. OnHiatus.com > Journal 1 > Day Index > Journal Entry: January 22, 2001

Monday, January 22, 2001
Agra, India
India's FlagUttar Pradesh's Flag

Map
Agra, India:
Latitude: 27° 10' 11" North
Longitude: 78° 2' 32" East
Altitude: 690 feet
From Seattle: 8860 miles
Lodging: Hotel - Hotel Raj

Map
Today's Travel:
Country: India
Region: Uttar Pradesh
Weather: Foggy / Sunny

Available Photos:

Main gate Agra Fort, Agra, India

Main gate Agra Fort, Agra, India

Wall and moat Agra Fort, Agra, India

Window in room Agra Fort, Agra, India

Wall and tower Agra Fort, Agra, India

Window and door Agra Fort, Agra, India

A tower Agra Fort, Agra, India

Gardens Agra Fort, Agra, India

Bird Agra Fort, Agra, India

Stone eaves Agra Fort, Agra, India

Stone eaves Agra Fort, Agra, India

Corner of a courtyard Agra Fort, Agra, India

Wall tower Agra Fort, Agra, India

Inner and outer walls Agra Fort, Agra, India

Wall tower Agra Fort, Agra, India

Inner and outer walls Agra Fort, Agra, India

Walls Agra Fort, Agra, India

Courtyard and domes Agra Fort, Agra, India

Courtyard and domes Agra Fort, Agra, India

Courtyard and domes Agra Fort, Agra, India

Courtyard and domes Agra Fort, Agra, India

Parots? Agra Fort, Agra, India

Parots? Agra Fort, Agra, India

Domes Agra Fort, Agra, India

Monkeys Agra Fort, Agra, India

Arch Agra Fort, Agra, India

Arch Agra Fort, Agra, India

Arch Agra Fort, Agra, India

Dome Agra Fort, Agra, India

Gardens Agra Fort, Agra, India

View towards Taj Mahal Agra Fort, Agra, India

View towards Taj Mahal Agra Fort, Agra, India

View towards Taj Mahal Agra Fort, Agra, India

View towards Taj Mahal Agra Fort, Agra, India

Wall and Tower of Agra Fort Agra, India

Traffic on Yamuna River bridge Agra, India

Cow with green horns Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

Minaret I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

Cows on the river I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

Minaret I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

Gate I'timad-ud-Daulah, Agra, India

Laundry Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

Laundry Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

Taj Mahal in distance Agra, India

Laundry Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

Laundry Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

Laundry Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

Laundry Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

Tower in the water Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

I'timad-ud-Daulah ("Baby Taj") Bridge across theYamuna River, Agra, India

The Taj Mahal over the rooftops Agra, India

The Taj and some surrounding streets Agra, India

All photo images © 1997-2000 Anthony Jones - Images may not be used without prior written approval.

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Map
Trip Stats to Date:
Day: 1383
Linear Dist: 269981
Countries Visited: 74
Regions Visited: 277
More stats...
Hotels: 523
Friends / Family: 338
Camping: 130
Hostels: 262
Transit: 86
Other Lodging: 13
Beers: 4514
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Journal Entry:
I didn't sleep very well last night, so when my alarm went off at six and I looked outside and saw dense fog, it was an easy to decide that I would see sunrise at the Taj tomorrow morning. Having decided that I couldn't get back to sleep due to lots of noise on the streets. I gave up trying to sleep at eight when the power went off - I figured if I got up quickly the water would still be hot, and it was. I stopped in a little restaurant for a quick breakfast which turned in to a very leisurely one (over an hour to get my omelet, and I never did get my second cup of coffee). It was still very hazy but I decided to go to the fort anyway. I hired a rickshaw peddle me there and spent the next two hours exploring.

Agra Fort is a huge impressive and beautiful red sand stone structure that right in the middle of Agra. It was build by three different generations of royalty and each had a very different style. I loved being able to wander around away from the tour groups, and the views were spectacular. I hated that it was hazy so you could barely see the Taj in the distance, that two thirds of the fort grounds are closed, and that there was no access to the towers or walls or anything of the high spots. I also felt that the ten dollar admission was very steep - more than I'd pay at home to go see a fort, and nearly a weeks worth of accommodation here. Not that I let any of that get stop me from taking a lot of photos.

After leaving the fort I got my same Rickshaw and hired him to take me across the river to I'timad-ud-Daulah, the "Baby Taj", and then back to Tajganj (outside the Taj Mahal, where my hotel is). The ride across the river was pretty exciting as the bridge was a huge traffic jam of all kinds of vehicles from rickshaws to busses. On the river bed there were hundred of people doing laundry and there must have been thousands of sheets spread out on the sand to dry. The tomb itself was pretty. It was built by the wife of the Shaw for her father in 1622. It was one of the first buildings of white marble to be built in India. It's much, much smaller than the Taj Mahal and set in a much smaller garden, but it's also not very well known thus much more quiet and peaceful. I spent about half an hour wandering around, then another half an hour just sitting on a bench in the garden.

On the ride back I had the driver drop me off at the bridge and I walked across so I could take some photos of the the sheets drying and the cows sleeping on the river bed (the river is very low right now). It seemed that everyone else on the bridge was very shocked to see a tourist walking across, but I enjoyed it and I think some of the photos will be excellent. I also had the rickshaw driver (Powapow) pull over a couple times so I could take pictures of the Taj Mahal floating in the haze. Outside my hotel I ran in to Daryl and Neil and hung out for an hour with them - they'd managed to sneak into the Taj Mahal this morning and were pretty excited about it. I worked on my journal for a bit then went to a rooftop restaurant to have an early dinner and watch the Taj reflect the sun set - unfortunately it was still quite hazy so there wasn't really a sunset. After dinner I check email and uploaded my journal entry and photos for today. Then went up to another rooftop place to have a beer before heading to bed - I am getting up early tomorrow!


Related Sites:
US State Department Consular Information Sheets: India
CIA - The World Factbook: India

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