"There is no snow at the Taj Mahal"

Thursday night, on our way to a wedding celebration, with 5 unseatbelted girls crammed into a taxi, racing a horse and buggy down a crowded New Delhi street, Shantel made a keen observation:  "Annie, when did this start to feel normal?  We are going to have such bad culture shock when we we go home to Salt Lake."  She couldn't have been more right.  When we first got to Delhi, the traffic was just about the scariest thing we had to face.  Now, its scary how little we think about it. I guess all I have to say is, we have officially grown accustomed to the hectic, loud, and originally disconcerting energy of the city.  Welcome to New Delhi life to us. 

I probably should say something about attending an Indian wedding.  Our lovely coworker Anita was kind enough to extend us an invitation to her brother's wedding.  It was a wonderful excuse to experience something completely Indian and best of all, getting all dolled up for a night out.  Though we only attended the reception and didn't experience the full 3 day long event, I feel thrilled to have had the opportunity to see what it was all about.  I have to say that what I love most about India, so far, are the people and the colors.  Nothing is done half way.  They just love an excuse for a celebration.  There hasn't been a night yet when I haven't heard fireworks and drums outside my window.  

 

All in all, the more I get to know and understand the culture, the more I grow to love it here.  Plus, the clothes are so comfortable that I could probably be happy in them for the rest of my life. 

 This blog post can't come without a mention of our recent visit to the most well known landmark of India:  The Taj Mahal.  Yes we finally made the 3 1/2 hour journey to the city of Agra, a truly unremarkable place with one very beautiful building.  Honestly, a part of me expected to be underwhelmed by the Taj Mahal.  I thought, its probably not going to live up to expectations or all the hype.  Fortunately, I couldn't have been more wrong.  The Taj is magnificent in every way: enormous, flawless architecture, hand carved, and even whiter than it ever appears in photos. 

Roomies!  Annie, Anna, and Shantel

This yogi just couldn't help herself:  "Fallen Angel" at the Taj Mahal

Shah Jahan had this masterpiece built for his favorite wife, his Mumtaz Mahal (the jewel of the palace.)  She requested that he build her a monument so beautiful that the world would never forget their love.  I guess he must have succeeded because people come from all over the world to see their tomb.  Few, if any graves are visited as much.  Its amazing to think that 20,000 laborers, slaved away for over 17 years to create this tomb.  Legend has it that he planned to build his own black mausoleum across the river.  He was, however, imprisoned by his own son, spending the final years of his life gazing at his beautiful Taj Mahal from across the city.  This building is one of the great pieces of Mughal architecture and I probably saw it for the one and only time in my life.  

After saying our goodbyes, we were transported back to "real India."  I've never been harassed by so many hagglers in my entire time here.  Drivers trying to take me to my next destination by rickshaw, horse, or camel.  People selling everything from jewelry, to information, to Taj Mahal snow globes.  I doubt it will ever snow at the Taj Mahal, but if it did, it would be a glorious sight.

I hope you aren't all too cold back home!  Peace, Love, Namaste:)