The Taj Mahal

If I could sum up Agra in one word it would be: Amazing!
The road to Agra is long, whether by car or by train. I never thought I would wake up at 4:30am on vacation, but suffering the effects of jetlag, I gladly woke up at 3:30am and ended up watching Indian TV for about an hour before the driver arrived to take me to Agra.
The 5 hour trip is pretty comfortable if you are in an air conditioned car and stopping midway for a breakfast of Dosas only made the travel better.
About 200km from Delhi in the state of Uttar Pradesh is the city of Agra. Upon arriving, the first thing we did was head for the Taj Mahal. Built for the memory of his wife, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal out of marble and gem stones and it is quite possibly the most beautiful monument I have seen to date. Walking through the red sandstone gates you finally see it. It glistens in the sunlight, and although I couldn't see it, apparently it is spectacular under a full moon. You can't help but stand and stare in awe for a good minute while you look at it; I even caught myself smiling as I just stood and stared. It is sandwiched between a mosque and a guest hall both in red stone which are also equally beautiful. The Taj sits in front of the river Yamuna which is a slow flowing river that runs through Agra. I wish I could say it was a beautiful river, but it is quite polluted.
Next came Red Fort, the famous fort where Shah Jahan's own son imprisoned him when he took power. From this fort, Shah Jahan stared at the Taj (and the grave of his wife) through the windows of his room. The fort itself is quite spectacular. It is huge and has some great views of Agra city. At the top of the fort you can get an idea of what Shah Jahan was looking at as you get a crystal clear view of the Taj.
On to Fatehpur Sikri now, where Mughul Emperor Akbar WALKED to from Delhi (200km) to get the blessings from a priest to have a son. After the walk, he was indeed blessed with a son. Fatehpur Sikri, although impressive, has unfortunately not been as well maintained by the Archaeological Society of India as the Taj or Red Fort. Because of this is is crumbling in places and the locals have more or less taken over. Still, it is quite beautiful when you walk around its walks and various room and chambers. It is helpful to have a guide as well as they show you shortcuts and what to see. Did I mention ours was only 12? Nakeem, he is a student...and apparently a businessman. Visiting it after the Taj however takes away from its beauty stince really, nothing can compare once you've seen the Taj Mahal.