Morning at the Taj

John thinks it's hilarious that every time I go to the Taj Mahal (three times now and here), I burst into tears. Well, I don't actually burst into tears, but my eyes do get a little moist and I might have to wipe a tear or two as it rolls down my cheek. I admit to being an emotional wreck, OK? The thing is, this is a place I've always wanted to see and never thought I would. And now I've been there three times! Life is so amazing.

We got to Agra in the early evening, and when Cheryl, Kristina and I looked out our window we saw this ...

Oh, yeah! That's a view of the Taj, people! Not a very good view, I grant you, but that is the Taj Mahal out my Radisson hotel window.

The next morning we met our guide in the hotel lobby and headed off to tourism heaven. I both love and hate Agra. It is the craziest, most crowded, most confusing city I have ever experienced, and it has two of the most incredible sights in the world: the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. The sights, sounds, smells are overwhelming. It wouldn't be surprising to see a flying carpet or two.

Gas-powered vehicles aren't allowed within a certain radius of the Taj, so here are the other Amy and Kristin enjoying a ride in our little electric car.

Some local residents ...

This was the first time I'd been to the Taj with a guide, and it had its advantages. He whisked us through all the lines, got our tickets in no time, and was full of information and stories. He also saved us from losing Flat Stanley, who was sent along for the trip by my cousin's little girl, in the security line. Apparently, "cartoon characters" are not allowed on the grounds. I found this puzzling at first, but then I remembered that it's a Muslim sacred site (there's a working mosque on the grounds) and that Muslims do not approve of images of people. We folded Stanley into a tiny square and smuggled him in by way of Kristin's wallet, then snapped a quick photo or two when no one was looking. So much for respecting foreign cultures.

The thing I didn't like about having a guide was that we were constantly on the move and didn't get a chance to just sit and take it all in. I love just hanging out at a place like this, exploring, watching people and wallowing in the idea of where and when I am.

We spotted quite a few parrots and this kingfisher ...

The Taj Mahal gets between 2 million and 3 million visitors every year, and the vast majority of them are Indians. This is reflected in the ticket prices: 20 rupees for Indians (and a few lucky residents like me) and 750 rupees for foreigners. BUT foreigners get a free bottle of water, so it's not entirely unfair ... It's just the most expensive bottle of water on the planet. Some of our fellow tourists ...

Quotations from the Koran around the entry gate ...

The Big Moment, when you see the mausoleum through the main gates ... Go ahead and cry. I won't tell anyone.

It was super crowded that day, and if you look closely at this picture you can see the throngs at the base of the mausoleum.

Groundskeepers at work ...

Water birds playing in the irrigation ...

It was a hazy winter day, but once we got up close we were able to see the marble sparkling in the sun. This is easily the most beautiful building I've ever seen.

In this one I was trying to capture the sunlight sparkling off the precious stones that are inlaid in the marble ...

More from the Koran ...

Some close-ups of the marble work ...

Come on, wouldn't you cry?

Fatehpur Sikri again

At the end of the festival, our group split. Some went home to Chennai and the rest of us headed on to Agra, with a stop at that fiesty Mughal Emperor Akbar's old stomping grounds, Fatehpur Sikri (and here). I wrote about this fascinating old city after we visited back in July, so this post will mostly be photos.

It was a beautiful day, and the red sandstone stood out against the blue sky. There were also a ton of people there, and even without kids along our group attracted some attention. It's tough to be so gorgeous. Actually, the real issue is that I'm constantly hanging out with beautiful people. If it's not my kids, it's Kristin or Kristina or Cheryl. Sheesh. When will I get a break?

Fatehpur Sikri is full of beautiful little architectural details, especially carving. These photos were taken in the Harem Sara, where the emperor's wives were imprisoned, er ... I mean lived in luxury.

The ladies got to peek out at the rest of the palace complex through this screened balcony ...

This is a view looking down from the palace complex to one of the city's bazaars ...

More incredible carving in the house of one of Akbar's chief wives ...

Kristin and arches ... Every square inch of this house was decorated with carvings.

The "stables," which archealogists now think were used to house ladies' servants and not horses ... They think ropes and curtains were put up between the pillars (using those round openings in the bottom left) for privacy. They also think the same space might have been used for ladies' bazaars, so they wouldn't have to leave the palace complex to shop. Because who doesn't want to be screened from the rest of the world 24/7? I used to claim the need for Target runs as an excuse to get out of the house for a bit. Not allowed in the 16th century ...

Here's a pretty good view of the Pachisi Courtyard, where Akbar is supposed to have played the game using slaves as playing pieces.

Here are some photos of the mysterious Diwan-i-Khas. It's mysterious because no one knows for what the oddly arranged room was really used. It's a big open room with an ornate, huge pillar in the center that supports a platfrom with four raised walkays leading to it. Some say it was a jewel house. Some say it was used for debates. Only Akbar could say for sure ...

The Panch Mahal ...

This cool doorway leads out of ... the bathroom. Doesn't it look awesome?

A couple of us went over to see the Jama Masjid mosque, but we didn't have time to do much exploring inside. The main feature here was the incredibly annoying vendor who would not leave Kristina alone, no matter how rude she got. No one wants your cheap bangles, buddy.

The burial site of a Sufi saint on the mosque's grounds ...

I've been to Fatehpur Sikri twice, and both times I wished we had more time. It's awkwardly located an hour out of Agra and four hours from Jaipur, so it's always a side trip. It's definitely worth the stop, and more time if you've got it.

Jaipur's City Palace

The great thing about sightseeing without the kids is that I actually get to see the sights! We took occasional breaks from the literature festival to see a few things around Jaipur, including the beautiful City Palace (and here and here).

City Palace is the seat of the former maharaja of Jaipur, and the royal family continues to live in a private section of the palace. I love the arches, doorways, and colorful inlay and painting.

This tiny car made me think of Samuel, who would have jumped the rope in two seconds to get behind that wheel.

In the carriage house ...

Gorgeous detail on one of the doors ...

The royal family lives in the Chandra Mahal, and the maharaja's flag flies whenever he's in residence.

The open hall of private audience, or Diwan-i-Khas, gets a lot of pigeon traffic ...

What to do with all those old guns you have lying around the house ...

One of the entrance gates, with cannons and guard ...

This is the famous Peacock Gate, in one of the inner courtyards. The courtyard has four gates, each representing a season and a god. This one represents autumn and Vishnu, whose vehicle is the peacock.

Here's a detail from the Lotus Gate, which represents Shiva-Parvati and summer ...

Shiva trident atop the Chandra Mahal ...

No cameras allowed in the old throne room, armory or textile museum, so you'll just have to get there yourself someday. The best thing about the armory (aside from all the horrible instruments with which one can kill or be killed) is the amazing ceiling, which is painted and embossed in beautiful patterns.

Indian art, whether as architecture, handicraft or textile, has layer upon layer of detail. Here's a last photo from the palace that shows what I mean: carved screens or marble or wood, arch after arch ... lovely.