Everyone I’ve ever met who has been to India has a photo of themselves in front of the Taj Mahal.  The photo is iconic and for many people is the raison d’etre for traveling to India in the first place.  We all have our stories of taking the photo and we remember what it was like to gaze at it in the hustle and bustle of the people but somehow we miss what it was like to enter through those gates as our anxiety grew.  That’s why I took this photo:

There were Indians everywhere as we happened to go on a weekend. There was an immense crush of people trying to squeeze through those gates just waiting to see the whole thing.  The air was buzzing with excitement and kids were literally giddy.  Just to get to this point we had already gone through a parking lot filled with vendors selling all manner of artifact and even a chariot ride or two.  Bottom line, the Taj Mahal is no museum, it is a verifiable attraction.

IF YOU GO: We took flights to India from Bangkok and into Mumbai before flying again to Delhi….we arrived in Delhi and got in a car first thing in the morning.  From Delhi the Taj was a long day trip but it makes for a nice triangle with Delhi and Jaipur if you’ve got the time for it.  As it was we couldn’t keep our eyes open on the drive back that evening but thankfully the driver knew where he was going and I got nudged awake each time we passed by ANOTHER Indian wedding on the road.