Three Amazing Days

Our time in India was filled with such vast contrasts. We left the ship early on Tuesday morning and took a tour of the town of Goa- visiting a number of Christian churches. This area was settled by the Portugese so the influence of the Roman Catholic church is huge.

We flew to Agra on a charter plane and boarded a bus to head for the Taj Mahal at sunset. We got off that bus and onto electric buses to get to the entrance gate. At each stop we were almost attacked by vendors. Our guide said, "If you make eye contact you will have to marry them." Hard not to say "no thank-you" but you have to say NOTHING to make any progress.

The first sight of this beautiful structure took my breath away. It was built as a monument to love by the emperor for his wife who died at 39 giving birth to their 14th child. The building is white marble with intricate carvings and beautiful inlaid semi-precious stones. As you walk closer the color changes, the sparkles appear in different places, and the magic just increases. We stayed about an hour and watched the sun go down. Then we returned to the Taj View Hotel for dinner and sleep.

The streets of Agra were alive with people- walking in the street. They joined the cabs, the cars, the buses, and the cows strolling along together. The guide said to drive in India you need three things- good horn, good brakes, and good luck. We certainly saw all that demonstrated.

The next morning we were up at 5:30 to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise. It was not nearly so crowded. There is really tight security. Our guide had us leave everything on the bus so security could go faster. Men and women are screened in separate lines- with a pat down and wand search.

The entrance gate is also beautiful- made of carved red sandstone and inlaid with white marble.

We walked to the Taj Mahal by way of the guest house on the side and got great views. We also saw the river that runs behind.

We had to put on cloth booties to enter the tomb. We climed up steep marble steps and admired the handiwork that created this beauty. We saw the tombs and marveled at the whole story again. This poor man was finally sent to prison by his son for planning a black Taj on the other side of the river for himself and thus spending too much money. So the Dad spent his last years with a tiny view of the monument from the prison- with only 200 concubines to keep him company. Tough life!

On the street we saw many women begging-asking for food for their children. Our guides told us the beggars make more money than the school teachers and they often borrow the babies to use for their begging. We saw women in beautiful clothing working making cow patties which is used for fuel and cooking- at least in Agra.

We then had lunch at the hotel and headed for the beautiful palaces at Fatehpur Sikri. This emperor was broad-minded and hoped to end the Hindu-Muslim dispute by marrying a Hindu princess. He also married a Christian and a Muslim wife- building each one a beautiful palace of red sandstone. After this we did a little shopping and then had dinner.

On Thursday morning we flew back in Mumbai and had a city tour. The architecture of this city of 12 million people was beautiful- much evidence of the British presence in an earlier time. BUT there were many slums, street vendors along with the normal bustle of people in a big city.

We were greeting by the ships staff, live music, cold water and icy towels...all saying "Welcome Home."

Was quite an experience for both of us.