Amazing Agra

I went to Agra. The journey was 4.5 hours by car from Delhi. When we got to Agra my nice taxi driver (Shiva) stopped to let a man in named Khallid. He was my guide apparently. I liked my taxi driver, but I wasn't too sure about Khallid. We'll see....

First stop was my terribly posh hotel to check in and attend to my toilet, as us upper class people say. Oh

my what a nice room. 

Then off to the Taj Mahal, which is unbelievably beautiful. No photo really does it justice. The first time you see it properly your heart skips a beat. My guide proved to be very knowledgeable about the place and went to great lengths to describe its total symmetry. It was built by the Shah Jahan in memory of his 3rd wife who died aged 39. The symmetry was spoilt by his son (who succeeded him by force, imprisoning him in Lal Qila for 8 years) when he had his father entombed alongside Mumtaz Mahal. Her tomb was dead centre. His is to the left as you enter. However if you ignore that, the symmetry is very precise. The gardens to the east match those to the west. On the west a mosque was built, so on the east side a replica building was created called the Royal Palace. The marble has precious stones inlaid and some crushed stones in the surface which makes it sparkle in the sun.

I found this little parrot hiding in a tree. This is not a crop, this is a 1000mm lens doing what it should do!

And here is what my hotel looked like by night. I chose to eat in the Rajastani restaurant where I had paneer tikka and Laal Maas. Very nice too. I then read a book in the bar with a couple of beers. This is the life!!

I was kind of hoping the guide would not bother coming along tomorrow as I wanted just a quiet stroll around the Red Fort on my own.

The next day: Red Fort (or Lal Qila). I think this is almost as impressive, but it is less easily photographed. I tried....(but first, a monkey). The guide DID show up.

This was where functions were held.

This is the open court yard where there was indeed a court. The ruler sat up on a stage and delivered verdicts on various scallywags who were being represented by the 17th century equivalents of defence lawyers.

And this. the fortified wall. 

After this my guide tried to sell me carpets and stone products etc by sending me to various handicraft stores. This is quite annoying. As if I am suddenly going to cough up £1000 for a table or a rug without my wife's permission!

There were 2 things I wanted: Essential Oils and Raw Silk. So I ask him to ring round to see if he can find any sellers. Whilst he is doing so I try to sneak off BUT he follows! Every shop I go into he follows me into as if to prove he took me there so he should get a cut of what I spend! I get annoyed and walk around the taxi 7 times. He follows me round 7 times. I give up.

Actually we do eventually find a silk shop but that is where I say goodbye to the guide: I am not sad to see Khallid go. On the way back to Delhi, Shiva and I listen to the first test match and talk cricket.