In which Alison visits the Taj Mahal. Nuf Said.

So, guess what I did today?

Oh, first of al HAPPY BIRHTDAY FREDDIE! I LOVE YOU! I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to call on your birthday, but I will bring you a really good gift to make up for it! Me! (Kidding)

But, before we get to me, standing at the Taj Mahal at dawn, we have to leave Varanasi. After I finished blogging, I took Ravi out to lunch (where he had a harried conversation with the waiter and then ordered the cheapest thing on the menu). And afterwards, he took me out for a ride in his uncles boat, for one last trip down the river. It was really lovely, a slightly cloudy but warm afternoon, and we took the boat over to the far shore. Varanasi is amazing in that one side of the river is covered in buildings, but the other is completely desereted exect for a few huts used by shadus and other holy men to meditate. Ravi said taht some men have lived on this side for years, sustained by offreing people bring with them on their boat trips. We didn't see and swamis, but a wedding boat pulled up about ten minutes after we landed. We were watching fropm a distance, but as soon as the little girls saw me, they rushed over with the "What's your name" "Where are you from" "How are you" routine. These girls actually spoke very good english, and were telling me how Varanasi has lovely wedding traditions and did I want to dance with them. Pretty soon, I was in the middle of a circle of clapping women, trying not to make too big a fool of myself as I danced with the bride. Everyone was laughing and smiling, and as soon as I tried to leave the cirlce I was pulled back in. I left after about 10 minutes, though, since in my mind this was the bride's special day and she didn't need to be sharing it with some white girl.

We walked back to the hotel, and sadly checked out and got myself to the train station. I was sitting on the train, waiting to pul out, when a girl that I had met briefly in Darjeeling sat down next to me! It was lovely to see her (her name is Lisa) and we learned that we were heading to Agra together and we chatted through the whole trip about traveling, family, christmas, food, everything. She's Canadian, and has been away from home for 16 monthes! She's been in China (she worked there for a yera) and is now psending a few months in India. I couldn't imagine being gone that long. The train was alittle late getting into Agra, the first train that I've had been more than 20 minutes late. Lisa's train to Varanasi was over 12 hours late! I guess I've been really lucky in that regard.

We got into Agra and were a little overwhelmed and very tired. I had called my hotel ahead, and they aid that they had free pick-up from the station, so I was heading to the phone to let them know we arrived when Lisa grabbed my arm and pointed out a sign "AVISON, USA" that a driver was holding up. After establishing that it was, indeed, for me, we headed out for the quick ride to the hotel (which was otherwise pretty unispiring). LIsa and I decided to share a room (which was 350 to shrae, but 200 to have on your own. I don't get that math) and head out to Fahtah Sikri after berakfast. Fahtah Sikri was built by Akbar the Great, and was supposed to be his capital except it didn't have enough water supply and so couldn't be supported. It really well preserved, and you can see all the different areas of palace life (the haem, the private quaters, official audience rooms, where the servents lived, ect) It took about an hour on the bus, and every step of the way we were hassled ("Ricksaw? Cycle rcikshaw? Taxi? There are no buses. It takes took long. You don't want to ride with locals. ect"). It was much more intsene than I found Varanasi (though Lisa said that she felt really hassled there, so maybe I just developed the evil eye).

The ruins are in the middle of alittle, lively town, and we got a snack of their famous biscuits before heading up to the ruins. There are two sections, the free mosque area and the palace, for which you have to buy a ticket. We were accotted by a guide as soon as we stepped off the bus, and he offered two hours for 30 rps, which didn't seem so bad. he lead us up to the mosque area, where we were followed by neckless salesment, beggers, and men who were selling cloth whih their sign told us would be "Dontated to poor widows and orphans". In the middle of the mosque is the grave aof a sufi saint,to whom Akbar prayed for a son and who granted him one. WOman still go there and tie red ribbons on the carved marble latus work to pray for children or other wishes. Our guide told us that no one goes in empty handed, and LIsa bought a thread while I pulled one off the string bracellet that a child sold me in Darjeeling. "There," I said, "No empty handed". I tied is around the window, again wishing vague good wishes, and we moved on through the huge red snadstone buildings. AFter about one hour, we had visted everything that there was to see in the mosque and were ready to head to the palace. Our guide said "This is whre ym work ends" and we were surprised, since he had said 2 hours. After a ittle debate, we gave him half the rate (also, I was annoyed with him for not keeping the salemen away from us, when iasked him to). Feeling a little overhwelmed and frazzled, we bought our tickets and headed into the Palace.

IOt was like night and day. The palace was quite, there were only a few guides and they were with groups, and the guards were helpful when we asked what we were looking at. We just sed our guidebooks to navage, read aloud to each other from Lonely Planet and Rough Guide, and just enjoyed the buildings and the gardens. My favorite was the house of the favorite wivves, which was carved in flowers and fuits, and was high about the garden so it got cool breezes. There was also a main audience chanber with a hug central piller with four bridges radiating out ot the corners of the room. This was for Akbar to have religious discussions, he stood in the middle and had people from each relgioun stand on one of the bridges.

After we vinished viewing, and sitting, LIsa and I got a very late lunch then headed back to Agra. e arrived just after dark, and when we got back to the hotel I was ready for bed.

We got up today very early to see the Taj, arrivng before dawn at 6:30 am. Even though it was really took dark to take picutres, it was amazing to watchi the light come uip, turning the buiding blue, then pink, then organge, then tellow, then white. It was always a little hazy (they say that snog is a real problem here), but when the sun shone in it was really amazing. Not he most beauiftul place I've ever been (that would be Tintagel) or the most appealing buiding I've ever seen (that would be Montecello) but it wasjust like you imainge it will be. The inside was my favorite part (and not just because it was warm). The tomb of Mumtz (the wife for whom the building was built) is in the center, decorted with flowers and the 99 names of God. The kings tomb is to the west side f hers (the mecca side) and is also decorated with inlayed flowers and script. The whole thing is surouned by a screen made of cavred marble, with more flowers decorating it. There are roses, voiltes, nassisus, and eachmad eof tiny tine peices of stone. It was really amazing.

The gardens were eaceful, but there was nothing to eat and we had to leave about 11 just becase we were hungry. You probably could have really spent whole day there, just enjoying th eway thew light changed. I know I'm not being very deep about my visit, but Agra doesn't lead one to really ddep thoughts. It's dirty, not very appealing (at least the area I'm staying in) and everything is a hassle. After we got back, I checked out of our hotel (I didn't really like it, and I found another one that had rooms for 80 rps) checked into the new one, did a little walking around the area and quickly figured out that you were not supposed to leave tharea around the Taj. SUUsalyl, I'm fine, but walking there was quite unpleasent. I headed back to Taj Ganj (the travellr area) quickly and found this internet. I'm going to stay here tomrorw, head to the Fort and the Old City area (hoefully a little more appealing tahtn this ). I was supposed to stay one more day (I had given myself a day to rest after arrinvg, but ended up going to Fatah Sikri), but I think I'l probably just take the bus to Delhi the morning of the 11th. no one hs had nice things to say about Dalhi yet, and since I'll have so much time there I'm looking into staying one or two days, leaving my luggage at a hotel, and taking the fast morning train up to Armstiar aftr all. I'm done wiht night trains, but a day train I could deal with (expecially if I dodn't have to worry about my rapidly increasing load). I'll let you know how it goes, but probably won't write again until I hit Dlehi on the afternoonn of the 11th.