The majestic Taj

---

Namaste!

Agra has shown us a different, more chilled out side to India. The people here are really cool. They are polite and funny and friendy. It is like a breath of fresh air ( although not literally ) from the manic hustle and bustle of Delhi. It is full of quirky rooftop restaurants and little shops selling mostly local crafts. Lots of carved marble with coloured insets, countless gems and precious stonesand delicately beaded fabrics.
Today we visited the majestic Taj Mahal. It really is amazing, no photograph can do it justice. The entire building is made of finely polished marble with exquisite hand carved designs. Inside the walls are entirely decorated with carefully embedded stone insets.It used to have thousands of precious stones and diamonds as well before the Brits nicked them! It is unbelievable how precise this work is when you consider the primitive tools that were used. Legend has it that over 20,000 craftsmen from all over India were involved in the construction,some of whom had fingers and hands removed afterwards so that the same beauty could never be recreated. They take their tomb building very seriously in these parts!
Apart from this there's not much else to do around Agra, we also visited the massive Red Fort and the old town, but it is absolutely one hundred percent worth the visit. Even the extortionate entry fee to the Taj is worth every rupee. Unforgettable.
Laters
Clare and Gareth xo

---