Christmas at the Taj Mahal

My second day in Agra was a Friday and the Taj Mahal is closed to visitors on Fridays. I didn't end up doing a whole lot that day. I slept in because I hadn't had a whole lot of sleep the two previous nights. I also spent hours dealing with getting my Indian SIM card (that I'd purchased the day before) straightened out because it wasn't working properly. So it was a lazy kind of day.

The following day, Saturday, I planned to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Sunset on one day and sunrise on another. :-) My rickshaw driver (not Munna) knocked on my door at the ungodly hour of 5:30am, a half hour early. I quickly got ready and after a very cold ride (I guesstimate it was only about 9-10 C that morning), I was at the Taj with a line of other people also waiting for the sunrise.

I slowly made my way to the entrance and when I finally saw it that morning, it was amazing.The sun wasn't quite up yet and it was cold and, even with all the people there, it was oddly quiet and serene. As I made my way closer and closer to the Taj, and as the sunrise was more and more imminent, I popped in the earbuds of my ipod. It just seemed right, in that moment, for me to listen to Christmas music. Date close to Christmas? Check. It was the 19th. Cold weather? Check. (Although nothing like what they're getting back home.) In the Christmas spirit? Check. So while it wasn't officially Christmas at the Taj Mahal, it was pretty darn close.I love how you can see the Taj Mahal change colors as the sun rises and the angle of light changes.