Taj Mahal

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November 18th - Taj Mahal
Last night we had dinner at a nearby hotel with entertainment. I didn’t mind the music in Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Cambodia but there is a little bit too much drumming for my taste with the Indian music we have experienced to date.

This morning we were off to the Taj Mahal with the busses leaving at 8 am to give us an early start. The busses stopped about a mile from the Taj and we preceded the rest of the way in horse drawn carts. So far we have seen numerous cows wandering about several elephants and camels and some of the worst poverty and correspondingly some of the most aggressive pan-handling experienced to date and the worst smog. They burn garbage in the street so combine with everything else and you have 24 hours of smog.

There is very visible army presence in the city with solders wandering around with rifles and automatic weapons; this security increases when one visits the Taj Mahal. There are definite restrictions on what you can and cannot bring in, plus everyone must pass through security where you are waned and patted down.

What can I say about the Taj Mahal other than it is absolutely beautiful. We all know the story that the Taj was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

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Photos

The Entrance Gate to the Taj
The Taj Mahal has 4 entrances and is surronded by a wall. The entrance in the background is the interior entrance.

Taj Mahal
I like this shot for the reflection in the water. With all the smog I could not get as clear shoots as I would have liked.

Our flight crew at the Taj Mahal
We bumped into our flight crew from Iceland Air

Taj Mahal
On each side of the Taj there are 2 identical Mosques

Who said women were the weaker sex
The women were working as hard as the men, but there method of putting sand in the ditch guarantees a long project.

Security at the Taj Mahal
Carl going though security to enter the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal
Mare and I at the Taj Mahal

Comments

[Nagaraja]

Good journal
Hi Morgan, A good summary of India through your writeup. I am checking this website for where people stay when they go to Agra so that I can book when I go. India is one place, when you can see animals wandering and, unlike in other countries where they see only in TV and books. I did not understand the word "poverty" in the paragraph. Poverty for what?. We do not "show-off". I have seen worse countries in Europe. Anyway..it was a good read.