Taj in a blur

We rose at 4:30am to make it to the airport by 6am. From the Pune military weekend airport, we flew into Delhi. Arriving in Delhi we saw a sign indicating our driver was there: “Mr. Amber Taylor” – I’ve quickly learned to overlook the missing /s/ as that’s the least of my worries in India. Getting into the car we drifted into a woozy brain-break and settled in for the 4-hour ride to Agra. Flying up the highway passing camels, rickshaws, cows, and monkeys (it was the monkey holy weekend – yes, there is such a thing) we rocked out to the sound of the horn. I’ve now begun to think of all the car horns as background music orchestrating the journey through India.

Sometimes I feel like people like causing more chaos here. At one point in the road, we arrived at a toll booth. Just four cars back, it took nearly an hour to get through. First, a man running a cart of rice stood for what seemed like days arguing over 50IRS at the toll gate. Then, the “guard” walking around with a hunting shotgun over his arm, started yelling at a driver for getting too close to a rickshaw. Finally, we made it through.

Rolling into Agra our car seemed to be accosted by children and adults alike selling car window covers, peacock feathers, and magazines. Our driver kept calling someone and then turned to us saying “do you need a guide at the Taj?” I replied “no” at the same time Matt replied “yes.” And with that, we had a guide…someone who would eventually test my trust and keep us running around one of the world’s most beautiful sites.

Upon arriving at the Taj grounds, we checked in paying to ‘foreigner’ fee and then got in our respective lines – men and women. Walking through the first gates into the Taj Mahal compound, I was thoroughly frisked leaving me feeling like a 14 year old at a highschool dance. This is the norm here – airports, sites, and tourist traps leave one feeling like they deserve dinner and wine. Walking through the gates, we immediately saw why the Taj is one of the wonders of the world.

Breathtaking.

Made purely of marble, and perfectly symmetrical, the Taj Mahal deserves the millions of pictures snapped monthly. There were people resting in the gardens in front of the building, and sitting against the marble walls. In order to walk into the building, we had to remove our shoes (my feet are still itchy) to show respect.

It’s funny, people remove their shoes, pay homage, and donate money to pay respect but (some) when entering buildings of beauty act as if they’re in a hotel groping at walls and leaning up against pillars and artwork. After being run around the Taj we made it back to the car and eventually back to Delhi.