Agra-Varanasi

Hi guys,

After arriving in Agra, we first checked into the hostel to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Rested and full of energy, we decided to visit the Red Fort in Agra. The fort was built in 1565 by the ruler Akbar. Its initial purpose was to serve as a military base. The fort is made of massive red sandstone and is like a city in itself, making it easy to get lost.

After visiting the fort, we crossed the Yamuna River to the other side to observe the sunset and the Taj Mahal.

Since it was Friday and the Taj was closed, we visited it the next day. We woke up early to avoid the crowds and had a fairly good view of the Taj Mahal. The palace was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his beloved third wife, who died during the birth of their fourteenth child. His wife's tomb, named Mumtaz Mahal, is located inside the palace. Of course, Shah Jahan's own tomb is located next to it; he died in 1666. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A visit to the palace is definitely worth it, as standing in front of it allows you to understand the size and history of the building.

Since our train to Varanasi was scheduled to arrive in the evening at 8:30, we decided to spend the day in Fatehpur Sikri, another fort. It was actually a very old city that was briefly designated as the capital of the Mughal Empire. This building also shines with its old structures and beautifully decorated stone walls.

After a seven-hour delay and three Bollywood movies, we finally boarded the train to the holy city of Varanasi. Upon arriving there, we took a walking tour the next day to see the various ghats along the Ganges. The ghats were not only interesting to see, but also the people who perform their morning rituals there. In addition to the cremation ghat, we also saw the Nepali Temple.

In the afternoon, we tried the Blue Lassi shop with William (a guy we met). A lassi is like yogurt mixed with various flavors of fruits. After that, we had a delicious dinner at the German Brown Bread Bakery. The next day started quite early with a boat ride on the Ganges. We saw a beautiful sunrise and enjoyed the many sights on this holy water, which is quite dirty and not something I would want to put my finger in.

Since the day was still young, we decided to visit the Monkey Temple, and it was worth it as the relatively new temple offers a perfect relaxation oasis with its small garden. We ended the evening with a chai and cake at the Open Hand Café.

And then it was time to continue to Darjeeling.

Love, your Egger girls

Hi guys

After a long bus ride, we took a deep nap at our guest house. Afterwards, we went to the Red Fort in Agra. The fort was built in 1565 by King Akbar. It is made of red sandstone and has a complex city system, which can be confusing to navigate. 😊

In the evening, we drove to the opposite side of the fort to enjoy the beautiful sunset and see the Taj Mahal.

The next day, we woke up earlier to avoid the massive tourism. So we had a quite good view of the Taj. It's a massive white building with a huge garden around it. We took a lot of pictures and, of course, we sat on the same bench as Princess Diana.

King Shah Jahan built it after his third wife died while giving birth to their 14 children. Both tombs are inside the Taj, and since 1983, it has been part of UNESCO.

On the last day, we drove to Fatehpur Sikri. Another fort (you see, we like forts).

In the evening, our train was meant to arrive at 8:30. But after 3 Bollywood movies and a short nap, we caught it at 03:30. That's India.

In Varanasi, we joined a walking tour to the Ganges, the burning ghat, and the Nepali Temple. It's so interesting to watch the people there and what they are doing. Like taking a bath or washing clothes or burning deceased people.

In the evening, we ate the best lassi in the city. Lassi is a thicker yogurt with different flavors. Our dinner was at the German Brown Bakery. But, of course, we ate Indian food. On the next day, we took a boat on the Ganges. It was amazing. We saw a wonderful sunrise and all the ceremonies performed by the people. The Ganges itself is very dirty. I wouldn't put a finger in it. The day was still young, so we went to the Monkey Temple. It's a very chilled place, and we spent some time there. The rest of the day, we stayed at the Open Hand Café with good cakes and tea.

Now we're heading towards Darjeeling.

Love, Klara & Luci