Delhi and Agra

Namaste from India,

We are currently in Manali, India which is a relatively large town in the Himalayan mountain range. We spent last week in New Delhi. Our trip through India thus far has been a very eye- opening part of our journey. There is so much poverty here that it is hard to imagine how things will ever get better. Everywhere you go, there are adults and children alike disfigured, missing limbs, begging for their next meal. Small kids come up to you rubbing their bellies and pointing at their mouths in need of food. It is truly a painful site to behold. In the U.S., we occasionally get to see images of Indian children accompanied by slow music, but it is so much harder to see it all with your own eyes. How can there be so much richness and beauty in the world when there is so much pain and suffering here?

With that being said, India has also provided sensory overload for the both of us; the way people dress, the way things smell, the constant noise on Delhi streets. We had no idea how loud and busy everything was going to be. At one point, we were in a car going from Agra Fort to Fatehpur Sikiri. We turned around and saw a camel, carrying sand bags and bulls waiting for traffic to move. Women were carrying various baskets on their heads and monkeys were on either side of us jumping across the fence lines. The pigs were busy chewing up the garbage on the side of the road. It was definitely an area that kept your attention.

On a positive note, we also got to cross another big item off of our bucket lists when we saw the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra. What an architectural miracle! This mausoleum takes your breathe away every second you are around it. You really need to be in front of her one day in your life to soak in the love this building represents. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

The Taj Mahal- we had an English speaking tour guide in Agra. He may have spoken it, but our ears did not understand it. The good news though is that what he lacked in pronunciation, he made up for with his photographic ability. He was positioning us and moving others out of the way to get the right angle. It was nice having him there.


































The mosque next door taken from the deck of the Taj Mahal







Agra Fort













A view from one of the rooms in the fort- must have paid extra for Taj view!







Our drive from Agra Fort to Fatehpur Sikiri










Fatehpur Sikiri










Red Fort back in Delhi at the end of Chowdni Chowk- This was the first tourist site we visited in Delhi and where we had our first semi- celebrity experience. Apparently, tourists from other villages in India also visit Delhi and have never seen white people before. Many people were staring at us and asking us to take photos with them. Once you agree to one, you invite others to snap photos with you. One guy told us he was going to put our picture as his wallpaper...flattering and creepy all at the same time













Mila taking pics of other tourists




Jama Masjid Mosque- very hectic area. We narrowly avoided getting scammed here







Lotus Temple- modeled after the lotus flower







The President of India lives here










City Gate




One of the many white people siting pictures we took- Mila was excited to be in this one. You can see it in her smile




Old Fort










This little fella was sitting on a ledge over our head. Had to get a picture




Humayun's tomb- the Taj Mahal was constructed after this










One of several meals from our favorite restaurant near Gupta Palace, Navadyam




And finally, Alvin, Simon, Theodore










Tomorrow we are on the bus back to Delhi. Thank you Raj Gupta and his aunt who set us up with a beautiful place to stay. We will be leaving to Jaipur after spending just two more days in Delhi. We hope everyone is healthy and happy!

-Mila and Scott


- Posted around the world from our iPad

Location:Nehru Place Rd,New Delhi,India