India Monday 2/7/11

See? The Taj Mahal isn't really all that. Sike. It really is all that... AND a bag of chips. The idea of symmetry was evident everywhere. From the flowers that were planted, to the identical music galleries, to the identical mosque and guest house that sandwich the famous mausoleum. My tour guide then took me to meet the descendants of the builders of the Taj Mahal. Any color that your see on the Taj, is from semiprecious stone being cut and glued into the marble. The secrets of the Stone Cutters of the Taj Mahal are passed down from father to son.



My next stop was Agra Fort, which is about a mile down river from the Taj. I think this is where Steven Spielburg and George Lucas got the idea of of the Boulder for "Raiders of the Lost Ark". (I couldn't find a decent clip of the scene but check out the Lego version) This fort actually had a large boulder that would roll down the incline in case their enemies got past the moat, lions and brake open a gate so strong an elephant could not break it down. 0_o Man, you can have that fort. LOL



Next, was the Baby Taj. Because so many of its characteristics are mimicked in the Taj Mahal, it is often considered a draft to the larger Taj.



Akbar's Tomb, located about an hour outside of Agra, was the last of my tourist destinations for that day. I don't know why, but I had an eerie feeling while walking down the corridor that leads to the tomb...



One of my favorite parts of India, the food! So good... *drool*

Click here and here for more pictures.

My final Indian adventure is next...