After what seemed like an inbelievably hectic first week on the job, I snuck of on Saturday to visit the Taj Mahal. It is a 4 hours drive south of Delhi, on some rather remarkably good roads — or they seemed better than the last time I visited. The India Tourist Authority has raised their entry proces by 400% and there is outrage over that decision for sure. Now it is almost financially out of the reach of the average Indian to visit the site — and I am sure for backpackers too. The immediate economic impact is that the smaller businesses around the site, mainly in the Taj Gange area, are now struggling.

The Taj Gange is the original craftsman's village for the workers of inlaid marble that worked on the Taj Mahal, often with families providing up to 4 generations during the life of the project. Now the area us becoming famous for its scams aimed at separating the tourist from their hard earned money, where hotel owners poison the food that foreigners eat, which makes them sick and consequently requiring very 'expensive' medical treatment.

The actual monument was built as a dedication to Mumtaz, the wife of the Shah, who died in child birth. He almost bankrupted the state expressing his love through this building — what most people don't know is Mumtaz is the poster child for Birth Control. She was 28 and giving birth to her 14th child when she 'expired,' whch is the Indian way of describing death. After this project lost sight of its budget, the Shah's son exercised fiscal responsibility and locked his Dad up in the Red Fort, which is another impressive site to visit. The legend goes that the Shah was held in a special room that had a singular and direct view of the Taj Mahal. Ah, the psychology of family love.

But, it is not all negative — The monument has incredible beauty, especially at dawn and dusk but I was limited to a midday visit. I did have fun though. As a foreigner, I am a walking target for everything — "5 rupees madam — baksheesh"....etc. So when I was in the grounds, just watching the crowds and the changing light patterns, people started coming up to me to have their photo taken with "Lady Dianna." So I started charging 5 rupees a photo, and actually collected 50 rupees. which I gave to the very poor family that went by. It is hard to relate well in email, but it was a very funny experience as no-one was expecting me to speak Hindi, and because I have blue eyes and am tall, I must be Lady Diana, right. Just sitting around waiting to make money from having my fhoto taken!!!

At the end of the day there was a quick stop at the shop where zengem.com has done business for some time to start the process of getting some samples done of inlaid marble for bathroom tiles. After a second stop at Dominoes for pizza, and another stop for some local pastries, the Driver and I were on the road again back to Dehi. Munching pizza, drinking coke, and singing Punjabi pop songs, all the while dodging tractors, trucks, cars, rickshaws, bicycles, camel carts, buffalo and people. Another wonderful day of the unexpected was coming to an end.

Zen