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Well as my dear sister already has written to me and said I may not stick to the travel plan I stated in the last blog and she was right!
We have not done any of the detailed. We actually went to Agra on the 6th October. We met our driver Seni at 07.30am, after five minutes he stopped the car and suggested we go to Agra first, We agreed to go along with that. We got to the outskirts of Delhi where seni stopped several times, opening his bonnet! The fan belt had stopped working. The outskirts are heavily polluted, very dirty and busy. The garage was on the side of the road, surrounded by burnt out cars, a fire which had been made around a tree for whatever reason and a man who just randomly started brushing his teeth outside spitting out just outside our car!! We finally got on our way, it took us 6.5 hours to get to Agra.
When we reached Agra, someone jumped in the car, he introduced himself as Dean and told us he was our guide for the Taj Mahal! I was not happy, he had the steorotypical voice and use of language as a tour guide and I was not prepared to spend the next two hours with him! Eventually we agreed that he would take us to the Taj and pick us up after. This was afer Seni explained that no cars can drive approx 1.5 km around the Taj, to avoid pollution. We got to the Taj and wow what a maginificent monument - All for love!!
The gate is made out of red stone, ornated with white marble and onyx stone from Belguim. The top of the gate has 11 pillars which symbolise the total number of years it took to build, The other 11 are seen from the inside. When you walk through, you can see the Taj at the back surrounded by beautiful gardens of white jasmine trees, small palms and various other plants. The water ponds are beautiful and make the whole atmosphere very romantic. As you walk around the gardens you can here loads of birds, and see wild parrots, squirrles and other wildlife.
Inside the Taj is maginificent but I loved the outside. It was frustrating taking photos though, so many people!!!
We met Dean after, who hurridly walked us back to the taxi, he then told us that, that was only half of his tour! He then escorted us to a manufacturing shop for marble. Where of course they pester you to buy something!! I think eventually they got the message that we did not want a marble table or marble elephant. We both appreciated the work though. The work is beautiful and is worth the money! Just not when you still have 4 months to go!!!
Off towards Jaipur the next day!!
- comments
brownie Go Tam, daz - you cant leave this all to the wife - what are the toilets like?
roy Tam and darren, i did hear that darren will build something like the taj,for you, and in birmin well then you can leave that to love, it is good to hear that you are both having such a thrill from the trip so far, go for it!!!!!!!!!!!.
lina Hello young lovers...so glad youre in one piece and enjoyed the Taj...arent the carvings when the light shines through just exquisite. I dont think words do the Taj justice...sooooo amazing that you may have something like it at home, and hope Darren is planning and drawing. Take care love lina and tony
jason cooper brilliant!!!!!!!1 there is me working my socks off in Afghanistan while u 2 sun yourselves and get drunk on cheap beer!!! glad u enjoying it, keep up the tales, brilliant!!
Lisa Ellis Fabulous photo's....I like the Monkey Temple....they are very clear images. Any more tourest guides?? Are you missing us!! I bet you are missing the dark nights and the frost in the mornings!! Love Lisa and gangxxxx