We arrived in Agra at almost 11PM. Coming from my very first train ride on a sleeper car, I just wanted to get to our hotel. But there was one final hurdle.
the taj… a lot more atmospheric early in the day
After leaving the train station, I was immediately accosted by one of the city’s notorious touts. Did I want a taxi? Where was I going to stay? Oh, that hotel is already closed! No, no and no. We just walked on despite his useless inquiries as he tried to impose his choice of accommodation upon us.
We eventually got to our hotel – a relatively simple, if not overrated lodging mere minutes away from the Taj Mahal. This was after all what we came to see. This was why we’re in Agra, to lay our eyes on this gem in the middle of all the mess. A famous Indian poet once called it a “teardrop in the face of eternity” and experts rate it as one of the most beautiful buildings in history. We were about to find out if this white tomb is worth all the hype.
…