And off to the Taj Mahal.

26 /1 - I didn't hear the call for prayers this morning, but got up anyway, 5.30. Left the hotel just before 6.00 and walked straight into a rickshaw driver. At least he told me I was going to the wrong gate for the Taj, the one I was heading for didn't open until 8.00. A lucky break, nobody else had explained this. So off to the East gate. I was told bags and mobiles weren't allowed, so stuck a book in my fleece pocket to have a read in the gardens. YES fleece, it is a bit nippy here in the morning. There is a search before you go in and books are not allowed. "What's that all about Grandad". I saw loads of bags too and people on their mobiles. I promised I would not read my book, so the guard let me in and I didn't because I'm a good lad and always do as I'm told.
Entry is 10 quid for foreigners and 30p for Indians, well it is their place, but us foreigners get the last laugh. We get to use the toilet for free, but Indians have to pay 3p. I went 42 times in 3 hours.
After seeing the Taj from afar I was expecting to be disappointed as I was when I went to see the Mona Lisa, but it is tremendous. Perhaps I should have gone to see the Mona Lisa at 6.15 a.m.
The LP says it is best to see the Taj Mahal at dawn so you can see the colour change from purple, to light blue to sandy white, but I think there is a bit of poetic license in that. It was wonderful to see it gradually brighten as the sun rose. It is a magnificent building and a great setting. The Emporer Shah Jahan must have been deeply in love with his wife to have built such a beautiful, grand memorial for her. He is in there with her too. I wonder if he thought in 1631 how many people would flock to see it. It is hard to believe that it was allowed to fall into disrepair, until you remember the povery in India.
Some buildings become less impressive the more you look at them, but this structure became more magnificent the more I looked at it. The light changes it and increases its beauty and watching it sharpen out of the dawn was very special in my eyes. It was a privilege to be there.
The early morning crowd is nearly all Westerners. The Indian people start to arrive around 9.00. I guess they don't read the LP. The only locals are the guides cashing in. From some of their chat they read the LP. Some of them were professional, judging by my earwigging.
I see what the Indian man who told me to go see the Raja Swami temple meant when he said it was more beautiful than the Taj. The marble carving is, but it wont have the grandeur of the Taj, I don' t think it will be so imposing. In case you haven't guessed I have fallen in love with this wonder of the world, it is truely magnificent. I think the budget ran out before it was finished though. The Palace sits on a platform, so that the backdrop is nearly always sky, to get up the platform are a flight of marble stairs, but they couldn't afford a bannister, cheapskates. I wandered around the back and sat on a bench for a break and saw a hornbill fly across the river. There are a lot of birds on the river, it is a peaceful place to sit. I spotted a vulture too, perched on corner of the building.
Moving on and letting the Taj impression grow. The red sandstone outer buildings, which have various uses, provide a good contrast to the Taj Mahal and are smashing in their own right. The inside is not as impressive as the outside, but worth a look. The marble inlaying is very impressive.
I have been in here 3 hours now and the time has flown. Parked on a bench for a while and watched the beautiful sarees arrive. Another advantage of the early start is that is very peaceful with only a large handful of people, all in awe.
Waddled my way to the exit through a photo display of great monuments, ruins, palaces etc in India and realised I have hardly scratched the surface. Called at the toilet, visit number 43. HA HA HA.
Everything in the grounds is symmetrical. Even the flower beds have the same flowers in either side of the canal down the middle. They include some dahlias. That would have impressed my Dad.
Headed for the south exit and some breakfast at the much lauded Joney's (no typo) Place, but changed my mind when I spotted the steps and no bannister. The shipment must have been hijacked, or flogged on during construction.
It turned out to be a good thing. I went out the west exit and got lost in the back alleys of the Taj Ganj area or Agra. This is the real living area of Taj Ganj. I got some funny looks that seemed to say "That pillocks lost", but it was good to walk around and see the local life, like a Mam pouring water over her nippers backside, whilst he wiped it into the gutter, you know, the usual family stuff.
Found a stall selling jalebis, which the Raja Swami man recommended to me. The are fried up and a guaranteed sugar overdose. I tried to give them away, but nobody would take them. I don't know if that is a religious thing. Anyway an appreciative dog ended up with them.
I stumbled out of the back alleys and into Joneys. Who needs a plan? I only had his home made meusli and a lassi and that was great The muesli was cornflakes, yoghurt, nuts, coconut, fruit and delicious.
Stoked up, I took a wander and perched on a step next to a Seikh. He turned out to be a bit of a lad and I reckon one of India's original grumpy old men, as far as religion and the people of India are concerned. He seemed to have old fashioned views. I don't think he was a full shilling, not far off, but not quite a full one. Probably the same value as me.
He had just come from a couple of hours down the river, washing himself and his clothes. He was perched on his knapsack, that looked like a bale of cotton.
Typical of Indians, he had family all over the place and had been a cabby in New York for years, an engineer somewhere in the Arab states. As he reeled off the stories he kept sprucing up his handlebar mustache and he definitely had an eye for the ladies. He would not have been out of place in "It ain't half hot Mum". He is one of lifes real characters. After a long chat, I hit the road and he threw his knapsack over his shoulder and hit the road for the local Sikh temple. He had explained how the temples all over India give free food and lodging to people who turn up, any race, creed or colour. This was how he was travelling around India, picking up casual work as he went.
After a few hours I hit Joney's again for the famed Mulai Kofta and banana lassi and they were as good as the hype. He puts great pride and care into preparing all his food. The appearance of the place would have matched Joneys greasy spoon, rather than Joneys place, but I recommend it to any Agra visitor.
I decided to hit the road and dump my bag at the station and have a wander around the local area. IT is not the Fort station, so loads of rickshaw and taxi drivers tell me there is nothing to see here and I should let them run me around local sites and shops where they will pick up commission. They were wrong. Around here is the real India. Lots of roadside stalls, people sitting around chatting. I set off for a quiet spot to sit, which was not easy to find, but eventually settled down behind a local and his barrow on a roundabout wall. I was OK for a while, then a young lad, about 13, turned up and tried to get me to take his cycle rickshaw. When I declined he just went for the money, so I made him choose a hand for 1 or 5 rupees. He won and stuck around for a while. We had a bit of crack and the Grandad tricks came out. We were gathering a bit of a crowd and having a laugh, but it started to get a bit too big, so I legged it up the road to find another spot on an abandoned sewer pipe below a billboard. I was spotted by a beggar lad who was a real pain in the arse and needed a slap, so I headed off to the station to board the Shatanti Express to Delhi. This was a bit different to sleeper class, it included free water, free meal, well paid for in the price, free ice cream, reclining seats. The luggage rack was overhead, so I was struggling until a lad came and threw it up for me.
Into Delhi, phoned around and found a possible hotel. Some bloke tried to scam me, but I jumped into a cycle rickshaw, in a Gil sort of jumping way and hit the road, dropped at the hotel and hit the sack. Here we are in Delhi. What adventure awaits me here???

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