Agra, India

Agra (Home of the Taj Mahal) - Population: 1.6 million
Stay Duration: Day Trip - July 27th

When we decided to make the trip to see the Taj Mahal, "world wonder of India", We had a debate on what the other six wonders were. Surely the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, the Pyramids, maybe Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum, the big Jesus in South America and... OK... so we are definitely over 7 - But, What are the "seven wonders of the world?" I tried to figure out...

You pick! http://www.vote7.com/n7w - This website allows you to make the big decisions... the only problem is The Great Wall, Taj Mahal and all other expected choices are not options on this survey. This sight is all natural, very limited, and i think misleading for serious world wonder seekers like myself - But, it was fun, and here are the seven destinations that received a tick on my final ballot:

1. Great Barrier Reef, 2. Maldives, 3. Galapagos Islands, 4. Uluru, 5. Grand Canyon, 6. Cliffs of Moher, and 7. The Amazon

If that's not satisfying Wonder club suggests... (http://www.wonderclub.com/AllWorldWonders.html) WC had its own idea of what the seven wonders of the world should be. In fact they had nine different ways to fill out this wondrous list - Oddly, many of their lists containing more that seven wonders!

So what are the seven world wonders? When in doubt, consult Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonders_of_the_World) Wikipedia is always a viable and thorough option; it should not surprise anyone that wikipedia has not nine wonder filled lists - but ten! Even though there seemed to be more world wonder lists than there are colors in the rainbow, one list caught my eye and felt familiar. That list was the New 7 Wonders Foundation's seven wonders of the world and stemmed from an organization that commenced its thorough voting process in 2001 and announced its top 7 in 2007. It goes like this:

1. The Great wall of China, 2. Petra (Jordan), 3. Christ the Redeemer (Brazil), 4. Machu Picchu (Peru), 5. Chichen Itza (Mexico), 6. Roman Colosseum (Italy), 7. Taj Mahal! (India), Honorable Mention: The Great Pyramid

My Thoughts: Christ the Redeemer is enormous, stands upon a mountain, and looks over a beautiful city (Rio de Janeiro) - Pretty cool, right? But, It opened to the public October 12th, 1931 - where is the mystery, where is the wonder?

Sadly, the Great Pyramid of Egypt got short changed. This Giza necropolis landmark should not only have made the list but its wide base should sit atop it. Here are the great pyramid's pros: The great pyramid dates back to 2560 BC (Ancient!) making the rest of the world wonders look younger than the Jonas Brothers. In a savage desert environment, with some of the limestone bricks weighing upward of 60 tonnes, and being transported hundreds of miles away with no help from modern machinery it is of great wonder how the Egyptians managed to form this pointy landmark. Moving beyond the history, the pyramids are stunning and sit upon a equally stunning desert backdrop. Negatives: slave labor, locusts, and sandstorms...

Also confusing, isn't Chichen Itza a sight filled with less impresive, pyramid-like structures modernized by the addition of stairs? lol.. But that's how the cookie crumbles.

Agra action --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agra was our last day trip, last train ride and last experience, outside of Delhi. The Taj Mahal was a beautiful tomb - we took a lot of photos, appreciated its wonder, and took off.

Last Train - During my trip i experienced the indian rail system via 1st class AC, 2nd class, and sleeper sleeper. 1st class AC is very comfortable (but a bit boring). sleeper class is a bit too exciting (and congested) and we ended swapping train cars and moving to another 2nd class cart. 2nd class is still an adventure - children run through the walkway selling chai, books, singing, dancing, all while performing back bends and somersaults! If you walk to the end of the cabin you can poke your head out an open train door as it chugs along the scenic countryside. If you go to India traveling by train is a must do.

Petha and Mango pancakes

Petha - This delicious Indian sweet is well known in Agra - it is made from the rind of the ash gourd (AKA white pumpkin) and has a surprising variety of textures and can be prepared with multiple variations in flavor -my favorite: coconut and saffron. Check it out @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petha

Mango Pancakes - Just outside of the Taj Mahal, we past through an exciting street lined with a hundred shops (containing the same token Taj souvenirs), and crowded by their owners who were shouting rapidly fluctuating prices. Finally we made our way through the gauntlet of shops and arrived at the foot of a small hole in the wall diner. It looked appropriate for backpacker types, so we walked in, sat down, and took a look at a menu... and I got excited. Mango Pancakes! I had wanted a sweet meal (not a rich dessert) for weeks. Until that point I was convinced sweet meals, those served with maple syrup, honey butter and fruit, did not exist in India. We ordered, ate, and a craving I had suffered from for weeks was fully satisfied.