The Taj Mahal lived up to everything one could possibly hope for in one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Parker and I try to avoid crowds and tourist traps. But the Taj Mahals’s 20,000 visitors a day only gave perspective to the grand size of the monument. It was absolutely tremendous.
The Taj Mahal is the ultimate monument for love. Emperor Shah Jahan was devastated when his favourite wife, Arjumand Bann Begum, died after giving to their fourteenth child (good grief!). After his wife’s death, the Emperor set out to build the most remarkable structure known to man in the memory of his beloved wife. The Taj Mahal took over 20,000 people and 20 years to build. It was finally completed in 1653.
I bought a sari and some bangles for the occasion. It took me an hour and a half to control my 16 foot sheet/dress. Every Asian country we have visited, I look same-same Thai, same-same Laos, same-same Singaporean and same-same Nepali. I never thought I looked Indian until we came to India. Someone specified I looked Northern Indian, especially when I wear a sari. With my chameleon Asian looks, American accent and American husband, Parker and I have sometimes caused a scene. I hear people whisper “maybe Indian/Nepali/Japan”. Many times we were asked to be photographed. At one point Parker and I had a whole family of 10 line up and take photos with both of us separately and together. It was a lot of fun the first five times.
The perfectly symmetrical monument is made out of marble and inlayed with semi precious stones: onyx, amethyst, lapis lazuli, turquoise, jade, crystal, coral and mother-of-pearl. The white marble of the Taj Mahal changes colours throughout the day. The play of lights from sunrise to sunset is magical. When we first entered the palace in the afternoon it was a brilliant white. As the sun set it turn to a pearly cream and finally glowed to a soft orange. No words can do it justice. It was a lovely day. The Taj Mahal was simply the most beautiful building either of us had ever seen.
The Taj Mahal is the ultimate monument for love. Emperor Shah Jahan was devastated when his favourite wife, Arjumand Bann Begum, died after giving to their fourteenth child (good grief!). After his wife’s death, the Emperor set out to build the most remarkable structure known to man in the memory of his beloved wife. The Taj Mahal took over 20,000 people and 20 years to build. It was finally completed in 1653.
I bought a sari and some bangles for the occasion. It took me an hour and a half to control my 16 foot sheet/dress. Every Asian country we have visited, I look same-same Thai, same-same Laos, same-same Singaporean and same-same Nepali. I never thought I looked Indian until we came to India. Someone specified I looked Northern Indian, especially when I wear a sari. With my chameleon Asian looks, American accent and American husband, Parker and I have sometimes caused a scene. I hear people whisper “maybe Indian/Nepali/Japan”. Many times we were asked to be photographed. At one point Parker and I had a whole family of 10 line up and take photos with both of us separately and together. It was a lot of fun the first five times.
The perfectly symmetrical monument is made out of marble and inlayed with semi precious stones: onyx, amethyst, lapis lazuli, turquoise, jade, crystal, coral and mother-of-pearl. The white marble of the Taj Mahal changes colours throughout the day. The play of lights from sunrise to sunset is magical. When we first entered the palace in the afternoon it was a brilliant white. As the sun set it turn to a pearly cream and finally glowed to a soft orange. No words can do it justice. It was a lovely day. The Taj Mahal was simply the most beautiful building either of us had ever seen.
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