While today was not going to be like yesterday with a LOT of tourist stops, we did have to start early to visit a couple of sites before heading to Agra. We enjoyed our last breakfast at the Meridien and went down to meet Poona in the lobby.   

Our first stop was Humayun's Tomb of the 3rd Moghul, otherwise known as the Poor Man's Taj. Ok, if this is the poor mans Taj...what will the real Taj be like???? We walked around the beautiful grounds and saw the area in the middle under the dome for the marble caskets. The actual bodies are 7 feet below the caskets, the religion states they must be buried deep in the ground. The whole area was beautiful and very quiet, amidst the city. That seems to be a theme in Delhi...quiet, serene green space amongst one of the largest cities in the world.    
Our next stop was the Lotus Temple, which is exactly what the name depicts. A temple, in the shape of a lotus flower. We didn't go inside, but were able to see/take pics from afar. While we were taking pictures, we also noticed a HUGE line formed...about 3/4 mile long, all of locals. Poona shared that as it was Sunday, they were waiting to get into the temple. Although it was 830am, it was already hot and they were all waiting for along time. One of the pics is of the line, and you will notice the beautiful colors and saris in full display.  

Our last stop in Delhi was at the IskconTemple. As with the Temple yesterday, we had to remove our shoes and no cameras/phones were allowed. As we entered, my first thought was "Hindu Themepark". There was a sound/light show, snack bars, restaurants, membership areas, etc. Poona guided us to the actual temple, where a service was in progress. We held back for a few minutes, and the service ended. A massive amount of worshipers began exiting, while we tried to enter. I don't think Katelyn was very comfortable (she hates crowds) but the rest of us were watching and experiencing the Hindu culture in full force. We made it into the temple and saw the gods/godesses that we had learned about yesterday. I was able to pick out Rama, the monkey faced god! (score....I remembered!). We definitely got a real glimpse into the temple rituals.  

 At this point, it was time to say goodbye to Poona. We dropped her off at a subway stop and headed to the expressway to Agra. The trip was about 3 hours, with a stop to a typical gas station/rest stop...no place we would eat/drink even in the US!   

One of the things we all were looking for in Delhi, was the animals. Other than the monkeys, there were none, but we were assured to see them in Agra and Jaipur. And, that we did. Goats,camels, water buffalo, cows, sheep and LOTS of dogs. All in the streets. We arrived at our hotel, ITC, which blended in with the local surroundings. it only had a few floors, but beautiful architecture and was a great way to escape to peacefulness. 

 We checked in and did a quick tour of the hotel, and found the spa. The had openings for two 30 minute sessions, so Paige and Katelyn snagged them, while Ashley and I relaxed. We then met Anu, our guide for Agra. She took us to the Agra Fort, which in India terms means "Agra Palace". It was built by Shah Jahan, who built the Taj for his wife. This was where they lived, and it wasn't all bad. In fact, it was quite opulent. Anu, our guide, helped us visualize the way it must have been back in the 1500's.  

During our time at the Fort, Paige began feeling a bit sick. We had been on the go since they arrived and between the heat (both in climate and food) and non-stop activity, it was taking its toll. Anu was good about moving us along through the tour and soon we were back in the hotel for the evening.   

We had dinner at Presharwi, the highly recommended restaurant in our hotel. We had some great Indian food, but the spiciness was getting to Paige, so she is now on the "bland" diet for a few days! It is an early morning to see the Taj tomorrow!