In New Dehli everything is huge : the city, the misery, the filth, the heat, the smell and the beauty too.
Luckily, we were there at a relatively calm period : the elections were taking place. At that time, everything seems to stop for a few days... the biggest democracy in the world needs some time to organize (6 million people are required) and digest ( organized on one week) the process, plus in some places, it gets violent.
We had to be careful about the heat which can get you because it's dryier. With 40 to 45 degrees in the middle of the day, the season was considered hotter than usual. In Agra, the town of the Taj Mahal, 3 hours of train south of Dehli, a jewlerer told us that the worst heat he' d seen was 47 degrees.
This is part of the red fort in Old Dehli
This north part of India was influenced by the Moghols, invading from the 15th century, from Afghanistan, then settling. They were muslim, thus arab-slyle architecture.
The red fort
AGRA
Welcoming you just before you enter the Taj mahal in Agra are the monkeys, dozens of them... beware not to hold any food, they are thieves !
At last the Taj. Isn't it a beauty ?
At 6:30 the temperature is perfect, so happy to be here!
It's hard to believe that this monument is not a palace but a Mausoleum built by a Maharajah deeply in love with his departed wife.
Hours after this picture, we were, for the fist time of our travels, sick ( with the food of the 4 star hotel that we had manage to get cheap during election week... can you believe it ?)
It was about time to time to fly back, which we did 3 days later !
THE END
... but more on our thoughts on this big adventure and the come back home
