fatehpur sikri - ghost town

Day 6
Today we have a chilled out day, no travelling just time together to relax. We head to the ghost city or Fatehpur Sikri, first we get in a rickshaw and ask to get to an ATM then to the city which is approx 25km from Agra, but none of the bastard banks seem to want to dispense cash. Fortunately on the way I bump into Munna who says it is not possible to go all this way on a rickshaw and blags me into getting a taxi which costs 1000 rupees. I get stressed at once again having my plans derailed, but later I realise it was probably the best choice as it is a very long distances and the rickshaws are bumpy and noisy, which is great for city travel but not for long distance excursions.
The gent who runs some of the rickshaws (Munna’s boss) for some unknown reason tags along in the taxi, even lending me 2000rs when I can’t find a cash machine that works. I thought he was on some kind of scam but I think it turns out he just likes to hang round with us. A lot of people like to chat and take pictures with us, it’s a bit like being a minor celebrity; I come to the conclusion they aspire to one day move to England as many speak of a desire to visit London and perhaps they like to chat with us to indulge these fantasies and fuel their imagination.
Fatehpur Sikri is a majestic hilltop fort/palace set within the surroundings of green countryside and flat plains – clearly an excellent vantage point for the now bygone emperor to survey his land. This is the first time we get out into the countryside and it is surprisingly lush and fertile in appearance. Irrigated arable land being farmed by ancient rust ridden tractors is framed by hillsides littered with thick scrub reminiscent of southern Italy or Greece – not the barren deserts I had expected.
The palace complex itself is unusual in architecture: borrowing much from the oriental style of Ming china with slanted rooftops and ornate tranquil gardens and water features (although the ponds are always dry and neglected in every location except the Taj). The most impressive thing though about this palace is its sheer size – with each courtyard leading to another and another – with all kinds of buildings for different purposes. We wander aimlessly through them: enjoying the peace that is to be had out of the crazy city and although we know little of the history as we choose not to pay a guide we are glad; as other tourists stand bemused by their heavily accented rapid talking supposed experts.
Further down we reach the mosque which is an altogether more impressive and decorative triumph off architecture and art. The gates are imposing and colourfully decorated and within the tombs of marble are impressively well preserved. We inadvertently pick up a guide who claims to be a student and wants no money, foolishly I take his guidance which leads me into being sat down and blagged into buying a souvenir from his “father”. Still it was good to get some background on the mosque and he gets us a ribbon to tie round the marble gate at the tomb and as tradition goes we make a wish.
On the way out children hassle us for our used entrance tickets for whatever reason, which soon wears thin as we try a romantic walk down from the fort to the car park. We eventually find our car and head back to the hotel, only getting dragged into one store on the way back. All in all a good day out although by by the time we get back it is past sun set so is too late to have a sunset meal overlooking the Taj Mahal – we eat at the tourist rest house instead in and the pleasantly lit courtyard makes for a relaxing meal.