From the crowded, hawker-infested
streets of Agra, there is a gateway, where each visitor
is searched. There is still no sign of what is to come and
it only after strolling along a long walkway and entering
a large courtyard that the top of the Taj Mahal enticingly
reveals itself. |
It was now early evening
and we went straight on to the obligatory shop. It had been
a busy day, so Julian found a comfy place to rest! After
more than an hour in the shop, it was time for the next
treat, a live show that proved to be bizarre. It was performed
in a beautifully appointed theatre next to the shop, with
lovely seats and plush surroundings. It was technically
excellent, combining cinema with live performance, but the
production itself was something else; Bollywood meets the
Taj love story with a flourish of Indian flag-waving jingoism
at the end. We were later told this was to please the local
head of police, his wife and entourage who swept into the
front row of the theatre, with a full police escort, minutes
before it started. When it ended all Bruce could say was
"Wow, that was just fab!" Everybody knew what
he meant, except our coach mate Bruce, who raved about it
and said that it had redeemed the whole trip, in his opinion! |
