June 27, 2010
Yesterday we woke up early to go to the Taj Mahal. We beat the heat and most of the crowds. Even beat the normal not-so-hardcore hawkers. It is a beautiful structure, but I really think that a true appreciation cannot be had for it without seeing it up close. The inlay is absolutely amazing, delicate, and the carving is the same. The marble itself is also wonderful because the stone has so much diversity of color. The garden has parrots, monkeys, squirrels (which look like chipmunks with long tails) and many types of trees. We went back to the hotel for breakfast before continuing out to see the Red Fort and some more gardens. The Red Fort is where Emperor Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son (in his own palace) for the last 8 years of his life. He is the emperor who built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his wife, and he had a lovely view of it from the Red Fort.
After this we went to gardens and another tomb. It is amazing how many people still ask to have photos with us, or just place their children next to us and try to take pictures. Today we woke up very early and flew back to Goa. I’ll post more later tomorrow.
