Last day

6 am on Thursday.  Starting to pack up, and getting ready for my last day.  We're working in the morning, and then heading to the airport in the afternoon.  This trip has been a TRIP -- really, it's been an experience that I will never forget.

Here are a few more pics I've taken over the last couple of days.  When I get home, I think I'll come back and edit my posts, and write captions for all the pictures I've uploaded, so check back!

Pune

"The simple and astonishing truth about India and Indian people is that when you go there, and deal with them, your heart always guides you more wisely than your head.  There's nowhere else in the world where that's quite so true."

-Gregory David Roberts, Shantaram

I've sort of fallen in love with this place (as I have everywhere else I've visited).  Pune is such a weird yet wonderful place.  It hasn't got much, but it's got a lot.  It's like the toy dog that's not afraid to bark at the world.  I find it incredibly endearing.

Today was our first day at the second office.  I took a bunch of pictures, on the way there and back.  Pune's got a lot of grit, but also some sparkle.  I can't believe I only have a few more days before I have to head back home.  As with all of these trips, I'm finding that I'm not quite ready to leave just yet.

Bibi Ka Maqbara

After the fort, we made our way to Aurangabad.  There, Tara really wanted to see this site alled Bibi Ka Maqbara.  I'm so thankful that she did her research before this trip, because this is probably the most amazing thing I've seen in my life.

(From Wiki:) Bibi Ka Maqbara is a maqbara (grave) built by the Mughal Prince Azam Shah, in the late 17th century as a loving tribute to his mother, Rabia Durrani (the first wife of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb).  It has earned the nickname 'poor man’s Taj' because it was originally planned to rival the Taj Mahal (but was prevented from doing so due to budgetary constraints...)

Most of the day had been overcast, but the sun suddenly came out like the minute we stepped into Bibi Ka Maqbara.  It was absolutely incredible.  And thank god my work Blackberry takes such good pictures, because my camera battery was totally dead at this point, and I would have been crushed if I hadn't gotten pictures of this.