but once i saw the taj, i was glad i made the trip. it's one of the most beautiful buildings you will ever see.
i was happy to leave agra for delhi after a few hours, though, and particularly glad that i had booked a very nice room at the Imperial Hotel. i took a long bath, sent my dirty clothes off for laundry, and sank into a 15-hour sleep.
the next morning, it took a while to notice that something was wrong. the porter and concierge were hovering over a newspaper behind the desk instead of standing at attention, but i speculated that perhaps they relaxed a bit on fridays. and when the waiter asked me if all my friends and family were doing alright, i thought he was just being friendly. then i opened the newspapers, and read the headlines about the attacks in bombay. i immediately turned on my blackberry, and for the next few hours, sat in front of a computer e-mailing colleagues and friends.
delhi felt safe, though. i also did not find it soulless as my friend from south india said it would be. not the most colourful of indian cities, sure, but it felt forward-looking and pragmatic in a good way. the highlights: seeing the modern india, visiting jama masjid mosque in old delhi and the nearby market, and taking a long walk around the eerily atmospheric humayun's tomb.
