Drive to Agra
Blaring horns. Cows. Dogs. Fields. Decorated trucks. Scooters balancing strange cargo. Tractors and trailers. Shepherds herding sheep. Passengers overflowing from tuk tuks. Roadside stands. Wholesale goat market. Small villages. Water wells. Stacks of dried dung patties. Kite flyers. More cows, bulls, water buffalo, and a rare camel or elephant. Always so much to see, there's never a dull moment while driving in India!
On the ~4 1/2 hour drive from Jaipur to Agra, we stopped at the medieval Abhaneri step well. From the 9th century, it is among the largest remaining step wells in existence. Storing rain water in step wells was the solution to dry, hot summers in the desert.
Our Agra tour started with the Itimad-ud-Daulah, also known as the Baby Taj because of its similar appearance. Built with marble in an age which favored sandstone, it is believed to be the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. It has a graceful, lace-like structure due to its finely carved lattice work.
For sunset we went across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal to Mehtab Bagh. The gardens protect the Taj from the erosive effects of blowing sand.
Our home-stay in Agra turned out to be a simple place on a dirt road, right off the nicest street I've seen in India - the pedestrian area that leads to the east gates of the Taj Mahal. Nearby is the luxurious Oberoi hotel which touts every room has a view of the Taj Mahal. We tried to go to the Oberoi for a cocktail on the patio, but after being stopped by 3 security checkpoints and 2 waiters, we finally found out that the patio is reserved for guests only. We could be a guest tonight for a little over $700. Later our guide gave us the history of its opening when it only allowed foreign guests at the hotel and no one of Indian nationality. That's just wrong.
Today started the "wedding season" and the paper boasted there'd be 2,200 weddings. Our guide gave us an improtu invite to his cousin's wedding. Absolutely! It was an opportunity we'd be fools to pass up! It started at 7pm but the groom's bus of family members from Delhi were unexpectedly delayed so it was postponed to 11pm, which essentially revoked the offer.
Instead we listened til the wee morning hours to one of the many nearby weddings.
That is a goat next to his back pocket!
The step well's 3,500 narrow steps that lead 13 stories down to the water are arranged in pefect symmetry; the vertiginous plunge is downright disorienting.
The fourth side of the step well is a 3-storied pavillion.
Our Agra tour started with the Itimad-ud-Daulah, also known as the Baby Taj because of its similar appearance. Built with marble in an age which favored sandstone, it is believed to be the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. It has a graceful, lace-like structure due to its finely carved lattice work.
The delicate appearance of the Baby Taj was exquisite.
Splendid, precious stone inlay including variegated fossil stone.
For sunset we went across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal to Mehtab Bagh. The gardens protect the Taj from the erosive effects of blowing sand.
Our first view of the Taj Mahal in all its splendor.
You can sit close to the river's edge to watch the sun setting on the Taj Mahal.
Our home-stay in Agra turned out to be a simple place on a dirt road, right off the nicest street I've seen in India - the pedestrian area that leads to the east gates of the Taj Mahal. Nearby is the luxurious Oberoi hotel which touts every room has a view of the Taj Mahal. We tried to go to the Oberoi for a cocktail on the patio, but after being stopped by 3 security checkpoints and 2 waiters, we finally found out that the patio is reserved for guests only. We could be a guest tonight for a little over $700. Later our guide gave us the history of its opening when it only allowed foreign guests at the hotel and no one of Indian nationality. That's just wrong.
Our neighbors for two nights at the Coral Court Homestay.
Entrance to the fancy Oberoi, an oasis in the city's chaos.
Today started the "wedding season" and the paper boasted there'd be 2,200 weddings. Our guide gave us an improtu invite to his cousin's wedding. Absolutely! It was an opportunity we'd be fools to pass up! It started at 7pm but the groom's bus of family members from Delhi were unexpectedly delayed so it was postponed to 11pm, which essentially revoked the offer.
Instead we listened til the wee morning hours to one of the many nearby weddings.
The groom arrives to the reception on horseback.
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