The Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal may be the most photographed building in the world. Every picture, from every angle, in every lighting, has already been taken, and I’ve seen many of them since I was little boy, yet when I walked through that North Gate for the first time and saw it with my own eyes it was as new and inspiring as if I’d never seen a picture of it before.
It’s big. It doesn’t seem that big because of the perfect proportions and layout, but when you get up close and see, for example, people at the bottom of the towers and realize they’re really tall, it was surprising to me.
And the decorations that look like paintings- aren’t. They’re all semi-precious stone inlays. Miles of them. And a lot of intricate carved marble pieces, many of which were hewn from single slabs about six feet long and laid in the walls, or used as lattice style fencing around the tombs.
It took three hours to get there, and four to get back, but was well worth it, if you’re ever in India…
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