Agra and the Taj Mahal

My experiences at the Trident Hilton Agra left me with a good feeling from and honest attempt to make the customer happy. I was well received at check-in and was shown to my room. To my dismay it was a two twin bed room but that’s really ok in the scheme of things. This allowed me to jump in the shower and just enjoy my first hour to myself in a week.

The main feature of this hotel is its courtyard. This is where the pool is located and also many places to sit and a large hill in the center. It really would be worth staying a night here if I felt Agra deserved more than just one night. And as such I would pick the Sheraton instead in the future.

Rates here go from the very affordable $30 a night to the insane, no way would I pay that for this place $110 and up. When you can get it cheap, and I paid about $80 for my night because I delayed, it is worth the stay.

The service here was extraordinary. I was finally in a place with Internet as my hotel in Bombay did not have it. Well the room I was in it would not work. There was something wrong with the router. It was giving me signal but the WAN was not working. They called in the IT guy at 11pm on a Saturday night to troubleshoot it with me. He could not fix it but the fact that they went to all that trouble for me impressed me to no end.

Come morning and check out I had no trouble getting the charge for it taken off the bill and was very very happy with my stay.

What an experience this is. When you first get to the parking lot you are JUMPED by everyone and their mother trying to get you to ride in their cart to the entrance. You really should just walk. It is like a gauntlet though. Everyone trying to sell you something. This is honestly a part of India that by the end of my trip I hated. No couldn’t just mean no. But hey, it’s the way it is there and all part of the experience.

The foreigners are required to pay extra as always, about 500 rupees, and you are given covers for your shoes. After checking your ticket and the security detectors you are finally on the grounds. Bring on more people selling you tours you don’t need because they claim it’s easy to get lost as it all looks alike…

As we started walking inside the grounds we knew only an idiot would get lost here. A tour may be desirable by some but trust me it is NOT because you won't be able to find your way out. The buildings around the walkway give a feeling that it is any castle like complex. But slowly, as you walk further, you start to see the bright white roof of the Taj Mahal off to the west just barely visible over the tops of the walls.

With a right hand turn at the crossroads in the center you see through the gate your first glimpse of this wonderful monument. It really can’t be put into words how one feels when you finally get here. It is one of the most recognizable monuments in the entire world and here you are seeing it for the first time. Amazing. We walked through the gardens along the paths taking pics as we went. Making our way closer and closer to this amazing structure.

Finally we were there. Where shoes must be removed or covered. To walk up to and be able to touch it. We arrived about sunset and it was quite incredible to watch the sun slip below the red fort to the southwest. The shear size of it was almost hard to comprehend. It took the circling birds to give us something to measure it against. So peaceful as you are now well inside the touts and the tours. Time to just relax and reflect and think about life.

So come. Visit. Reflect and respect. And be sure to take everything in without losing your mind. It will be one of your most treasured experiences when you’re done.