Agra/India

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Dad hired a car/driver to take us from Sawai Modhupar to Agra. With my car seat, portable DVD and AC, the 6 hour drive was very easy and comfortable. We stopped off at Fatehpur Sikri which is very close to Agra. This was emperors Akbars city and the royal palace and Jama Masjid (mosque) were very impressive. It was very hot, but I loved running around this place. I got lots of attention from the locals.

After a few hours at Fatehpur Sikri we went to our small hotel (hotel Sheela) which was 1 block away from the entry to the Taj Mahal. We took a little walk to see the Taj from outside the gates. It was huge and beautiful, but we could not see much. So we woke up really early the next day to get in shortly after it opened. WOW!!!!! Words cannot describe what it looked like. I called it "my house" for the rest the trip in India. Dad's house was one of the smaller red ones on the side, but this huge cool building was definitely "my house". We took tons of pictures and there were hardly any foreign or local tourists. I had so much fun running around the place on marble floors, kissing flowers and pretending that I was picking them and giving them to daddy. We stayed there for over 4 hours. Dad said it was one of the best days of his life as we had so much fun in the most incredible setting.

After a break for lunch we hired a taxi to take us to some 3 other sites in Agra. We first went to Sikandra which was Akbar's Mausoleum, then to itimad-ud-Dualah (also known as Baby Taj) and finally to the Agra Fort. While the first 2 places were nice, the Agra fort was incredible. It was HUGE, so many different cool buildings and was very open. I had a great time cruising around, as well as seeing the Taj in the distance.

Dad said that he had read from many travel blogs/books that Agra was a place to see the sites and get out as it is very dirty, unpleasant city. He did not believe the hype, but after being there we realized they were right. We changed our ticket from an evening fast 2 hour train, to a morning 3 hour train, to leave the city. It is unfortunate, as the 3 sites (the Taj, Fatehpur Sikri, and the Agra Fort) are 3 of the most spectacular buildings that my daddy and I have ever seen. But, so it goes, and we moved on to other things.

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Photos

mesmerized
Daddy was surprised that I just sat here and stared at "my house" for 10 minutes

I see my house
From the Agra Fort

My House
AKA the Taj Mahal

THE TAJ MAHAL
AKA My house

My House
Black and White

Daddy's House
Nice, but not as nice as mine

Comments

[Gisella Portaluppi (Ms Gisella)]

WOW
It is very impresive how you can travel that far with your little one,the pictures are very beautiful, thank you for sharing it. You are the best DAD.

[ornella]

Courageous!
Daddy was very brave to bring you to Agra! Although I suppose he hadn't been there before! I decided that as my daughter was three, we would head North instead and find where my grandfather was born in Nani Tal and then see where I used to work in Dehra Dun, as well as going to her godfather's wedding in Meeret! An amazing experience, which she still has strong memories three years later! And still remembers a few words of Hindi! I'm loving reading your adventures.