Dawn at the Taj

AGRA, India -- We were the first tourists to visit the Taj Mahal this morning.


Right at the crack of dawn, we were at the gates to what we were reminded again and again is the world's No. 1 wonder. And it truly is wonderful, particularly in the cool light of the morning. It was still too early for the 45-plus degree Celsius temperatures we sweated through yesterday as we toured sites in Delhi and elsewhere in Agra. (That's well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.) It was also too early for many of the touts and crowds and beggars who make visiting the Taj a well-known tourist trial.

It was spectacular. Breathtaking. Words fail. These photos give a quick peek. Later this week, we'll share photos from other places in India, a country that unfortunately we are giving very short shrift.