We are up early as usual. While the 6 hour coach ride is long, for seeing the country side it is much preferred. We see it all from very low tech or skill to very high tech, skill or mechanism. As we leave Agra we observe a rough pile of cow dung and learn that it is collected and made into fuel. Usually young girls or women collect the cow dung from the streets where the cows are generally free to wander. Caring for cows is considered a sacred duty. The dung is carried home in baskets, then mixed with straw and formed by hand into plate sized patties and left to dry in the sun. The patties are then stored and used for cooking fuel by approximately 70% of the rural population. They will actually sell for Rs 5-10 apiece.

Further along the road we see a very modern shop, stock full of monuments and idols that have been intricately carved to supply the very high demand. The highways and village streets are usually very busy and one can see all kinds of transportation, from manual head carrying, to carts pulled by men or animals such as camels. Interestingly enough behind the three pictures of women carrying burdens on their heads are motorcycles and trucks. Last but not least - this is the month for weddings and we come across our first groom all dressed up on an elephant heading for the ceremony.

After about an hour we come to Fatehpur Sikri, the former imperial capital - just on the border between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Fatehpur Sikri was built in 1569 by Moghul Emperor Akbar in attempt to move away from the crowds in Agra. Diwan-i-Khas - 'Hall of Private Audience' where at peak residence here, Emperor Akbar held very active audiences, heard petitions and dispensed justice. It is shown topped with four chhatris and embellished with heavily carved Hindu-style brackets. Inside features a central elaborately corbelled column known as the Throne Pillar. The pillar symbolizes the incorporation of motifs from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. In the Astrologer's seat, next to the Treasury, features door arches carved from red sandstone so intricate one would think it was carved from wood. To the west lies the Anup Talao - the peerless pool (29 meters square) intended for imperial amusement and private functions. The Palace features strategically aligned carved arched doorways and upper privacy screens all carved from red sandstone. The Harem quarters also featured carved columns with round anchors at floor level to which cloth curtains were hung to divide the rooms. Also at peak, he had in residence as many as 5,000 in his harem presided over by eunuchs from similarly diverse backgrounds. Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned after less than 20 years due to issues in the Punjab and the capital was then moved to Lahore.

Back on the road and about a half an hour away, we stop for lunch at Bharatpur's heritage resort, set out in the woods. On our walk in we observe wild peahens and peacocks. It is a wonderfully tranquil place, perhaps because of all the woods and being away from traffic and all its noise.

On arrival at Jaipur we stop at an Indigo Carpets and Textiles for a mini tour, explanation and demonstration of carpet making. Jaipur is world famous for its carpets. Ironically carpet weaving was brought to India by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century, whose city we had seen earlier in the day. We see little women hand working the raw fibre which varied from assorted wools (sheep, yak), cotton, silk and other. Other women and men could be seen weaving on looms and methodically hand separating carpet fibres with sharp sticks. One final production before washing was the torching -burning of the carpet back to get rid of stray yarn. In the carpet display room we were shown numerous types of carpets including silk and yak. The weave is so well done that in some cases the carpet may be turned up or down and the sheen amazing when the light hits it just so. Another section of this compay is textiles. While we didn't see the manufacturing, we did observe design application. Upstairs, ofcourse is a shopping mecca, where you can have almost anything made to order in one day. It is here that Berny purchased 2 sarees.