European Vacation 1985 Holiday

Mutant Reviewers from Hell do "National Lampoon's European Vacation" Mutant Reviewers from Hell do National Lampoon's European Vacation 1985 Holiday Road Summary Capsule: The Griswald family wins a trip to tour all of Europe. Justin's Rating: *GONG!* Justin's Review: The Griswalds are back and on TV... a game show, to be precise. After a lot of humiliation (not to mention french kisses) by the game show host, the wacky family wins an all-expenses paid trip to Europe. Thus, another journey is launched, and countless (well, I suppose you can count them, it's just a hyperbole people!) disasters will ensue. European Vacation is generally agreed to be the worst of the four Vacation films, and I'd have to concur. It has a lot of good moments that are unfortunately held together with the duct tape of bad plotting. By taking the Griswald family out of their semi-natural habitat and focusing more on the "ha-ha everything's foreign" aspect instead of the family themselves, we end up with just a very lackluster ride. It's a lot like one of those travel agency videos where they're trying to show you as much scenery as possible at the expense of a lot of content. Sure, Chevy Chase isn't too bad, and a fourth of the script really does seem inspired. Watch for Eric Idle (of Monty Python fame) as a very sincere Englishman who keeps apologizing every time he's hit by Clark Griswald. But for every good scene, you get three like the one where the Griswald car gets caught up in a traffic circle and cannot leave and cannot leave and cannot leave... well, you get the idea. One of the strangest and most disturbing parts of this film involve Audrey Griswald. In this movie, she's chubby going on super-chubby. Yet the filmmakers try to make her also sexy, so we end up with a kid who's fat and eats a lot yet is hit on by pretty much every guy in the film. I'm not saying fat doesn't equal unsexiness, but it's bad form for films to give a character such polar opposites (gross and sexual). Maybe it's just me (all of you out there repeat in chorus: "It's you"), but Audrey was just too bizarre in this movie. There's some sort of loose plot thread involving a certain amorous video tape of Ellen (Bevery D'Angelo) and international conspiracy, but *shrug*. Sometimes I feel like I could do an entire movie review in nothing but body language. About the only really positive thing I can say about European Vacation is that National Lampoon didn't give up on the series, and two more sequels were made, both a lot better than this movie. Didja Notice? It is revealed in the intro, on his passport, that Clark's middle name is Wilhelm. The Movie Store! European Vacation : Movie [VHS] Intermission! That's John Astin who is the host of "Pig In A Poke". For those ultimate cult fanboys out there, Astin is best known for his role of Professor Gangriene in the later three Killer Tomato movies. Groovy Quotes: Stewardess: Can I get you anything to drink? Clark: Honey? I guess I'll have a Coke. Stewardess: Do you want that in the can? Clark: No, I'll have it right here. If you liked this movie, try these: Vacation Christmas Vacation Vegas Vacation main page reviews by title reviews by category reviews by dvd mutant viewings what is this? mutant bios frequently asked questions features MUTANT archive comments poolman's picks main page reviews by title reviews by category reviews by dvd mutant viewings what is this? mutant bios frequently asked questions features MUTANT archive comments poolman's picks

Argentina Travel Advice »

Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica - Argentina Travel Advice Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica Contact Travelsur | Log Out | Argentina Forums | Search Travelsur Home | Moderators | Register | Edit Profile Argentina Travel Advice » Destinations in Argentina »Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica « Previous Next » Author Message Joseph Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 6:59 pm: Is ist possible to go from TDF to Antarctia or close? Roberto Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 8:35 pm: Hello Joseph and welcome! Yes, it is possible to depart from Ushuaia and cruise to Antarctica. Not all year round so this need to be planned. For specifics please contact Erna at erna@travelsur.net . In the meantime, if I gather some concrete information I will drop it here. Jennifer Castillo New member Username: Travelfan Post Number: 2 Registered: 5-2005 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 11:24 am: Hello, I plan to travel in July. Would you eliminate the most southern areas, given the time of year. Is Mendoza worth seeing in July, Bariloche? Will Bariloche be overcrowed because of skiing? Roberto Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 1:05 pm: Hey Jennifer, I'd say for places like Ushuaia and Calafate days will be too short and excursions would depend on weather permitting issues. Bariloche is a great winter destination as long as you enjoy snow and skiing. It might get a little crowded by end of July/first of August because of school vacations but in general, Bariloche is a fairly big city, so... As for Mendoza, some excursions are high altitude so here it too you may experience very cold weather and snow. If you are comfortable with it, Mendoza is a great place to visit and July will just be fine. Julio Sandoval Castillo Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Sunday, July 03, 2005 - 10:15 pm: How much would it cost to travel from Buenos Aires to Bariloche and how much is it to rent some snowboards and go boarding or skiing Roberto Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Tuesday, July 05, 2005 - 12:35 am: Welcome Julio! I will get to this (and your other inquiries) in the next few hours. Please check back. Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 36 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Wednesday, July 06, 2005 - 12:29 pm: Julio, a roundtrip ticket Bue - Bariloche - Bue is approx. USD $324 and a day of rental equipemt for skiing is about USD $18 (does not include any clothing). Prices include taxes. Nita Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Saturday, July 16, 2005 - 10:32 am: Hi Roberto We are going to Argentina 2/5 to 2/18. We are hearing conflicting reports on weather. We are planning Iguazu Falls and Salta region and around Buenos Aires. We would appreciate your input. Thank you in advance. Nita Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 44 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Saturday, July 16, 2005 - 6:59 pm: Hello Nita and welcome! All three destinations will be hot. Average temperature for Iguazu during the month of Feb. is 80 F, but there are at least an average of 15 days when temperatures are above 90F. In addition, this place will be very humid. In Salta, temperatures are a bit lower as well as humidity. Rain is similar in both areas. Jan and Feb are the rainy month in Salta. Only 11 days average are above 78F in Salta. Many excursions here might involve altitude so you may experience and even cooler weather. As for Buenos Aires, it will also be hot and humid but I doubt as much as Iguazu. Temperatures may hover around the 88/90F but some days may feel specially hot. What did the conflicting reports said? Wing Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2005 - 6:44 pm: We plan to travel to El Chalten to hike in March. Is this a good time to travel there? Are there hotels in that region? Are there many day hike trails available? Can we do this by ourselves without travel agents? Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 62 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2005 - 7:36 pm: Hi... I think this can be done on your own provided you do some homework. El Chalten is *very* small and therefore lacks infraestructure. Although high season is January/February, March is bound to be busy so if you plan to just arrive and find yourself at home you will be for a shock. There are at least 100+ rooms inventory available in dozens of cabins/hostels and small accomodations but during the busy season that may not be much. Bear in mind El Chalten is very isolated and to reach it you will need to drive approximately 220 km from the nearest place -El Calafate- to where you will arrive by plane. This drive is lengthy because the road is composed of pebbles. As you can see traveling by yourself will require planning. There are trails available both for the beginner and the seasoned trekker. Trails may last 1 hour to 7 hours or more and they may involve different levels of difficulty. Most of them are easy and enjoyable. I think you can hike at least a dozen or so trails that have been well mapped. You can do this by yourself and arrange accomodations in advance, but once there your first action should be to approach the information desk at Parque Nacional Los Glaciares to become acquainted with the rules and regulations for visiting the area. On site, there will be many guides and turist services as well. wing Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 11:55 am: Hi Roberto, Thank you very much for your response. I understand there is a bus to El Chalten from El Calafate. What is the bus schedule and how much does it cost? Can we fly to El Calafate from Buenos Aires in the morning and take the bus to El Chalten in the afternoon? If El Chalten is too remote may be we will hike around El Calafate. How are the hiking trails in El Calafate? Are they close to town or far away? Is it safe to hike without guides? We like to hike different places how is the scenary between El Calafate and El Chalten? Is it very different or about the same? Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 64 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 4:49 pm: Wing, give me a few days please. I am on road as I write... Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 67 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 7:00 pm: Hello Wing, here is some more information. There are buses every day from Calafate to El Chalten. Departing in the morning at around 8am and returning to Calafate at around 10pm (departing from El Chalten at 6pm). You should spend at least one night in Calafate in order to take the bus to El Chalten. The drive is approximately 4 hours (for 215 kms). El Chalten is not *too* remote at all, just small. If you reach Calafate it will be a shame not to make it to El Chalten. I would not know the price for the bus ticket. I would not know either how Calafate trekking compares to Chalten trekking. This can only be known if done. Here are a few links that have a ton of information: Todo Calafate EL Chalten Wing Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Saturday, September 24, 2005 - 7:46 pm: Roberto, Thank you very much for the information. I can not find flight schedule to go from Buenos Aires to El Calafate. Can you help? We plan to arrive Buenos Aires on February 26 early in the morning. Is there a flight that day to go to El Calafate? Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 140 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 1:41 pm: Will check on this tomorrow morning and publish the rates/schedules here. Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 144 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Monday, September 26, 2005 - 3:16 pm: Buenos Aires - Calafate roundtrip February 26 USD $239 taxes included Leaving 8.50 am from Ezeiza international. Arriving 12.03 pm to Calafate. Argentine Airlines. Prices may vary at the time of booking. They also depend on availability. As of this morning, there were many seats available. If you are interested, you can always contact Erna at erna@travelsur.net lulu Unregistered guest Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 10:36 pm: Dear Roberto, I'm interested in traveling from Tierra del Fuego to Antartica for a short period of time in December. Any suggetions on scenic trip & destinations there & back? Thank you.}}} Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 204 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 5:26 pm: Lulu, I will post something about it on Monday, once I have a chance to talk to the Buenos Aires office... Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 205 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 1:37 pm: Lulu, the guys at the office in Buenos Aires tell me there are no ships -that we know of- leaving for Antartida in December. Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 206 Registered: 12-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 ( Vote! ) Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 11:51 am: If I receive new information I will post it here. Add Your Message Here Post: -Color- Black Red Green Blue Yellow Purple Orange Cyan Gray White -Font- Arial Courier Symbol Times Verdana -Size- Smallest (-2) Small (-1) Normal Large (+1) Largest (+2) Username: Posting Information: This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional. Password: E-mail: Options: Enable HTML code in message Action: Argentina Forum | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Guidelines | Travel Directory | Argentina Vacation Administration

France Travel Guide 2

France Travel Guide - information and advice France Travel Guide Information and Advice France Map | Paris Pictures | Paris Travel Guide France Travel Guide 2 - Attractions exodus specialises in “The different holiday”, offering the widest selection of walking, adventure, cycling, mountain biking, wildlife, cultural and winter holidays, and overland journeys across all seven continents! Homepage | France Tours | Brochure Request France Travel Guide, climate: Best: March-June, Sept, early-Oct for sightseeing. Jan-March for wintersports. Worst: July, Aug. The country is packed with foreign and local tourists, while many services - even museums and restaurants - are closed. Dec-Feb can be bitterly cold in mountain areas and in the north including Paris. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile travel, not incl. flights: Paris and île de France [a short excursion] - 4 days. Weekend trips to just Paris are good too. Recommended: At least 2 weeks to take in Paris, and some country/mountain/beach activities, but you'll need months to discover how diverse the country's attractions are. France Festivals guide: Apart from Bastille Day and Assumption of the Virgin Mary [Aug 15th], which are celebrated nationwide, there are regional folk festivals and arts festivals, as well as Catholic events throughout the country, especially around July. Most of the events involve food, wine and extreme dyspepsia. Jan. 1st: Grand Parade Paris , twinned event with London for New Year celebrations . Massive and colourful. Feb-March : Mardi Gras Nice [ more info and picture ], one of the biggest and the most original carnival s in the world, a two week event with colourful parades, street parties, fireworks, and monster illuminations. mid May: Cannes Film Festival - No need to be a celebrity to enjoy Europe's high profile film fiesta. Loads of public screenings are available, as well as a small chance of bumping into stars. No better place for people watching. mid May/mid Oct: Gypsy Festival [Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in Provence], a gypsy gathering; historic, unique and kaleidoscopic. June: International Music Festival [Strasbourg in Alsace, the North], contemporary music. July 14th: Bastille Day [nationwide], France's biggest street festival, with parties, parades and fireworks to remember the French Revolution. July: Tour de France , a three-week cycling race for 3,500km [2000 miles] over the country [route changes annually]. The world's most famous French sporting event. mid July-mid Aug: Festival d'Avignon [Avignon]- a dynamic and diverse Arts festival, boasting over 50 official productions and many more fringes. F or classical music, try Festival International d'Art Lyrique in Aix-en-Provence in July, too. early Aug: Festival Interceltique [Lorient in Brittany], a worthy folk event [Celtic music and culture]. Oct: Jazz Festival [Nancy ], one of the country's best jazz events. For some precise dates see: European Festivals or Arts Festiva ls . Cuisine Guide: Traditional French cuisine of the protein-covered-with-rich sauce kind has been top of the gastronomic world since Romans travelled there to eat wild boar with cranberries in 34AD. But it's finally out of fashion - too heavy, too fattening, too taste-limited, but... [ more info and picture ] Shopping Guide: Pricewise France is not so brilliant due to the €uro's strength, but French style and taste is still irresistible. If designer labels are not your thing, try French eccentricity at smaller boutiques in trendy areas, or cheap chic stuff at flea-markets. Bargain shopping for any French products at huge malls in places such as Calais or Lille is very popular [with mainly British travellers]. Visiting local open-air food markets for regional cheese, pastries and wine, especially in Provence, is a fun way to make lunch. France Star Rating: Monuments ***** Shopping and souvenirs **** Walkability **** Food Quality and Variety **** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value ** Beaches **** Wildlife ** Landscape ***** Local People ** Architecture **** Safety **** Nightlife and Clubbing **** Health Problems none Museums ***** Why Travel to France? The language is one of the most beautiful things about the country so let's forgive the French for being very sniffy about it. Style, culture, architecture, food, wine and fashion all exist in multiple layers of excellence , with Paris in particular capturing and displaying these assets to great advantage. This, the largest country in Europe, has an incredible diversity of soaring landscapes, gorgeous villages, world-famous resorts and spectacular romantic escapes. On top of that, French love anything to do with bodies, so there is no better place for fulfilling your physical dreams, whether it's paragliding off the Alps, boating through the Dordogne or stuffing yourself with foie gras and a bottle of Pouilly-Fuissé. Downside: - Traffic. Not only are French car drivers notoriously aggressive, inconsiderate and occasionally dangerous , but being a convenient transit thoroughfare for North-South Europe road deliveries means that many French roads suffer terminal truck overdose. - Endless, sudden, disruptive strikes. - Petty crime wherever groups of tourists congregate . - The Riviera is mostly crammed with the filthy rich these days. - Locals attitudes to foreign travellers could be improved, particularly in Paris. Activities Guide: Walking/Climbing: With more than 60,000 km [37,500 miles]of well-marked long-distance footpaths to travel on, France is a superb walking country [ more info and picture ] . Also see Walking Tours - France. Cycling: the most French of activities; t he first modern bike was French! France has 28,000km of marked cycle routes, as well as good city and town cycle lanes [ more info and picture ]. Camping : Plenty of choice of places and facilities from basic campsites to luxury holiday parks throughout the country, especially along west coast beaches [ more info and picture ]. Efficient, stress-free and perfect for the family. Skiing: France is one of world's finest and most popular destinations for both downhill and cross-country skiing [ more info and picture ]. Caving: The limestone caves along Spanish border or the Southwest are ideal. Golfing: There are over 500 golf courses in the country [ more info and picture ], with several world-class ones. Relatively inexpensive and uncrowded. Hangliding & paragliding: The Hautes-Alpes of Provence, the Pyrenees [ more info and picture ] and Corsica are considered to be best places to hang loose. Rafting /canoeing: rental boats and organised excursions are available just about everywhere by the water in summertime [ more info and picture ]. The gorges in the Pyrenees, the Alpes and the Massif Central are particularly suited for more adventurous travellers [ more info and picture ]. Swimming/sunbathing: From Normandy to Corsica there's no shortage of swimming spots in the summer. [ more info and picture ]. Sailing: The Atlantic coast has solid winds and good ports to visit unless you are silly rich and want to park your yacht in Cannes. Diving/snorkelling: Available in Corsica. Surfing: often good waves along the Atlantic coast, such as Biarritz, Anglet and Hossegor. Wind/Kitesurfing is most popular on the western Mediterranean coast. Many rivers as well as on lakes such as Lac d'Annecy and Lake Geneva have leisure centres offering a wide rage of watersports. Fishing: Available on rivers and lakes with permits. Try Brittany for carp fishing, River Loire and Brittany/ Normandy for trout and salmon, but the best and most scenic rivers for salmon fishing are in the western Pyrenees. Get a licence at the local tourist office. Sea-fishing, including night-fishing, is popular and available at most seaside resorts. Horse riding: widespread but particularly favoured in Burgandy and the Camargue at the Rhône Delta [in Provence], a nature reserve famous for its indigenous horses. Another horse friendly area is the north; Parc International de la Canche in Le Touquet has 112km of forest riding routes and 26km of beach trails. River/Canal Cruises: A large and sophisticated network of canals and rivers can take you all over the country in peace and quiet, and you still see the sights, but you don't have to book a room ahead or...[ more info and picture ]. France Tours Tour operators offering tours to France can be found in our listings here: France Tours Map of Europe For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Visas: EU citizens do not need visas, nor do many other country's residents - including USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel for visits up to 90 days. Electricity: Electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin plugs. Safety: Relatively safe but always use common sense. Pickpockets operate on many metro and train lines, around tourist sights and along the Cote d'Azur. Cars travelling with foreign number plates are also popular targets for theft, ranging from smash 'n' grab by motorcycle while in motion, 'Mister your wheel it look funny' trickery, and regular parked break-ins. Always hide luggage, especially valuables, and park in a conspicuous area if possible. See Travel Safety. Language: Nowadays more locals understand English, but do not expect them to speak it, even if they are in service. If you can throw together a few words it will help when travelling in most places in France, except possibly Paris, where city dwellers are notoriously sniffy about their gorgeous language being tortured by foreigners. Do, at least try to say 'Bonjour Madame/monsieur' when you enter a small shop and 'Au revoir' when you leave, this will show that you have some appreciation of their culture, even if you don't speak any other French. If you plan to travel France you may find these other Bugbog guides useful: UK Travel Guide Spain Travel Guide Italy Travel Guide Germany Travel Guide Austria Travel Guide Belgium Travel Guide Portugal Travel Guide Czech Republic Travel Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog

Italy Travel Info AboutUs

Italian Travel Information | Travel-Italy.com HOME ITALY HOTELS ITALY VILLAS CLASSIFIEDS SEARCH ITALY MAPS Most Popular: Rome Hotels   | Tuscany Villas   | Florence Hotels   | Venice Hotels   | Italy Travel Info AboutUs | ContactUs | Community Italy Hotels Travel-Italy offer a nice selection of about 240 Italy hotels which can be booked online or by telephone. See our selection of Italian hotels from the links below: Rome Hotels , Florence Hotels , Venice Hotels , Amalfi Coast Hotels , Tuscany Hotels , and Italy Hotels in more cities . Italy Villas Staying in Italian villas can be a wonderful experience. Travel-Italy brings you a large selection of properties to choose from in most popular locations. See our selection of Italian villas from the links below: Tuscany Villas , Umbria Villas , Veneto Villas , Amalfi Coast Villas , Cinque Terre Villas , and Italian Villas in other locations Most Popular Links Rome Rome Hotels Rome Travel Information Rome City Maps Florence Florence Hotels Florence Travel Information Florence City Maps Venice Venice Hotels Venice Travel Information Venice City Maps Tuscany Tuscany Villas Tuscany Hotels Tuscany Travel Information Tuscany Maps Other Italy Travel Links Amalfi Coast Campania Travel Information Cinque Terre Liguria Travel Information Italy Maps Travel-Italy offers over 250 detailed Italian folding maps (city maps, provincial maps, regional maps, etc.) from suppliers like Touring Club Italiano through its sister company, TrekTools.com . Italy Apartments Much like a villa, staying in an apartment in Italy can let you see Italy like a local. Rome Apartments , Florence Apartments , Venice Apartments ItalyTalk.com Check out our new message board where you can communicate with other people about Italy and the Italian Travel Experience. There is one forum for each region, plus Rome, Florence and Venice of course. Italian Travel Information Find a large array of different types of travel information organized by region. You'll find information about regional tourist offices, books about Italy, hotel accommodation directly from the owners, as well as links to many resources. It's a work in progress. Travel Information for Italian Regions Abruzzo Travel Information Basilicata Travel Information Calabria Travel Information Campania Travel Information Emilia Romagna Travel Information Friuli Travel Information Lazio Travel Information Liguria Travel Information Lombardia Travel Information Marche Travel Information Molise Travel Information Piemonte Travel Information Puglia Travel Information Sardinia Travel Information Sicily Travel Information Trentino Travel Information Tuscany Travel Information Umbria Travel Information Valle D'Aosta Travel Information Veneto Travel Information Home | Italy Hotels | Italy Villas | Italy Maps | Italian Travel Info Hotel Owners | Advertising | Travel Agents About Us | Contact Us Read our Privacy Statement

Russia Travel Resources >

Russia Travel Guide - Dining and Drinking  You are here: About > Travel > Eastern Europe for Visitors > Russia-Belarus-Ukraine > Russia Travel Resources > Travel Essentials - Russia > Russia Travel Guide - Dining and Drinking Travel Go Eastern Europe Essentials Best of Eastern Europe Map of Central/Eastern Europe Photo Gallery Country Profiles Discount Travel Websites Articles & Resources Planning Your Trip Ways to Travel What to Do in East Europe Maps for Eastern Europe Czech-SlovakTravel Hungary Travel Poland Travel Russia-Belarus-Ukraine Romania-Moldova Travel Baltic Travel Balkan Travel Culture and Holidays Photo Galleries East Europe Travel and Language Books Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Eastern Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Eastern Europe for Visitors Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Suggested Reading All Travel Guides Russia Travel Guide Profile of Russia Most Popular First Christmas Tree Europe map Best of Eastern Europe Croatia Naturism and Nudism Discount Travel Websites What's Hot Krakow Photo Gallery Profiles of Eastern Europe Moscow City Profile Czech Republic Photo Gallery - Charles Bridge and castle Sofia's Religous Buildings Related Topics Hotels / Resorts / Inns European History Architecture Air Travel Europe for Visitors Dining and Drinking - Russia From Apply Now , Your Guide to Eastern Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Russia Travel Guide One of the pleasures of travel is reveling in the food and drink of the local cuisine. Russia has plenty to offer in this respect, whether you opt for traditional Russian fare or meals representative of other CIS countries. What Not to Eat You can eat well in Russia at any budget. However, because some people get sick when they travel and eat unaccustomed food, this situation can happen in Russia also. So, because you don't want to spend time being miserable in your hotel room from a stomach problem, it's wise to be careful, just to be on the safe side. Some suggestions: Don't drink tap water. Drink only bottled water. It comes with or without gas. When you order bottled water at restaurants, make sure the waiter brings you an unsealed bottle (not an open bottle that could have been filled with tap water). Of course, if you order water with gas, you won't have this possibility. Brush your teeth with bottled water, not tap water. Avoid salad bars (vegetables washed with tap water). If you buy fruit, wash it with bottled water, not tap water. You get the picture with tap water. If you order a coffee or tea, be aware you might be drinking tap water, but it's boiled. Avoid food from sidewalk stands. Enjoy all thoroughly cooked food. I should note that I have broken all the suggestions above throughout Eastern Europe and not suffered consequences. I love going to cafes for coffee and eating ice cream from sidewalk vendors. But again, you may opt for the safest route than take a chance spending your precious visit too sick to enjoy it. Restaurants Moscow and St. Petersburg have a proliferation of well-known chains, including McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King and TGI Fridays. But try to sample other food, as both Moscow and St. Petersburg can offer so much more. Check the English language newspapers such as the Moscow Times for listings of restaurants. For restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg, also see these lists: List of all types of restaurants in Moscow, from the Moscow City website St. Petersburg restaurants Almost 500 restaurants listed. Fodor's picks for Moscow restaurants Fodor's picks for St. Peterburg's restaurants Cuisine Russian cuisine does wonderful things with meat, cabbage, potatoes, and dough (both bread and pastry). Well-known dishes include : borsch (beet soup) pelmeni (boiled dough pockets filled with meat) beef roll (finely chopped meat and spices rolled in fine pastry) chicken kiev draniki (potato pancakes) golubtsy (cabbage rolls filled with meat and rice, covered in a tomato broth) There are many other dishes, with beef, pork, poultry and fish, as well as potato salad, pickled vegetables, mushrooms, caviar, and wonderful dark bread. Don't forget dessert: bliny, ponchiki (doughnuts), kulich (rum cake) and ice cream. Payment In top restaurants you will likely be able to pay with credit cards. At smaller cafes and restaurants, you will probably have to pay with rubles. Drinking in Russia We'll get to the vodka later but first, know that Russians love to drink tea (chai). With samovars boiling away in offices and train compartments and lots of other places too, Russians drink tea all day long. Vodka is a popular drink, and comes plain but also flavored: lemon, cranberry, herbs. It's hard to keep up with a Russian drinker so you may not want to try. Beer (pivo) is also popular. Russian brands include Tinkov pilsner , Baltika, Stepan Rizan, Nevskoye, Klinskoye, and Tolstiyak. A low-alcohol beer is called kvas. Russia also produces wine, with three million acres of vineyards. Russian wines aren't for everyone, as they can tend to have concentrated fruity flavors and some are rather sweet. While you're in Russia, you may want to try the wine of former Soviet republics, such as Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. Popular white wines are the Anapa Riesling, Tsinandali, and Gourdzhuani. Reds are Saperavi and Mukuzani. Tipping Tipping has not yet become an expected norm in restaurants around Russia, although at better restaurants and cafes, you will find that patrons will do so. However, a normal rate has not been really established yet, so many people leave between five and ten percent, or more depending on the service. At not so fancy restaurants or cafes, you can round up the bill. Some restaurants will add service to your bill, so check first before you tip, and feel free not to tip at all if you believe the service doesn't deserve it. If there is a cloakroom where you need to leave your coat, there may be a sign telling you the amount to release your belongings. Otherwise, leave a few rubles or a dollar. Russia Travel Guide Index Profile of Russia City Profile: Moscow City Profile: St. Petersburg Before You Go Need to Know Money Matters Intercity Travel City Transit Driving Health and Safety Lodging Dining and Drinking Communications Shopping        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Krakow Photo Gallery Profiles of Eastern Europe Moscow City Profile Czech Republic Photo Gallery - Charles Bridge and castle Sofia's Religous Buildings