TAJ MAHAL!

Today after driving to the city of Agra, we were able to go see the Taj Mahal!! It was one of the most awe-inspiring things that I have ever seen, and all you can see at first is this beautiful white marble and a huge dome! When you get closer to it you see what you think is paint, but it is actually inlaid precious stone and it is very intricate! Later that day we went to a marble inlay shop where they use same marble used to build the Taj! They hand shape every stone and pieces made there can be priced in the thousands! They also told us that is like a family/clan business and that they never teach the women in the family so that they can't take the trade to another family. Our guide also told us the Agra was a Muslim city and that the artisans who build the Taj Mahal were all Muslim as well. It's crazy to me that this family business has been going on for so long, and that only one family knows the secret of the craft. In the U.S there's no real monopolies anymore, anyone can learn anything and do any job they wish. It's really cool that India retains its traditions so faithfully, but I'm also very thankful for the equal opportunities we have in the U.S to try and learn a trade!