The Taj at Dawn

It's early, dark and cold - but well worth the effort.

Pre dawn. The Taj is just barely visible.
Light starts to creep in
Sunrise underway
The sun pops up behind the library
The Moon is still aglow

More light illuminates the building
A postcard picture. Note the red noses. It was freezing.
We know why it is one of the 7 wonders
Note the detail
A monument to love.

The alarm went off at 5AM. Some kind of holiday getting up at that hour. We dragged ourselves out of bed and got dressed. It was still pitch dark and awfully cold when we met Bobby in front of the hotel. Sophia was dressed warmly, a rarity for us this past year or so. I had on a tee shirt and a sweater. Some protection but not enough for the pre dawn Agra winter where the temp was about 40 degrees.

We drove in darkness for about 15 minutes, got out of the car and into an electric trishaw. Bobby cut the deal - 100 Rupees round trip. As we headed towards the entrance to the Taj there was an amazing amount of activity for 6AM. Local adults and kids walking, opening shops and huddling in front of fires on the sidewalks. There were also some horse and donkey carts and lots of bikes.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

Bobby bought the tickets and in we went. It was still too dark to make anything out. Bobby started to give us some background on the Taj Mahal, when it was built, by whom, how long, etc. All good stuff to know. See the links for those interesting facts and figures. http://www.taj-mahal.net/blackLarge.htm

As it started to get a little bit light, the amazing edifice started to come into view. It looks simple from afar. White, symmetrical and very Islamic looking. It's big but not huge. The grounds are lovely but not over the top. Bobby sat us down for more history. I enjoyed the information but my teeth were chattering from the cold so I missed a few points. I was as cold as I have been since the 1997 Packers/Panthers Championship game (the one we won!).

As the sun rose the true spectacle and grandeur of the place began to become evident. The white marble, the inlay work, the other buildings and the marble carvings all started to glow and shimmer. We approached the main platform and entrance and removed our shoes. Everyone is required to wear paper booties to help preserve the marble surfaces. The closer we got the more we could see the details.