Tourist locations

One of the things about real touristy locations is the enterprise that goes along with this. Lots of money rolls into town from all over the world, and businesses grow because of this. Since the Taj Mahal is beautiful because of all the inlaid semi precious stones, they continue to trade here as well. Part of having a local guide gets you into the “other tours” including the marble shop.

They explain the stones, and the process of making these amazing designs inlaid into the marble.

And the guys using emery wheels to shape the many stones that make up each design.

Piece by piece they are made.

until you have final designs….

The “tour” end up in the showroom, with a vey smooth sales guy…..

Every shape and size you can imagine….

for a price….

Then the next “tour” was the carpet shop.

Guys weaving them to show you how they create these rugs. How they sing the pattern to the other guy…. very interesting

The raw materials downstairs

The design shop where you can have a rug custom made

and back to another show room….

They lay them out for you to choose….. It is an entertaining show of sure.

Back in the taxi…. They want to show me one more “tour” … I say “NO” time to go ….

Lots more shops to look at from the road as life goes on around me. Interesting to get a glimpse.

All kinds of repair shops along the way. Even had a little rain… but not enough to cool it down at all.

Love the signs on the back of the trucks telling you to honk your horn to let them know you are passing them.

Still thinking about how many can pack into a rickshaw in this heat, as I am in the AC cab….

CJ told me to be careful of the food stands along the route, but that the McDonalds would be OK. I never eat at them in the US, but a veggy Burger here is really pretty good!