Taiwan Travel

Andrew and Mei's Taiwan Travel Blog Andrew and Mei's Taiwan Travel Blog Andrew and Mei are in Taiwan teaching English and exploring the island! What fun adventures will they have? Find out here! Monday, October 31, 2005 Asia pictures Hello everyone! I finally finished uploading the 293 photos that are in this album. Again, you'll have to log into Snapfish in order to see the photos. Enjoy! http://www.snapfish.com/share/p=547311130794745666/l=65291688/cobrandOid=1000321/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB posted by Mei @ 17:06 0 comments Thursday, October 27, 2005 First Trickle of Photos... You have to have a snapfish account in order to view the photos. Sorry about the catch (No pun intended)! But it's free and I will be uploading all of my pics onto Snapfish. I'm not sure how Andrew will upload his pics. http://www.snapfish.com/share/p=192271130458320686/l=64809203/cobrandOid=1000321/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB posted by Mei @ 17:18 0 comments Friday, October 21, 2005 What? Who? Where? Luckily, my jet lag has been minimal, so I can discern easily whether that ("What? Who? Where?") is coming from the Nicholas Cage impersonation on SNL or from yours truly. I think that has something to do with the fact that on our last day in Thailand, we had to get up at around 4:30 AM and were only able to sleep minimaly for the next 36 hours. That led to an immediate crash upon coming home. However, I have been waking up at 8 AM (what the hell) and taking long, extended naps during the afternoon. So what now? Ideally, I'll be sitting on my ass for as long as possible. I DO have my movie collection I hope to watch. But in reality, for me now I have to a) find a job, b) find a car, and c) find a place to live. Not neccessarily in that order, either. I need to organize my pictures into a digestible format, but until I get my monitor back (currently on loan) that is an impossible task to do. Oh well, maybe it's for the best. I still need to FIND jobs, APPLY, finish my school apps, get a car, clean my room, organize the boxes that will be coming home, and last but not least, trying to figure out how I'll be seeing my friends. So what do I immediately notice about here compared to where I was? Driving to Wells Fargo, I was just amazed by how big our neighborhoods are. In cities in Taiwan, there are no neighborhoods and there are no noticable zoning regulations. It seems to be everywhere you go there are 4-5 story buildings, with the bottom floor being relegated for businesses and the top floors for people to live. Houses are minimal except in the 'country', and convenient stores are LITERALLY on every corner instead of on every commercial corner. Comparatively, the density of people here to there is non-existent. And it's cold here! Man. This is me, the guy who hates the heat, who withers and dies. But I must have gotten used to it, at least more so that previously, because I'm not enjoying the SJ autumn, I'm wearing jackets and pants constantly, and my hands are nearly frozen off (I have bad circulation in my hands). Well, this may be one my last postings on this blog, since it's not mine. Thanks so much to 6Q for letting us post on here and use this space. Maybe I'll make one of my own for my random thoughts and to provide therapy, if you're remotely interested just let me know. So concludes our trip: now, it's 'back to the real world.' Thanks for taking the time to read this, everyone! I hope I get a chance to see you all soon!! posted by Andrew @ 09:01 0 comments Tuesday, October 18, 2005 Home. Safe and Sound! Hello everyone! We are home, happy and healthy! Our plane was a little delayed and we had some trouble getting our bag (but at least they made it!) The end of our trip was nice, but we got rained on during our trip to see one of the smaller islands, and our canopy trekking was very quick but fun. When I get all of my pics uploaded, I will post a link for you guys to see our pics, and maybe Andrew will get his plethora of great shots uploaded as well. It's been a great ride, thanks for going along with us! posted by Mei @ 22:13 0 comments Saturday, October 15, 2005 Counting Down... Only a couple of days left in our trip! We're enjoying the last few days, doing things like relaxing on the beach and stocking up on last minute supplies. Huh? Supplies? Well, DVDs and PS2 games are extremely cheap here. (Of course they are burned.) The thing is, I don't know if the PS2 games (sorry, they're called DVD games) will work, but I am pretty sure that they will. But as games have gone from $4 to $2.50 to $2 as we have progressed around Thailand, you can imagine that I've been going a little crazy. Like a moth to a flame is a better description. Not as cheap as $0 for unlimited games like Todd can get, but hey, all the (PS2) games I can want for, what, $50? Not too shabby. Now I just hope they work. It's also ridiculous the number of DVD's I have bought here. After leaving America with *2* tapes, I'll return with an infinite number of movies. In fact, I think when I do get home, I'll need a couple of months to get all the games and movies out of my system. THEN maybe I'll start looking for a job. Haha. posted by Andrew @ 16:31 0 comments Friday, October 14, 2005 Koh Samui is a beautiful Island! Super quickly: Made it to Samui safe and sound, our bungalow is about a 15 sec walk to a very quiet, almost private beach. We've rented a jeep to see the island and it is absolutely gorgeous! We have plans to go sea kayaking, snorkeling, and "canopy climbing" which is apparently going through the trees on ropes, like rapelling, but you go horizontally through the air, instead of vertically down a cave or cliff. Yay! posted by Mei @ 17:15 0 comments Wednesday, October 12, 2005 "Bangkok is bitchin'" To quote Jerry, the guy who placed us at our jobs in Taipei, "Bangkok is bitchin'." Well, as it turns out, not really. If you recall, Jerry, the recruiter in Taiwan who placed us at our jobs, is a habitual liar. Some of his other comments include, "Your job isn't far from Neihu." (in fact, on the complete other SIDE of Taipei, a mere 1 1/2 hours away by bus and train), "Teachers have all the leverage.", "Schools have all the leverage.", etc. He has an insatiable thirst for lying. This isn't to say that we went to Bangkok because of what HE said, no, no no no. It's the capital of Thailand, of course we're going to stop by and say hello. However, bitchin' isn't the term I'd use to describe Bangkok. Big? Definitely. Boisterous? Sure. Belligerent? Yeah, you bet. But bitchin'? Eh... Bangkok isn't a bad place, but it is what most large Asian cities tend to be: big, unorganized (aka chaotic), polluted (nasty air and nasty stuff on the sidewalk), crowded, and, of course, there's bad traffic. What with 6 million people here, it's understandable that driving around is a lot like Office Space. But there is some of the stuff that we came here to see: the history, the temples, the art. Today, for instance, we headed down to the river and took a boat up to the Grand Palace and the Green Emerald Temple. The temple is remarkable: typical Thai style architecture ornately decorated. The temples are tall and have many spires seemingly reaching out toward heaven. Inside there is an actual Green Emerald Buddha, who interestingly enough changes clothes every season to reflect the current season (i.e. rainy, hot, cold). We then went to the adjacent Grand Palace, which is currently being rennovated (deja vu to Beijing). The King lived here, I believe, and performs some duties here still. Quite similar to the Buckingham Palace structurally (of course it does, all kings get big, luxurious buildings) but is more green and has elephants. Then we took a tuk-tuk to the National Museum. I think we described tuk-tuks, but if not, briefly they are three-wheeled motorcycle taxis (with a roof). Driver in front, two seats in the back. Perfect to inhale car/motorcycle exhaust, feel the full extent of potholes in the roads, and avoid getting ripped off in. Not my favorite. The National Museum is enormous and remarkably not crowded, considering how close it is to the main attraction in the area (Grand Palace and adjacent temple), which has throngs of people. The first building had the history of Thailand and its kings, and I was amazed by how often Thailand was at war for a Buddhist nation. However, it appears to be all or mostly all defensive in nature, so the museum says (nearly all by Myanmar (ex-Burma), those crazy war-hungry people!). But I am thankful that with the exception of some territorial concessions to France and Britin, Thailand was never colonized, and the evidence is in the language. While many people speak good English, the Thai language is predominant and never adopted roman letters. Instead, Thai characters are used. Anyway, from there, we explored other parts of the museum, including ceramics, ivory, old war weapons, gold figures, etc. It was massive. There was so much stuff. there were also massive chariots used for what seemed to be funeral processions. MASSIVE. I mean, we saw a video, and there were maybe 3000 people carrying the largest chariot ceremonially. To actually carry some of these massive contraptions, 56 people were needed. We are now at our guest house. An hour after we got in a massive afternoon storm came by; it was torrential, but it's eased off a bit now. Looking forward to getting to Ko Samui and relaxing, but I'm not too thrilled about the 4 AM wake up tomorrow! Ack! posted by Andrew @ 17:38 1 comments Contributors 6Q Mei Andrew End #profile -- Previous Posts Asia pictures First Trickle of Photos... What? Who? Where? Home. Safe and Sound! Counting Down... Koh Samui is a beautiful Island! "Bangkok is bitchin'" One night in Bangkok...Well, actually 3... I just ate delicious Thai food, cooked by ME! In Chiang Mai! This blog goes to the end of China, more later! Archives July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005

Argentina Travel Guide >

Argentina flights to Argentina Travel to Argentina Tickets Buenos Aires Airfare Patagonia Tickets Search Exito Travel.com: Book your hotel online: Choose a country Argentina Belize Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Ecuador Guatemala Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru El Salvador Uruguay Venezuela Choose a city Select a City Abilene, TX Ackron, OH Albany, NY Albuquerque, NM Allentown, PA Amarillo, TX Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Baltimore, MD Bangor, ME Baton Rouge, LA Birmingham, AL Boston, MA Brownsville, TX Buffalo, NY Burlington, VT Charleston, SC Charlotte, NC Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH Colorado Springs, CO Columbia, SC Columbus, OH Corpus Christi, TX Dallas, TX Dayton, OH Daytona Beach, FL Denver, CO Detroit, MI El Paso, TX Erie, PA Flint, MI Fort Lauderdale, FL Fort Meyers, FL Fort Wayne, FL Grand Rapids, MI Greensboro, NC Greenville, SC Gulfport, MS Harlingen, TX Harrisburg, PA Hartford, CT Houston, TX Huntsville, AL Indianapolis, IN Jackson, MS Jacksonville, FL Kalamazoo, MI Kansas City, MO Knoxville, TN Lansing, MI Laredo, TX Las Vegas, NV Little Rock, AR Los Angeles, CA (LAX) Lubbock, TX Madison, WI Manchester, NH Mc Allen, TX Memphis, TN Miami, FL Midland/Saginaw, MI Midland/Odessa, TX Milwaukee, WI Minneapolis, MN Moblie, AL Nashville, TN New Orleans, LA New York, NY Newark, NJ Norfolk, VA Oakland, CA Oklahoma City, OK Omaha, NE Ontario, CA Orange County, CA Orlando, FL Palm Springs, CA Pensacola, FL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Pittsburgh, PA Portland, OR Portland, ME Providence, RI Raleigh, NC Reno, NV Richmond, VA Rochester, NY Sacramento, CA Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Sarasota, FL Savannah, GA Seattle, WA Shreveport, LA South Bend, IN St Louis, MO Syracuse, NY Tampa, FL Toledo, OH Tucson, AZ Tulsa, OK Tyler, TX Victoria, TX Waco, TX Washington DC West Palm Beach, FL Westchester, NY Wichita, KS Wilkes-Barre, PA Why can't I find my departure city? Apr 2005 May 2005 Jun 2005 Jul 2005 Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Select A Country -ARGENTINA- -BELIZE- -BRAZIL- -CHILE- -COLOMBIA- -COSTA RICA- -ECUADOR- -EL SALVADOR- -GUATEMALA- -HONDURAS- -MEXICO- -NICARAGUA- -PANAMA- -PARAGUAY- -PERU- -URUGUAY- -VENEZUELA- -BELGIUM- -FRANCE- -GERMANY- -ITALY- -NETHERLANDS- -SPAIN- -UNITED KINGDOM- Then a City Why are some cities ALLCAPS? Apr 2005 May 2005 Jun 2005 Jul 2005 Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 -- Later Date? Round Trip One Way Normal Flights Group Flights Extended Stay Flights Airpasses Multi-Stop Flights Adult 2-11 yrs < 2 yrs 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Flight Options: Flights for Groups Extended Stay Flights Multi-Country Flights Resources: Travel Tips Travel Resources Special Requests Study Spanish Trips and Treks About Us: Why Exito? Contact us Discount Airfare > Argentina Flights & Travel Buenos Aires Travel Overview Buenos Aires is arguably the most beautiful capital city in Latin America. It prides itself on its European feel, modern architecture, plethora of cafes, active nightlife and of course as the home to the tango. The city is well-suited to tourism with plentiful buses, colectivos, a fairly extensive metro system, the subte , and centralized attractions based around plazas in a grid-like layout. The capital city is divided into neighborhoods, barrios , which are detailed below. You should plan a minimum of three - four days to fully enjoy the city, more if nightlife is your thing. Porteños (residents of Buenos Aires) tend to be very well-dressed, even by Latin American standards, and are known for a somewhat cool, elitist attitude. Buenos Aires Travel Info provided by Live Travel Guides Argentina Travel Guide > Argentina Travel Guide -- Buenos Aires -- The Argentine Andes -- The Iguazu Falls -- The Patagonia -- Tierra del Fuego Tours to Central America Belize Tours Costa Rica Tours Guatemala Tours Honduras Tours Nicaragua Tours Panama Tours Flights to South America Argentina Tours Bolivia Tours Brazil Tours Chile Tours Ecuador Tours Peru Tours Venezuela Tours Flights to Central America Mexico Flights Guatemala Flights Belize Flights Costa Rica Flights El Salvador Flights Honduras Flights Nicaragua Flights Panama Flights Flights to South America Peru Flights Ecuador Flights Bolivia Flights Argentina Flights Chile Flights Brazil Flights Venezuela Flights Colombia Flights Uruguay Flights On this page: Argentina flights to Argentina Travel to Argentina Tickets Buenos Aires Airfare Patagonia Tickets. info@exitotravel.com 800-655-4053 Call free to speak to a Flight Expert Monday - Friday 7AM - 5PM Pacific Time 108 Rutgers Street • Fort Collins, CO 80525 • PH: 970-482-3019 800-655-4053 On ExitoTravel.com: Cheap flights to Mexico Flights to Mexico City Costa Rica Tickets Flights to San Jose Costa Rica Flights to Belize Flights to Belize City Guatemala Tickets Flights to Guatemala City Honduras Tickets Flights to Tegucigalpa Flights to Roatan & Utila El Salvador Flights Flights to San Salvador Airfare to Ecuador Flights to Quito Galapagos Flights Flights to Peru Flights to Lima Cusco Flights Airfare to Brazil Flights to Rio de Janeiro Flights to Sao Paulo Flights to Nicaragua Flights to Managua Flights to Panama Flights to Panama City Flights to Argentina Flights to Buenos Aires Flights to Chile Flights to Santiago Chile Flights to Bolivia Flights to La Paz Bolivia Flights to Colombia Flights to Bogota Flights to Uruguay Flights to Montevideo Flights to Paraguay Flights to Venezuela Flights to Caracas Costa Rica Tours Guatemala Tours Honduras Tours Nicaragua Tours Panama Tours Peru Tours Cusco and Machu Picchu Tours Ecuador Tours Galapagos Tours Chile Tours Bolivia Tours Venezuela Tours © 2004-2005 Exito Travel Inc. - all rights reserved, site by 3W Target & Metamorf, creators of L!VE Travel Guides

Disney vacations , and

MouseSavers.com - Disney Discount Source - Disney World Discounts, Disneyland Discounts, Disney Cruise Discounts Great deals on all things Disney! Welcome to MouseSavers.com sm , your source for Disney discounts, helpful information for Disney vacations , and codes and coupons for Disney merchandise . Want to save money on your next vacation at Walt Disney World or Disneyland ? Looking for a discount on a Disney guidebook or other Disney merchandise ? If you need any kind of Disney discount, you're in the right place! MouseSavers.com also offers discount information for Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Legoland and other Southern California & Florida attractions . Walt Disney World Disneyland Disney Cruise Line Transportation for Your Disney Vacation Other Disney Travel Savings Discount Disney Shopping Mall Live Disney Shows Disney Freebies Disneyland Resort Paris Disney Parks in Asia Disney's Vero Beach/Hilton Head Non-Disney Theme Parks & Attractions More information: About MouseSavers.com Frequently Asked Questions Trip Reports and Articles Links Testimonials Privacy Policy & Legal Stuff Contact Mary LATEST HOT DEALS - AS OF 12/28/05 Is your New Year's resolution a trip to Disney for your family, but you have no idea how to afford it? Take a look at this page on how to save money for your Disney vacation . Maybe it will inspire you! You might also be interested in these articles about how a family of 4 may be able to visit Walt Disney World on a $1000 shoestring budget or a $1500 budget . FREE shipping on orders of $75 or more at DisneyShopping.com . Plus, up to 70% off sale . Combine this with a coupon code to save even more! Hotel Royal Plaza in the Walt Disney World Resort is about to reopen after more than a year of renovations. You can now book MouseSavers rates for stays beginning January 21! May-December 2007 3-night and 4-night sailings on the Disney Wonder are now on sale. (Exceptions: the 6/17/07, 6/24/07 and 7/1/07 sailings are being held back and are not bookable at this time.) Contact a Disney specialist travel agent to book your stateroom. Fantastic MouseSavers exclusive offer at Hilton Anaheim : $50 credit toward Disneyland tickets, plus kids eat breakfast FREE and lunch & dinner for 99 cents ! If you are planning to purchase multiple Disney movies in the next two years, be sure to check out the great deals available through Disney Movie Club . Click here for details! Need luggage for your Disney vacation? MouseSavers.com readers get an exclusive 20% discount at eBags -- applies to almost all luggage items! Are some links not showing up in the text above? Are words missing from sentences? Click here to learn why. Sign up for the FREE MouseSavers Newsletter and get exclusive discounts not available on the web site! Sign up to watch this page for updates! (The update service is provided by ChangeNotes, which is not affiliated with MouseSavers.com. If a new offer is added to this page, it sends you an e-mail the next day.) There is now a MouseSavers.com newsfeed! Click on this icon to start using RSS now! Back to top Content of MouseSavers.com is © Mary Waring & MouseSavers 2001-2005. No part of this website may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.

Italy travel Sicily -

Sicily guide - Sicily travel guide - Sicily - guide to Sicily - Italy travel Sicily - airport Sicily Sicily guide - Sicily travel guide - Sicily - guide to Sicily - Italy travel Sicily - airport Sicily travel links Wednesday, 28 December 05 - 11:43 pm Top destinations Art Cities Beaches Lakes Mountains Spa Resorts Regions guides Abruzzo & Molise Alto Adige Apulia Basilicata & Calabria Campania Emilia Romagna Friuli Venezia Giulia Lazio Liguria Lombardy Marche Piedmont Sardinia Sicily Tuscany Trentino Umbria Valle d'Aosta Veneto Cities guides Aosta Asiago & 7 comuni Asolo Assisi Belluno & Dolomiti Venete Bologna Bolzano Brescia Bressanone Caorle & Bibione Capri Catania Cervia & Cesenatico's Beaches Chianti, Valdelsa, Valdarno Comacchio's Beaches Cortina d'Ampezzo Courmayeur M.Bianco Elba & Capraia Florence Garda Lake - Eastern Side Grosseto & Maremma Ischia Jesolo & Eraclea Como Lake & Lecco Lucca & Garfagnana Madonna di Campiglio Merano Milan Monte Cervino Montecatini Terme Naples Padua Palermo Pisa Portofino & Tigullio Gulf Ragusa Ravenna's Beaches Ravenna City Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica Riviera dei Fiori: Sanremo & Imperia Riviera del Brenta Rome Rovereto Rovigo e Delta del Po San Martino di Castrozza, Primiero, Val Venoi Siena Siracusa Sorrento & Amalfi Taormina Terme e Colli Euganei Turin Trento Treviso Val di Fassa Val di Fiemme Venice Verona Versilia & Viareggio Vicenza Sicily Hotels Reserve Sicily Hotels: save up 70% on rooms! Compare offers & book on line at hotel's web sites. About Sicily Catania, the City that Never Sleeps In Catania there's so much to do, see and experience that 24 hours aren't enough... The seasons of Taormina, between the deep blue sea and picturesque handicrafts Set between sea and sky, a precious gem that literati and poets of all times have translated into amazing verses and astonishing prose, Taormina is magic, always... Sicily Guide Italy SICILY CITIES GUIDES Catania Palermo Ragusa Siracusa Taormina Directories of Web Sites Sicily Italy Sicily Hotels Sicily Guide Sicily is an island full of strong contrasts, a land rich in history and culture, lively, enticing cities of art, ancient fishermen’s villages where time seems to have come to a standstill and amazing natural wonders, beautiful beaches and islands where you can relax surrounded by crystal clear waters. The island is a crossroads for populations who were completely different from one another, who have all left permanent traces of themselves in the island’s culture. Art and Culture Through the centuries, Sicily has been rules by the Greeks, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians and Spanish, who all built cities and changes the people’s habits and traditions each time they were conquered and taken over. Visitors to Sicily’s cities today can still see the ancient Greek-Roman buildings, the easily recognizable Arabic-Norman fortresses, the imposing Baroque style buildings, and the churches with their amazing interiors covered in Byzantine mosaics such as the famous Palatine Chapel in Palermo , and many others too. The Greek-origin cities are mostly on the west side of the island, where we can find Selinunte, Segesta, Siracusa and Agrigento, with its fantastic Valley of Temples. Architecturally speaking, Eastern Sicily is much more influenced by the Sicilian Baroque style, used to build monuments and buildings after the terrible earthquake of 1693. The worst hit area was Val di Noto, which was completely rebuilt at the end of the 17th century. The area includes the cities of Ragusa , Modica , Scicli , Ispica and Noto , wonderful “stone gardens” that are remains of the Sicilian Baroque ear and which are included in UNESCO’S prestigious World Heritage List . The island has some other fabulous towns to visit, such as Taormina , the “pearl of the Ionian Sea”, Enna, “Sicily’s belly button”, Piazza Armerina, Caltagirone “the ceramic town” and Catania , with its Baroque palaces in black and white and its irresistible nightlife. Nature and Relaxation Sicily is fascinating for its thousands of years of history and for its cities of art but also for the countless natural beauties on the island. Nature here changes deeply, from the majestic sight of Etna to the gently sloping hills, full of olive groves, vineyards and citrus fruit groves, from the fine sandy beaches on the Vendicari Reserve , Pozzallo and Isola Bella to the steep cliffs, the amazing Gole dell’Alcantara and the islands, buzzing or quiet, such as Pantelleria, Ustica, Lipari, Stromboli, Favignana, Salina and Panarea. Food and Drink Sicily’s food is similar to its architecture, a meeting point between East and West: this “contamination” from different cultures has produced daring, successful mixes of tastes that make traditional Sicilian cuisine a fascinating, unique experience for the senses. Fish, the main ingredient used, is prepared in a thousand different ways, mixing it with the unusual, strong aromas of herbs and spices such as mint and wild fennel. Sicilian cakes, from cassata to frutta martorana, deserve a special mention, and so does the island’s wines, especially Nero d’Avola, a quality wine that is rapidly becoming famous overseas too. More guides on: Sicily Cities: Catania Palermo Ragusa Siracusa Taormina Click to view the map Servizi per le aziende Acquista la tua visibilità su Travel Plan Netplan Travel Network Travel Guides ItalyTravel Guides | VeniceTravel Guide | FlorenceTravel Guide | RomeTravel Guide | MilanTravel Guide | NaplesTravel Guide | Palermo Travel Guide | Taormina Travel Guide | SicilyTravel Guide | Cortina Travel Guide | VeronaTravel Guide | JesoloTravel Guide | Lucca & Garfagnana Travel Guide | Treviso Travel Guide | Ischia Travel Guide | Capri Travel Guide | Sorrento Travel Guide | Amalfi Travel Guide | More Italy Travel guides ... Hotels & Lodging Italy Hotels | Venice Hotels | Florence Hotels | Rome Hotels | Milan Hotels | Naples Hotels | Taormina Hotels | Verona Hotels | Morehotels ... Italy Hotels | Venice Hotels | Florence Hotels | Rome Hotels | Milan Hotels | Naples Hotels | Taormina Hotels | Capri Hotels | Ischia Hotels | More Italy Hotels ... Hotels | Italy Hotels | Venice Hotels | Florence Hotels | Rome Hotels | Milan Hotels | Naples Hotels | Taormina Hotels | Verona Hotels | Mestre Hotels | Treviso Hotels | More Italy Hotels ... Venice Hotels | Cortina Hotels | Asolo Hotels | Hotel Golden Rome | Hotel San Niccolò - Chianti | Hotel Il Granduca Florence | Venice Travel Guide | Venice Booking Center | Venice Hotels Servizi per le aziende - Netplan Travel Network Links A1 A2 B1 C1 D1 E1 F1 G1 H1 H2 I1 I2 J1 K1 L1 M1 N1 O1 P1 Q1 R1 S1 T1 U1 V1 W1 X1 Y1 Z1 AA1 AB1 AC1 AD1 AE1 AF1 AG1 AH1 AI1 AJ1 AK1 AL1 AM1 AN1 AN2 AO1 AP1 AQ1 AR1 AS1 AT1 AU1 AV1 AW1 AX1 AY1 AZ1 BA1 BB1 Italy Travel Guide © 2004 Fatto da: Netplan

Russia Travel Guide, climate:

Russia Travel Guide - Information and Advice Russia Travel Guide Information and Advice 'A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma' Churchill St Petersburg Travel Guide | Moscow Travel Guide Russia Map | Russia Pictures Russia Travel Guide, climate: Best: May, June, Sept, Oct. July/August can be wet . Worst: Nov-March [winter is long, dark and extremely cold with short days, but the snow scenes will be stunning. Early Spring is muddy, slushy and falling icicles kill! ] Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights: Moscow or St Petersburg are excellent for a wild and wooly underwear weekend. Recommended: 2 weeks to take in Moscow, St Petersburg and some of the surrounding towns - such as the Golden Ring - and countryside. The Trans-Siberian Railway to Irkutsk [Lake Baikal] will require at least 5 days. Main Russia Festivals Guide : 25 Dec- 5 Jan, Russian Winter is celebrated with traditional activities such as music, dance, sleigh rides, folk shows. New Year's Eve tends to be a family/friends occasion, so not wildly exciting. late Feb-early March, Goodbye Russian Winter, as above. Easter Sunday, Moscow, procession and service in stunning Kolomenskoe [Orthodox] church. April/May, Moscow Music Spring Festival , classical music. May 9, Victory Day Parade, Moscow. A stirring military procession. June, the White Nights arts festival is St Petersburg's liveliest event. April/May, St Petersburg Music Spring Festival , classical music. For some precise dates, more suggestions and information see: Colourful Festivals or European Festivals Activities Guide: The country is spacious - to say the least - and outdoor activities are popular but facilities and safety measures can be primitive so get specialist advice before undertaking anything halfway dangerous. Hiking: There is no shortage of excellent trekking terrain, just a shortage of marked trails or maps, so extracting information from locals regularly is essential, and as a consequence a few words of the language are vital. Either that or get a good guide. Lake Baikal [see Russia travel favourites, right], the Elbrus area of the Caucasus, west Ural Mountains and Altay Mountains are prime targets. Check the travel safety situation . White Water rafting: The Katun River in the Altay Republic, Vladisvostok and Kamchatka. Climbing: The Elbrus area of the Caucasus are superb but get specialist advice before arriving in Russia, safety aspects included . Cycling: roads are often in bad shape, cars and drivers even worse shape, but bike travel can still be rewarding, with care, a tough bike and essential spares. Local hospitality is tremendous. Canoeing: rivers can be heavily polluted so inland water travel is difficult to recommend, though the Volga River delta is supposed to be alive and delightful, while the coasts up north offer prospects of isolated adventure. Boat cruises: either on posh tourist boats or cheap, dilapidated Russian craft. The main highway is the Volga River and boats go to/from Moscow, Novgorod, Volgograd and many other attractive cities. Volgograd to Rostov-Don is supposed to be the most interesting section. June-September only. Fishing: mostly salmon out east e.g. from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. Skiing: Cross country skiing is traditionally more popular than down-hill skiing; snowboarding is becoming increasingly popular and heli-skiing is available and remarkably good value. There are more than a hundred ski areas, many of which need modernisation, though some resorts in the Caucasus Mountains offer good facilities and comfortable accommodation. For instance, Cheget in the Baksan Valley offers challenging runs, including the longest of 2.5 km; or Mount Elbus - Europe's highest peak at 5,642m [1,8513 ft] - hosts one of Russia's largest resorts, Prielbrusye. There are at least 20 ski slopes within 50 miles of Moscow and some can even be reached by metro! Ice Skating: Possibly the country's most popular pastime with frozen lakes and outdoor rinks all over during the long winter and even indoor rinks open in the summer. Inexpensive and very cheerful. Banya bathing: this Russian style sauna is a good way to experience authentic Russian social life, particularly if you are a graduate of an old British public school where extreme heat, cold and beatings were a way of life. There are banyas everywhere, ranging from appallingly dilapidated to highly polished. The Trans-Siberian Railway This week long, non-stop 10,000km [6,000mls] or so ride travels from Moscow to either: - Vladivostok on Russia's Pacific coast. - via Mongolia to Beijing. - via Manchuria and Harbin to Beijing. This is reputedly one of the world's great train journeys but does not necessarily deliver a comfortable or fascinating experience for everyone. Downside: - there are no showers, except for a few lucky 1st class travelers. - conditions will be cramped. - dining car food will be abysmal. - the scenery is mainly dull, tending towards endless forests and grassy plains, interspersed with the occasional log cabin, log village or vast lake. The train stops for 10 minutes a few times a day, leaving no time to explore, just time to aquire emergency supplies from the platform. - As a consequence, life on the train is paramount, and this depends on various factors coming together. Is your car attendant cordial? Are your fellow passengers interesting? Does anyone snore? Do you mind living off fairly basic food for six days? Can you happily stare out of a dirty window looking at birch trees for hours on end? Is TV an integral part of your life? Do you have a good selection of books with you? Do you like vodka? And so on... Upside: - you can arrange to take a stop over at key points en route, for example attractive Irkutsk [see Russia travel favourites, right] and nearby huge, mountain-hemmed Lake Baikal. Siberian timber buildings are often charming, colourfully decorated and carved. - due to the fame of the train and the number of serious travellers on it there will almost always be someone interesting you can find to chat to for days , though a good companion and a monster picnic hamper [loaded with - you've guessed - vodka] would be a useful starting point. - if you are actually going east/west for a purpose - such as for work in Japan or China - you will be saving the air fare. Train Survival hints: - don't drink the tap water. A samovar [hot water pot] in each carriage supplies sterile water. - clean your window to improve views and photos. - stand well clear when flushing the toilet , it can backfire if the train travels at speed. - learn a few key Russian phrases to charm your surly attendants. - take lots of vodka with you . You can buy some snacks, fruit, cigarettes etc during 15 minute stops at stations, but no alcohol, and you will be doing a lot of socialising! Russia Travel Star Guide: Monuments **** Shopping and souvenirs *** Walkability *** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value *** Beaches black sea Wildlife * Landscape *** Local People **** Architecture **** Safety ** Nightlife and Clubbing ***** Health Problems ** Museums ***** Why Travel to Russia? This vast and diverse country, occupying the top chunk of a continent all the way from Poland to Japan - and a big chunk of world history too - demands travel attention. The architecture is both glorious and hideous, the history is monstrous, the art is sensational and the people can be touchingly friendly . Absurd Fabergé eggs? Extraordinary onion domes? Caviar crepe? Yes, please. A hard day's White Night in St Petersburg? Slamming vodka with your taxi driver? Da! Big , brutal, beautiful and intriguing, Russia is an enigma that's got to be sampled by any serious traveller. Downside: - Accommodation is hardly cheap if comfort is an issue, though plenty of budget options are available. - Hygiene can be a problem. - Officials are often unpleasantly boorish . - Crime and corruption in the cities requires an ever-open eye . - Despite the size of the country, internal flights are unreliable and Russian airlines have the world's worst safety record. Some Russia tra vel favourites: 1] ***Moscow, a diverse and interesting city with masses of history, action and must-see spectacles, though not on the same planet as St Petersburg for elegance. See Moscow Travel Guide . 2] ***St Petersburg , one of the world's most beautiful cities, with many splendid buildings and museums, including the spectacular Hermitage, with a sophisticated service industry. See St Petersburg Travel Guide . 3] ***Novgorod, 190 km [118mls] south of St Petersburg , an important political and artistic centre from the 9th century and still holds a wide and varied collection of magnificent structures including Russia's oldest cathedral, frescoes galore, and plenty of glorious oddities. 4]***The Golden Ring,a few hours travel northeast of Moscow, are a collection of attractive historic towns dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. These can be visited on day trips, but better, hire a car or join a boat with a guide and take your time to enjoy: ***Suzdal , the most important town in the Golden Ring, Suzdal used be a political and religious centre and has more than fifty quaint and well-preserved old structures. About 210km [131 mls] from Moscow. It is a major tourist attraction, yet still retains an enchanting, pre-Soviet atmosphere. **Vladimir is famed for its Golden Gate and two splendid cathedrals. About 180km [112 mls] from Moscow. **Rostov. This quiet, rustic town offers the usual churches but also a lovely lake and spectacular kremlin. **Yaroslavl is much bigger than other towns in the Ring but totally crammed with gorgeous churches, if you haven't seen enough. 250kms [156mls] from Moscow. 5] **Irkutsk , the 'Paris of Siberia', is a long way from anywhere except Mongolia, but is on the Trans-Siberian train route [see more info left] and well worth a stop-off. The city is mostly charming, with considerable Chinese influence and some magnificent architecture, including typically elaborate Siberian 'gingerbread' houses. Another of Irkutsk's attractions is the proximity to lovely, 636km [398mls] long Lake Baikal where hiking, biking, horse trekking, fishing and boating are big time. The north end is the most beautiful and isolated. Listvyanka village is a popular place to stay for tourists. 6] ***Cruising the Volga River via some superb old towns like Kazan [ancient Tatar city], Shiryaeva and Ulyanovsk [Lenin's birthplace]. See Boat cruises, left. 7]**Black Sea, Sochi. This is a Russian beach resort town with a warm climate and sophisticated health spas [sanatoria], with beaches and tennis courts, scenically situated at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. 8] ** Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains is a pretty, pleasant city except perhaps for Tsar Nick II and his family who met their end here and the USA's U2 spy pilot who was shot down in the area. The place offers excellent architecture, museums, entertainment and access to the Urals for varied activities. Cuisine Guide: You can eat well and inexpensively nowadays, especially in cafés and fast food places in the cities. Do choose places that look clean and are busy , poor hygiene could result in intestinal blowout. Moscow and St Petersburg in particular have seen an astronomical growth in cafés, bars and restaurants, including classic Chinese, Japanese and Italian offerings, western fast food chains and traditional Russian cuisine . Russian food tends to be rich and on the heavy side in winter , such as meaty dumplings, meaty cabbage rolls, cabbage soup with sour cream, and the national icons - borscht [beetroot soup], blinis [pancakes] and caviar, while lighter foods like superb soups and salads are around in the summer . Avoid eating shellfish except in St Petersburg and street ice cream anywhere. Drinks: We all know the varied pleasures of vodka, particularly drunk chilled and in one gulp, but Russia also does a fine line in local beers with lively flavours, good champagne, not such good wine , passable tea and effective coffee. Russians love to press drinks on foreigners so prepare your excuses now. Or practice chugging. Accommodation guide: You are supposed to have a place booked in order to get a tourist visa . There's a wide range of accommodation from luxury hotels at silly prices to cheapish hostels at around $20 pn, but it's important to book well ahead for the June-September season. Private home stays are widespread , giving the tourist relatively good value rooms and a close look at real Russian life. The downside is that the place may be out of the way, the bed lumpy and the morning-after breakfast provider in-your-face during your recovery time. Camping is fine in many places though - as usual - check with locals before bedding down. Organised camping sites are rare and usually open mid-June to mid-September. Russia Tours Tour operators offering travel to Russia can be found in our listings here: Russia Tours For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Map of Europe Travel Safety: Travel to Chechenya and the north Caucasus is not recommended; check the Foreign Office site or tour operators for up-to-date warnings. Otherwise stay on the regular tourist routes. Don't flash your cash! Pickpocketing and bag filching may occur on crowded public transport while hotel rooms are by no means thief-proof. Lock everything into your bags before leaving the room and use a safe deposit if there is one. Take care with taxis. Don't get in if there is anyone other than the driver inside, and don't necessarily trust the driver. See Safety page. Travel Health: Do not drink Russian tap water , not even for cleaning your teeth. Check you are up to date with all jabs, and consider including vaccinations for diptheria, typhoid, hepatitis A and B. A flu jab is also useful if you plan to travel to Russia in spring or autumn when the bugs are rampant. Foreigners usually prefer to be treated at private clinics, which are very costly. Get Insurance! Costs: Russia can be good value if you don't mind slightly crude accommodation and eat/drink at local establishments rather than typical tourist places. Change money for roubles only at official exchanges or banks. Cash is easier to change than travellers cheques. Tipping: About 10% to taxi drivers and 10-15% to waiters in restaurants. Electricity : Electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin plugs. Internet: There are masses of reasonably priced web cafés in bigger cities. Local travel: The big cities have good metro and bus services at low prices . Locals enjoy life as illegal taxi drivers for extra cash. Beware though, some are pure evil, others wonderful, hospitable guides. Hitch-hiking is common for Russians but not advisable for tourists . Intercity travel: Trains connecting Moscow to St Petersburg are common, efficient and inexpensive . The Aurora day train takes 6 hours, the evening train 4 hours. Passenger boats are common between cities - tho' slow - including Moscow to St Pete. For exploring the countryside around big cities consider car hire, with or without a driver/guide. It's not expensive and very convenient. International travel: Moscow and St Petersburg are both easy to reach from many European cities by fast, efficient trains and buses ; other Russia cities are more difficult to access directly. Language: Some locals speak English, French, or German but ability to recognise the Cyrillic alphabet and a few words of Russian would really help your experience along. Visas: All visitors need a visa which needs a hotel/hostel booking . 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