2011 - H & A WORLD CRUISE - TAJ MAHAL

THIS EXCURSION IS WITH THE CRUISE LINE & IS OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE,

BUT - I AM NEVER IN MY LIFE GOING TO GET THIS CLOSE TO THE TAJ MAHAL AGAIN, SO IT JUST HAS TO BE.....

LEAVING MUMBAI, EARLY MORNING FOR THE FLIGHT TO AGRA.

WE GET TO FRESHEN UP AT THE HOTEL....

THE DRAGONFLY WAS IN THE GROUNDS...

NOT FAR TO THE ENTRANCE TO THE TAJ BUT THERE IS QUITE A WALK FROM THE BUS TO THE ENTRANCE & NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF HELP FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT WALK VERY WELL. WE HAD A LADY WITH A CANE WITH US WHO WAS STRUGGLING QUITE A BIT.

WE ARE TAKEN TO THE NON-INDIANS LINE THROUGH SECURITY, WHO GOT A LITTLE TOO FRIENDLY WITH HIS PAT DOWN.

WE WAIT HERE FOR THE GROUP TO RE-GROUP & HAVE LOST SOMEONE ALREADY.

I DON'T SEE PADDY FROM ALBERTA ANYWHERE..

TOO BAD, LETS GO....

AND THOUGH THE ARCH - THERE IT IS - JUST AS YOU HAVE SEEN IN A MILLION PICTURES.

AND JUST AS ADVERTISED.

THE TAJ MAHAL

LOTS OF PEOPLE. MORE TO THE POINT, LOTS OF INDIAN PEOPLE.

GETTING TO ENJOY THIS WONDER OF THEIRS.

AND THE ODD TOURIST

HERE WE ARE, RE-GROUPING AGAIN.

STILL NO SIGN OF PADDY.

THE LADY WITH THE CANE IS STILL GAME.. CLIMBING THE STAIRS TO GET TO THE DOOR OF THE TAJ

AND INSIDE TO WHERE THE COFFIN HOLDING THE MUMTAZ IS LYING., ALTHOUGH I THINK I READ THAT SHE IS SOMEWHERE ELSE.

I LEAVE OUR GUIDE & WANDER A LITTLE BIT.
EVERY NOW AND AGAIN A WHISTLE BLOWS.
THERE ARE MEN, MAYBE SECURITY.
ANYWAY, THEY BLOW WHISTLES TO STOP PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING PHOTOS WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN INSIDE HERE.

IT'S VERY DARK IN HERE & ONE OF THE WHISTLE GUYS SHINES A SMALL TORCH ON THIS SO I CAN SEE IT BETTER

YOU WILL HAVE NOTICED I GUESS, THAT THIS IS A PHOTO. MY PHOTO

THE GUY HAD MIMED MY TAKING A PICTURE.

NOT ALLOWED I TOLD HIM.
ME, TELLING HIM IT IS NOT ALLOWED.
HE'S THE ONE WITH THE WHISTLE....

HE SAYS - YOU ARE WITH ME. IT'S OK.

CLICK, CLICK, CLICK & MORE CLICKS

MUMTAZ - ALTHOUGH I STILL THINK SHE IS REALLY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THE WHISTLE GUY HAS FOLLOWED ME OUT & STROKES HIS HAND.

HE GETS A FEW DOLLARS & HE WALKS WITH ME TO SHOW ME THE OPTICAL DELUSIONS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING..

MANY PEOPLE GET DRESSED IN THEIR FINERY TO VISIT, LIKE THESE TWO LOOKING VERY ELEGANT, & NO SHOES. WE WERE PROVIDED WITH SLIPPERS.

NOT THE FIRST TIME I NOTICE HOW NICELY DRESSED EVEN THE SWEEPERS ARE.

ON THE WAY BACK TO THE HOTEL THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN COVERED WITH COLOURS. THROWN AT THEM IN THE COLOUR FESTIVAL.
WE WERE TOLD TO KEEP THE WINDOWS OF THE VAN CLOSED.

AND PADDY DID TURN UP FOR THE NEXT STOP. THE AGRA FORT.

SHE STUCK LIKE GLUE TO ME FOR A WHILE.