Adventures in India - Part 4 (Traveling to Agra)

Dear Family and Friends,

We spent the next day traveling to Agra.  In this case, getting there was so much fun.  

I enjoy just snapping photos from the window of the tour bus.  Some pictures turn out, many don't.  

Below is a picture of colorfully dressed ladies walking in the road of a village.  

Here is something else going on, not sure what it was.  Whatever was going on stopped the traffic for awhile.  Loved seeing all the women so beautifully dressed all over India.

We stopped at a small school that is partially funded by the tour company we took, Gate1.  It was located in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, but obviously close to an unseen village or villages.

Here is a picture of the school head master.

Some of the classrooms.

We were allowed to peek inside the classrooms.  The children seemed so happy to have a small break in their studies.

Here are some older kids.  They are taught English from grade one.  Notice that the children do not wear shoes in class.

Here is a photo of their shoes lined up outside the classroom.

This metal plate, hanging from a tree branch, is the school bell.  

Our tour group posed with the headmaster outside his office.  Donations were gladly accepted.

Here is the school master thanking us and bidding us goodbye.

Another stop on our journey was to see Chand Baori, one of the largest step wells in India.  This picture does not do it justice, but it is a very deep well (reservoir) that can be used no matter what the water level happens to be.  The deeper the water, the more steps one would take to reach the water.  This is from ancient times and is no longer used.

Today, villages have community pumps.  We saw many of these pumps during our travels with several women with vessels getting their water for the day. 

Located adjacent to the step well was a temple dedicated to Harshat Mata, goddess of joy and happiness.

Back on the bus, I photographed the cow dung patties being dried.

Once dried, these patties are used as fuel.  

Some more patties drying.

Believe it or not, they do not have an odor when they burn.

In the late afternoon we arrived in Agra.  Agra is home to the Taj Mahal.  I can't wait to share about our visit there next time.

Love,
Nancy