Saturday 30 August 2014

Red fort and the day train.


The Red Fort is also in Agra just like the Taj Mahal. It is made entirely of red sandstone just like the cliffs at Arbroath and also the Arbroath Abbey. However unlike the abbey, the fort is basically still standing and shows a lot of  detailed stonework. 


These are the moats, one of them had water in it with crocodiles while the other was dry but had tigers in it.




This room was originally inlaid with gold and jewels but when it was invaded,(so the crocodiles and tigers didn't work then) the raiders set the room alight so all the gold and jewels fell to the floor and they scooped it up. Easy. Peasy. 



The owner of the Taj Mahal was held prisoner here for 9 years by his son , who was upset that his older brother was chosen to be the ruler after his dad. So he killed his brothers and imprisoned his dad. Kids! 

After our visit to the fort we caught a train to Orcha. The train stations here are chaotic, people lying sleeping, cows wandering around, rubbish , beggars,  are getting the picture by now, I am sure. The trains are very long and very busy. We got on and the carriages are very run down with many of the seats 
being held together with wire . 



Hootsmin and bagpuss discussing the state of the railway



David trying to fix his seat with a bit of wire that was holding something else together. 

As you sit on the train , sellers come down selling their wares, like tea which is ready made in a big urn, tomato soup, samosas, crisps etc. the crisp sales boy though gave up put his wares on the baggage shelf and went to sleep on the seat behind us. 


While I was sat there I suddenly felt a squirt of liquid on my leg, it was a man going down disinfecting the aisle way, another man was following him with a mop. I didn't mind , it has been one of the nicest smells I have encountered recently! Actually a short while after  another man came down with  air freshener squirting away. 

It was a four hour journey, thankfully I slept through some of it. 

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