TAJ baby! + now in Jaipur

The morning train to Agra was AMAZING. Seriously. My seat was in the middle of the carriage which meant that my row of 3 seats had a full table in front of us, with another row of 3 people sitting facing us on the other side.. it was like sitting at a dining table! The Indian people that sat around me were very well to do and were asking me how I was enjoying their country and were very helpful in telling me which stop to get off the train at (there aren't really any signs nor announcements as to which station we're arriving at!). There was a 'busboy' in a railway cap and a vest who handed out free newspapers, free tea and biscuits, and free 'breakfast' (bread and jam, along with some indian veg cutlets). I felt like I was travelling first class!

I got off the train and was heading out to the rickshaw drivers when a voice started asking me a question, I turned around looked at person the voice belonged and recognised them... there was a moment of "hey... don't I know you..." when we both realised that we'd shared a table in a restaurant in Mcleod Ganj a few nights earlier, neither of us realising we'd be heading to see the Taj on the same day! So Linda and I became Taj buddies!

I'd booked a hotel because I'd heard bad stories about places being full and having to pay ridiculous amounts for a room, and there was a rickshaw driver waiting out the front of the train station with sign that read "AMIEER". Lol. Checked into my room, looked out the window and BOOM! there's the Taj!!! I was so excited I actually jumped up and down and did a little dance, much to the amusement of the hotel worker. We went and had a cool drink on the rooftop to admire the Taj some more.. it's SO BIG!! And it was RIGHT THERE!

Linda only had the day to spend so we decided we'd first catch a bus out to Fatehpur Sikri to see the Fort/Palace complex there and then explore the Taj in the cooler afternoon. Well, it was alright. The main gate was really awe-inspiring and impressive but the rest was alright. One of those things where you enjoyed some aspects, but wonder whether it was worth coming to see. In one of the complexes, Akbar had built three palaces for his three favourite wives, a Hindu, a Muslim from Turkey, and a Christian from Goa. Well, they might have been his three favourites but you could tell who his number one favourite was; the Hindu wife's palace was about 5 times the size of the other two! If I were the Muslim or Christian wife, I'd be pissed. There was a building which once housed the treasury... not quite as splendid as I'd imagined (I'm thinking huge marble room with piles of gold like in Aladdin). We also saw where Akbar carried out public executions by elephant stampede. Charming.

Headed back to Agra, had lunch, got food poisoning.. then went to the TAJ!

I loved it. It is so beautiful. Yes, you see a thousand photographs but the actual sheer size and scale of it is really the impressive part... and did I mention it's really beautiful??

I adopted a strict 'no photo' policy for the Taj as I've gotten to a point where it isn't really funny and a novelty anymore.. it's just time consuming and often very, very annoying. It probably means I'm evil but I kinda got a kick out of the reactions of men when I refused to get photographs with them.. some conversations went a little like this:

"Excuse me madam one photo"
"No sorry"
"No charge!"
"Um what?? NO"
I found that line the funniest.. "no charge".. as if I was saying no because I thought they'd charge ME for a photo with them?? Are you kidding?

The majority of conversations went like this:

"Excuse me madam one photo"
"No"
"... no?!?!" *incredulous stare, mouth practically hanging open* <-- my favourite part
"No"
*pause*
"Just one photo"

"I said. NO."

It's harder saying no to the women that ask, they're a lot nicer. The men I just know will use the photo to show all their mates and make up stories about their easy Westerner girlfriend. I had one guy at the Golden Temple even have the audacity to put his arm around me when I agreed to a photo (this may sound like nothing but that kind of touching is just not done here!). I protested with an "UH!" and he ignored me and kept his arm firmly around my shoulders, wanting his friend to take the photo despite my protests! I removed his arm, gave him my new improved death glare, told him to go away, and sat facing the other direction. Hehe.

Anyway back to the Taj. It was beautiful. And it was so good having Taj buddy to share the experience with! Linda left about 8pm and I spent a beautiful evening with my head in the toilet bowl.

The next day I was feeling a lot better and headed out to see Agra Fort. Not bad, I could live there (back in its glory)! Indians really know how to do palaces. Went and saw where Shah Jahan was imprisoned. For those of you who don't know the story, Shah Jahan was the emperor who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his favourite wife who died given birth to their 14th child (man, that woman would have spent most of her life pregnant!). After the Taj was completed, one of his sons, Aurangzeb, took over as Emperor by imprisoning his father in Agra Fort where he stared forlornly out the window to the Taj until he died there something like 8 years later. When I've heard this story, it's always told as "Poor Shah Jahan, isn't this such a sad story" but on further exploration.. it's really not that bad. For starters, everyone glorifies Shah Jahan and makes his son out to be a real dick for imprisoning his own father... but earlier in history, Shah Jahan had killed something like all of his brothers in order to be Emperor. Not so innocent! At least Aurangzeb didn't kill his father! Also, I went to where Shah Jahan was "imprisoned"... the place is a beautiful palace built out of marble, amazing views out over the river to the Taj, and he had his own mosque in which to worship... I can really think of worse places to be locked up. Really, it's not the dramatically poignant story it's made out to be! I think one of the most interesting parts of the Agra Fort was the building that once housed Akbar's (I think it was Akbar..) 500 strong harem! And they each had their own room! 500 women. Wow. Really?

I'd love to add some photos right now but unfortunately my SD card is full of viruses (thankyou internet cafes) and the files are simply not showing up! Trying to remedy the problem with some downloaded file recovery programs and will hopefully have my photos back soon!

Took the train to Jaipur last night and arrived after 10pm. It's so much more expensive travelling by yourself as a female because not only do you not have anyone to share the cost of rickshaws/hotel rooms etc, but you have to pay extra for things for the sake of safety. The hotel I'd booked was in walking distance of the train station, but I took a rickshaw because there was no way I was walking by myself in the dark! The hotel room last night was brilliant. It was the cleanest most spotless room I've seen in India, and the bathroom was so clean it almost sparkled! It made me so happy! It was like I was staying at someone's house in Australia! No dirt/scum/mould on the walls! The toilet bowl was WHITE!!!! Someone in India HAS heard of bleach! I did a little dance about the room too.

Spent the day today seeing the "sights" of Jaipur. In a word.. exhausting. I have a love/hate relationship with "sights". The entry charges are so expensive and most of the time I'm left feeling like.. yeeeah was that really worth the money? Most of the sights have their good parts, but sometimes you just feel like you're forever wandering around looking at things, taking photos, and leaving. I was amused in the City Palace by the Indian tourist group that all wore red caps in order to find each other. Women wore beautiful traditional saris.. and red caps. It was a hilarious juxtaposition (ooh big word!). I particularly enjoyed the ornate painted frescoes on some of the doorways, and the traditionally painted portraits of some of Jaipur's maharajas.

My favourite sight of the day was the Amber Fort. Even better than the Agra Fort! I really enjoy it when you can explore around inside the fort rather than having to stick to a roped off tourist path, although I realise this is probably more detrimental to the preservation of the fort. I spent a couple of hours weaving between rooms and passages and climbing up winding staircases. Some of it was really like a maze and I actually got lost and couldn't work out where to get out for a while! I particularly liked exploring the Ladies Apartments where all the wives/harem and their attendants lived, with a direct walkway from the Maharaja's chambers, for discreet night time visits. I really can't imagine that kind of relationship, living with all these women whom you're sharing the one man with! Although looking at some of the portraits of the Maharajas, the women probably didn't mind sharing certain duties around! I saw in the City Palace gallery, the robes of one of the Maharaja's and man he was FAT! Apparently almost 7 foot tall and almost 4 foot wide across the chest. Blimey. Yep, I'd be happy to have a group of other women to satisfy that guy's needs!

Anywho, I'm off to the more rural Shekhawati province in Rajasthan tomorrow to go and stare at some painted haveli frescoes!

Toodles! x