| When I decided to go to India I knew actually | | | | exotic animals like snakes, you can find them |
| nothing about this country. What I knew where | | | | there. You can also watch the people who |
| only some historical facts from my History | | | | swallow the fire or swords there. You can meet |
| lessons at school. I imagined it as a poor country, | | | | different exorcists and magicians there too. But it |
| but with rich cultural heritage. I don't know why I | | | | would interest only those people who like such |
| had such impressions. Maybe they were the | | | | performances. As for me I don't like such shows |
| results of human talks. But I'm a very curious | | | | at all. Another example of contrast between New |
| man and I wanted to see everything with my | | | | and Old parts is that there are lots of different |
| own eyes and to find any proves of those talks | | | | administrative centers, educational and research |
| and sayings that form our imagination about this | | | | institutions in New Delhi. But in the old part of the |
| or that thing, though I was rather afraid of that | | | | city we saw only poor houses of poor people |
| thing that India is a country with great danger for | | | | with exception of the great monuments, of |
| my health. I knew that in India there are lots of | | | | course. However, New Delhi didn't impress me |
| illness's such as cholera, hepatitis, malaria and | | | | much. |
| others. Nevertheless interest and curiosity | | | | So, during our trip we wanted to visit the great |
| exceeded my fears. | | | | symbol of tourism in India. We wanted to visit the |
| India is a country that has a very reach cultural | | | | great monument, the most popular tourist |
| heritage and every city in this country has lots of | | | | destination. It was, certainly, Taj Mahal. We knew, |
| architectural and cultural sights. | | | | of course, the sad history of that great |
| Came to India we went to the capital of this | | | | monument. So, we tried to come into the |
| country, Delhi. So, my first impressions of this city | | | | mausoleum to have a look at the monument that |
| were awful. The city has amazed me with the | | | | was decorated with semiprecious stones inserted |
| energy and vanity of noisy markets. It was the | | | | into a marble. But these were vain attempts, |
| first thing that was evident. Rumble and dirt | | | | because the entrance for people that aren't |
| surrounded us. People ran somewhere and pushed. | | | | Moslems is forbidden. We were very sorry. Well, |
| So, in one word, it was awful! I wanted to reach | | | | during our trip I noticed that bribery is widely |
| my silent, quiet and clean room in the hotel as | | | | spread in India. It may happen so that you have |
| soon as it was possible. Well, after a little rest I | | | | to pay not for good service but for service itself. |
| started to study the city. | | | | The certain amount of money can open some |
| Delhi consists of three municipal corporations | | | | closed doors for you, find the lost documents or |
| (parts of the city): New Delhi, Old Delhi and the | | | | keys or other petty things. By the way, a trip to |
| military settlement. We began our trip from the | | | | India is not very expensive. Moreover I can tell |
| Old Delhi where the largest mosque of India is | | | | you that it's rather cheap. If you live in a cheap |
| situated. It is Jama Masjid. The building made of | | | | hotel and eat only rice daily you have to spend |
| white marble and red sandstone simply amazed | | | | approximately 10$ a day. However if you want to |
| me. But my attention was caught by the great | | | | have a certain comfort during your trip or you |
| monument Qutub Minar. The corrosion-proof | | | | used to have rooms with some modern |
| seven meters tall column stands there. It is the | | | | conveniences in hotels and if you want to eat the |
| tallest brick minaret in the world, and an important | | | | tasty and healthy food you have to spend no |
| example of Indo-Islamic Architecture. There is a | | | | more then 30$ a day. I think it's rather cheap. |
| shopping center not far from that place. That | | | | Well, leaving India I found that I was full of |
| centre was with awful narrow small streets that | | | | contradictions. On the one hand I saw magnificent |
| were filled by dealers who offered different | | | | and wonderful architecture, monuments where |
| goods of precious metals and silk. | | | | the century traditions do not fall under the impact |
| Then we went to New Delhi. I was really amazed | | | | of the civilization. I watched the interesting thing |
| when I saw such a huge contrast between New | | | | when the sacred cows are adjoining to |
| and Old parts of the city. Smart hotels, beautiful | | | | magnificent palaces and skyscrapers. But on the |
| and rich houses, large and huge shops are situated | | | | other hand I met with a great disaster. Delhi |
| here. What a great contradiction! Moreover you | | | | impressed me much with its dirty and unhygienic |
| can go to the central trading square. If you like | | | | state. The great country with great contrasts! |