The Taj Mahal (Agra, India)

The Taj is a beautiful mausoleum built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his third wife. Legend says that the architect’s hands were cut off and his eyes blinded, upon orders by Shah Jahan, so that he wouldn’t be able to replicate his creation. If that’s true, as our guide says, this can hardly be called a monument of love. Sad.

Our first glimpse of the structure was through this archway (which was crowded with people) and that’s exactly what was going on in my mind at that moment; I couldn’t beieve it. Not even exaggerating, all I could say was “woooow…”

The only other time I felt the same way was when I saw the Pyramids of Giza for the first time from our bus window during our Holy Land Trip in 2010. I guess there’s just something about finally seeing in person what you’ve seen millions of times in photographs. In a word, it felt surreal.

Of course, we couldn’t help but take a few (hundred) shots! Hehe! Wondering where you could get the perfect shot even with a crazy crowd of people?

There’s a platform, a few steps up, in the middle of the water you can take some really nice shots over there. It was blessing for us too because the weather was great at that time and the sun was just right (before sunset).

Yes there’s still a crowd, but if you can squeeze (or wait) your way to the front, you’ll have a good spot.

Random story: This wonderful family wanted to take a photo with me! Haha! I have no idea why though! Maybe they thought I was someone else, or they don’t see a lot of Asian-looking people there?  So I also asked my brother to snap a shot of me with them!

So after we’ve had enough taking photos of the Taj from the outside, we decided to go inside! You can’t go up the palace with shoes on so you either had to take them off or wear shoe covers. We opted to wear our orange shoe covers! Funky.

It was almost sunset and the light was shining beautifully on the white marble palace.

Couldn’t take photos inside so we just took photos outside the palace. To be honest, it was dark, small and crowded inside anyway and I wanted to go out the moment I got in. Nothing much to see inside, in my own opinion. 😐

Taj Mahal: check! Only three places left til’ I can tick off every item from the (New) Seven Wonders of the World list! Do I care about lists like those? Maybe just a little bit!

It’s really such a blessing to be able to see not only God’s work in nature, but also mankind’s work in this world. Everything beautiful really is from God; peoples’ talents, creativity and vision. I really believe that humans can make so many wonderful things with what God has given them if only they allow themselves to be used by the Creator.

(NOTE: THIS POST IS ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE LAST DECEMBER 2012)