Four days ago marked our first whole week in India!  Amazing we had already been to three cities.  That morning we all got up and caught the bus at 6am to leave Jaipur and head to our next stop Agra.  We stopped around at 9 for a nutritious breakfast in the middle of no where.

     On the way to Agra we drove through the pink city and stopped to see a palace and tomb temple in the abandon city.

     The palace was made for one of the three queens.  Each had a different religion and inside the palace you can see the different designs and architecture of many different religions mixed together.  The king believe that all religions were equal and there is one God.

     Inside we were shown around by a very knowledgeable tour guide.  The palace was made for one of the three wives of the king, each was a different religion.  He showed us the queen's summer and winter bed rooms.  The kings bedroom which had his 5ft tall stone bed.  There was a court yard were the people gathered to watch the ones who had done wrong be punished.  This king did not punish by hanging people, he let his elephant do the torture.  

     Next we walked over the temple where the saint had his tomb of white marble inside. In side the marbled tomb you could take a string and tie it to the screen and make a wish for good luck.

     Back on the bus we had to stop in the side of the road for some reason and got to see a talented monkey! His owner taught him how to do flips, rolls, all kinds of tricks.

     Afterwards we made it to our hotel and shown around town by one of Dr. Maher's good friend, Vicky.  We walked down to the river hoping to be there in time for the sunset, but we arrived an hours too early and the hear was unbearable.  So we split up for some shopping.  Afterwards we meet up for a wonderful roof top dinner.

     Wednesday we got up early to meet up to see the Taj Mahal before the big crowds!  It is extremely beautiful and in person.  Also a whole lot bigger than I excepted!  We had a awesome guide who knew all the awesome places to take pictures.  He also told us how the colors in the building are made by stone instead of paint and lasts way longer and is even more beautiful.  Definitely on of the worlds wonders to see in person.

 

  Today marks the day of only having two more weeks in India!  Crazy I do not feel like we have been here very long.  Today we are enjoy a relaxing day at Varanasi.  We have all been enjoying the markets and the fun of bartering for items.  Haley I think won with buying and spending the most about of money in the shops today.  We are all trying really hard to just buy things for our loved ones instead of ourselves.  This city is HUGE.  There is a main market in the city that twists and turn and weaves every which way.  After a while you get confused which was is "north" and which way is "south".  At one point we thought we were headed the opposite way we came in and ended up going back the way we just were.  There's lots of clothes and jewelry here, but it has really been hard to fit the goods my family requested like a envelope opener, belt, and charm. Lots of the goods here are more cheaply made compared to the United States.  I was ecstatic when a man finally told be he new where belts were sold.  But once we got to the shop he showed me a leather belt combined with a leaver fanny pack... not what I was looking for.  I would really like to buy some tea for family too.  The tea here is delicious.  The only problem I am concerned with is going through customs at the airport.