from the cold Baltic sea to the warm Yamuna river

it sure is a big difference between the Baltic sea and the Yamuna river

cold - warm, clean - dirty 

but the biggest difference is that it has been many years since we saw anyone

doing the laundry by the sea...

I do remember my grandmother doing it by hand with a "washing board"? in her wash house

that was like in the middle of 1960.....

I couldn't help but reflect on this when showing you these pictures....

on my last trip to Agra we ( Kathy and I ) decided to start the day by going to

Yamuna river...

to the dhobi ghat

the laundry place

where the dhobi's do the washing

all areas without water are used for drying....

I get so confused when I see the wash being put on the dirty ground !!

I would never consider doing this ....not even on my lawn.....

different lives.... different possibilities

we are really privileged in this country....just so you know !

Marble inlay art in Agra

Agra is known for it's marble inlay art 

and this time I got the chance to see how it's done

I got to see the artists in action

this is what they work with...semiprecious stones and white, green or black marble

carnelian, mother pearl, black stone, lapis, turquoise etc...

never too late to learn something new...quiet interesting actually...

the marble is coloured with henna and the pattern of the inlay is cut out...is it called cut out...

more chiseled out I think...

working at the hand driven sanders...the little stone piece in one hand and the other pulling the sander..

the pieces they work with are so small...

love the lotus flower, the lilly

so many small pieces

when all inlay was in place it's washed down to get all henna out and to get it nice and even...

this man was working in black marble....think this was a buddha

a beautiful table top..difficult to bring home but everything can be shipped to wherever you live in the world...

to be sure you buy the same marble as in the Taj you have to put a light underneath

if you see the light shining through then you know...

love this one...

maybe one day...

when I can afford one !

I did get a little memory from here though

a handmade carnelian bindi !

Same same but different !

all the things you can do with a computer.....
so much fun...

Taj Mahal from The Moon Garden

finally I got to see Taj Mahal from the other side of the Yamuna river, 

from The Moon Garden , Mahtab-Bagh...

and it was magical in the early morning haze, smog or fog....

once this was a park with beautiful gardens, water tanks and water falls etc

today only remains after several flooding  

called moon garden because this is a perfect place to view Taj Mahal in the moonlight

I had this image in my head of a great picture...camels walking in the Yamuna with the Taj in the back....well, I guess that has to be if I ever come back to this beautiful spot again...

I did see a boat with two guys in it...not so much fun....

the rising sun hitting the Taj was gorgeous.....

but there where not a lot of people at the Taj that morning...

make the picture bigger and you'll see...

the morning sun shining on the mosque

Kathy and I where almost alone in the park that morning

some guards, a family and

some birds

and

some sweepers....why on earth are they using such short handles ?

we see it all the time....why don't they make them longer so they don't have to work

bent over....

one last look at this magnificent building...

Sikandra, Akbars Tomb

 Akbars tomb is in Sikandra, which is about 8 km south of Agra
compared to the Taj and the Red Fort which gets most tourists this

it is a really quiet and tranquil place..

it has a really grand entrance...

Akbar himself commenced the building of his own tomb in 1600..

Akbar was the third moghul emperor, 1555-1605...

Akbar the great....

a  close up of the inlay ...beautiful work of art...

the tomb...with wonderful park all around...

and the park is home for gazelle's and antelopes

wonderful work done in marble and stone

loved to have you here...

this has got to be one of the most wonderful tombs when it comes to artwork...

it's truly amazing..

the four marble minarets at the entrance, or exit today, are similar to the ones at Taj Mahal..

even the squirrels read the signs...

this one really took  it's seriously...jumped to the fence.....

have a wonderful weekend dear reader...