4. Taj Mahal, India

The Taj Mahal was completed at Agra in 1653 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to glorify the beauty of his favourite (but dead) wife. So, is this minaret-ringed marvel with its domed mausoleum, white-marble calligraphy and bejewelled inner chambers a romantic dream come true, or is it a lavish folly(щедрая глупость) to which the labours of 20,000 people over 22 years should not have been devoted? You be the judge.

5. Machu Picchu, Peru

The fabulous stonework of the ruined Inca city of Machu Picchu is nestled high in the Peruvian Andes. It was built in the mid-15th century but abandoned only a century later, around the time some Spanish visitors arrived bearing malice(злой умысел) and smallpox(оспа). Archaeologist Hiram Bingham rediscovered the site on behalf of the outside world in 1911 and Peru’s tourism bureaucrats are still thanking him. The ruins and the Inca Trail connecting them with Cuzco were becoming buried under tourist numbers and waste until several years ago, when toilets were installed and visitors limited to a mere 500 per day. Solo visitors are now banned. Organised treks must be booked 30 days in advance, plus a nonrefundable(невозмещаемый) entrance fee of US $50.

6. Uluru, Australia

Massive, monolithic Uluru is embedded in the remote Australian outback and draws hundreds of visitors at dawn and dusk to watch the rock’s colours magically change with the rising and setting of the sun. Some people choose to scale this sandstone giant even though the rock’s custodians¹( хранитель), the Anangu people, ask visitors to keep their feet on the ground out of respect for Aboriginal spiritual beliefs. A more respectful way of exploring enigmatic Uluru is to circumnavigate it via the Base Walk, a 9.5km trail that often allows you a little solitude. Rise above the masses with a 15-minute helicopter ride over Uluru. It costs AU$120 per person; details are at www.uluru.com.

4) How do you choose destinations for you trips? What things do you take into account?

Are you likely to visit places which are:

affordable remote underrated(недооцен.) overrated

expensive middle of nowhere offbeat kitschy(безвкусный)

overcrowded?

Explain why.

Ex. 5a) Tours to Belarus. Complete the advertisements of tours to Belarus with appropriate words.

Classic Belarus Group Tour

Trip Code: Classic Belarus Price from: £1,359 pp

Belarus is a hidden gem right in 1)____ the heart of Europe, crisscrossed by ancient trade routes from west 2)_____ east and north 2)_____ south. Over the centuries it has suffered from numerous invasions 3)_____ this has added 4)______ its rich history and culture, not to mention the heroism of 5)_______ people. 6)_______ other countries turned avidly to the west following the fall of communism, Belarus remains in a Soviet time warp², which makes 7)____ all the more interesting.

Sightseeing is varied from medieval towns 8)_____ their preserved fortresses and churches to the stark architecture 9)_____ the Soviet times. 10)______ will be time 11)_____ reflect on the great sacrifice of the Belarusian people during World War II at the Stalin Line, Khatyn and the Glory Mound. This group tour will 12)______ limited to 15 persons and will 12)_______ escorted by a Tours Manager from Regent Holidays.