Agra

This morning we pile into our van for the two hour/60 km journey to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri.  Of course of main goal while in Agra is to visit the Taj Mahal.  The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his wife Mumtaz.

But first things first....we go to visit a place where they make hand made carpets. 

Beautiful carpets and I fully respect the work that goes in to each carpet but none of us are in the market for a carpet. 

Such precise repetitive work...I don't know how they can do this all day!

It's rather awkward as they serve us Masala tea and go to great lengths to tell us about the carpets.  You almost feel like you need to make a purchase just to make them feel better but too much money at this point in our trip.  We check in to our hotel and have a quick lunch. 

We then head off to see Agra Fort which is located on the banks of the Yamuna River. 

Built in 1565 by Emperor Akbar it was originally constructed to be a military structure. 

 

The Fort is amazing.  Only 30% is open to the public but that is huge.  We have a guide who is very informative.

We leave the Fort and go for dinner.  It's another rooftop restaurant which is very nice.  It's off to bed early as we are going to see the Taj Mahal for sunrise.

We arrive at 6:00 a.m. but it's still dark.  6:30 the gates open but it's misty out, foggy with pollution so it's not great for pictures.  Here is the whole group posing for an iconic picture in front of the Taj Mahal.  What a great group we were!

Later on around 9:00 a.m. with the sun out the air clears and it's better for pictures.  Lots of pictures as this is a beautiful structure.  By 10:00 we're done and it's off to have coffee.  It's delicious.  Coffee has become a luxury.

Fueled by coffee Vaughan is trying out the tuc tuc....possible new occupation?

We go back to the hotel to pack our things as we are leaving on the overnight train to Varanasi tonight.  We have time to kill so Alanna, Danita and myself decide to go to the gardens that are located behind the Taj.  It's very hot out and the tuc tuc ride is long.  The driver did not understand where we wanted to go so we have been driving around and basically getting no closer to where we wanted to go.  We finally get to the gardens but at this time of the year there's not much to see.  Must have been beautiful back in the day. 

The view across the water of the Taj Mahal is worth the visit. 

They are doing an archeological dig at this site.  These women carry the dirt they are removing.  No wheelbarrows here.  No matter what the women are doing they are always colorfully dressed.

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 We head back to the hotel and Anjali joins us to find "the milkshake" place.  So good!  $7 though

 

 

 

We go back to the hotel for dinner then to the train station.

 

 

The train is late but by 9:00 p.m. we are finding our compartment.  We are due in Varanasi by 10:00 in the morning.

 

 

 

Jaipur

This morning we leave at 9:00 a.m. by car back to Anwar Junction to get the bus to Jaipur.  This is a regular city bus so it's really a challenge with our luggage.  Not sure how we're going to do this.

While at the bus station I get talking to an Indian man on his way to Jaipur.  He has a house there but has lived in Hong Kong for the last 22 years.  Seems like an interesting businessman.  He treats me to a package of cookies for the trip.  Nice person.

The bus ride is a bit scary as the driver is darting in and out of traffic but we do manage to arrive in Jaipur unscathed.  It's noise, hot and dusty.

As we ride to the hotel in tuc tucs we pass stands where music is blaring.  There seems to be some sort of celebration with people heading to the temple.  These people know how to party!

 

Our hotel is nice.  I have my own room again.  We have lunch at the hotel then a short rest.  We are heading in to town for our orientation walk.  Tonight we are going to a Bollywood Movie...The Pad Man is showing.

The ride in to town is crazy.  So much celebration going on.  People have had colors thrown on them. 

People are dancing in the streets.

 

The traffic is grid locked and a fellow comes over and gives us all cups of orange drink.  It's so nice of him but we don't dare drink it.  We smile and thank him and then dump it out the other side of our tuc tuc.

We stop at Hawa Mahal to take pictures.  This was built in the 1700's so that women could see out to the street to watch festivities but could not be seen.

 We walk around seeing all sorts of shops. 

One whole lane is nothing but wedding things.  It's so busy and crowded.  We then go for lassi.  I have pistachio and almond.  So good.  When finished instead of washing the cups they throw them out!

We then head to the theatre to watch a Bollywood movie. 

Pad Man is showing and it's very controversial here.  Our tour guide explains that the movie is about a women's menstrual cycle and how common belief is that a woman is impure while menstruating and therefore must sleep outside the home.  She cannot cook or work.  It had a fair bit of comedy in it but was a serious subject matter.

 

The next day we have breakfast at the hotel.  275 rupees for American breakfast ($5.50)  Most of the group are doing a cooking class but I wasn't interested.  Pauline, Connor, Nikki and myself head off with Riyaz our tuc tuc driver.

We go up to the Amber Fort.  It's quite beautiful.  700 stairs up to the Fort but it's gradual and quite doable.

The walk up...you can see the people riding the elephants up the walkway.

The courtyard on the way up to the fort .... before the stairs!

Connor and Nikki on their elephant! It costs them 1400 rupees!

Lots of people are riding the elephants.  Poor things :(

View from the back of the Fort.

The views are magnificent!  My favorite Fort.

Look at the detail in this ceiling.  Amazing!

If you look closely you can see wasps nests under the eaves!  Wow!

Gorgeous gardens...

 

Pauline and I buy our tickets for entry in to the Fort (500 rupees).  It's huge and so picturesque.  We spend lots of time walking through the Fort and then head back to meet our driver.  I buy three T shirts for the grand kids.  Had to negotiate big time.  Vendor started at $20 US each and I bought them for 200 rupees ($4 each).  Win, win!

City Palace.

We then head to the Water Palace for photos.  It's beautiful but we can't get out to it.  Just a picture from the shore.

Some beautiful doors. 

Then in to the city to see City Palace and the Observatory.  The City Palace is interesting.

 

Pauline got in to trouble for taking pictures where you're not supposed to.  She got pulled over and had to delete them.  They were going to charge her 500 rupees but then decided that deleting the pictures was sufficient.  At least she wasn't thrown in the clink!

Where else can you see an elephant walking down the road?  No one seems to bat an eye!

Our group on the steps of City Palace!

 

The Observatory was so cool.  We paid a guide to show us through which I'm glad we did.  He was so knowledgeable and we would have missed so much without his explaining everything.  The Observatory was built in the 18th century and is so accurate.  Sun dial, constellation charts and horoscope signs.  Amazing!

We're pooped.  Back to the tuc tuc and back to the hotel.  We stop and purchase fruit on the way.  Bananas and several oranges.  Cost 100 rupees ($2) and he most likely charged us double what someone local would pay.  We're heading off to dinner at 7 and then we're leaving for the bus station at 8:00 a.m.  Off to Abhaneri.