Day 22 - Agra Red Fort and Taj Mahal

---

Another good nights sleep, if only it was longer. Managed to get up and have a hot shower and be ready for 5.45am. Then stood downstairs for about 20m - so much for the sharp exit Sanjay had made a huge fuss about saying we would leave at 6am on the dot and everyone must be downstairs by 5.50am. Anyway, left luggage, sorted and room service paid, the cars arrived and we were soon at the station. Really hate how pushy, ignorant, and impatient people here can be when it comes to boarding trains - WHEN SEATS ARE BOOKED! Pushing and shoving and jumping on even as the train is pulling in. Sarah stood just two seats away for ages as everyone just shoved by and she couldn't along that small distance to her seat. Most people going on the the next carriage as well so could have just walked along the platform to the correct one. Far to simple I guess. Unnecessarily frantic when seats were booked. Okay, rant over.

Arrived in Agra after about 3 hours and got an electric auto to the hotel and had some tea and toast while rooms were being sorted out. Hotel not very good. The fan seems to just be blowing hot air around as there is no A/C. It's going to be a hot night.

We first visited the Red Fort, which was really interesting and we had a great guide. It would have been an amazing place in its original working form. There were some rally great ind inventive ways of doing things before our modern ways. Like having hollow walls in one section which were then filled with cold water to keep the room cool, and building windows at certain angles to catch the wind and create a breeze. Would like to have a crocodile moat around my house in the future.

The Taj Mahal is just stunning! Can't believe have just been inside it! It didn't seem real, almost like we were on a film set. The grounds around it were pretty too with lots of parrots and chipmonks. It made me sad however to see people had littered the grounds, mostly with empty water bottles. And made me angry to actually see someone casually toss their bottle away on the grass leading up to the Taj Mahal. And even more angry still that nobody seemed to care. Feel there should be a bit more security over that sort of thing considering the location. Also was shocked by the lack of security inside. It says no pictures but people were snapping away and there was even water bottles discarded inside too. More so, there were little pieces of marble missing as people had obviously decided to take apiece for themselves - and there was nobody around to do anything about it. Same with scratching on the marble. IT is just far too beautiful to let that go on.

Seems strange to having something so magnificent, grand, lavish, and expensive surrounded by such poverty and such filthy dusty littered streets. It really hits home how India really is a place of extremes.

Exiting the Taj Mahal we faced the most extreme, desperate, sales people ever - mostly kids doing the harassing. The competitive atmosphere meant low prices though and it was funny seeing two different guys compete with each other and how fast the price drops. Natalie looked at a snow globe that started around Rs 150 and she bought it for Rs30. I managed to get 10 Taj Mahal post cards for Rs15 which is great. Have asked mum to email addresses. Was cheered when Sarah received a marriage proposal during our shopping time here. Shame he was only a kid.

Got a bit frustrated at dinner as it wasn't great food - tough lamb, cold rice, and slow service. We were outside and the lighting was not great at best and the power went out for quite a bit - used to short power outs but this one took a longer time to get it back properly. Then we had to pay Rs50 per person for transport to and from the restaurant - something we have never done and thought this was covere by local fees if not the general cost of the trip. Antje (as I have discovered the German girl is called) said to Sanjay that it was not very good and over priced and asked could we eat more locally. I think everyone was pretty tired and not in great moods. Mine was made worse by the fact that bugs had now appeared in the bathroom and main room - including beds! Mix of mosquitos, black beetle type things that look like black ladybirds, and tiny flies. Worst hotel, worst meal yet and worst city - wish Taj Mahal was somewhere nicer so that there wouldn't be so much negativity surrounding our visit here - it is the only positive I can find in our short time in Agra. Oh and the heat in the room is horrid! So humid! Sleeping in underwear but making no difference, still feel far too hot and it's horrible.

General thoughts for the day

• had some nice tandoori chicken at lunch time
  
• Sarah worried incase the proposal she received today is the best she ever gets hehe...unlikely
  
• amazing to see the magnificent Taj Mahal but sad everything around it and most of the rest of today has negative feeling
  
• looking forward to being out of this hotel!
  

---

Photos

Sunset
The sun setting behind the museum in the grounds

Crocodile moat
Not anymore

Idol wall
There would have been idols in each of the spaces in the wall

King's bedroom
Apparently there would be a woman behind each of these sections with fans to keep the room cool

Prison
Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort, a punishment which might not seem so harsh, considering the luxury of the fort. It is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, this tower with a marble balcony and an excellent view of the Taj Mahal.

Other visitors
Agra's Red Fort

Through the archway
First entering the Taj Mahal grounds

Jaki and Sarah
Sitting at the Taj Mahal

Closer
A closer picture of the Taj Mahal

Reflection
The Taj Mahal reflection in the water in front of it

Pretty woman
A lovely woman who was also visiting