Answer question 2 alongside the text on page 29. 2 The

Answer question 2 alongside the text on page 29. 2 The things that make Suzdal attractive for tourists. A GEM IN THE GOLDEN RING By Neal Amis First you see tiny wooden houses scattered across a green plain. They creep up on you and then, all of a sudden, you find yourself in the middle of an ancient town. Everywhere you look theres a church, a monastery, or the thick red walls and the stout square towers of the Suzdal Kremlin. I checked into a private hotel and, on the way to my room, I unthinkingly picked up a copy of The Moscow Times from the hall table. There was an article about Suzdal in it. It called the city an architectural jewelquot; and described a feeling of quiet dignityquot; in the historic town. That sounded promising. But the writer also noted that, quot;At night, the street lamps are not lit. The city budget lacks the funds. There were flies in the guesthouse, a lack of road signs and other problems suggesting that tourists were likely to be scared off.quot; Had I come to the right place? It was a hot summers day, so I started with a cold honey-and-herb drink, before hiring a horse-drawn carriage for a sight-seeing tour. I sat back and enjoyed the ancient beauty and the quiet dignity of the city. It felt as if time had stopped. There was no hurry as the horse ambled through the cobbled square, past the 18th century shopping arcade and a splendid old convent, where people were selling crafts. Every detail of the town fits together perfectly, even the shops which are decorated with iron signs that have been there for centuries. The modern world has arrived in Suzdal, however. There are satellite dishes on the neat, wooden houses with lace curtains and flowers in the windows, and the occasional luxury car honks its horn in competition with the ringing of the monastery bells. In the old inn, an air-conditioner competes with dolls, candles and wooden decorations for wall space. Where were the crumbling houses and the dark streets? The little town I saw was flourishing. When I got back to the hotel, I checked the newspaper article again. It was written in August 1999. If only the author could come and see Suzdal now! Of course, there is still work to do before Suzdal becomes a five-star tourist destination. Although greatly changed, it is anything but five-star yet. If only there were more information signs to help both Russian visitors and foreign tourists. As in so many places, the roads could be better. Above all. the town now needs some investment in publicity and advertising to attract more visitors. This architectural jewelquot; deserves to be better known. Then it will really prosper and become a sparkling gem in the Golden Ring.