Hello again, blogonauts!

Blog postings will be slightly out of order, just so we don't slip too far behind.

So on Wednesday, I hired a driver and a guide to take me from New Delhi to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. It was worth the trip, albeit the journey lasted about twice as long as everyone suggested. They should have consulted Google Maps, which predicted it precisely.

The Taj Mahal is the India world wonder. For the most part, they are very proud of it. And yet it was built by a non-Indian Moghal king to entomb his dead non-Indian Persian wife.

It is glorious to have it here. But one could understand, when a country has been invaded and ruled over by foreigners so much as India, they might wish some of their local architecture to get equal billing.

In the 1980s, it was noted that the Taj's gleaming white marble was yellowing a bit. A study discovered that factories in Agra were spewing air pollutants that were staining the Taj's opalescent marble. In response, the Indian government ordered those factories moved to other parts of the country. This left Agra with two industries: tourism and agriculture. Jobs are precious in India, and so some from Agra moved with the work. My guide was restrained in describing the experience, but it was apparent that Agra being forced to become agrarian was a sore spot.

The crowds of tourists were thick but generally did not intrude into personal space. It helps that the park holding the Taj is enormous. And the views from everywhere are spectacular.

Check out the photos, for they really tell the story better than meager words. As striking as they are, it's almost impossible to take a bad photo.

More upcoming from Delhi, plus some left over photos from Mumbai!

Blog to you later!