars, busses, animals, motorcycles, bicycles and people are just moving in all directions. They pay no attention to traffic lights or lines in the road. There were people sleeping all over the road too so we had to watch our step and sometimes step over people. We had to run to keep up with D because our train was leaving in 10 minutes (the kids that slept in still hadn’t showed up). People out on the waiting step were all waving and staring into the train. Of course I waved back and their smiles are just precious. The train was not the best train I had ever ridden and after seeing the bathroom I knew I would be holding it no matter what. The kids that had slept in made the train just in time. The doors literally closed behind them as they got on. The train ride was two hours to Agra. Again it was a rush to the bus but this time there were beggars. Little children, mothers with babies, limbless people. They are touching you and all up in your face, it is so overwhelming. It’s so hard to resist but it would be suicide to give something to one of them in creating a chain reaction to have a hundred people surrounding you. Once we got everyone on the bus we headed to the TAJ! We had to walk down this path to get to the main gate. We just got bombarded with kids trying to sell stuff. They literally followed us the entire way. Nag, nag, nag. “No” just urges them on more The TAJ MAHAL is definitely one of the 7 Wonders of the World. It was built by SHAH JAHAN in June 1631 after his wife of 18 years died after giving birth to their 14th child. It was built out of love and would be her tomb. It took him 22 yrs to complete it. The marble just shines in the sunlight, illuminating it to see from miles away. A mosque and guesthouse are on either side of the Taj. The mosque is only open on Friday and then only Muslims are allowed into the gates. Interesting enough the Taj is completely symmetric, it looks the same from all sides and angles. We took a Bus2 group picture and then we had an hour to roam. Jewel, Lauren and I walked the gardens taking pictures in front of the Taj. Lots and lots of pictures. Haha We made our way up onto the platform of the Taj and had to put on bunny slipper looking things over our shoes (the Indians just go barefoot). Then we wandered into the main part of the Taj Mahal which is now a site for both tombs of the king and his wife (they are fake of course) but you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside. All the artwork is so detailed and looks like it has been painted but in fact is made out of semi precious stones. Some people have been successful in prying some of the stones out of the structure. It was really hot inside with so many people so we decided to walk around the platform and find some shade. Found some shade and decided to take a break. But it was not a true break. Indians wanted to pose and take pictures with us; anything from couples, to entire families or groups of guy friends. There was an actual line to get pictures with us. Talked to a couple of them but time was running out. Finally we escaped and made our way back to the groups meeting spot.
Next stop was AGRA FORT. SIKANDER LODI moved the capital from Delhi to Agra but many mogul emperors transformed the fort into a court whose fame reached Europe. Today’s Indian army still occupies much of the fort. Now if we thought the Taj beggar crowd was bad, the Fort beggars swarmed us. For some reason Jewel and I were favorite targets (I can only guess my blonde hair and Jewel was wearing a V-neck shirt). Always asking and they never go away! Jewel would keep talking to them and D told us to just ignore it. So I had to keep a watch on her and make sure she just shut up. The Amber Fort is very red, red marble I assume because Agra is know for its marble. We learned about the place of public of audience where people would come with their complaints and problems to the king. The king also had an area of private audience where his and his wives and children would hang out inside another gate. There is also a Harem Court where the king’s 250 concubines lived and they had 5,000 servants that take care of them. The rooms are all connected so that no one ever knew what room he was in. Right after the Shah Jahan completed the Taj Mahal in 1658 his 3rd son Aurangzeb imprisoned him and took over the kingdom. The king was in the house prison for 8 yrs in the fort before he died. Again all the artwork is so detailed and exquisite. There are hidden chambers and floors underground. So surreal that hundreds and thousands of people lived in these forts and palaces. Beautiful buildings and sights you just cant believe. We were only here for a short time. On the way out we were harassed again but more by children and women. One of them shoved their screaming child into Jewels face. People are everywhere and you are walking in the busy street with vehicles passing inches away from you to try and get back to the bus. They even go as far as standing outside the bus banging on the sides and trying to get your attention and get you to buy something. Lunchtime went to a hotel and had a buffet lunch. Thought I would hate Indian food but it actually is not that bad. I didn’t have anything too hot but I think I also adjusted my pallet to tolerate a whole new level of hot.
After lunch we left Agra and drove an hour to get to the “Ghost” or “Abandoned” City also known as Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar, the 3rd Mogul of the dynasty/kingdom, built this fort as his ideal capital in 1571. He was the grandfather of the king who built the Taj. He moved his capital from Agra to this place. His family lived there for 12 yrs and then one day just got up and left. They left because of shortage of clean water, the sandstone got incredibly hot in the summer (May-July) and there were disruptions in the country elsewhere. He also had his public and private audiences, a concubine room, and even a treasury room. The forts are very open with courtyards in every separate area. We were there around sundown and the sight is just breathtaking. Sat on top of one of the tallest towers and just took it all in. In the area of private audience there is column that has 6 religious carvings in it (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism). His goal was to completely unite the country so he had a Muslim, Hindu, and Catholic wife. He moved the capital 2 more times. This fort is made from Red Sand stone. The details are fascinating and so much care. It must have taken some real talented artists to complete such masterpieces. Best part was taking the 6 person auto rickshaw to the top. Or maybe 13?!?! Seven people were SAS people, the other six were just Indians that wanted to ride with the Americans. We were so squished and very unstable. It was quite an experience. The guys at the top of the hill were most aggressive than past sellers. None of us had any money so it was easy to refuse. Once in the Fort we walked around and took some cool artsy pictures. Some sketchy Indian guys were trying to lure us to places and ask for money. I had to go to the bathroom and a guy tried to ask me for money. Totally blew him off. Public bathrooms in India consist of a whole in the ground and no toilet paper, just a bucket of water to wash yourself. I had to pop a squat and then just air dry. Ugh it was so gross! Then we gathered to walk back down. As we were walking back down, found out our friend Kelly had been lured into this temple all alone because the guys she was walking around with left her. She didn’t even have her shoes on she ran away so fast. Poor thing had the guy all over her and talking to her the whole way down. We surrounded her to protect her and made them go away. Then little kids were running up the hill to us. Patrick pulled a roll dodge move on two of the kids, scaring the crap out of them. It was a good laugh that we needed for such a long day. They ask and bed for money. It is so sad. The kids are dirty and so thin. But are very helpful and love to take pictures. They were asking for pens and souvenirs. On the bus even MORE kids came and asked for pens, money and food. Traffic is so loud, cows and camels everywhere pulling carts. Leaving the fort we still had a 5-hour drive to Jaipur. Slept most of the way. At the Mansingh hotel Jewel and I went into the textile shop. The people were so nice and so we decided to see what they had for us we bought bedspreads and Punjabis made (it is the tunic and pants that the women wear besides the sari).
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