the scenery and watching the people go about their lives as we passed by.
Agra is famous for the Taj Mahal, the "Monument of Love", so after checking
into the hotel I went up to the roof to get my first glimpse.
We arrived here on Holi Day, the Hindu and Sikh equivalent of Carnival. This
spring holiday is a special festival celebrated by all Indians, but gets
especially crazy in the Delhi area. In addition to the feasts, music and
dancing the children throw water balloons and people greet each other by
throwing colored powders at each other (we all brought clothing we could
throw away). I should also mention that this is one of the few days that
alcoholic beverages are consumed by the faithful, so it can get pretty wild.
All social and religious groups (and tourists) get involved in this wild
celebration.
As the city continued celebrating, we visited Agra Fort, a fortified palace
containing royal apartments, mosques, assembly halls, a dungeon, and at one
time the largest state treasury and mint.
Next up, the Taj Mahal. I was not disappointed, it was everything I had
expected, and more. Took a horse carriage ride back to the vehicle and
headed back to the hotel to get some much needed rest. Fabulous way to end
the day.
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