Thank you Willie for this opportunity...! you gave us a really great sight all sides of the building i shared this video to my mom she's been always fascinated with taj mahal
My absolute pleasure Mark, in fact it is a privilege sharing it with you and your mom. This is the whole point about this channel, to share experiences with others. It is certainly a building that captures the imagination of many, and rightly so! Greetings
Hi Willie, another great video… my late husband went on business to India many years ago and also went to the TAJ he said he loved it he never told me how much he paid to get in, I have the typical photo of him there with the Taj in the background. I suppose it’s a price to pay to see these beautiful places and I understand the average wage is very low for the Indian people, and of course they want to see this beautiful place too. It’s hard to get the balance right. As long as you are aware of potential issues like you encountered. Dealing with foreign currency can be confusing so checking change is a good recommendation. Look forward to seeing more of your adventures, you make me smile. Keep well 😊
Hi Christine, thanks for engaging as always! I am sure the price would have increased over time with inflation and I expect it to be more expensive in years to come. It is a very special place in India for visitors so it was good to tick it off the list. Think I made a wise choice to go at sunrise, I can imagine it can get pretty crowded (although, ironically it can be easier to film when there are big crowds!) Greetings!
The Taj Mahal is a spectacular building with a tragic history. I was hoping you'll visit the mini Taj Mahal too. I loved the beautiful gardens as well and the songs of the birds in the background. Thanks for taking us with you as you explore India. Looking forward to the next vlog in anticipation. Take care and safe travels further 🙏😘
Hi Elladine, glad you enjoyed it! India has a lot of great sights to see but this one is arguably on top of the list of most. I'm very pleased to hear you're looking forward to my videos, there are certainly a few coming soon! All the best
How Beautiful this is! The architecture, river, nature, gardens, bird life , sunrise! Would be worth any price for sure? The same problem exists in Jamaica, to even greater degrees. Tourist pricing and Local pricing in most tourist cities, even to eat in many places! To visit attractions! For taxis! And they often don’t give you all the change back either! You can’t agree with this but that’s how they make money, tourism is vital to them! Perhaps we should realise that the locals don’t earn much money compared to the tourists. They would never be able to pay such prices. Not allowed to have the camera on the stick, you can’t do this at Harrods in London either, and many other locations. Maybe it’s considered “intrusive” , I’m thinking.? GREAT VIDEO WILLIE!
Cheers for watching Bip and glad you enjoyed it! Yes, tourist pricing as some would call it is certainly an interesting discussion topic. As you rightly point out, it is often not restricted to attraction, but life in general. As for the camera on stick, I have no idea why these institutions take the stance they do. People take videos on phones all the time, but you bring a camera on a stick and they throw their toys out the cot. They should grow a life, it is 2024!
Awesome video willie nice view from a distant and better for photo and videos than on main sites because of restrictions. Anyway thank you again for showing this opportunity to capture this iconic momentum!
Hey there, Mr Willie ... another really great walk-around!! That was really interesting, excellent views! I suspect, as you, that early, early morning is the time to get there! Could see the crowd starting to grow. Really beautiful place ... thanks for sharing. Greetings from Tucson. [PS ... got the Marie biscuits ... made in India! Great with Darjeeling.]
Hi Jim! Wow that was fast regarding the biscuits, glad you got them! Hope you enjoyed them? I had an opportunity to go to Angkor Wat in Cambodia at sunrise but passed on it for a little more sleep. So I'm glad I could see another wonderful monument at sunrise! It gave a mystical look to the building that you won't get during midday for example, although I guess the gardens and nature might pop more in the sunlight later in the day. I've heard the sunset view from the viewing point is also spectacular. Cheers as always for supporting!
Thanks for the recommendations! Looks like an impressive list. I will check them out. Not sure I'd be able to visit Andaman and Nicobar islands on my specific visa.
@@willieexplore Looks like one where it's better to leave the kids behind with their grandparents! For now we're mostly just doing small, island-type destinations. Much easier to get back to the hotel or guest house when the baby has to nap!
@@frontrowrugby I think that's a good plan! India with kids will be very tricky, perhaps even more difficult than winning a tighthead against a Springbok scrum :)
@@willieexplore And who can do that these days? Hahaha! Ya we've done Seychelles and Cyprus so far with the little one and that went quite well. Yet to travel with the new addition but I'm thinking Mauritius, Bahrain, Malta, Comoros - those kinds of places.
I'm happy that the people of the country pay less to see the monuments of their country ,especially if there are so many poor people who would not otherwise do so. I enjoy your videos. Thanks.
I appreciate that side of the argument. Student and senior citizen discounts are also commonplace in many parts of the world. Part of my argument is that tourists already contribute a lot to the wider economy through accommodation and transport for example, so to ask them to pay more is just a bit cheeky. Cheers for watching!
Hi Willie thanks for the beautiful sights. I prefer the cheap option from a distance, with the river in front and no tourists to spoil the view. Looking forward to the next video.
I did enjoy that video. I've been to India but not the Taj Mahal. Your photos were amazing and I think it was good you went earlier to avoid the crowds. My Indian friends told me to stay out of the way when they bought anything as if I was seen we would be charged more. To be honest I didn't mind paying more as everything still seemed so cheap to me whereas my friends thought it was extortionate due to their much lower earnings.
Hi Jean, I'm very pleased to hear you enjoyed it! It was very challenging to film. For some reason, they don't like people talking into cameras but you can take as many photos as you like without security telling you to keep things quiet. So I had to be very discreet. The price discrimination debate is interesting. Cheers for the engagement and thanks for supporting my channel!
Are you South African by any chance? Your voice and accent sounds very similar to the South African cricket legend AB de Villiers. And just as I was typing this, you also happened to mention his marriage proposal story, so I am guessing you might also be from South Africa. Anyway, awesome video. Cheers!
Namaste my friend, yes I am South African just like our hero AB. Hope you get a chance to see my other India videos too if you haven't already! Dhanyavaad :)
@@willieexplore Sure! I’ve already subscribed to your channel after watching the Taj Mahal video. I’m from Bangalore, the city that ABD represented for a decade in the IPL, and I’ve had the privilege of watching his genius live from the stadium many times. We all love him as our own, and many of us support South Africa as our second team because your players are so humble and down to earth. Jonty is another favorite of ours, and we have a soft spot for many of your 90s cricketers. Looking forward to more of your awesome travel videos. Take care!
@@nitinbhat that is great my friend, thank you so much! I would love to visit Bangalore in due course. AB certainly entertained us all over his career. Of all our World Cup semi final losses, that one against New Zealand in 2015 where AB was the captain hurts the most. In South Africa, we have huge respect for the India cricket team. I mentioned in my first vlog of India that we will always remember India for inviting us to play our first ODI series after isolation, in 1991. I also brought the book of India's historic tour to SA in 1992 with all my South Africa and India cricket cards. So many memories. Not many people know this but Jonty ran Sachin out in that first test, and Sachin became the first player ever to be dismissed with involvement by the third umpire. I also remember Pravin Amre scoring a century on debut. Cheers for watching and supporting my channel!
@@willieexplore Yes, the 2015 World Cup semi-final loss was heartbreaking, especially seeing AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel in tears. But for me, the 1999 World Cup semi-final tie against Australia was even more unbearable. When Lehmann missed the run-out on the third ball, I thought, Finally, luck is with South Africa, and deservedly so, and I was sure Klusener would win it with three balls remaining. But what happened on the fourth ball was truly tragic. I was still in school, and even though I supported India, I started crying that day. That run-out still hurts, even today. And after that, the unfortunate Hansie Cronje incident, followed by his tragic death in 2002, was incredibly sad, as I was a big fan of his as well. Anyway, the historic 438 run chase in Johannesburg in March 2006 helped me somewhat get over the heartbreaking events of 1999 and 2002. By the way, I hope you visit Bangalore someday and upload a video vlog of your experience on your channel!
@@willieexplore Yes, the 2015 World Cup semi-final loss was heartbreaking, especially seeing AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel in tears. But for me, the 1999 World Cup semi-final tie against Australia was even more unbearable. When Lehmann missed the run-out on the third ball, I thought, finally, luck is with South Africa, and deservedly so, and I was sure Klusener would win it with three balls remaining. But what happened on the fourth ball was truly tragic. I was still in school, and even though I supported India, I started crying that day. That run-out still hurts, even today. And after that, the unfortunate Hansie Cronje incident, followed by his tragic death in 2002, was incredibly sad, as I was a big fan of his as well. Anyway, the historic 438 run chase in Johannesburg in March 2006 helped me somewhat get over the heartbreaking events of 1999 and 2002. By the way, I hope you visit Bangalore someday and upload a video vlog of your experience on your channel!
It's common for tourists to be charged more in many places. As a Chicagoan, I know that we often get discounts at attractions by showing our ID or driver's license. The same applies in Croatia, where I'm originally from.
Hi Willie I like the cheape optio of 50 rupees view from across the river, it show the symmetry of the other two buildings very nicely . I wonder how old his Wife was at the time of her passing. Taj Mahal is so stunningly beautiful. What is keeping you from sleep as you mentioned in your vlog?😊
Hi Mary, you can certainly appreciate that symmetry from the lookout point. Mumtaz Mahal died when she was 38. On the sleeping / tired front, I had to wake up at 5 or 5:30 am for two consecutive days to travel to Agra and the Taj Mahal respectively. This in itself is fine, but of course I do a lot of walking during the day and then I spend many hours at night editing videos. So when I travel I often get to bed after midnight. But not to bore you with those details :) Thanks again for all your support!
@@willieexplore Hi Willie yes there is certainly a lot of work that goes into your vlogs. Thanks for taking time to share those details about the history of all the places you see. I hope that you get to see everything else on your itinerary. Did you take history at High school? Greetings from Muizenberg
@@marygird7715 nice to hear you enjoy the information I provide! I only had history until standard 7 but at university I studied a lot of economic history. Hope all is well in the Cape!
@@willieexplore Thanks Willie, Spring has sprung in the Cape, the flowers are in abundance after the rainy Winter we had. I studied history higher grade in matric as it was one of my favourite subjects. Looking forward to seeing your other vlogs in India. Stay safe 😘
Price discrimination or different prices for locals and foreigners are commonplace in countries such as Turkey as well. Can you imagine the furore if the shoe was on the other foot? For example, if the UK charged foreigners, immigrants and visitors more to visit museums than the UK residents or passport holders.
You're sure it's that rare though? I also don't know what you mean by 'the shoe on the other foot'; which are the two counterparts here that you're 'switching around' in your head - who are you nominating yourself spokesperson for and whose furore are you imagining in return? I consistently paid significantly above the rates for EU nationals at monuments and museums alike in the five different cities in the south of Spain I visited over this summer, for example. Most places of historic interest have a heavy discount for EU nationals in Italy too. The difference can be as much as free/3 euros versus 15 euros.
Thank you Willie for this opportunity...! you gave us a really great sight all sides of the building i shared this video to my mom she's been always fascinated with taj mahal
My absolute pleasure Mark, in fact it is a privilege sharing it with you and your mom. This is the whole point about this channel, to share experiences with others. It is certainly a building that captures the imagination of many, and rightly so! Greetings
Hi Willie, another great video… my late husband went on business to India many years ago and also went to the TAJ he said he loved it he never told me how much he paid to get in, I have the typical photo of him there with the Taj in the background. I suppose it’s a price to pay to see these beautiful places and I understand the average wage is very low for the Indian people, and of course they want to see this beautiful place too. It’s hard to get the balance right. As long as you are aware of potential issues like you encountered. Dealing with foreign currency can be confusing so checking change is a good recommendation. Look forward to seeing more of your adventures, you make me smile. Keep well 😊
Hi Christine, thanks for engaging as always! I am sure the price would have increased over time with inflation and I expect it to be more expensive in years to come. It is a very special place in India for visitors so it was good to tick it off the list. Think I made a wise choice to go at sunrise, I can imagine it can get pretty crowded (although, ironically it can be easier to film when there are big crowds!) Greetings!
The Taj Mahal is a spectacular building with a tragic history. I was hoping you'll visit the mini Taj Mahal too. I loved the beautiful gardens as well and the songs of the birds in the background. Thanks for taking us with you as you explore India. Looking forward to the next vlog in anticipation. Take care and safe travels further 🙏😘
Hi Elladine, glad you enjoyed it! India has a lot of great sights to see but this one is arguably on top of the list of most. I'm very pleased to hear you're looking forward to my videos, there are certainly a few coming soon! All the best
How Beautiful this is! The architecture, river, nature, gardens, bird life , sunrise! Would be worth any price for sure?
The same problem exists in Jamaica, to even greater degrees. Tourist pricing and Local pricing in most tourist cities, even to eat in many places! To visit attractions! For taxis! And they often don’t give you all the change back either! You can’t agree with this but that’s how they make money, tourism is vital to them!
Perhaps we should realise that the locals don’t earn much money compared to the tourists. They would never be able to pay such prices.
Not allowed to have the camera on the stick, you can’t do this at Harrods in London either, and many other locations. Maybe it’s considered “intrusive” , I’m thinking.?
GREAT VIDEO WILLIE!
Cheers for watching Bip and glad you enjoyed it! Yes, tourist pricing as some would call it is certainly an interesting discussion topic. As you rightly point out, it is often not restricted to attraction, but life in general. As for the camera on stick, I have no idea why these institutions take the stance they do. People take videos on phones all the time, but you bring a camera on a stick and they throw their toys out the cot. They should grow a life, it is 2024!
Awesome video willie nice view from a distant and better for photo and videos than on main sites because of restrictions. Anyway thank you again for showing this opportunity to capture this iconic momentum!
The view from a distance capture more of the surroundings, which is probably why I like it more! Always appreciate your support mon ami!
Nice vlog bro 👍
Thanks my friend, appreciate your kind words!
What lovely views of this great structure. Well presented. Thanks Willie. I loved both views!
Dankie Errol. Glad you enjoyed it. It was difficult to film so I had to contain my excitement on camera in some ways. Groete!
What did you think of the Taj Mahal? Let me know!
Taj was built by a womanizer for one of his dozen wives .
Hey there, Mr Willie ... another really great walk-around!! That was really interesting, excellent views! I suspect, as you, that early, early morning is the time to get there! Could see the crowd starting to grow. Really beautiful place ... thanks for sharing. Greetings from Tucson. [PS ... got the Marie biscuits ... made in India! Great with Darjeeling.]
Hi Jim! Wow that was fast regarding the biscuits, glad you got them! Hope you enjoyed them? I had an opportunity to go to Angkor Wat in Cambodia at sunrise but passed on it for a little more sleep. So I'm glad I could see another wonderful monument at sunrise! It gave a mystical look to the building that you won't get during midday for example, although I guess the gardens and nature might pop more in the sunlight later in the day. I've heard the sunset view from the viewing point is also spectacular. Cheers as always for supporting!
U should visit these places in India 🇮🇳 ❤️
1. Ladakh
2. Kashmir
3. Shimla
4. Manali
5. Rishikesh
6.Udaipur
7. Jodhpur
8. Jaisalmer
9. Jaipur
10. Mumbai
11. Goa
12. Hampi
13. Bangalore
14. Kerala ( kochi, varkala, Munnar, Alleppey)
15. Meghalaya
16. Darjeeling
17. Sikkim
18. Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Thanks for the recommendations! Looks like an impressive list. I will check them out. Not sure I'd be able to visit Andaman and Nicobar islands on my specific visa.
Love this video, Willie! I hope to one day also visit. Keep up the great work.
Cheers Peter! It is quite the experience. Hope you get there one day :)
@@willieexplore Looks like one where it's better to leave the kids behind with their grandparents! For now we're mostly just doing small, island-type destinations. Much easier to get back to the hotel or guest house when the baby has to nap!
@@frontrowrugby I think that's a good plan! India with kids will be very tricky, perhaps even more difficult than winning a tighthead against a Springbok scrum :)
@@willieexplore And who can do that these days?
Hahaha!
Ya we've done Seychelles and Cyprus so far with the little one and that went quite well. Yet to travel with the new addition but I'm thinking Mauritius, Bahrain, Malta, Comoros - those kinds of places.
I'm happy that the people of the country pay less to see the monuments of their country ,especially if there are so many poor people who would not otherwise do so.
I enjoy your videos. Thanks.
I appreciate that side of the argument. Student and senior citizen discounts are also commonplace in many parts of the world. Part of my argument is that tourists already contribute a lot to the wider economy through accommodation and transport for example, so to ask them to pay more is just a bit cheeky. Cheers for watching!
Hi Willie thanks for the beautiful sights. I prefer the cheap option from a distance, with the river in front and no tourists to spoil the view. Looking forward to the next video.
Cheers my friend, appreciate you sharing your thoughts! Glad you're enjoying the India content. New videos in due course!
Go to Ellora caves, Sambhaji Nagar in Maharashtra
I will look into those, cheers for the recommendations!
I did enjoy that video. I've been to India but not the Taj Mahal. Your photos were amazing and I think it was good you went earlier to avoid the crowds. My Indian friends told me to stay out of the way when they bought anything as if I was seen we would be charged more. To be honest I didn't mind paying more as everything still seemed so cheap to me whereas my friends thought it was extortionate due to their much lower earnings.
Hi Jean, I'm very pleased to hear you enjoyed it! It was very challenging to film. For some reason, they don't like people talking into cameras but you can take as many photos as you like without security telling you to keep things quiet. So I had to be very discreet. The price discrimination debate is interesting. Cheers for the engagement and thanks for supporting my channel!
Are you South African by any chance? Your voice and accent sounds very similar to the South African cricket legend AB de Villiers. And just as I was typing this, you also happened to mention his marriage proposal story, so I am guessing you might also be from South Africa. Anyway, awesome video. Cheers!
Namaste my friend, yes I am South African just like our hero AB. Hope you get a chance to see my other India videos too if you haven't already! Dhanyavaad :)
@@willieexplore Sure! I’ve already subscribed to your channel after watching the Taj Mahal video. I’m from Bangalore, the city that ABD represented for a decade in the IPL, and I’ve had the privilege of watching his genius live from the stadium many times. We all love him as our own, and many of us support South Africa as our second team because your players are so humble and down to earth. Jonty is another favorite of ours, and we have a soft spot for many of your 90s cricketers. Looking forward to more of your awesome travel videos. Take care!
@@nitinbhat that is great my friend, thank you so much! I would love to visit Bangalore in due course. AB certainly entertained us all over his career. Of all our World Cup semi final losses, that one against New Zealand in 2015 where AB was the captain hurts the most. In South Africa, we have huge respect for the India cricket team. I mentioned in my first vlog of India that we will always remember India for inviting us to play our first ODI series after isolation, in 1991. I also brought the book of India's historic tour to SA in 1992 with all my South Africa and India cricket cards. So many memories. Not many people know this but Jonty ran Sachin out in that first test, and Sachin became the first player ever to be dismissed with involvement by the third umpire. I also remember Pravin Amre scoring a century on debut. Cheers for watching and supporting my channel!
@@willieexplore Yes, the 2015 World Cup semi-final loss was heartbreaking, especially seeing AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel in tears. But for me, the 1999 World Cup semi-final tie against Australia was even more unbearable. When Lehmann missed the run-out on the third ball, I thought, Finally, luck is with South Africa, and deservedly so, and I was sure Klusener would win it with three balls remaining. But what happened on the fourth ball was truly tragic. I was still in school, and even though I supported India, I started crying that day. That run-out still hurts, even today. And after that, the unfortunate Hansie Cronje incident, followed by his tragic death in 2002, was incredibly sad, as I was a big fan of his as well. Anyway, the historic 438 run chase in Johannesburg in March 2006 helped me somewhat get over the heartbreaking events of 1999 and 2002. By the way, I hope you visit Bangalore someday and upload a video vlog of your experience on your channel!
@@willieexplore Yes, the 2015 World Cup semi-final loss was heartbreaking, especially seeing AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel in tears. But for me, the 1999 World Cup semi-final tie against Australia was even more unbearable. When Lehmann missed the run-out on the third ball, I thought, finally, luck is with South Africa, and deservedly so, and I was sure Klusener would win it with three balls remaining. But what happened on the fourth ball was truly tragic. I was still in school, and even though I supported India, I started crying that day. That run-out still hurts, even today. And after that, the unfortunate Hansie Cronje incident, followed by his tragic death in 2002, was incredibly sad, as I was a big fan of his as well. Anyway, the historic 438 run chase in Johannesburg in March 2006 helped me somewhat get over the heartbreaking events of 1999 and 2002. By the way, I hope you visit Bangalore someday and upload a video vlog of your experience on your channel!
It's common for tourists to be charged more in many places. As a Chicagoan, I know that we often get discounts at attractions by showing our ID or driver's license. The same applies in Croatia, where I'm originally from.
It is certainly standard practice in many parts of the world. The question I guess is, do you agree with it?
@@willieexplore yep, I agree with it.
@@Tara_Pannonica good for you :)
Hi Willie, enjoyed your video and effort!! Uitstekende materiaal.
Baie dankie! Ek waardeer die saamkyk!
Hi Willie I like the cheape optio of 50 rupees view from across the river, it show the symmetry of the other two buildings very nicely . I wonder how old his Wife was at the time of her passing. Taj Mahal is so stunningly beautiful. What is keeping you from sleep as you mentioned in your vlog?😊
Hi Mary, you can certainly appreciate that symmetry from the lookout point. Mumtaz Mahal died when she was 38. On the sleeping / tired front, I had to wake up at 5 or 5:30 am for two consecutive days to travel to Agra and the Taj Mahal respectively. This in itself is fine, but of course I do a lot of walking during the day and then I spend many hours at night editing videos. So when I travel I often get to bed after midnight. But not to bore you with those details :) Thanks again for all your support!
@@willieexplore Hi Willie yes there is certainly a lot of work that goes into your vlogs. Thanks for taking time to share those details about the history of all the places you see. I hope that you get to see everything else on your itinerary. Did you take history at High school? Greetings from Muizenberg
@@marygird7715 nice to hear you enjoy the information I provide! I only had history until standard 7 but at university I studied a lot of economic history. Hope all is well in the Cape!
@@willieexplore Thanks Willie, Spring has sprung in the Cape, the flowers are in abundance after the rainy Winter we had. I studied history higher grade in matric as it was one of my favourite subjects. Looking forward to seeing your other vlogs in India. Stay safe 😘
@@marygird7715 my parents told me the winter was particularly tough this year. Let's hope for a great spring and summer!
Looking good and perfect😂🎉
Glad you enjoyed the video, I desperately needed a coffee :)
Price discrimination or different prices for locals and foreigners are commonplace in countries such as Turkey as well. Can you imagine the furore if the shoe was on the other foot? For example, if the UK charged foreigners, immigrants and visitors more to visit museums than the UK residents or passport holders.
That will certainly ruffle a few feathers.
You're sure it's that rare though? I also don't know what you mean by 'the shoe on the other foot'; which are the two counterparts here that you're 'switching around' in your head - who are you nominating yourself spokesperson for and whose furore are you imagining in return? I consistently paid significantly above the rates for EU nationals at monuments and museums alike in the five different cities in the south of Spain I visited over this summer, for example. Most places of historic interest have a heavy discount for EU nationals in Italy too. The difference can be as much as free/3 euros versus 15 euros.
Not worth. It is no different than anything else in India.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Cheers for watching!