The Taj

Mimi and I both had pretty low expectation when we started out on our adventure to see the Taj.  We have been in India for almost 2 years now and have avoided Delhi at all costs because of the horror stories we have heard and read about western women visiting.  Well I can't say those stories were all false, we had a few uncomfortable encounters but overall we had a surprisingly excellent weekend in Delhi. 

5:30 and we were up and out the door to catch a two hour train to Agra.  The train ride was suprisingly pleasent and involved beautiful views of wheat fields.  By 8:30am we arrived in Agra and were able to beat most of the crowds and within an hour or so the skys blued up to make a beautiful backdrop for the pearly white Taj Mahal.

After our Taj visit and a wonderful lunch at The Silk Route restaurant we thought we would try to change our tickets and ride home with Kate and Billie on an earlier train... well things didn't go according to plan.  Kate had accidentily booked a train ticket home for five AM instead of five PM...  Well long story short we got Kate and Billie a ticket back on our 8:30pm train and spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in a cool coffee house killing time.  10:30pm we arrived back in Delhi to a packed train station, Inida was playing Sri Lanka in the World Cup finals and before we were able to get an auto home the game had come to an end and India had won.  The streets went crazy, people cheering and chanting as they drove by on motorcycles and out windows of cars, dancing in the streets, and fireworks going off in each other's faces.  AND Billie slept the whole auto ride home!



The train station during the cricket game!

 The next day to be spent in Delhi was the surprise... we actually enjoyed our day and not just a little bit a lot.  Check out some of the sights we saw below.



The President's Estate



The India Gate.... facing the President's Estate.



Janta Manta... an old astrological measurement building using the sun and shadows.



The Lotus Temple