A Quick Trip to Taj Mahal

We did a quick overnight trip to the Taj Mahal this weekend and thanks to COVID we had the place almost all to ourselves. Here's a quick recap and some of our favorite pictures. 

We arrived Saturday afternoon and checked into our hotel.  There was a pool so the kids were obviously in heaven and in the evening, when the temperature went down a little, we went to Agra Fort. Our guide shared so many details and tons of history as I walked around mouth agape taking in all the beautiful details and thinking of how much work went into this palace turned prison. The kids loved roaming the grounds and even did some sketches of it. 

The next morning we woke up early and headed to the Taj to get there before the crowds.  We learned that most Indians enjoy sleeping in (smart people!) so when we arrived we were surprised to see the place was empty. Elea was not the happiest, because playing in the pool was clearly more interesting than walking around a building. Thankfully she has a fun big brother that convinced her that it could be her castle.  

pictures don't do this place justice! It is all just so much to take in--the attention to detail, the ornate patterns, the grandness of the structure are incredible. The white marble is stunning and still in such good condition. The stone inlays pop and include sacred Islamic texts. 

It was a quick trip that we were fortunate to take, it is never lost on us how blessed we are to be able to experience the world and all it's beauty--God made and human made! 

Retro Blogging: Xi'an Trip

Being that I am blogging about all our travel in Brazil, I figured it only right that I catch up with our time in China.  

 

Before our time in China was over we really wanted to make it to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Warriors, so we decided to make it happen one of the last weekends there. Our weekends were filling up fast, but we knew we wanted to make this trip so we set a weekend aside and am I glad we did.  We originally went to see the Warriors, but found out Xi'an is a great city with great eats and lots to do.

Just hanging out

These guys hadn't been been fully restored yet and were waiting to join their friends

Pit 1 of the Warriors

Our lodging for the weekend, Warrior Apartments, was amazing.  It was a quirky, unique, and spacious apartment where we enjoyed our down time (not that we had much) in Xian. In our apartment there were over fifty terracotta warrior replicas.  Some were life size, others were small enough to miss if you weren't looking.  It was a great place and right next to the Muslim Quarter of Xian.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who visits Xian.

A couple of times the warriors scared the daylights out of me when I woke up or walked around a corner.  I guess they did their job of protecting the apartment.

The kitchen door was Chinese red, some of the the warriors in the wall, the shower even had the warriors in tiles.

 

 

 

We arranged for Clarence, who owns the apartments with his darling wife, to take us out to see the Warriors. Part of the tour he gives includes visiting a couple's house that was built into the side of the mountain.  We talked with the sweet couple and they explained that they built this house over forty years ago with their own hands.  Being in the side of the mountain it naturally conserved energy and heat, it kept the house cool in the summer and warmer in the winter. They showed us around and then we were on our way.  I will always remember meeting this lovely couple and being welcomed into their home! 

Clockwise: Top Right-Us with the couple, silk worms for dinner, their kitchen, the entrance to their house

  Being our hotel was located almost in the Muslim District you know we had to check out the delicious food available.  Our favorites of the weekend were nan and mutton stew.  It was so flavorful and filling. We spent awhile looking for the perfect, non-touristy place to try the stew and we hit the jackpot on our pick.  It was a hole in the wall (aren't those always the best) with amazing servings and a fun staff. 

Chinglish never gets old

 Our last day in Xi'an we rented bikes and pedaled the 14 kilometers on the Wall that surrounds the city.

Entrance to the city wall

Door along the ride

Some of the wall and views from the wall

We finished!