Thursday 21 November 2013

Agra and the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal at sunset.
















After a great introduction to India from Varanasi it was time to leave and visit our next destination...Agra.

A mini festival that we came across when leaving Varanasi.

We had booked our train and were so impressed when we got on board. We had booked a 2nd Class A/C for our overnight journey. We had a 4 bed compartment which had a curtain to block the hallway from us. Something else that I was pleasantly surprised with was the toilet situation on the train. Everywhere in the world train toilets are usually stinky so I had crazy images of what an India one would be like. But this train had both an Indian toilet and a western toilet. Most people used the Indian toilet which meant that the Western one was quite nice, It even had toilet paper!

Soon after we got on, a British couple had gotten on and took the other two beds in the compartment. Apparently they try to place foreigners together on these train journeys. As we were talking to them we had told them about how Jason had $1,000 stolen from his bank account and we had only realised this in Varanasi. They had commented that they had no trouble while in India and felt very lucky.

Unfortunately, they spoke too soon. That night while we were all sleeping someone came into our compartment and stole the girls bag right from underneath her head. It had happened when the train was stopped for about 20 minutes at a busy station so the person managed to get the bag and then get off of the train as soon as it happened. What makes it worse is that their passports, money, cards and vouchers for all of their future hotels and activities (they were on a tour) were all in that bag. We were quite shocked when it happened at the fact that not one of us had seen the person come in. As you can imagine, we didn't get much sleep after that But that meant that we were awake for when we were getting close to Agra and managed to get our first views of the Taj Mahal. It was far away but it looked so beautiful from a distance and so much bigger than we had imagined.

When we arrived at the train station we found a nice richshaw driver to bring us to a guest house that we had found in the Lonely Planet. He was so sweet and offered to drive us to different places the next day. We were a bit iffy about doing a "tour" with a driver but he had promised us that we would make a price beforehand and that he wouldn't try to charge us for extra.

When we arrived at the guest house we decided to take a room when they told us that the rooftop room was available for the same price so we went for a look. Once we got up to the rooftop we were just in complete and utter awe. The rooftop faced directly on to the Taj Mahal and had the most perfect view of it. It was so close that you could even see the people walking around inside the gardens.


Our view of the Taj Mahal from the Saniya Palace guest house.
...and again, so beautiful!

 This roof top was utterly amazing and that evening as we ate dinner at the restaurant on the rooftop, surrounded by fairy lights with the Taj straight ahead of us and the call to prayer playing from about 10 different mosques around us, I felt, actually I don't have any words to describe how wonderful it felt that night. Lets just say, it felt perfect.

The next day our driver picked us up to begin our tour of Agra. First we went to the baby Taj, which is a smaller version of the Taj. It was just as beautiful and the gardens equally so, especially with all of the squirrels jumping around. Next we went to another tomb which predates the Taj Mahal and is in fact the oldest one in Agra. It was so beautiful and there were some cheeky little boys hanging around it who were desperate to get their photo taken.

The baby Taj.

The baby Taj again, it was so peaceful here.
The oldest tomb in Agra.

Some of the boys we met while there.

Inside the building.


And again.

Before going to our next and final destination that day our driver wanted to bring us to his house for some chai and for me to get some henna tattoos on my hands from his daughter. It was so wonderful to be welcomed into his house and to be shown where him and his family live. We also got to cuddle with his dogs puppies. The dog was a street dog but they would allow her into their house so she ended up becoming their dog. He brought us up to his rooftop which had another beautiful view of the Taj Mahal (it seems like everywhere in Agra has a view of it!) It was such a wonderful experience to sit down and chat with his family, this is something we soon found out about Indian people, they are so warm and welcoming.


The view from our rickshaw drivers rooftop.

Their adorable puppies!

Jason and the puppies.

That's me getting my first henna tattoo.

I think she did a good job!


After our little detour it was time to go to the gardens that are opposite from the Taj Mahal. They offer amazing views of the Taj and since we were going there at sunset we would be able to see the changing of the colour of the marble. This garden was so exquisite and it really did have unparalleled views. It was also very quiet with only about ten other people there...Sometimes travelling during low season really does have its advantages!

It really was a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal.

I love this photo if the two of us and the Taj.


Jason in front of the Taj.
That evening we tried to get to bed early as we wanted to get up early and go to the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The next morning we walked to the Taj Mahal. One of the gates was right by our guesthouse but they only open two gates in the mornings so we walked about ten minutes to the next gate. I would definitely recommend visiting the Taj as early as you can because there are hardly no crowds and you get as much time as you want there, especially before the crazy heat sets in.

Walking around the gardens, I think we were both almost "starstruck" with the beautiful building looming over us. It really is as beautiful as it looks in the photos! While taking photos this man came over and took the camera from us showing us how to get better shots. He then got us to do some very cringe-worthy poses (think Diana-esq) Afterwards he quickly asked for a tip...ah yes, India, you got us again!

Inside the grounds.



Can it get any cheesier?
And so it begins....the awkward photos!

OK, it just got cheesier!




It was fun though and looking through the photos afterwards we got a good laugh.



After paying him for his services we made our way inside the Taj. You cannot photograph inside but trust me, it's quite beautiful inside also.



That's me, this shows just how big the Taj is.



After spending the morning getting all of our cheesy snaps it was time for our final bit of sight-seeing in Agra. we were off with our driver again to visit the Agra Fort. Most people that visit Agra usually only go to see the Taj Mahal, but as we found out there is so much more to Agra than the Taj. It's definitely worth spending a couple of nights here. The fort was quite impressive and it seemed to just go on and on. There were so many different buildings inside the fort and it took us about 2 hours to see them all (we did need many breaks as it was midday) but it was definitely worth seeing.



The Agra Fort.



Just like everywhere else in the city, it had views of the Taj Mahal.
(which you can't really see in this photo, but that's what I'm looking at)



The beautiful Agra countryside.

There were plenty of monkeys in the Fort too.

I love this photo as it looks like the monkeys are praying.


You don't even want to know what this monkey was doing!



The private mosque in the fort.

The outside of Agra Fort.


After a busy couple of days in Agra it was time for our next stop. Jaipur in Rajasthan.

Information

Accommodation: 

We found our guest house through the Lonely Planet India guide book and it was the last time that we used the book for accommodation. There was nothing wrong with the place, it had the most amazing rooftop view of the Taj Mahal. But our rooms air-con barely worked and when you are paying double the price for air con you kinda expect it to work! Also they charged us extra for wifi that didn't work.
 I find that when a place gets on to the Lonely Planet then they are guaranteed people staying with them so their standards slip a bit.

Tripadvisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g297683-d1187585-Reviews-Saniya_Palace_Inn-Agra_Uttar_Pradesh.html

Getting there and away:

We took a train from Varanasi to Agra which we booked about four days beforehand at the train station. Most big train stations have a foreigners room where you can book.
Leaving Agra we booked a bus to Jaipur. It was a nice big spacious air-con bus and we booked it at our guesthouse. Unfortunately this bus actually cost the same, if not, more than the train.



Sunday 17 November 2013

Varanasi; Our first step into India.

Varanasi.
Varanasi. When I thought of Varanasi before I had visited, it conjured up images of chaotic streets, vibrant colors and even more vibrant people and that's exactly what we got.

As our first destination in India we were both a bit apprehensive about it, especially since most people (including our guide book) had told us that Varanasi was well, how do I say it, a little (no, a lot...) crazy. There were also numerous stories in the press before our arrival about the rape of western travelers which had really scared us and in fact we were going to cancel our trip to India and try to go somewhere else but luckily for us we decided to take the chance and see the country that had intrigued me for such a long time.

On our way to Varanasi, our packed jeep made a stop at a tiny village for some of the people to have a cigarette. It was over 40 degrees celcius and our jeep didn't have any air-con or windows in the back (where we were sitting) so this rest stop was just what we needed. Once we got out a crowd formed around us. It seemed that the whole village had come out to take a look at us. It was such a crazy moment. Both myself and Jason are used to getting stared at living in Korea but these stares were so different from what we were used to. Usually it's young kids that would stare and try to talk to us in English but here in this tiny village we had old women, young boys and everything in between just stare, no words were spoken. They seemed so intrigued by this group of foreigners that had randomly stopped in their town. We stayed there for about 15 minutes trying to communicate with them and it was a wonderful introduction to the country.

Once we arrived in bustling Varanasi we realised just how chaotic it was gonig to be, there were horns beeping everywhere, so much noise!! We eventually made it to the guesthouse that we had prebooked and were thankful that we didn't have to be wandering the streets looking for accomodation. We were also very thankful that our room was very clean and more importantly had working electricity and air-con! We were the only people staying in the guesthouse during our entire stay. Mainly because it was off season and only fools would travel India in the crazy heat.


Varanasi.


 Although what we quickly realised about travelling in India in the off season is that, even though the heat can be unbearable at times, there are hardly no tourists around (Indian or foreigners) and the tourist sights (including the Taj Mahal) seemed quieter which we truly appreciated..


Sometimes our only companions on the ghats were dogs and goats.

After getting settled into our guesthouse we ventured out into the streets of Varanasi to explore. Our guesthouse was situated in a residential area and it was so awesome walking through that area and seeing the daily lives of the people around us. We also found that the streets were quite small and the cows were absolutely huge so trying to pass them in the small laneways proved difficult at times.

A woman selling fruit in a
lane way near our guesthouse.

One of the many many cows in Varanasi.
We made our way down to the rivers edge and came across a group of extremely fat bores that scared us a little, walked a little further and witnessed the beautiful sight of buffalos, children, adults and dogs bathing in the Ganges. It was such a unique feeling to be standing there watching what I had always dreamed about seeing. I truly was living out my dreams!

Jason looking out at the Ganges.

They were HUGE !

A girl watches on as people and buffalos try to cool down in the Ganges.

People splashing around in the Ganges.


That evening we went for a sunset boat ride of the Ganges, this brought us along the river for an hour and allowed us to get a closer look at the many different ghats in Varanasi, including the burning ghat.
The burning ghat is named so because this is the ghat where people are cremated and their ashes are released in to the Ganges. It is a very honorable thing to be cremated here and people come from all over India for the privilege. In the next couple of days we got closer to that particular ghat and learned more about it.
Me helping our boatman to steer.


Myself and Jason take over.
Jason taking in the beautiful buildings of Varanasi.


Varanasi during sunset...so beautiful!

...and again.

After our boat ride we managed to get swindled out of money by the boatman and then when we stood our ground against him suddenly a group of men were surrounding us. We grudgingly gave our money and left with a bitter taste in our mouth.

The next day I was pretty apprehensive about leaving the guesthouse and exploring after what had happened the night before. But what I quickly learned about India is that no matter how the day before was, you can NEVER predict how your day will turn out. We ventured out and ended up having a wonderful day exploring the back alleys of Varanasi with the cows, monkeys, pigs, water buffalos, birds, rats, people and only god knows what else. It was truly a magical experience.


A very inquisitive goat.


A man praying next to the Ganges.

One of the many beautiful buildings in a city that is
widely said to be one of the oldest cities in the world.

Man and buffalos live in harmony together.

We also made our way to the train station and booked our first Indian train journey up to Agra. We ended up having to stay in Varanasi for an extra couple of days as the trains were booked up but we didn't mind.
That evening we found out that $1,000 had been taken out of Jasons bank account in Vietnam, since we didn't even go to Vietnam on this trip we were even more surprised. But after many phone calls to Jasons bank in America we managed to get the money back luckily!

The next day we decided to go out and wander around the ghats during midday. We thought we would be ok, and Jason was, but I could barely walk, I felt faint and we had to retreat to the nearest cafe and spend a couple of hours in the shade playing cards. This Irish girl really can't handle humidity or extreme heat (especially when there's no swimming pool).

After our rest we walked onwards and suddenly found ourselves right near Manakarnika (the burning ghat) and had a man stand with us and tell us more about it. It was very interesting to hear about the different wood that the families buy for cremations, different woods cost different prices. There are also three levels at which cremations take place on the ghat. The lowest level, near the rivers edge is where people from lower castes get cremated. The next level is for the middle caste and the highest level is for the highest caste. There are bodies being burned here constantly. It was so interesting seeing the bodies wrapped up in blankets being paraded through the streets on a stretcher towards the ghat and then seeing the body being placed on the burning fire. Only male relations of the family are allowed to be at the cremation, I think this is mainly because at one stage it was popular for women to throw themselves into the flames as a declaration to the person that had died. It usually takes between 8 and 10 hours for a body to fully burn.


The smoke to the right of the photo is a cremation.

The rest of our time in Varanasi was pretty much spent lazing by another hotels pool during the height of the day and wandering around the different ghats in the evenings when it got cooler.
We really enjoyed our time in Varanasi, it was definitely an eye opener and was also the perfect way for us to jump right in to India. But we were both very excited to leave for our next destination...Agra and of course the Taj Mahal!

Accomodation:

We had pre booked in to Rahul guesthouse after reading positive reviews on trip advisor. Unfortunately an air-con room in India is usually more than double a fan room so we spent about $30 a night. But it was a beautiful room with a TV and really nice bathroom. Also during the power outages the fan continued to work which was a life saver.
We did have one small issue when we received our bill for laundry and found that we were grossly overcharged for it. But after having a discussion with the manager we managed to get the price down.

Website: http://www.rahulguesthouse.in/

Trip-advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g297685-d1450944-Reviews-Rahul_Guest_House-Varanasi_Uttar_Pradesh.html


Getting there and away:

From Lumbini we caught a bus that brings you near the border. We didn't prebook it and jumped on it about 8:30 am. It doesn't bring you right to the border so once we arrived at the border we had to hire a cycle rickshaw to bring us the rest of the way. All of the rickshaws seemed to have a set fee and wouldn't budge when we tried to haggle.
Once we were into India we happened to see some other foreigners standing next to a jeep. They were waiting for more passengers going to Varanasi so we agreed on an amount and it brought us into Varanasi. The journey took about 10 hours total.

Leaving Varanasi: We went to the train station on our second day in Varanasi and found the room for foreigner bookings. Trains book up early in India so try to book as early as you can. We had to wait in Varanasi for 5 days total until we found 2 2nd class air-con tickets (we had wanted 3rAC but these book up so fast that it was impossible)


Beautiful Varanasi at night time.