|
|
Off to the Taj Mahal
Why is this lady smiling? She's in a luxury air-conditioned sleeper train, she's hoping that her 103 fever won't come back, she off to see one of the seven wonders of the world, or she likes the guy who's taking the picture? Most of the above.
|
| | |
|
|
|
The Taj at sunrise
The Taj at all times of day has a dreamy presence, but a sunrise it is even more so.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Susan way up there
The scale of the Taj is hard to describe. Maybe these pictures will help.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Gorgeous white marble
The Taj is almost entirely of white marble, as it the surrounding court yard. I think that might be what I like most.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Detail of a panel
Detail of a panel of carved white marble near the entrance to the tomb.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Next to the Taj
The Taj is in a large garden with three gates that I can think of and two large mosques like this one on either side. Actually the buildings like this one are identical, but one is a mosque and the other is not. Here you can see the Taj's shadow on the building on the right.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Making jute
The Taj is on a river. Across the river is a jute "farm." There is a later picture below that shows this less close up to give more perspective.
|
| | |
|
|
|
The main gate to the Taj
This is looking down the famous ribbon of water from the Taj to its gate. An amazing building in its own right.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Yep, I was really there
Here is the Taj in the late morning, the mist is clearing and I still think it looks like a dream.
|
| | |
|
|
|
The gardens of the Taj
The Taj is in the middle of a very large, well maintained garden. It is a formal garden with a good collection of indigenous trees. Many of the trees were numbered and labeled with their botanical names.
|
| | |
|
|
|
The Taj through its fine greenery
I loved to look at the roofs popping up above the trees. Here we the above and below.
|
| | |
|
|
|
The back of the Taj
The Taj is on a river. Across the river is a jute "farm." There is a later picture below that shows this less close up to give more perspective. Straight ahead is the Red Fort. It is supposed to be very interesting. There are forts all over India. You could make a trip just visiting forts. We didn't...
»
|
| | |
|
|
|
The garden wall
The gardens surrounding the Taj are themselves surrounded by this red wall.
|
| | |
|
|
|
The Taj in mid-day
The Taj at it's whitest.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Susan relaxes in the garden
This is the part of the garden that surrounds the formal garden that is directly in front of the Taj.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Ox drawn lawn mower
Yep. And since it's India you might have guessed that they sell the grass clippings. I'm not making this up! Viru and I wondered why they were cutting the grass as it wasn't really ready for it and they were cutting pretty short, so he asked someone and that was what he found out. Luckily for the grass...
»
|
| | |
|
|
|
It's getting to be later in the afternoon
This is the time of day that the Taj almost seems like a real building.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Silly people everywhere
For some reason it is popular to have your picture taken looking like you are holding the Taj. That's what these people are doing. Professional photographers show them what the pictures will look like and then set them up for their own personal version. Go figure.
|
| | |
|
|
|
The Taj at sunset
Well what do you think, is it a different color at different times of the day? This is certainly a nice sunset glow.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Home again, home again, jiggidy, jig
After an exciting experience with almost a 104 degree temperature and a visit to the hospital I got a pile of pills to take. Here I am taking them. My fever went down immediately and I had confidence in the doctor I saw. I think their medical system is working!
|
| | |
|
|
|
Pashan and Lake Pashan
This is a view of the new part of Pashan where we lived and the lake. Also the hills in the distance tell me that it was has high quality air day. We are lucky, sometimes the wind blew our pollution down on the rest of Pune, leaving use with pretty good air.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Goats and houses in Pashan village
If you walk to Pashan Lake from our apartment you go through what I'm calling Pashan village. I poor section of Pashan built around the lake. Not major poor, as they have houses, and stores, but I don't think many had plumbing. Most "big nature" was taken are of across the highway so it was possible...
»
|
| | |
|
|
|
Water buffalo's at Lake Pashan
Yep, if you can brave the village, we had a nice natural resource about twenty minutes by foot from our apartment. It is VERY unusually for a city dwelling near jobs.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Glorious Banyan tree
Speaks for herself, doesn't she.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Glorious Banyan tree close up.
People pulled down the dead "roots" and used them for fire wood. Viru on the other hand, used them as a swing.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Viru reading in bed
In about ten seconds he'll be asleep. Naps are taken frequently in his family.
|
| | |
|
|
|
Susan roaming the forests
We were lucky that behind us was a little row of hills that has been reforested by the government. It's nice to be able to go for a stroll in the evening in a natural place.
|
| | |
|
|
