Started the morning early by grabbing a 6am breakfast and throwing our bags in the car so that we could be at the Taj at opening time of 7 am. Even at that there were lots of people already on the grounds when we arrived. There is nothing that I can say about the Taj Mahal that would do it justice. It has all been said. But it more than lives up to expectations. The most impressive feature (of many) for me is the massive area of intricate semi-precious stone inlays.
After the tour we got taken to a workshop where people who repair these inlays work and make other items for sale. Joy found another costume for the open house. Hitting the road we skipped a tomb, feeling that the long drive we had ahead of us mitigated against a stop. The usual drive in India involving, on at least one occasion, the sight of a bus heading for us head-on while passing a truck going our direction. I should say that this was on a divided, 4 lane highway, and he was passing the truck on the inside. I guess you had to be there. I know I was as well as everyone I've ever known as my life flashed, etc.
We ended up taking lots of pictures on the drive of over-loaded rickshaws, dung drying for fires, women taking in the mustard harvest, etc. Our driver, Khan, finally convinced us to see one more sight which required a half hour side trip, to see a "stepped well". Not knowing what that was we could hardly refuse. It was the oldest stepped well in Rajastan and was truly spectacular. Basically, you take a large square of land and dig down a step. Then you take a slightly smaller square inside and dig down a step. You continue down until you hit water. In this case it is 19.5 metres down (deeper than a Portapique tide) and one side of the square is an ornate temple. Worth the trip.
Tomorrow we look for tigers.
Jim
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