Sunday, June 28

India and The Taj Mahal


India is without a doubt one of the most interesting places I have been.  While my daughter was living there I was able to go visit several times and being a photographer I was in paradise.  Amazing architecture that was over 2000 years old.  Modern cars, auto rickshaws, carts pulled by camels or elephants all together on the roadways.  What an experience riding in an auto rickshaw in a motorized chaos along the Delhi streets with the drivers yelling back and fourth at each other with the wind blowing your hair into a gnarly mess.  An experience not to forget and would love to do again.


 The Taj Mahal in Agra should be #1 on anyone's list for a visit to India.  Great care is still taken of the beautiful mausoleum that is made completely of white marble and has 28 different varieties of semi precious stones embedded into it.  It was commissioned to be built in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of one of his three wives that had died giving birth to her 14th child.  The Taj Mahal took 22 years to build and used over 22,000 workers. 


Street vendor selling bananas in New Delhi

This alleyway shows the night time street life in New Delhi takes us to one of our favorite restaurants.  "The Big Chill".

 Fresh fish for sale at one of Delhi's many markets.
The markets were filled with stacks of rugs, scarves, carvings, materials, spices, live chickens and just about anything imaginable.  It is a shoppers dream.  In the city there are wonderful Spas where you can get massages, full facials and manicures fit for a queen.  Diversity is everywhere.

 Outside New Delhi were beautiful bright green fields of grass and small villages with amazing houses made of mud with cow dung patties in huge stacks drying in the sun.    


In small village near Bharatpur enjoying the
warmth from the morning sun.