Up at 5:30 for a 6:15 pickup as the Taj in the sunrise has a special quality….and indeed it did. At this time of year there is a lot of smog so the view was hazy…but still truly magical. It had been described to me as translucent and that is an apt description, particularly as the sun gains strength and lands on the Taj and its Turrets

Translucent TaJ

The first view of the Taj is truly breathtaking..the colour, the vista, the symmetry which you begin to notice almost immediately…even though the grounds were already filled with hundreds and hundreds of people, it had an unbelievably calm and serene feel to it. It appears quite grand!!! In part due to the 4 symmetrical towers around the exterior, the two symmetrical buildings on the side ( one is a mosque) and the long pools in front which create the vista and often present a mirror image of the Taj Mahal at several spots along the way.

Beauty and Serenity

The Taj is not a palace. It is a white marble building that houses two tombs. It was built by Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, MumtazMahal who died at 38 after bearing him 14 children!!!! It was meant to only house his wife’s tomb as he had begun to erect a black marble mirror image of the Taj across the river where he wished to be buried . However his third son, killed off his first born and put Shah Jahan in prison. When he finally died after 10 plus years his tomb was set to the left of his wife’s. As a result it is the only thing at the Taj that is not symmetrical, so it certainly feels as if it should not be there. The white marble is intricately set with semi precious stones and as the rising sun hits it, it sparkles. It truly is magical…

The day I visited was the Muslim holiday Aeid… consequently I witnessed thousands of Muslim men all dressed in white coming to the mosque mentioned earlier.

The Mosque

In the pictures you will see the men cleansing themselves in the pools in the mosque’s front courtyard. …once their hands, faces and feet are washed they enter the mosque… as I was leaving the huge mosque was full and they were starting to sit on long prayer rugs in front of the mosque.. I expect the courtyard would be completely full by the time morning prayers started at 9am. All in white they too were quite a spectacle.

Cleansing before morning prayers

Taj Visitors

Having spent several hours in the Taj, around the gardens I can say I completely agree that it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I am very glad I did not miss this opportunity to visit it on my trip to India.

Muslims visiting the TAJ

I

I remembered one of the modern worlds most renowned Taj pictures. Diane sitting in front of the Taj. I remember it was when she and Charles were estranged. it now is clear to me how very sad her visit must have been . to see a memorial to a revered love when she was feeling so unloved..SAD SAD

Me and the TAJ

Today was my first real day to experience India.

I left the Taj Palace ( Upscale hotels are called Palaces in India) . From the security of an Indian hotel for westerners and the well to do to the streets of Old Delhi and Agra.

The Taj Palace

Now let’s be clear I wasn’t hitch hiking or trying out local traffic. No my trip was arranged by Jennifer Beacon, Mercedeh Sanati’s partner at Quench travel.

So at 7:30 this morning, I was greeted by Ravikant Bura, Tour Executive with ‘An Indian Escape’ . In the lobby he went over my itinerary, presented me with my vouchers for guides, hotels and tours and delivered me safely into the hands of my driver Subessing. He will accompany me for the next several days and deliver me to the airport on Sunday.

So about 8 o’clock, off we went in a very nice air conditioned car, into Friday morning Delhi Traffic. Well now that is an EXPERIENCE!!!!!

I have never seen traffic like it ….for the next four hours as we made our way through the city of Delhi ( 20 million people I think) into the country side and along what is interestingly presented as a scenic drive???? to Agra.

First of all the streets have everything traveling on them, people walking, on bikes, rickshaws, motorcycles ( hundreds of them) the most dilapidated trucks I have ever seen, mototaxis..three person , taxi minitrucks ( we would consider for five ridersàbut in India they fill these little taxi trucks to the brim, people sitting on the top, hanging off the side and perched precariously on the back. And then for good measure we add donkeys, horses pulling carts loaded down with bags and all manner of stuff , cows and water buffalo pulling carts, people pulling or pushing carts,  delivery bicycles and for good measure a handful of camels. Everywhere on the sides ..but also in the middle of the road big black or big white COWS.. they and the dogs and pigs have the run of India.

So that’s just the list of vehicles! We then get to the rules of the road….there are NONE!!!!!    and I mean it. Traffic lights are few and far between, and where they do exist the teeming traffic pays little attention to it.. I must say generally cars go in the same direction when you have a separated lanes of 2or 3 lanes on each side of the highway…but not necessarily . On numerous occasions we would find on our side of the freeway ( loosely termed)  a truck come barreling down the roadà what we would consider the wrong way on the inside lane no less. The outside lanes constantly had scooters, bikes, taxis coming down what we might consider the shoulder lane heading into the traffic.

Saris and motorbikes

Every single vehicle beeps or honks their horns constantly …in fact on the back of cars you will see ‘HONK PLEASE’ this lets drivers know that someone is passing or wants to pass them….i didn’t notice a lot of side mirrors so this is the signal to the driver to move over or speed up. I KID YOU NOT> hence the beeping and honking…it is constant.

A small motorbike in India can carry 4 adult males, or a man, his child of 6 in front, a 3-4 year old in the middle,  and the  mother with her  babe in arms. Significantly different safety protocols in India. I even saw a baby of less than one perched in front of his father on the bike.

mini taxis Delhi Style

Young men have helmets, many do not and generally beautifully dressed women in saris do not …because they have been blessed and don’t need a helmet.

And of course the cars whiz along very close to the people who are all over r the place ..they cross in mid traffic ..i am amazed we did not encounter 100s of accidents…but truth I think only one..which we whizzed right by

Traffic Madness

no rules of the road

The second thing of note on the ride thru old Delhi to Agra is the garbage..it is everywhere. In fact one feels as if you are driving through a garbage dump for three hours. You can tell it has been there for a very long time..i think it turns into dirt or road because it certainly doesn’t appear that there is any form of garbage removal system. Amongst  the garbage, people , children, goats, pigs, donkeys and of course the sacred cows !!!most of them foraging in the garbage.

Cows Reign

I found the men on the streets generally very slovenly in their dress…very different from the immaculately and colourfully garbed hotel attendants.  However even in the poorest of areas the saris of the women were gorgeous..every colour of the rainbow and richly embroidered with gold and silver threads and sequins.

I spent 4 hours en route and was mesmerized by the whole of it. I was extremely glad to have an amazing driver with incredible skill, as no one pays any attention to traffic lanes, constantly maneuvered around each other, slow down, speed up… squeeze in..unbelievable!!!! As my guide later said in India you need a good brake, a good horn and good luck. I say don’t drive get a driver!!!!!

Before getting to Agra (home of the Taj Mahal which I will see at sunrise tomorrow) we stopped off to visit two amazing forts …translate well fortified palaces built in the 1500’s by the Mughal dynasties. The first was Fatehpur Sikri , a marvelous example of Moghul architecture.. This particular moghul had three wives, a Hindi, a Christian and a Muslim wife so 4 palaces within the fort ( one for him and one each for  his three wives) and of course lots of other space for his many concubines.  Beautiful red sandstone…but very hard as it still endures to this day.

The Concubines pavilion

The second  is the Agra Fort, again home to a moghul, several wives and a multitude of concubines.  These palaces had inlaid gold and silver, beautiful craftsmanship of various arts, but over the years all of these appointments on the walls and ceilings have been plundered ..but the original construction gives you a feel for the power and richness of these moghuls.’

Tonight I am safe in another 5-star hotel, the Jaypee Palace and given all the rubbernecking I did today had myself an amazing 60 minute massage..price $45. Then had dinner in the restaurant…it was lovely but sure didn’t feel it was the same deal as it came to $85—and I only had two glasses of wine an appetizer and butter chicken.. but still an experience.

Tomorrow the Taj Mahal

First working day in London and priority was to get myself across town to Canary Wharf to the KPMG offices.

Bottom Line: London transportation system could eat TTC’s lunch, breakfast and dinner. Rob Ford could take some lessons from London’s mayor Boris Johnson

The experience:  Began on Sunday night as I googled maps of London’s UTube. Found my way to a neat application called Journey Planner. You input the start address and the destination address and out pops various routes. Details walking , buses, tube lines, transfer points, escalators, anticipated time for each portion of the trip and an easy link to google maps at each stage of the journey..talk about comprehensive support. From about 6 route options, choose one and next morning armed with my preferred choice started out bright and  early

London Traffic

Well, the route looked simple, but in busy Monday morning rush hour traffic, a little more complicated than expected and  I lost my way. Not finding the route 70 bus, I hoped on a route 27 bus and asked the bus driver how to get to Canary Wharf. ( by the way my destination is not exactly close) Very pleasant and courteous he suggested I stay on his bus and he would tell me when I could get off to catch the Jubliee line. Had a lovely turn about Nottinghill for awhile then hopped on my tube…talk about client service excellence!!!!

Next discovery, the fee system… No silly line ups at subway booths, no tokens..no the Londoners have Oyster smart cards. Get a card, charge it up and away you go. Scan it going in and out and it automatically determines zones traveled and deducts the correct amount. Of course you can load it up with credit at the tube station, or on line or set a minimum amount and it automatically deducts a set amount of  funds from your bank account.

Got to wondering why they were called Oyster cards. So checked out Wikipedia. Turns out Saatchi and Saatchi after much research conceived and promoted OYSTER because  of “ 1) the metaphorical implications of security and value  (hard outer shell and concealed pearl), 2) the association of London and the River Thames with oysters, and 3) the well known travel related idiom ‘the world is your oyster’” Not even sure Ford could articulate metaphorical ..so more points for very smart cards, with very smart brand names!!!

Smart Oyster

        Got to KPMG offices and found more useful smart cards. My employee pass gets loaded with about 3 pounds a day which I can use in the firm’s cafeteria..Yup a cafeteria ( full sandwich deli, salad bar, pasta bar and hot meal bar  and $ for personal use.. it’s a daily use it or loose it option and its true,  3 Pounds may only buy you a soup or a latte but still given the prices of things in London, every Pound is welcome and I wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. And of course just like the Oyster card you can simply add credit to your employee card to pay for the rest of your lunch.  So far I have yet to find a place to use my coins and pound notes.

So now this blog has gotten me to thinking where does the saying  “ don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”  come from. Consulted Wikipedia, turns out if someone gives you a horse it would be perceived as ungrateful to inspect the horses teeth.. who knew!!

Thanks to all who checked out the blog and commented!!!