Agra - The end

Agra

We arrived in Agra by train. Unfortunately, I was unable to see the countryside very much because I was in an upper sleeping compartment on the train, where I wrote my other two blogs. However, when we finally pulled into the train station, there was nothing but people and the metal framework of the train station, painted in blue and silver. The most unfortunate part: I didn’t get a picture of it since we were too busy slinging luggage and trying to get the group to the bus without anyone being lost.

The key element in Agra was, of course, the Taj Mahal.

We were fortunate to not have too many people there that day, or maybe it was that it was early so not many people had woken up in their hotel rooms. We tried getting a picture that night of the Taj Mahal; however, due to security concerns (terrorism) they do not have lighted up at night.

The morning, though, we set out on our adventure to see this Modern Marvel. Upon entering, there are several gates. The first gate is when you have to go through security. The rules say that you cannot bring any electronic devices in, except your phone and camera. You cannot bring any matches or cigarettes in, or any other combustible materials. The second gate, though, was the gate that allowed you to see it from a postcard standpoint. You could see the entire building and pillars in all of their magnificence. The four towers, you realize as you see it, are actually leaning a little outward, in case of earthquakes. It was very interesting that they had those considerations even back then.

 

The Taj Mahal was a hallmark of love. The king built this to prove his love to his third wife, who he loved the most, and who requested it. It was built as a tomb for her and is perfectly symmetrical, except for the kings tomb that throws off the balance of the interior. Because of this hallmark, my friend, Pablo Romero, decided to ask his boyfriend to marry him. Awesome.

The whole day was extraordinary. When we finally began to tour the World Heritage Landmark, we learned that all the designed were made of stones worn by the Queens in their gowns, hair, etc. There  are no paintings whatsoever within or without the Taj Mahal. It’s all stonework. Each piece was hand-carved into the building with groove sets in the marble that hold the pieces. 

Like I said, this was an extraordinary day. We finished up the trip with a bus ride back to New Delhi, where I finally got to see some countryside and we even got to witness a non-seasonal storm that resembles those we have in the Coachella Valley, including extraordinarily strong winds that was making the bus rock back and forth.

Overall, the trip was a success. We were able to see some of the education facilities in India and compare it to ours, we were able to look at a business and the differences in mindsets from American businesses and we witnessed one of the glories of the seven modern wonders of the world. 

I wonder what life has in store for me next.