The Taj Mahal, Need I say more?

Fatepuhr Sikri
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All I can say about Agra is that it is basically a nothing town. Really! It is not charming or nice. Actually it is the epitomy of dull...except for the Taj Mahal. The Taj is amazing. Far more impressive in person than any picture you have ever seen. My temporary traveling companion, Laura Stone, and I went to see the Taj after we took a morning trip to an abondoned ancient city called Faterpuhr Sikri. Fatepur Sikri was laid out in a well planned, spiritually based manner. It was the Raj of the times dream child. It was the only thing he did that failed. The city is beautiful, but it failed because there was no water. After an overcroweded bus ride out, a quick tour, and then an overcrowded bus ride in we went to the Taj.

More of Fatepuhr Sikri
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At the gate of the Taj they check you for stuff. They made me open my back pack so they could look and see if I was carrying any thing that did not meet their approval. This was right after they patted me down for weapons, and totally missed the knife I had in my pocket. Amazing security. Eventually they found something that was serious enough to make me place my backpack in a locker. They discovered my stuffed animals. Yep, that's right, serious contraband, possible explosives, or maybe the might get loose and run rampant inside the hall. Whatever the case was they wouldn't explain themselves, so I acquiesed and proceeded into the compound.

the Taj lives up to it's reputation

The entrance gate to the Taj.
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The hall is far larger than I thought. Walking through the gate Laura and I laughed at everyone taking the same picture that every tourist in history has taken. She called it the Princess Diana picture (s'he''s British). Then we proceeded to take the same picture, of course. Then we spent 3 hours walking around and absorbing the grandeur of the worlds greatest monument to love. Some of the things that I have seen on my trip so far have been impressive and some have not. I am happy to say that the Taj lives up to it's reputation.