{{the trip to the TAJ MAHAL}}

There has always been something that used to sting us - when we mentioned that we have travelled to India! This is mine and the boys 2nd time - but my hubby has travelled from NZ to India every 2nd year since he was little. The question people used to ask is, once learning we have been to India is, "have you seen the Taj Mahal?" We used to say no - and at least the last time we were here we had a good excuse about the kids being young!

This time...we will say "YES, we have seen the Taj Mahal"...it was magnificent!! The photos will speak for themselves...

5:30am BUBBA and PAPI are ready to go!

getting into the taxi 6am :)

an hour into the trip...the babies are sleeping :)

Baby #2 :P

people on the way to work...

monkeys trained to dance...sad but the family is together...

the monkeys and their master...

more people travelling to work..

so about mid way - we stop at McDeez and grab us a feed and use the bathrooms.

just like old times :P

speaking of old times...this is an old school McDeez!! Pretty cool :P

the famz posing after our pit stop...

the drive thru signage...

it's actually screwed down... :O

along the drive...this is what we see. Stacks and stacks of cows/bulls just strolling...

I was snoring when my Husbindian took this photo. This guy was just staring at him...didn't flinch or smile...hahahaha funny guy. Even after taking the photo the guy was still staring!!

got peanuts??

YOU!!

The third Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great (1542–1605), himself commenced its construction in around 1600, according to Tartary tradition to commence the construction of one's tomb during one's lifetime. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it, after his death, Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction in 1605-1613. Read more...

the babies and Mama...

my babies and I :P

I SAW YOU touching my bey blades!!!

the history...

FURIOUS showing his strength...RRAAAHHH!!

MEEEE!

Mean pose PAPI :D

cheeeeese :D

the Red Fort in Agra...history here...

another angle...

So we arrive to the car park heading up to the Taj Mahal - and were bombarded with people trying to have us take transportation up to the Taj. So there was this camel and carriage, there was a mini van/scooter and a rickshaw. People were swarming in - as well as people trying to sell memorabilia to us.

this guy was selling the book and postcards...

the guy in the blue is our taxi driver - everyone else were selling rides or toys, t-shirts etc... You can see PAPI in the back, got GOOCH on him walking away from the madness.

Can just seeing PAPI and GOOCH in front of the guy in brown. BUBBA and I were hanging back...

So we go with the scooter ride...this guy is pitching to MAMA that we should have a tour guide...

about to purchase tickets. It's $750 rupees for non-Indians and $20 rupees for Indians...hahaha!!! Felt sooo taken advantage of...until...later...

the boyz posing while waiting for the tickets...

So we have the tickets, and go through the gate. there are 4 lines. 2 men's lines, one for Indians and the other for non-Indians, same for women! The massive hike in the price paid off here...the Indian lines were packed and weren't moving much at all...our lines we breezed through. Having kids...that was perfect...well worth the extra over charged price of $730 rupees haha...OH and with that you get a bottle of mineral water and shoe covers to slip over your shoes.

my family...in the lobby before we head in...

There they go...

not even in there and check out the architecture...

beautiful...

super excited at this point...behold...

the TAJ MAHAL!!

CHEESE!

Giant lifting the Taj Mahal with his finger tips :O

haha the BUBBA!!

look...the TAJ MAHAL...

spiderman and PIM...

reflection...

shoes come off or the shoe covers go on...

We are coming up the stairs and this is what we see on the left. There were one of these on each side of the Taj - I think this is the one that Aurangzeb (the 6th Mugal Emperor of India) had imprisoned his Father Shah Jahan until his death.

On our right this is what we see...the side of the Taj.

heading to the entrance. The Taj Mahal took 22 years to build and complete. We are heading to the stairs - where we are reminded again of the 22years with 22 stairs.

looking out before entering...

The entrance...

spidey wanted to scale the walls...where are your shoes oww?

this room was the women's prayer room...

cool photo!

PAPI...

BUBBA...

the back door...

forgot the name of the river behind the Taj...

more awesomeness...

PAPI pozing with the Taj Mahal...

the other side of the Taj - I think this was for Royalty stayed when they visited. They didn't have Hotels back then...makes perfect sense.

HUUUGE!

he was singing the spiderman song and dancing...haha!

the GOOCH and PAPI...

me and the BUBBA...

singing as we head to the exit...

the last photo before we leave the Taj Mahal...

the boys...back in the forecourt...

heading back to the van...

so we are halfway home from visiting the Taj Mahal - the trip was about 6hours? GOOCH is singing...spiderman............................again :P

orange smile :P

another mall being built...

people heading home from work...

traffic jam...

last shot of the trip...battery died! Passing through this lil' town.

Awesome trip! Left home at 6am and returned at 6pm! We thoroughly enjoyed it! It's definitely something to never forget! If you ever get to see it, and touch it for yourself! It will open your eyes to old school architecture and how those who worked on the Taj Mahal did things with absolute precision. We could not take photos of the inside. The detail and craftsmanship was mind boggling. You would have a slab of marble placed in front of you and you would chisel away at it, getting every petal of every flower the same in size, detail. There could not be any mistakes...or you would face a penalty...possibly fatal.

At any rate...if you're interested to find out more...google it...and go nuts.

So much more to share - so little time!

xox