September 30, 2009
Arrived in Delhi, India on September 25th. Been staying in nice accommodations in the Fulbright House. Not one but two air conditioners in our room + a ceiling fan and its much appreciated!
Five day world wind tour of Delhi and Agra. Visited famous sites in Delhi such as Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar, and Rastrapathi Bhavan (President's House). In Agra, visited the Agra Fort, Fathepur-Sikri, and of course the Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal is everything you imagine it to be, and more. We arrived at the Taj late in the afternoon. We were lucky because although the sun was hot there was a good breeze blowing. The sky was cloudless and the wind swept away any smug. The Taj is so large and so white that under the bright sun a glare comes off the domes. We paid extra for a guide and stayed until sunset. As the sun sank below the horizon the sky turns from bright blue to dark blue. You know the time of day, after the sun sets and before the gray of night arrives the sky is a dark blue. The change in light really changes the color of the Taj. The building became a very clean looking shade of white, with a semi-transparent quality to it.
Other thoughts and observations about the Taj. It is very crowded and unruly people make the experience less pleasant then you want it to be. In the final analysis, it seems to me to be a lot of fuss over a dead chick.
They say that for a few nights per month, the Taj opens at night only during the full moon phase. We can only image how the moonlight makes the marble glow.
1 comment:
Glad to hear you've arrived safely and are taking in the sights -- we miss you!
Post a Comment