India, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort

I have a bucket list. India was not on it. The Taj Mahal was, but India as a Country? Forget it. Who wants to go to India?

Well!!!!! Let me tell you.
The reason I chose to go to India in the first place – I had some frequent flyer miles, which I had to use or they would expire. Not enough for Europe, but enough to fly to Delhi.
So off I went, not expecting too much from this trip. And then I fell in love! With India! Hook, line and sinker.
I do not know exactly where it happened, it must have been when I visited the Taj Mahal. I looked around me and I was in love.
But let me start at the beginning.
There was drama! My friend who was going to share the holiday with me had an accident and could not go. Poor thing spent the next 3 months in hospital. So I went by myself.
It was an organised tour, but I was on my own.
I would have a driver with me for the whole trip, picking up a local guide in the places I visited.
I was duly picked up from the airport and introduced to Mr Singh, my driver. When I asked him what I should call him, he said: “You may call me Mr Singh.” 
So I did. The 5 hour drive to Agra was my introduction to Indian traffic. The first hour or so I could not take my eyes off the road, having a couple of heart attacks as we went. But one gets very blasé after a while and Mr Singh was an excellent driver. 
I was so blessed with the weather. It was early October, the rains had gone, the skies were clear, no pollution. It was hot, yes, but bearable
Approx 15km outside Agra is Sikandra, a mausoleum built for King Agkbar which is very pretty.

It was here that I met my lovely guide for Agra and the Taj, Rachna.
We drove the last stretch to Agra and I was settled into my hotel for the next 2 nights. It was the Jaypee Palace and it was spectacular.
Rachna suggested instead of going inside the Taj for the sunset, to go across the river and view it from the back. As the Taj Mahal is perfectly symmetrical it does not matter from which side it is viewed.

We stayed for a couple of hours, thoroughly enjoying the balmy evening and the magnificent view of the Taj. When I’ve had enough, I was very tired after the long flight,  Rachna took me to a small museum which housed an exhibit of embroideries. As I am very interested in handicraft, this was the place to go. I saw some beautiful pieces on display and could not resist a small purchase.
No, not this one. This is made with precious stones and not for sale.

!

I slept well, but had to get up early for the sunrise at the Taj Mahal.
I must honestly say that this was a bit of a fizzer as the sun was well up by the time we were let in.
The Taj Mahal is everything I expected it to be and more. This monument to love, made out of the most beautiful translucent white marble, is something to behold. It took my breath away.

The Agra Fort was on the programme for the afternoon. It is a very imposing building, but having just been to the Taj it somehow paled in comparison.

The rest of India in my next post.