Day 105 Friday 15th December Agra, India
After checking out the misty dawn view of the Taj Mahal from the hotel’s roof top viewing terrace, we decide to visit the Red Fort which is a magnificent enormous red sandstone complex with beautiful white marble palaces and pavilions inside, which of course if on the World Heritage list. Built by Akbar and Shah Jahan the mogul bob the builder, and used by Shah Jahan’s son to imprison him when he usurped the throne, it's part military and part palace. The fort also provides great views to the Taj about 5km away and which Shah Jahan (who built it) was able to look at when imprisoned.
From the Fort we take a taxi to Fatephur Sikri, a deserted former capital about 40km outside Agra. Built by Akbar on the advice of a sage in around 1580, it was occupied only for about 20 years before being abandoned apparently as it didn’t have a reliable water supply. It’s also World Heritage and has a mass of lovely carved sandstone buildings, gateways and palaces and gardens.
Heading back to Agra we have dinner in a Peshawari restaurant which specialises in food from the NW frontier province where barbequing is the preferred mode of cooking. We eat Peshawari style with our fingers, the food is delicious, the best in India so far.
From the Fort we take a taxi to Fatephur Sikri, a deserted former capital about 40km outside Agra. Built by Akbar on the advice of a sage in around 1580, it was occupied only for about 20 years before being abandoned apparently as it didn’t have a reliable water supply. It’s also World Heritage and has a mass of lovely carved sandstone buildings, gateways and palaces and gardens.
Heading back to Agra we have dinner in a Peshawari restaurant which specialises in food from the NW frontier province where barbequing is the preferred mode of cooking. We eat Peshawari style with our fingers, the food is delicious, the best in India so far.
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