Agra

Back to some more reliable internet so we will catch up on the blog.  Our last few weeks in India were spent enduring the worst heat wave in 20 years.  The weather has been in the mid to high 40’s everyday so our sightseeing was restricted to early mornings and the afternoon taking nanna naps in the a/c of our hotel (when there wasn't a power cut) to recover.   
We spent five days in this major tourist town.  This is the off season of the Indian summer and there were very few foreign tourists, but lots of Indians on their summer holidays.  Agra is a nice town with wide streets, reduced amounts of rubbish and feral animals and quite pleasant to get around.  The hotels are of a higher standard than we have had so far and we were pretty comfortable inside despite the extreme heat and daily power outages.

We ticked off the major tourist attractions:  The Red Fort – all red sandstone and white marble.

Gate of the Red Fort

The chambers of the Sultan, Shah Jahan. Beautiful inlaid marble

The Taj Mahal – any description I can give would be totally inadequate.  It is simply exquisite.  The inlaid marble, the fine detail, the symmetry – all perfect.

The Taj Mahal - fountains working

Bob in contemplation on his 4th visit

The fine detail of carved and inlaid marble

marble screens

the mosque

Side tower overlooking the River Yamuna with the Red Fort in the hazy distance

Fatehpur Sikri - the abandoned town of the 16^th Century Mogul Emperor, Akbar, which lies about an hour outside of Agra.  On the way I saw a new sight – a wagon being towed by camels.  Within the Palace of red sandstone is a tomb of a Sufi saint.  Outside the tomb some musicians set up for an impromptu concert.  The 45+ degree heat didn’t seem to deter their enthusiasm.

Camel cart

Gate to Fatehpur Sikri with donkey train

Courtyard

Ruins looking out onto the dry plains of Northern India

Sufi Tomb

Musicians

Last day in Agra we saw the Tomb of I’timad-ud-Daualh, ‘the baby Taj’, a smaller and cruder version of the Taj.  Some think it was a practice piece for the real Taj but really no comparison.  

Next stop Gwalior.