This is the story. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was desperately in love with his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She gave birth to fourteen children, but died during the birth of the fourteenth. Upon her death, Shah Jahan initiated construction of the Taj Mahal as her final resting place. Apparently, there was to be a black version of this massive grave that would sit across the river facing the Taj. However, Shah Jahan’s son, upon rising to power, found this project a great waste of resources and never let the second taj be built.

This is Joseph…vibing I think, not sure. And this was our guide. He was amazing and I wish you could have heard his tour. He was so direct and very detailed. Several times he would demand that we “look” and then he would explain the significance of a building and then tell us “but there is nothing to see” because the interior of a building was empty or something equally odd.

My new method for dealing with all the incredible stares we received was to take their picture. They usually were embarrassed after that.

Jenna got to be Princess Di.

He was also staring.

What’s more ornate? The Taj or this dude’s jeans?

There are six designs here. Look, I show you.

They were staring. And taking our pictures.

We took a horse drawn buggy on the way out of the Taj. Jenna and I sat up front with the teenage driver who decided to through me the reins for a good part of the way back.

Joseph took us to a government run crafts building afterward. This was the place to see demonstrations of the same methods used to build the Taj Mahal.

It was also my downfall. There was a room in the back full of beautiful crafted scarves of 100% silk and pure pashmina. They had blankets, table clothes, bed sheets, and so much more. At first I was only going to get a single item, and then the very wise (or crafty?) salesmen told me that it wasn’t a purchase but an investment. And that they accepted all forms of plastic money.

Another camel on the way back to Faridabad.