Taj Mahal : a second visit

Photo by Lucas

Glendie came to visit us from here, the US, to India while we were there last fall.  It was so special, and it was great to have her there with us.  Glendie came for close to two weeks, and we had to do the most of our days with her.

We figure, being so close to Agra, seeing the Taj Mahal was ‘a must’.  So we went, for the day on her last weekend there, before returning to Idaho.

This time we knew what to expect.  We had decided ahead of time we wanted to ride the camels to the gate.  And! This time, instead of paying 500 Rs, we paid 100 Rs.

and this view… oh this view… I could have stayed there all morning.  It is so breath taking.  I have seen lots of pictures with the arch, the Taj Mahal in the back, but being there, in person, seeing it with my own eyes, it is completely different.  No photo explains it.  No photo is worth standing right here seeing this palace of love, in front of you.

And for me, nothing will take away being there with Lucas and Siena and Mark, together as a family.  When did we ever think we’d be there standing in front of this Wonder of the World?  Once Mark was applying to this Fulbright Exchange, we only dreamed of being there.  It was just a dream.  But now, and this day, it was real. It was so beautiful and so real for all of us.

Something we will never forget.

Photo by Mark

And this second time at the Taj Mahal, being there again, with Glendie.  What a treat!  So very special.

Photo by Lucas

The gardens are beautiful too.

Besides the architecture, the art, the construction, being there feels perfect.  It feels like you are part of a whole.  A small part, but part of something very special.  Both times, it felt international, I felt foreign to this place, but at the same time, I felt I was part of something.  Maybe part of history.  But probably is part of what Siena always talks about that she read somewhere:

There’s two kinds of people.  Those who have seen the Taj Mahal, and those who haven’t.

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