My trip to India

[BBC69Camaro]

Just got back from a Business trip to India. Was working most of the time but did manage to sneak a weekend in for sight-seeing.

Akshardam Hindu temple - one of the largest temples in the world:

hard to see in the photo but the pinnacles are made of solid gold and about the size of Volkswagens.


They don't allow pictures inside the temple so could only take photos from the parking lot.

Typical Traffic in India:


The lines on the road mean nothing everyone ignores them, even divided roads have people driving down them going the wrong way.

Even the traffic signals when working are mostly ignore unless they have police:


Its very common to see 3-4 people even on a motorcycle or a ton of people packed into a little rickshaw or motorized rickshaw:



Got to see the Taj Mahal. There are 4 gates and this is the Royal Gate:


One Minerette per year it took to build the gate:


Seeing the Taj Mahal for the first time as coming through the Royal Gate:


Everything is perfectly aligned, the fountains with the center line of both the Taj and the gates.


Look I can pick up the Taj!

[BBC69Camaro]

30ft high Pinnacle:



The detail is just simply stunning, especially considering it was done all by hand in large blocks where a single mistake trashed the entire huge block of solid marble.


Took 20,000 workers about 20 years to complete the Taj Mahal after which they had both their hands cut off to keep them from ever building another.

No painting, all inlaid semi-precious stone work.


Used to have diamonds inlaid as well but the British took those when they took over India.


Can you spot the optical illusion here:



One of the gates had been converted to a Mosque:


Another gate behind myself, a coworker and his wife who were kind enough to show me around Agra for the Day:

And yes it was hot, 115* with about 80% humidity. You know it is hot when you can't hold your camera because it is starting to burn you.

One of the many Elephants:

[BBC69Camaro]

King Cobras doing a dance:


Ain't he/she cute?


Very typical to see cows, camels, goats and other livestock just walking down the street:


Red Fort:


There is a Red fort in Agra near the Taj Mahal and another in Delhi (about 200km apart) and there is a underground tunnel that runs between them that the Emperor would

use to travel between sectors secretly.

Sikh Temple on the way to the Taj Mahal in Agra:


Government sector in Delhi


Me outside the President's residence:


India Gate - War monument where most of the Solidiers who have died since WW1 have their names ingraved:

Couple of my coworkers in India who were kind enough to take me around Delhi.

Indians really seem to like malls, there were already 2 large ones near the Hotel, and another absolutely huge one being constructed across the street:


A view of the pool while having a nice breakfast in the morning in the 5 star hotel I was staying at (Raddison in Nodia):

[Vegas69]

Thanks for sharing....couldn't you of atleast found a cute chick for the photos?

[RECOVERY ROOM]

Thanks for sharing that trip,Very cool.How did the people treat you.How are the prices there compared to us.

[tones2SS]

Cool pics. Thanks for posting.

[BBC69Camaro]

Thanks all for the compliments.

Originally Posted by Vegas69

Thanks for sharing....couldn't you of atleast found a cute chick for the photos?

Perhaps I'll have to say there are a lot of very beautiful women in India. They are just very petite. If you like petite women then you would be heaven. Unfortunately I like tall women, hurts less to stoop and kiss them

Originally Posted by RECOVERY ROOM

Thanks for sharing that trip,Very cool.How did the people treat you.How are the prices there compared to us.

I have never seen such hospitality, everyone was extremely polite and courteous. You can walk up to anyone on the street, ask for directions or to just chat.

Prices on just about everything other than electronics are dirt cheap.

Rickshaw ride - 100 Rupees ($2 US, around 50 rupees to the dollar)
Bullet Cart ride - 100 Rupees
2 Hour Guided tour of Taj Mahal - 100 rupees
Books on different monuments - 100 Rupees each
2 Tee shirts of Taj Mahal - 100 Rupees for both
Very nice handmade clothing - 200-400 Rupees ($4 - $8 each). Easily would sell for $50-100 each in the US.
Hand made crafts dirt cheap 200-1000 Rupees, including real marble and Jade figurines, boxes, jewelery etc.
Cheap meal around 20 - 50 rupees.
Typical meal 400-600 in a nice restaurant.
Gourmet dinner in a 5 star hotel about 1300.
Small sub-compact car (made in India) about $5000.00 US


Basically if you were an IT worker, you could afford a large house with servants in a rich neighborhood. If you manage to be in the middle class the standard of living is a lot higher over there. You could live quite well on 30000 rupees a month (typical salary for IT over there; about $600/mo). Problem is the bottom end is so much lower. I wouldn't want to be in manual labor over there (paid hardly enough to buy food).

[T-Type]

wow, you are a brave man going to india in the summer. how did you survive the heat? i have a hard time going during spring or fall. great pics! thanks for sharing.

[Theresa]

Amazing photos. Thanks for posting them.

Gotta ask:
What do you do that you were able to expereince that trip?
and
What was the optical illusion in that one picture? I couldn't see it...

[XcYZ]

Awesome pics.