New View Deja Vu

August 31, 2010

An all night train from Haridwar and we found ourselves back in Delhi. We grabbed a taxi from the train station and headed out for our new accommodations – a bed and breakfast style guesthouse is south New Delhi we had read many good things about, called K One One. As our cab moved through the streets and into a quiet residential neighbourhood we couldn't help but feel as though we'd entered some alternate universe – the streets were quiet and calm, and, some may even say, clean.

At the bed and breakfast we felt like royalty as they immediately prepared us a delicious breakfast and pot of chai. It really helped to take the edge of the night of traveling. Afterward we cleaned ourselves up and headed out for a day of sightseeing in our new surrounds.

We began at the India Gate – the huge memorial engraved with the names of those who've fought and died for India – and made our way along the Raj Path towards the Parliament and the Presidential Palace. As I may have mentioned before, Delhi is not really a city designed for pedestrians, and though this was a definite improvement over the other places we had attempted to walk, it was still a challenge, especially because of the monumental amount of work taking place in preparation for this fall's Commonwealth Games. The grounds of the palace are not accessible to the public, but rather like the White House in Washington, you can stare through the gates and see the beauty within. Immaculately groomed lawns, fountains, gorgeous trees – in short a little oasis in the midst of Delhi's chaos.

Next we hopped the subway, and headed to Connaught Place – the upscale shopping area of New Delhi. Though we refrained from purchasing, we did wander into a Thali restaurant for lunch. What we didn't realize was that it was an all-you-can-eat restaurant, and so as we finished (or even approached the bottom of our little bowls) there were waiters there, by the dozens it seemed, to top up dal or provide another roti. We were completely stuffed before we even knew it and off and running to our next destination.

Our final stop for the day was Humayun's Tomb, a serene abyss near to our little B&B. Another Mughal era construction, this mausoleum houses the body of Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, among others. It was a divine place to spend a little quiet time, and gave us a little taste of tomorrow's final adventure.

September 1, 2010 – Agra (again)

Another early morning, and we once again found ourselves boarding a train. A few hours later we were back in Agra, but this time with the Taj as our only goal. We went straight there, spent a little time trying to figure out exactly where to purchase tickets, and then after a little discussion with security over the threat level of the emergency tampon I keep in my purse, we finally laid eyes on that gleaming white marble.

Breathtaking.

Built as a monument of love for Shah Jahan's wife, the beauty and intricacy of the Taj Mahal are even more impressive in person than in photographs. The incredible inlay and carving work in the stone is beyond belief, and sheer size of the building has a way of putting things into perspective. It really is incredible, and we both agreed that the return trip was well worth it. We spent quite a bit of time walking around the grounds, admiring the Taj both up close and from afar. We also went to the mosque that is still in use every Friday (when tourists are not allowed on the grounds), and sat a little just enjoying some quiet as well as a little shade from the extremely hot sun. When we had had our fill we headed back to Saniya Palace where we had first gazed on the Taj over two weeks before, and spent our afternoon in the shade of their terrace, drinking in some lassis, as well as the view.

We took the evening train back to Delhi, and, with a little sadness went to bed for our last joint night in India. Tomorrow Bart heads home to Baltimore, to our house and our dog and I head south to continue on in my adventure...I hope you'll join me.

Pack your mat – we're heading to Mysore.