Golden Triangle Visit (Taj Mahal and more)

We were invited to a wedding in Agra and decided this would be a great opportunity to visit The Golden Triangle.  The Golden Triangle consist of Delhi, Agra (Taj Mahal) and Jaipur.  We invited our friend Catie to come along with us since she was in India for a community service project that ended just as we started our trip.

On Saturday we started the trip in Delhi and took the express way to Agra.

On Sunday we got up early the next morning and we were at the Taj Mahal for sunrise.  It was a great time to visit.  The crowd level was low and the view was spectacular.  The only down side was the water was drained from the pools.

You can see the reflection even with the water drained

The extra person is a friend from the USA

If you pay the foreign price it includes these to put over your shoes instead of removing your shoes.  I guess after Slumdog Millionaire people did not want to leave their shoes. 

No gas powered cars are allowed near the Taj Mahal so we got to ride this electric vehicle.

After the Taj, we went back to the hotel for breakfast.  Then we went to the Agra Fort and shopping. We have not purchased very many items from India to keep as "forever" souvenirs and this trip we decided to look for some of those types of items.  N really liked a marble chess set so we decided to get that as an item he can keep in his life forever.  B decided he really wanted a rug for his room so we purchased a small handmade rug made of yak's wool.  No, I did not pick out the rug. B was set on this particular rug and loves having it in his room.

I don't have a picture of the rug.  Will try to update it later.

We needed to return to the hotel in time to shower and change for the wedding that evening.  We all dressed in our best Indian outfits to dance in the street for 90 mins as we walked to the wedding venue.  The boys had a great time.  Unfortunately, the wedding was late and by the time we reached the wedding venue B was exhausted and wanted to go back to the hotel.  He was hungry so I stopped by McDonald's, in my sari, to pick up some food.  I am use to being stared at in India but this was a whole new level. Every head turned as I approached and I swear I think I saw a jaw drop.  As I was waiting for the food, two girls in their early 20's came up to me and said that I looked very Indian. It was a very unique experience.  Ken and my other son stayed at the wedding until midnight and had a great time.   I don't have any pictures at this time but I will try to add them later. 

Monday we went to Jaipur, the pink city. We settled in for the night at the Marriott in Jaipur.  We really enjoyed the Marriott, the breakfast and dinner buffets were both excellent.  I highly recommend this hotel.

Tuesday we took an elephant ride to the top of the Red Fort.   It was not a good experience.  One of the elephants was very slow and the handler hit the elephant to the point of bleeding.

I think our guide was not very knowledgable about the Red Fort and the elephant incident was not pleasant.  Others I know have thought the Red Fort was better than the Taj Mahal but not for us.

Afterwards, we stopped to look at the Red Fort from a distance and we had a surprise celebration unfold.  A group of about 20 teenagers got out of a truck and started throwing colored powder, dancing and singing.  After about 5 mins they took and Idol and submerged it in the river.

We also went to an observatory.  It was one of my favorite places on this trip.  It has a working sun dial that is accurate to within 3 minutes.  It was huge.  I don't remember when it was built but well before North America was discovered by Europeans.  

  We also visited an open air Mosque.  Normally women are not allowed inside a Mosque but since it is open air they make an exception sometimes.  They will inspect you to ensure you are properly covered before entering.  Notice the drape over B's legs and our friend is completely covered.  I think I barely made it through with my 3/4 sleeves and capri pants.  This is a group of men from Kashmir who had never seen a white person.

 We then visited Delhi.  We visited many places but it was a let down overall.  I liked the Lotus Temple and the Gandi museum.  Nothing else is a must see in my opinion.  There is plenty that will keep you busy but nothing that I would go out of my way to see.  I do wish we would have been able to make it to Toilet museum.  I know that sounds strange but I was told it is very interesting by many but it is not near anything else we wanted to do so we had to miss it.  If we head back up that way will will have to see it.

Lotus Temple