impressions of agra

Agra....the city holding one of the wonders of the world...at least that's what its known for. I have not seen the taj mahal yet but I am quickly starting to associate agra with other things. Have you ever blown your nose only to see the tissue end up black? The pollution is really unbelievable! Its so thick and ubiquitous that you can feel it on your tongue and in your sinuses. As we were driving from delhi to agra, we had a barrage of women and children beggars scratching our windows at every traffic light. The poverty we passed was so profoundly heartbreaking, that it embarrassed me to think of all of the nature vs nurture conversations that I've had (during which, I was usually on the side of nature) This nature vs nurture conversation is such a western conversation, its not even relevant here...the nurture is too dominant. I am still genuinely excited about seeing the rest of this country, but I am also a bit nervous because I know that there are more shanty towns ahead. I have only been in india for several days, but it is already a truly unforgettable experience. This is a culture that has existed and transformed for thousands of years...this concept is sometimes hard, as an american, to grasp. I'm hoping that the next two weeks provide me with a better understanding of it...like the bizarre coexistence of shopping malls and corrugated steel make shift homes...the best word I can use to describe this crazy sensory overload is "unforgettable".