Friday, October 23— This proved to be a busy day despite the fact that a large portion of it was spent on the bus, riding from Delhi to Agra.

After breakfast and boarding the bus, our first stop was on the outskirt of Delhi (or so it seemed) to see the tomb of Humayan, the second Moghul emperor of India. The moghuls were Muslims who ruled much of India from the 1500’s until 1837. The huge ornate structure was built a couple of generations before the Taj Mahal, and it’s architectural style served as a model for that better known structure (that we would see by the end of this day). Joining our tour group on the grounds was a film crew shooting a music video of some famous (in India) traditional musicians. It was an eye-opening way to start the morning!

Once on the road, we whizzed along on one of India’s newest motorways. Along the roadside, we saw miles and miles of farmers and their fields. Sugarcane, millet, corn and cotton are all grown here. Many of the farm workers live in huts made of grass and rushes. Neat piles of cow “pies” (dung) are often seen stacked nearby to be used as fuel. In one vast area, tall stone chimneys were frequently seen. Around them, fields with terraces of neatly cut clay indicated that brick-making is a going concern; the chimneys tower above the kiln ovens were the bricks are baked.

Lunch was at a roadside café. Ashok, our guide, was good enough to order a variety of Indian dishes for all of us to share. On the way out, we spied an ice cream/gelato vendor. Susie ordered one scoop for a small treat. Just before he ladled out the ice cream, the vendor dipped the scooper into a dish of water. As we paid him and took the cup, Susie realized that that dip in the water made the ice cream a “no no”. In this foreign land of weird bacteria in the local water, there are rules to be followed: no unbottled water or other drinks, no ice, no fresh uncooked veggies or fruits, no brushing teeth with tap water, and keep your mouth closed in the shower. To break the rules could result in a bad case of “Delhi belly”. And the ice cream scooper dipped in a bowl of tap water could have been all it would take to trade a day of touring for a day in the toilet. So into the waste can the ice cream went.

And back down the road we continued to ride. More farms and open land passed by the windows through early afternoon. Finally, we approached the city of Agra. As we approached the city, we made our first stop: the Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah. This

mausoleum was erected for the father-in-law of the third Moghul emperor. It is often called “the baby Taj” because it is constructed of white marble, just like the Taj Mahal, but is smaller. Ashok pointed out some of the other differences that are considered “mistakes” that were done differently when the Taj Mahal was built in later years. As we toured the grounds and gardens around the tomb, we observed many people tending to the garden area. We also found a healthy and active troop of Rhesus monkeys prowling the grounds! Keep your distance, we were told...they bite!

Back on the bus, we headed farther into the city to get our first glimpse of the big reason we came here...the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was built as a tomb and a monument in the 1600’s to the third wife of the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan. Taj Mahal means “the crown of palaces” and the white marble masterpiece certainly lives up to its name. The building is bound by the Yamana River on its south side; this afternoon, our group entered the Mehtah Bagh Park that lies across the river. As we strolled the gardens and snapped pictures across the water, we could see and hear a colorful celebration taking place back on the other side next to the Taj.

We boarded the bus for our last ride of the day—to our next hotel. We all met for an Indian buffet dinner in the hotel café and turned in. Tomorrow we leave at 5:30 a.m. to see the sun rise on the Taj Mahal.

A DAY’ S R IDE TO AGRA

TO AGRA

AND THE TAJ MAHAL

OCTOBER 23—24, 2015

VOLUME 2015-4, ISSUE 3

The Tomb of Humayan

Left: An Indian pop star playing at Humayan’s Tomb

Below: Water buffalo wander the Delhi streets

Left: A Delhi apartment building

Below: Faces in the street

Above: Monkeys are plentiful in India.

Left: Gardening at the tomb

The “Baby Taj”

Left: Local ladies working in the garden across the river

from the Taj Mahal.

Below: Our first good look at the Taj Mahal...while a local

dog relaxes.

Left: A festival gathering

near the Taj Mahal