Some sites just defy description and the Taj Mahal must be one. Poet Rabindranath Tagore described it as a tear drop on the cheek of eternity, standing on the edge of the Yamaha river. It is of course a tomb, the final resting place of Mumtaz Mahal, the third wife of Shah Jahan, who died bearing her 14th child, probably of exhaustion. He erected the massive mausoleum to her memory at a vast cost. The 1000 rupee entry fee for foreigners is obviously an attempt to recover some of the money.

Shar Jahan ended his days imprisoned in the Agra Fort after being deposed by his son, spending his days gazing downriver at his creation. The fort itself has some amazing buildings and would win many plaudits were it not overshadowed by its more famous rival just down the river.

Despite its heavy tourist impact, Agra is a very pleasant city with lots of green space to sit and enjoy the sun. Lots of families out enjoying the end of the holiday and many impromptu cricket matches going on. Poor India, as if the place was not confusing enough the British gave them cricket..