Words
The car ride to Agra took some time. Although it is only 200 kilometers from New Delhi, but with an average speed of perhaps 50 km/h, such a distance has its lengths. But that didn’t bother me, because there was a lot to see: a new, very different country.
Ahmed, my driver, was happy to drive a new car with air conditioning and I quickly became much too cold. Visibly reluctant, he followed my wish not to let it get too cold, and when that didn’t help either, I found myself forced every now and then to let in the warm outside air.
Having almost arrived in Agra, Ahmed surprised me with a sneak peek at the Taj Mahal. Imposing and shrouded in mist, it stood there, this massive white structure, and I was looking forward to seeing it up close soon.
The hotel was a bit more acceptable than the one in New Delhi. There was not much to see in Agra itself and since Ahmed admonished me to go to the Taj Mahal early at sunrise to avoid tourist crowds and long queues, the evening was not long.
So in the very early morning I finally stood in front of it: the Taj Mahal. Impressed by the size, architecture and artistic craftsmanship, the only thing missing at this moment, in this place of love, was actually someone at my side. With the firm desire to visit this place sometime again in company, I tried to capture the mood and impression in pictures.
