India - Day 3 (Part 2)

Day 4, quickly then Day three part 2...   Ok.   I am sitting at Todd's office.  It is now 9:30pm India time, we got here this morning , before 9am, and he is still in meetings, going strong I should say!   Eek.  No break for dinner, this company is 'intense'.   I have been just reading mostly, as I did not have internet on my laptop.  However, at 7:20pm a nice Indian gentlemen that we happened to ride in with this morning, so nicely came over and hooked me UP!!!  Yah the last hour and a half have been SWEET!   It only took 5 mins to upload all the pics and the video!   YAY!!!!!   I am not quite sure how this week will turn out - here there or what not, crazy client issues.  Will keep you posted.  

Anyhow, back to the topic at hand -  The Taj Mahal

Ok, I don't know if it was jet lag, brain circadian rhythm confusion, or just pure excitement over going to the Taj Mahal, but I could NOT sleep.  I woke up around 1:30am and was awake.  I tried to be quiet (didn't turn on lights or anything), but by three am Todd was awake too. Yay!  Someone to hang with in my sleeplessness.   We were supposed to be up and ready to go by 5am anyhow, so heck why not get up and showered at 3 (remember that is really 1:30pm our time, anyhow, or at least that is what my brain was telling me).  

Ready to go?  

Ziggy & Zoey - Check

Water - check

Send kids messages - check

 I posted a little about the 2 hours of dark yesterday, and the neat sunrise...

So...  Here are some street shots as we neared the Taj.

 As we parked and entered the Taj Mahal's grounds - people were swarming everywhere.

You have to pass security before entering.  

Men and women are separated.

The line for women was actually QUITE a bit longer, 

but our tour guide grabbed me and put me at the front.

I am SURE the women appreciated me 'cutting'...

Anyhow, I ended up through the gate before Todd.

I have to say with the amount of security EVERYWHERE in this country

I am not feeling so badly about the airport security...

Ah, so I opted out of the full body scanner and got a full body massage instead.

No big deal!

There are many rules before being allowed to enter.

No gum.

No ipods.

No electronics.

No candy.

and many more, but those were my concerns.

All these rules though are to preserve the serenity and beauty of this sacred place.

Ok, a little background story...

Love Eternal...

Once upon a time, there was young prince named Shah Jahan...

He was to marry a beautiful young (14 yo)  girl named Mumtaz Mahal...

The two met and fell in love 

(even though they were betrothed, sometimes these things work out)

Shah Jahan was anxious to marry her, but according to legend the court astrologers advised him to wait 5 years for a happy marriage...

so he did.

In the mean time, out of political necessity he married two other women.

His heart still belonged to Mumtaz.

Their love was said to be intense.

She always at his side, even in battle, and pregnant.

In the 19 years they were married they had 14 children.

In fact, it was with the birth of her 14th child that she died.

She was said to beautiful not only on the outside,

but through and through.

When she died, Shah Jahan was absolutely devastated.

He wanted to make a tribute to her, that showed his endless love.

It took 22 years to complete...

And his love stands the test of time.....

Everything on the grounds is symbolic, and symmetrical.
MY Type of place...
Todd said if he had infinite money,
he would build me a shrine of equal splendor!
Isn't that so sweet!
(Just as a note.  I would prefer it before I was dead.
Really, I am ok living in it, then you can bury me in it later.)

Just being there was romantic,
and made me appreciate that much more
how much it means to have someone that you love so much as your partner in life...

People, People everywhere (and supposedly the crowds come later in the day)

This bench is supposed to be the "King's Bench'  

Where presidents and kings a like have sat upon.

Todd & I were fine passing on waiting in the long line for our turn! 

 We liked this bench better,

So did Z & Z

(they were stunned with the romance of it all)

It really is truly indescribable how magnificent this nearly 400 year old monument is.

Every detail of the solid Marble construction is pristine and breath taking.

The Entrance 

(No pics inside)

To protect the marble, no one is allowed to enter without coverings on their shoes, or barefoot. 

With your ticket you receive your booties. (think hosp shoe covers)

There was a VERY long line to enter, and the men with guns

made sure it moved smoothly with NO gaps. 

If you didn't move up immediately they were ON YOU! (;

And since India is a "Free Country" as I was told:

No cows though.

More pics of us, cause the tour guide insisted.

I swear I wasn't feeling super photogenic...

But, a once in a life time chance - so CHEESE!

 

Besides - Todd is pretty adorable!

It's hard to tell in pics, but the top of the Taj is cut like a diamond.

It is made of this EXTREMELY hard White marble (every last bit of it), that is said to glow on the full moon.  The marble has natural sparkle to it as well, so when the full moon shines through it - it shines a kin to a diamond (so we heard).   Also, the flowers that are extensively etched into the marble are not painted on, but actually fine gem stones that glow in the light as well.  Radiant.  And they will never fade, as paint would. Four hundred years later and its' brilliance is still beautifully maintained.

The Taj was so beautifully planned out (22 years to make), 

that the surrounding buildings each fram the Taj with their arch ways.

The Taj Mahal was built on the Yamuna River, to enhance it's beauty.

 

There are 16 gardens, and 53 fountains, 

to commemorate the year of completion 1653

 There were monkeys, dogs and parrots playing in this garden.

 

and Chip too (Dale ran away before I could catch him in my camera!)

It's a chipmunk, even though our tour guide insisted it is a squirrel (LOL)

 

Our tour guide showed us where all the cool pic taking spots were

and took the pics.  Wow, free photog service!

Even the honey comb carved marble in the Taj frames the surrounding buildings.

See the honey comb below to Todd's left

Once upon a time, the waters were filled with Rose petal water,

and the grounds were filled with the sweet aroma.

No detail was spared or neglected.

What is Todd looking at, you might wonder?

The interesting ceiling pattern in one of the prayer buildings.

After the tour, our guide had explained that the descendants of the family that carved the marble and essentially made the Taj what the Taj is, still continue the same work. 

They have a shop on the property, where you can see the descendants working on ancient types of devices slowly hand carving the stones.  The poor mans finger tips were ruined from years of carving...  the talent that they poses is amazing.   

Leaving was a bit more challenging than I had really expected, not just because parting is such sweet sorrow.  But, because it was as if we were descended upon by a mob of people that wanted to sell us things.   VERY aggressively.  A little overwhelming.   Luckily, I was smart and asked Todd to please be in charge of all the money, and when they asked me - I just informed them that my husband had the money.  (;  

He is much better at saying, No or negotiating than I am. . .
Thank You Todd - You are awesome!  

The ride home...

 

 If the roads are not scary enough,

it rained on  the way home.

All the motorcycles pulled off the road and waited out the storm.

and just for fun, here is a VERY SMALL glimpse of what the roads are like...

Make sure your sound is on...

 

Ok.  Just found out...  (it is 12:02AM - yes, midnight and we are still at the office)...  That Todd will be going to Hong Kong on Saturday for who knows how long (kinda hoping this isn't the 'how things are going to be in the future).  Originally, they said Michigan or Chicago for travel and home every weekend... India and Hong Kong for weeks on end are not the same!  Anyhow, I can't be away from the kids any longer.  I miss them too much.  So, I will be heading home sooner.  (:  I can't wait to see the kids.  Really not looking forward to 24 hours of flying alone though!!!   Worth it though to see the kids sooner!  

Bonus:  Outside the hotel