Agra fort was a pleasant surprise, more imposing than its Delhi cousin and in far better shape. It was a beautiful day to wander through the sandstone halls, explore Shah Jahan's marble prison, and gaze upon the Taj from afar. We did the whole fort in less than an hour, but it was still wonderful to see.
And now, on to the Taj.... It is beautiful, of course. And crowded. And, like most things in India, subjects you to a bit of sensory overload. First warm sandstone and then cool marble beneath your feet. Tracing the lilies etched in relieve around the mausoleum. Seeking seams in the seamless piedra dura, and marveling at the love and what must have been obsession, that inspired the building. Finally, watching birds wheel in the fading light above white minarets, and the sinking sun turning dust motes rosy over the Yamuna.
We had a lovely dinner and headed on to Gwalior. It makes for a long day, but I've come to believe that Agra doesn't merit an overnight. Our hotel in Gwalior was lovely - Usha Kiran Palace. Part of the ruling family's estate, it still sits next to the ancestral family home and the Scindia Palace museum. We had a good sleep in and a lovely breakfast buffet the next morning before rambling about the museum for a few hours and checking out Gwalior Fort in all it's blue-tiled loveliness. The Usha Kiran treated us well. Rooms were palacial and the spa was wonderful. Mom and Dad and I all had massages, which were great, and then we followed it up with a belated birthday dinner for me at the hotel. The staff were so sweet - they whipped up an impromptu birthday cake and sang to me. Just lovely - the Taj experience is not to be beaten in the hotel world.
The following day, we headed for Jaipur, by way of Fatepur Sikri. Although the abandoned city is beautiful, it has the most persistent hawkers and touts of anywhere I've been in India. Dad and Paul each succumbed to the wares available, but on the whole I think they enjoyed themselves. After a four-hour drive to Jaipur, we had a nice dinner at Niro's and checked in to the Narain Niwas Palace, which I love. In the morning, we headed for Amer to see the palace. This is the first time that I've been there early enough to catch the elephants - apparently, they're not allowed to do more than a handful of trips each day, so once all the laps are done, there are no more elephants to be had. The elephants carry you from the courtyard at the bottom of the hill, up to the palace gates - I've never had a more regal ride, and I think Mom, Dad, Paul and Mary loved it. So worth going early. After Amer, we had to go to the obligatory rug shop with our "free" guide. Paul and Mary got a very nice rug, which should have made his day, but I have the strong sense he felt he had still lost out on some commission in the long haul. Devindar and I dropped the 'rents at City Palace and went fabric shopping for Mom, as well as buying my long-sought Ganesh t-shirt. Then, it was back in the car to head to Delhi, so that Mom and Dad could catch their flight out that night.
It's amazing how quickly two weeks can go. It was a tremendous amount of planning, but so great to have my family here. I wish Mom had liked it better, but I think she was only so open to India from the beginning, and getting sick didn't improve things much. Dad seemed to really like playing shutterbug and geeking out on the history - I really need to take him to Europe. He would go nuts over Italy, in particular. Paul and Mary, the veteran travelers among us, seemed to have had a great time. And I was supremely grateful to have them along to referee the three musketeers.
No comments:
Post a Comment