Archive for May, 2010

Sadly, my friend who I was traveling with was not feeling well, but we wanted to do something special for our last night in Agra and to celebrate our extraordinary day at the Taj Mahal.  While lounging by the hotel pool, we decided to watch the sunset at the Agra Fort and then to have dinner and drinks at The Oberoi, which is considered one of the most luxurious hotel’s in all of India.

We were warned by the concierge at our hotel that the Agra Fort would be closed by the time we arrived at 6PM, however his warning was completely inaccurate.  It did not close for at least another hour and I believe that we went at the perfect time.  The weather had cooled down and there were hardly any people there.  Normally, I am a planner and researcher when it comes to all things travel, but I must admit that I knew nothing about the Agra Fort before we arrived.  I must also admit that it was quite thrilling to not know what to expect (this is something I never thought I would say)!

The entrance into the Agra Fort.

The fort stretched for miles and while it was no Taj Mahal it definitely was worth the visit.  Between the way the light illuminated the amber color of the fort and the monkeys jumping from tree to tree, it felt like we were in another world.

Why don’t I take you for a stroll through this other world. . .

I was already enchanted enough with the Agra Fort, but imagine my surprise when I discovered that from one of the rooms I could see the Taj Mahal in all its glory!

In the midst of me trying to get the perfect photo, I overheard a guide tell the people in his group that the smoke surrounding the Taj Mahal was from a cremation that was taking place.  It felt like such a holy moment that I just had to put down my camera to honor it.

Then the sun began to set, turning the sky into a rich amber color almost matching the Amber Fort perfectly.  It was as if everything became one.

I could have easily stayed there for hours contemplating the oneness, except our driver was expecting us to return to the car.  On our drive to The Oberoi we happened to get quick glance at 1 of the 2 elephants that roams the streets of Agra.  He is considered to be the city’s pet (I love this idea by the way).

As our car pulled up to the hotel, I was instantly taken aback by the opulence.  It was without a doubt one of the most stunning hotels I have ever seen.  I think it would be impossible to not feel like royalty if you stayed there.

While the dinner my friend and I enjoyed at the hotel was not the best culinary experience of my life to date, it certainly was delicious and it was the perfect setting to honor the incredibly memorable day we had experienced and would never, ever forget.

Many of my dear readers have written to me asking why my posts have come to a stop.  I want to thank you for being concerned about me, as well as let you know that there was an exciting reason behind my absence.  You see, I was a little busy getting engaged in Brasil!!!  I promise that once I am done writing about India, I will do a series of posts about my fabulous time in Brasil.  But for now, I will leave you with a photo of me and my fiance in probably my, sorry our, new favorite place in this world, Buzios, Brasil.

Cheers to the beginning of many celebrations together!

Also while I was away, I was notified that my favorite photo that I took in India was selected as “photo of the week” in a contest that I had entered it in.  This designation guarantees that it will advance to the group of semi-finalists in the contest.  Keep your fingers crossed that I win, because if I do I get a free i-pad!

Here is what the judges said about my photo:

Not only is your photo stunning, but we loved the story behind the image. It really represented the serendipitous moments of travel.

Before I entered the Taj Mahal I took a look at the grounds from a different angle.  I think no matter where you stand it is impossible to not be impressed.  Though the thing that impressed me most were the details; everything from the patterns in the marble to the lawn were so well thought out and just, for a lack of a better word, perfect!

Oh, and I was asked to have my photo taken yet again.  Of course I could not say no to these 2 cuties.

I was all set to spend the next hour wandering around the insides of the Taj Mahal, however I quickly discovered that the majority of it was closed off and because the lighting was so poor I was unable to take any decent photos.  Thus,  before I even realized I was inside of it, I was back outside…taking more photos with strangers.

I even received a marriage proposal!  I joked around with the guy that asked my hand in marriage, though I am not sure if he understood what I was saying?  In Morocco I was offered 10,000 camels  and in Bolivia I was offered 20,000 llamas.  So, I asked him what he willing to offer me.  Would it be 30,000 elephants?  Or how about a pink palace (since that is my favorite color) that was even more beautiful than the Taj Mahal?  He eventually just walked away shaking his head.

Before leaving, I took a couple of more photos and videos of the magnificent grounds.

I gazed adoringly at the Taj Mahal one last time and I was filled with a rush of emotion that can best be described as pure contentment.  I knew in that moment that I was on the right path in life.

Knowing that I was following the “road less traveled” filled my heart with joy and further encouraged me to continue to bravely forge my own unique path.

As I left the Taj Mahal I was leaving a trail of happiness behind me.

Now how was I possibly going to celebrate this spectacular day I had in the evening?

Note: I am splitting up this post into 2 parts; the 1st detailing the events before entering the Taj Mahal and the 2nd detailing the events after entering it.

I am beyond fortunate to have witnessed incredible beauty both natural and human-made around the world and I am proud to say that I have yet to become jaded in the slightest bit.

As my eyes first laid sight upon the beloved white palace, they immediately teared up with excitement, awe, and gratitude.

The Taj Mahal is of course breathtakingly beautiful, but it is so much more than that; it is the ultimate memorial to love, it is 1 of the 7 Wonders of the World that has inspired travelers to cross continents to visit, and it is an architectural gem.  In the 17th Century, the ruler Shahjahan decided to build a memorial to his Queen in honor of his love for her.  He wanted the world to never forget her, and well, he certainly succeeded.

As I stood on the first platform after walking through the arches, I was in a state of bliss.  I did not know whether to take photos or to continue gazing at the monument.  Within minutes, however, my bliss was interrupted by hoards of people asking to have their picture taken with me.  I am not quite sure why these people thought I was a celebrity, but I am not exaggerating when I say that during my time at the Taj Mahal I was stopped by at least several hundred people.  It was almost to the point of absurdity, as  I could not walk about 5 steps without being asked.  And because I am too nice, I would always agree.   Though 1 photo would turn into 2 photos which would turn into 10 photos.

Finally my guide came and rescued me, so that I could continue walking closer to the Taj Mahal.  Between the intense heat and my personal space being invaded, I was starting to feel a little sick.

But just when I thought I was safe, another crowd gathered around me!

My girlfriend, Kristen, made a joke and said, “I wonder how many Christmas cards you are going to be on this year?”  I laughed and while I was frustrated that I could not enjoy the Taj Mahal to the fullest, I had to admit to myself that it was a pretty humorous situation.

Once we made it to the final platform before entering the Taj Mahal, we were required to either take off our shoes or to put slippers over them.  Kristen and I chose the latter.

To be continued…