Mar. 9, 1978 - India

What a lovely day!! A pleasantly rolling train ride through country villages and farms to Agra,  3 hours from Delhi, a scooter taxi to the Taj Mahal and some time just sitting to enjoy the beauty of the marble inlay and surrounding gardens.  In the tomb itself a guard showed us how to use a flashlight to illuminate the inlaid stones so the marble shines translucent.  Each flower might be comprised of up to 50 petals. Exquisite.

After a light lunch we set out for the Red Fort of Agra.  We didn’t know much about it but the train didn’t leave until 7pm.  We found it as engrossing as the Taj, more so because we felt we were discovering it for ourselves.  For about 3 hours we napped in the courtyard, watching chipmunks, green parrots and monkeys (apes, Bryan says) playing and bigger birds soaring above.

Then we wandered about to a Palace within the fort that still retains enough of its amazing original splendor: marble carved screens, mirror encrusted baths, large and small mosques, and beautiful views of the Taj in the distance.  (It was here the man who built the Taj for his wife was imprisoned by one of their 14 sons until his death.)

The Taj Express is popular with young Indian couples and even on a Thursday was crowded with people going just for the day from Delhi, just like us.  Most tourists take bus tours but I’m glad we did it as uncomplicated as we did.  We were back in Delhi by 10pm.