When last I left you I promised more India pictures picking up where I left off in cold cold Agra...

After spending two nights in Delhi and touring around the city a little bit, we headed to the train station to buy our tickets to Agra. Having heard from multiple sources that there are scam artists around every corner in Delhi, we decided not to listen to anyone outside the train station who offered "help" in purchasing tickets. After turning away several people, we found a lady dressed in an official train station uniform and asked her where we should buy tickets. She directed us to the "foreign tourist ticket office" on the second floor where we filled out forms at one desk and had to "convince" the guy that the ages on our passports were correct and that we were not, in fact, sixteen! The attendant at the second desk was not as friendly, but we got our tickets with the correct time and destination, so we walked away happy (and warm, as it was the only heated room we saw our whole trip).

The train ride was a little long and quite chilly, but interesting

Kristine, Emily and Kristina on the train to Agra

The train was crowded, but we had a bench seat to ourselves and were content with that. From the window we saw a great deal of poverty as well as a few barren fields. My greatest joy on the train was the man who sold tea. "CHAAAA-IIIII" he called out in a tone that was neither nasal nor offensive - ahhh, a long way from Thai trains!

In Agra we headed first to the ticket office to buy the ticket for the next leg of our trip. We didn't have a heated "foreign tourist" ticket office, but there was a funny window just for special folk like us...

(no, we didn't register as "freedom fighters"!)

Our first day in Agra we walked around the town and saw some of the back streets. I think I already gave the account of our funny bicycle rickshaw ride during which I spent a great deal of time running beside the cart (or helping to push it up hill - three people are heavy!)

This picture was taken from a roof top restaurant that gave us a view of the Taj Mahal as well as the surrounding neighborhood. Monkeys were everywhere! I really like this picture because it shows this lady reading/studying by what looks like a pile of garbage (possible chores abandoned - jar by tree and a monkey casually strolling by)

We had to maneuver through several herds of water buffalo that were being brought in from grazing. They look a little bit different than Thai water buffalo because their horns are very curved. I think that Indians may eat water buffalo (Thais don't really) as they are not really considered cows.

This guy was just too cute in his "lucky" rickshaw. I gave him a 5 Rupee coin to take his picture!

I was trying to take a picture of this painted curb, "Support a Child and Their Overall Development" when some street children who were watching us came and stood right over it. It made for a very meaningful, slightly ironic picture!

some street vendors selling veggies

a market stall in the backstreets of a local neighborhood - beautiful!

Though the markets are similar to Thai markets, some of the produce is very different. Would you look at those gorgeous eggplants! Delicious!