the TAJ!!!

After 3 months I finally saw the Taj Mahal. I know everyone has seen a million images of it, but I still couldn't resist posting some photos. I also couldn't stop staring at it. I decided to leave and then turned around, sat down and stared some more. Then I went to a rooftop restaurant in the evening to watch the evening light play upon the facade. It's truly mesmerizing.

Apparently it's not allowed to bring guide books into the Taj; who knows why. After remaining a bit speculative about this, the guard lady finally took a pen out of my bag as a bribe and let me take my book in. It was all quite amusing. Later in the day, at another sight, I got attacked by one of those vicious monkeys! Not really, but enough to scare me. I forgot that I had banana peels in my bag and he ran at me. Luckily he was easily deterred, but he saw me throw the peels away later, ran over to the trash can, knocked it over and grabbed the peels. Then he sat around performing for everyone with cameras. I had already had my fill of him by that point though.
the reflecting pool
through the arches

from the corner
some of the incredible marble inlay
a little dark, but i'm holding the taj in my hand