Sunday, the day of the Taj

We rose early and were on our way, I was so excited at the thought of seeing the Taj.

We were hoping to be there before dawn so we could watch the sunrise behind it. Regrettably, our driver thought we were ahead of schedule so we stopped for a break and this stop cost us the dawn, BAH! We hate Mr Singh and his stories of Tea, there's tea and tea with milk and masala tea and tea with lemon. There's darjeeling, that's another type of tea.....(OMG!!).

However, it was still good that we arrived early as we missed the crowds and that.When we got there we walked down through the outer bit and there is a massive gate house before you get to the garden and the Taj. The gate house itself is a fantastic structure.

I know this will sound like a cliché but when I walked through the gate and saw the Taj my breath was taken away, it was beautiful, there are no words to describe it. I couldn’t believe I was there, this will sound weird but it was like I didn’t believe that it was real until I saw it in the flesh so to speak.

We spent some time looking at it from the gate house and then we walked part way down the garden to the middle where there is a raised plateau, where our Di had her picture taken in 1992 bless her. We took a few more pictures and then we walked down to the Taj itself.

We removed our shoes and climbed the stairs to the terrace that runs all the way around it. On the left side of the Taj is a Mosque that is still in business, to the right, to ensure symmetry there is a building the same as the Mosque but it is royal apartments.

You can go inside the Taj but can’t take any photos. Inside you are taken to see the sarcophaguses of the King and his favourite wife. The walls have some excellent marble work on them and there are screens surrounding the sarcophaguses which are carved out of a giant slab of marble. It took 22 years to build then the King started building one for himself across the river but apparently his son was unhappy abut the money the King was spending so he had him thrown in jail where he died. The son stopped construction of the Kings Taj and stole all the gold out of the one he’d built for his Missus, that’s why the king in the Taj Mahal.

After we saw the Taj the guide took us to a '5 star' hotel for something to eat......hmmm, it was minging.

We then went to a workshop where the descendants of the marble workers on the Taj still make marble stuff today. We were shown a demonstration of how it’s done and then we went into the shop. Though I think Marble is tacky a bit I really had to admire the work that goes into making the inlays and stuff.

I bought a coaster with a lotus flower on it, it is really cool and cost 850 rs about £10, a bit dear but there was a lot of work that went into it. It will be my new teapot stand. I helped Gav pick some coasters out and Paul bought an efephant which I'v yet to see.

After we’d been in the shop 1 car of people went back to Delhi and the remaining decided to visit the Agra Fort before leaving. The fort was brilliant, you can see the Taj from it and everything. Again the stonework and carvings were something else, there was also a lot of marble work in it as well.

When we left Julie, Dee, Karin and Paul power walked out of the place, I was just wandering as usual getting my last picture and that. Unfortunately, as I was alone, I was instantly surrounded by about a million hawkers selling their shoddy gifts. They wouldn’t leave me alone and I felt most uncomfortable.

We got to the car and began the never ending (la la laaa la la laaaa la la laaaaaa) ride home. It seemed to take ages, I kept falling asleep and waking up to find there was still miles and miles to go.

When we finally reached the hotel in Delhi, 5 hours later, we had some tea. I got a 4 cheese pizza, it was really nice, almost, but not quite, as good as the pizza I had in Florence. I got a dark chocolate and Kaluha mouse for dessert , I felt overly full after finishing both and rather sick to boot, but it was worth it…….

And that’s it, apart from my livestock count:

Sunday: Dags, Cows, Goats, a Camel, Horse, 2 Parrots (it was bright green but it was disturbed before I could get a picture), chipmunks, tadpoles (in one of the water features at the Taj), loads of Monkeys, a truck full of chickens, a donkey, a Snake (and it’s charmer) and 2 wild boars. The count: 13. Paul says I missed a Goose while I was sleeping. Bah!

Well that’s all folks. Sorry it’s so long I bet you’re well bored. I’m on nights again this week so I may have nothing to report, although I’m working early on Friday so I can go to the all you can eat and all the wine you can drink buffet at Le Meridian, mmm mmm mmm..................