India - crowded and colorful

In my perception, India has always been an attractive and exotic country. Last week I was there on a business trip and had a chance to experience the country with my own senses. Even though I was mostly working, I had a nice opportunity to interact with my Indian co-workers and also to visit a few places over the weekend. As you can see from the photos, Indian culture is all about colors - the very opposite of the inexpressible west. Indians are very nice and easy going people - open and social, but definitely not intrusive (like in many other Asian countries).


On the other side, I was not very fond of the overwhelming atmosphere of the Mumbai and Pune metropolis: overcrowded with poverty on every corner, never-ending traffic jams and thousands of buildings being built with a great lack of urban planning. But I guess this comes together with a "free" economy and a sky-rocket population growth.

I also made a nice hiking trip to the Sinhagad fort (1312m), which is not far from the city. The ruins are located on top of a mountain, which is part of a long range separating Pune from the coast. These mountains are not very high, but can still offer a nice relief from the hustle and bustle of the city.  

 

Overall, I can say the experience was very positive and I will definitely return to India - not to the crowded cities but rather to the mountains in the north or the jungle in the south.