Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Northern India - Jaipur III/Fatehpur Sikri/Agra >Day 04 / 3:51 pm
09 Dec 2003 (Tues)
***>>>>>>Please READ DAY 01, 02, 03 Before Continuing Day 04*****<<<<<<<<<
**Yawn*** Have to wake-up at 0530h....its our last day at Jaipur....things needed to be packed...stuffs needed to be check-out. Had breakfast at a different international restaurant this time...Finallllly!!! Im starting to get sick of the predicted food. At least this time there is a change. And yes...i start to see more variety of fruitssss. Yea!
Left at 0720h through Jaipur Old City. The traffic was less crowded. Environment less hazy, and the usual scene of buffaloes eating some rubbish again *_*. Took some snaps of photo at Jawa Mahal (Water Palace) which I described 2 days ago when i arrived in Jaipur. Travelled on Highway 11..zoom zoom zoom...it was travelling on some barren land again. some fascinating scenes are abandoned inverted-over truck lying at the road edge...blood on the road...OmG!..YuckS! *Do we wish to know?...Nyeh...=P". Slept part of the 6h journey to Fatehpur Sikri...a ghost town...thats what they claimed.
Part of the journey, saw lotsa black buffaloes. This particular village i passed by had no electricity & H2O..so women had to carry pots on their heads and walk 5km to retrieve them from the wells. And of course...India's 140hectares finest Bharatpur bird sanuctuary...there used to be white tigers roaming around...but thnx to the damn poachers....sobz sobz*....we dun c it alrdy.
Finally after a leg-numb pathetically long journey....arrived at Fatehpur Sikri at 1234h.
***>>>>>>Please READ DAY 01, 02, 03 Before Continuing Day 04*****<<<<<<<<<
**Yawn*** Have to wake-up at 0530h....its our last day at Jaipur....things needed to be packed...stuffs needed to be check-out. Had breakfast at a different international restaurant this time...Finallllly!!! Im starting to get sick of the predicted food. At least this time there is a change. And yes...i start to see more variety of fruitssss. Yea!
Left at 0720h through Jaipur Old City. The traffic was less crowded. Environment less hazy, and the usual scene of buffaloes eating some rubbish again *_*. Took some snaps of photo at Jawa Mahal (Water Palace) which I described 2 days ago when i arrived in Jaipur. Travelled on Highway 11..zoom zoom zoom...it was travelling on some barren land again. some fascinating scenes are abandoned inverted-over truck lying at the road edge...blood on the road...OmG!..YuckS! *Do we wish to know?...Nyeh...=P". Slept part of the 6h journey to Fatehpur Sikri...a ghost town...thats what they claimed.
Part of the journey, saw lotsa black buffaloes. This particular village i passed by had no electricity & H2O..so women had to carry pots on their heads and walk 5km to retrieve them from the wells. And of course...India's 140hectares finest Bharatpur bird sanuctuary...there used to be white tigers roaming around...but thnx to the damn poachers....sobz sobz*....we dun c it alrdy.
Finally after a leg-numb pathetically long journey....arrived at Fatehpur Sikri at 1234h.
This magnificent fortified ghost city was the capital of the Mughal empire bewteen 1571 & 1585, during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Akbar's city was erected in an area that suffered from water shortages and was abandoned after his death...
At the foothill, there are sooooooo many souvenir 'tent-shops'....soooooo many people trying to cheat tourists *[Hahaha...=D Nyeh nyeh***] Then, there is a bunch of teenagers claiming that they're the descendants of the royal family of the Fatehpur Sikri place..and exorted 1000Rp (S$39~). **Krutzhyok!!! What on earth is this?!!! After all the threathenings, arguments, and an exchange of Hindi, sprouting all the *vulgarities* =x.....the champion S'poreans proceeded up to the summit of the hill. Muhahahahahahahaha !!! =DDD
It seems that all the palaces like to be up in some kind of hill/ridge. Another sympathetic scene is all the handicapped pple (again....-_-) selling all the souvenir stuff. Basically, most of them are juz cheats..tts what we are told and warned. So...we arrived at Jama Masjid. There is this theory whereby u get a red string (provided 4 u), then tie it in this particular sacred place wish something and it will supposedly come true Did it??? -_- Gosh....Did i tie it at the proper spot? Guesssss not. Tsk tsk...
It seems that all the palaces like to be up in some kind of hill/ridge. Another sympathetic scene is all the handicapped pple (again....-_-) selling all the souvenir stuff. Basically, most of them are juz cheats..tts what we are told and warned. So...we arrived at Jama Masjid. There is this theory whereby u get a red string (provided 4 u), then tie it in this particular sacred place wish something and it will supposedly come true Did it??? -_- Gosh....Did i tie it at the proper spot? Guesssss not. Tsk tsk...
Haizz....Yep...Basically, Fatehpur Sikri is a replica of Mecca...a.k.a. Dargah Mosque...contains elements of Persian & Hindu design. The main entrance is through the impressive 54-m high Buland Darwaza(Victory Gate), built to commerate Akbar's victory in Gujarat. A Quranic inscription inside the archway quotes Jesus saying," The World is a bridge, pass over it but build no house uopn it. He who hopes for an hour may hope for eternity"...which seems appropriate considering the fate of the city....hahahaha. Anw...i published some on msn msngr/friendster b4....dunno whether still there or not...Hehe=p
Back to Highway11 for the city of Agra. This time...we saw about 5 black bears being treated evily by their masters. Or shld i say...these bears are trained for performances on the roads...esp tourists. We were told not to take a snap...otherwise they charge exorbitant fees. Poooor ragged guy trying to make....erm....*Force* this bear to do some dance. These Himalayan bears arhz....have short life....not adapted to India's xtreme temp. Smuggled, tortured, deprived. Die during summer coz temp reach 46-48C here!!! OmG!!!
[Moral: Dont support such acts. Dont donate. U r juz encouraging this form of trade.]
*Animal-advocates! Dont support the purchase of furs & elephant husks. no shark-fins.
Okok...gettin' draggy here...
So back again....we passed by this grain-trading area whereby u can see loads & loads of wheat, mustard, etc. Waaaah....And oso...slabs of red sandstone along the road. Spectacular! There was this mustard field...all the yellow flowers here & there...yep...Bollywood actors dance there & film their show. +[I love Bollywood]+.
Back to Highway11 for the city of Agra. This time...we saw about 5 black bears being treated evily by their masters. Or shld i say...these bears are trained for performances on the roads...esp tourists. We were told not to take a snap...otherwise they charge exorbitant fees. Poooor ragged guy trying to make....erm....*Force* this bear to do some dance. These Himalayan bears arhz....have short life....not adapted to India's xtreme temp. Smuggled, tortured, deprived. Die during summer coz temp reach 46-48C here!!! OmG!!!
[Moral: Dont support such acts. Dont donate. U r juz encouraging this form of trade.]
*Animal-advocates! Dont support the purchase of furs & elephant husks. no shark-fins.
Okok...gettin' draggy here...
So back again....we passed by this grain-trading area whereby u can see loads & loads of wheat, mustard, etc. Waaaah....And oso...slabs of red sandstone along the road. Spectacular! There was this mustard field...all the yellow flowers here & there...yep...Bollywood actors dance there & film their show. +[I love Bollywood]+.
Curse the Ministry of Transport...(if it existed??!!)/./A stretch of road is not painted with any arrows or watsoeva. Its a one-lane....but no directions. So...it depends who's the King of the road...if u're a truck...goodie...if motorbike...(erm...can reach otherside???=o)
~+ [Agra city......here we come] +~
This sprawling industrial town, 204km from Delhi, is synonymous with the Taj Mahal, which sits on the banks of the Yamuna River. Choking these ancient monuments is the hectic and another polluted modern city of Agra. There is a lively chowk (marketplace) and a wide range of places to stay & eat....BUT for most visitors like me.....it is more like a place to endure than enjoy... -_-...all thanx to the local rickshaw-wallahs, touts and souvenir vendors, who seem to stop at nothing in their efforts to separate tourists from their money.... Urgh!!!!
Agra isnt much different from Jaipur...xcept its defintely much cleaner. Hmm....the sight of faeces is gone...but the rubbish stays.
1453h - Yea! Arrive at Mughal Sheraton Hotel...another 5* hotel
ahhh...the sight of the entrance reminds me of some gala Oscar events....a huge, long, bright-red carpet rolled out from the entrance all the way past the ponds, gardens into the castle-like hotel. Whoa whoa baby! This is defintely sooooo cool! so extravagant! Much betta than the Jaipur's one. Ahhh...this time the food at the hotel dining area is *ooosh ooosh* int'l, chinese, indian...all have....aaaahhh...i cnt remember how much of that fruit truffle & ice-cream i ate. Yum!!!! i miss ice-cream shhhooo much ever since i stepped out of civilisation.
Room 107. thats the room.
It was marvellous. it was like a suite to me. i love the mini-cushiony sofa right next to the bed with a view of the beautiful garden outside. Aahh...the staff are friendly. Greet us the moment they see us. Hmm....i see Japanese tourists, Hehe. But i still think my family are like the outstanding bunch out of all the races here. Lolx =p
And,......our last attraction of the day....Agra Fort.
A massive red sandstone fort on the banks of Yamuna River since 1565...built primarily as a military structure, then upgraded to a palace, but finally became a prison for Shah Jahan after Aurangzeb seized power in 1658....but 75% are sealed off by the military. Still, that 15% is alrdy enormous...making my legs ache. Soooo...admission as usual....discriminatory.
Foreigners: US$5 / Rp 300 (S$11.70)
Locals: Rp 20 (S$0.78) ****!!!!!+[What on earth???!!!]+
This is like a forest...monkeys, fruit doves, pigeons dominate the area. An inclined slope up the fort, so that when enemies approach...hehe.....the military pple can throw stones down, roll down a ball of fire +[boiling oil]+....(WoW!) A lake greets you at the top...supposedly filled with crocodiles in ancient times...to throw prisoners in there.....BuT...we were told that they are vegeterians...Hahahahaha =D
The auricular fort's colossal double walls rise over 20m in height and measure abt 2.5km in circumference. Contain a maze of buildings that form a small city within a building.
Lotsa chambers & intricate architectural designs. Lotsa ancient stories as well. Romance. Death. Grievances. Basically, lotsa visualisations is needed. Went to the Musamman Burj - place where Shah Jahan was imprisoned, ending his days gazing over the Yamuna towards the Taj Mahal of his wife.
There was this pool which supposedly filled with jasmine flower for the King. And of course, at the top of the fort, we could have a sight of Taj Mahal. Whooooooaaa!!! Ooh-la-la! Its sooo spectacular. All the way long in travel-guides, TV, mags...u see the frontal view...now i see the side view. Behind is some kind of river(dirty). In fact, Agra Fort is more than what I've described...lotsa historical & interesting stories behind it that will touch your heart...hahahaha =D
Standing on the marble-platform, in the hazy, foggy environmentin my beloved scarf...i took a few mesmerising shots. Beautiful. Tmr's the day! Tmr marks the 1st great wonder of the world i'd see. I nvr imagine myself going India. *Hahaha*
After all that night Musical Gaza Sitar & Harmonica performances....check-in at Mughal Sheraton for a good nite's sleep.......Tomorrow.....hehe....Taj Mahal!!!!!
.: +[Global-Jay]+ :.
Agra, India.
2351h (GMT +0530h)
We know life's hard, truth is hard, lies are hard, they are all hard to accept when they have been
found out, and i'm rushing history homework on the Abyissian Crisis about Italy and Abyssia going into war and that the League Of Nations cannot stop this from happening, and beacuse they are formed by means to stop war and
peace-keep the countries together, they have thus failed to achieve that. I think i tend to hold a class for history instead of telling you about me, i'm basically a what subject-realted lover (humanities) and thus
I am more analytical and critical about things, and likes to study about dead people, haha. lol. it's history what can you expect and also geography, it amazes me. I really like it alot, so what have you? Again to find this answer
you need to enter into your own reality and reflect
it's amazing. amzing how people change the way of things, like how I used to hate outdoors in Band
felt it was a complete waste of time, i've acquired to like it more, i guess people change, their thereotical means and applications in life just goes on into a new direction, and see things in another perspective, i guess- it's
all in the mind. It really amazes me how these comes into action, from someone so pessimistic has changed his own view of things, and thus my friend is scoring much better, being more optimisitc and not think of his old way of suicidal
thoughts, which are pretty daunting. and thus we need to see things, in another light, another perspective and another new way, to enable us to open up our minds, and make more new things, the new way it is.