Indian weekend.
Sorry I haven't updated this weekend... the internet in my room has been down.

Saturday K. and I went to the recognition event for the outsource partner. We got there expecting to hear a couple of speeches, hand out some awards, and leave. As it turns out, they had us on the agenda to speak!!! After one of the super high-up guys in my company and their CEO. Yeah. I put together something short and "inspirational." We ended up being there for quite a while, because they kept putting on dance music between each speech... and once Indians start dancing, it's hard to get them to stop! I've never seen a culture with more energy when it comes to dancing.

After the rec event, we went shopping with a couple of the outsourcers. They took us to a row of government-run state handicraft emporiums. I spent too much money and bought too much jewellery, but it was fun. I got some garnet chandelier earrings, a garnet and moonstone pendant, and gemstone rings. I also got a few other things as gifts.

Today, we got up bright and early and went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. It took about four hours to get there... but we did stop along the way at a Rajasthani hotel and restaurant for refreshments. They had a big gift shop there, and we picked up some more souvenirs. I got mostly gifts and postcards. Outside, there was a snake charmer with a cobra and a different snake. I got to sit down next to him and wear the non-cobra snake. Then the snake charmer put the cobra in my lap! The cobra was in the basket, but still! I was terrified... even though I figured that he was probably defanged.

Once we hit the road again, traffic stopped for a bit. There was a median full of beggars, monkey handlers, and guys with dancing bears. It was pretty sad. I felt sorry for the bears. Along the road, we also saw many camels, donkeys, monkeys, and even an elephant! Also, I didn't know that India had parrots, but I saw a bunch of green ones.

We picked up a guide in Agra and headed for the Taj. It was crowded since it was Sunday. The Taj was beautiful. It was sad that it had been pillaged over the years, and all of the precious gemstone inlays were gone. There were still lots of semiprecious gemstone inlays. They keep it pretty clean and well-manicured for a monument in India. They have the basement (where the tombs are) closed off with a grate. However, a whole bunch of people crouched down to try to get under it. How disrespectful.

We spent a little time in Agra, and we saw how they do the marble inlay. Many of the workers who built the Taj Mahal have descendants in Agra today, and the descendants still do the same method of inlay. I bought some more gifts. I will have Christmas covered soon!

I'm tired and filthy, so I think I will wash up and get some sleep. I'm waking up at 6:30 to watch the Oscars.