Agra
Arriving in Agra I didn’t know what to expect from this city but I knew the one place I wanted to visit was the Taj Mahal. Agra represents a golden era of the Mughal Empire and the rich traditions over centuries and other historical sites include the Agra Fort, the Itmad-ud-Daulah’s Tomb, Akbar’s Tomb, Jama Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri and Sikandra Fort. On the day I visited the Taj Mahal it was quite foggy and it was difficult to get a decent photo. It was a wonderful experience walking around the gardens and in the buildings of the Taj Mahal. When you hear the story of why the Taj was built it is even more amazing.
Tag: India
Kochi/Cochin
One delightful place we visited on our trip to India was Kochi, also known as Cochin. It is a seaside city and very busy port on the western side of India. It was lovely to walk down by the sea and watch the fisherman looking after their Chinese nets (an old tradition brought there many years ago by the Chinese).
The other day I was cleaning out a cupboard when I came across a rather gaudy looking photo album I had made after a trip to India. As I flicked through the pages fond memories of the days I spent in this wonderful country came back to me. India has aways had a mystical and exotic appeal for me and so, some years back, when I had the chance to travel to India I jumped at the opportunity.
I was lucky enough to apply for and attain a fellowship with the Asia Education Foundation (Australia) and as it was funded by the foundation I only had to pay $500 for the whole trip. This was not a solo journey, however, but a journey with a group of educators which took in tours of schools and the chance to meet some very interesting people.