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Top Tourist Attractions in Europe -- European City Tours The Essential Sights and Attractions in Europe's Cities Where else can you experience fine food, exquisite art, architectural splendour and world-class museums? Europe's top destinations of London , Paris , Rome , Amsterdam and Venice .... offer all of this and more. If you've been there, done that take a look at some of the other exciting tour options in the popular cities of: Athens , Barcelona , Berlin , Brussels , Budapest , Copenhagen , Madrid , Munich , Prague or Vienna . If you'd rather do a self-guided tour of Europe's famous museum's, be sure to arm yourself with a copy of Rick Steeves' Mona Winks . Getting Around Europe Europe Through The Back Door -- 2005 : Includes itinerary planning, what form of transportation is best for you, sleeping and eating cheap, packing light, doing laundry, how to avoid theft and rip-offs, travel photography, communicating in a language you don't understand, using the phones for local and long-distance calls, keeping healthy while travelling, and advice for women travelling alone. Europe by Air : Each Europe by Air Ticket costs only $99 (plus tax) and can bring you to nearly 100 cities in over 20 countries, with more than a dozen participating airlines. Europe by Rail : For the budget-minded, overnight trains are a great way to save on accommodation, and you'll wake up in a new city, or even a new country. The romantic can enjoy a lakeside breakfast on the move, with views of snow-covered mountain peaks. European Driving Distances : Driving distances between major European destinations. How Many Air Miles : Interactive Distances between major world cities, in miles or kilometres. Eurolines : Eurolines connects over 500 cities in 25 European countries and offers travellers the freedom to explore Europe at their own pace, in the greatest comfort and the lowest price possible. Europe Travellers Enjoy Europe : Rather than a guidebook, John Bermont's How To Europe (out of print -- check availability ) is a practical handbook for Americans planning a trip to Europe. It is essential reading for first-time travellers and will probably enlighten and amuse even experienced Europhiles . Some chapters are available online. London to Athens : Nicole Liu's account of a Contiki tour through Europe. A pleasant little online journey, stopping at: London, Paris, Lucerne, Munich, Hopfgarten, Venice, Florence, Rome, Corfu and Athens. Cruising Europe's Waterways Go Barging : All inclusive luxury cruise barge vacations in Europe. Gourmet meals, private tours and transportation provided. Adventure cruises include special golf cruises and horse riding cruises. Europe Weather Satellite View of Europe's Weather : How's the cloud cover over the European continent? Weather Map : One of our favourite weather maps. Colourful aerial view of weather formations over Europe and north Africa. European History European History : If you're interested in European history, Eurodocs has a reviewed list of links to primary historical documents from Western Europe. Christmas Traditions Rick Steves' European Christmas : From England to Norway, Burgundy to Bavaria, and Rome to the top of the Swiss Alps, Rick Steves' European Christmas gets you a seat at the family feast, up in the loft with the finest choirs, and into the kitchen with grandma and her best-kept holiday secrets. With enchanting photos and more than a dozen recipes, this great gift book captures the spirit of the season perfectly. After producing a hundred travel shows, Rick Steves and his public television crew finally went to Europe for Christmas. And the cameras were rolling. As only they can, Rick and his gang brought home a vivid and authentic portrait of how Europeans celebrate the holiday. This book is the companion to that PBS special. From Yule logs to mistletoe, from singing shepherds to the split personalities of Santa, from traditional recipes to the top ten ways to celebrate in Paris, you'll learn something new -- or old -- about Christmas in Europe . Europe Travel Forum : From Albania to Vatican City, Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, Europe is culturally eclectic and full of lavish history. Join us in the travel forums if you have a question about Europe or would like to share your experiences about travelling or living in Europe. The Internet TravelNotes.org Europe Through The Back Door Flight Tickets : Save money on Round The World flight tickets. 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Travel Stories - My European Vacation Home Hostels Tours InfoZone Community Home » Community » Travel Stories » My European Vacation MyAccount | Support Centre | Site Map In the Community... Community Home Travel Diaries Start a new Diary Travel Stories Travel Gurus Message Boards Log In Log in to your account to review past bookings, change your profile, become a travel guru and much more. Email: Password: Forgot your password? Not a member? Sign up here The ULTIMATE backpacker information exchange Travel Stories • Backpackers! Adventure Calling.. • The Shrimp Tax • Sleeping in Pamplona • Chile, the country and Santiag.. • Road to No Man's Land • Run Through the Jungle: • Andorra's Box • Mexico - 48 hours in Puerto Es.. • More Travel Stories Our Price Promise We offer you the best internet rate made available by the hostel. We do not mark up this rate so you can be confident that booking here is as cheap as it gets! close window lowest prices guaranteed Read Our Price Promise We accept the following cards Travel Stories My European Vacation By Denise Cassino I finally finished reading the last page of Micheners novel The Drifters, a story about six young people traveling through Europe in the late sixties. I closed the book and bit my bottom lip. I simply had to find a way to go to Europe. My heart ached with a yearning to see the world. I had been an English major/history minor in college and had studied the continent for years. Now I was determined to see them first hand. I contacted my old college roommate, Ellen, and set a plan I quit my job, borrowed $500 to supplement my savings and flew off to Europe for a six-week sojourn. We were nearing the end of a near perfect trip with only a week or so remaining before I would head for home. We had driven The Romantic Road through Germany, partaken in the revelry of Oktoberfest in Munich, woven our way through the high peaks of the Alps in a VW bus, ridden a Gondola across the Grand Canal in Venice, stared at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and even had a brief romance with two American brothers. Ellen had been forced by the powers that ruled her pocketbook to return home two weeks earlier than me, and now I was traveling with an affable Australian girl named Robyn who we had met in Venice and had previously been a solo traveler. Now, the two of us stood on the port side of the huge ship and gazed out from the top deck at the starlit sky above the Port of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. A statue of Cristobal Columbo (Christopher Columbus) peered down at us as we swore to sate our wanderlust ever after and reveled in our high adventure. We were on our way to the Balearic Islands, the island of Ibiza, to be exact, (pronounced Ibitha to the well-traveled tourist) and had secured a cabin on the ship for the nights trip. The ship and cabin were Spartan, and at first light, we disembarked and set foot on terra firma. The island, which had been touted as the happening spot for young people, was tiny and, aside from the ancient fortress and village around a small seaport, was mainly dry, brushy and agricultural. We wandered down the narrow, cobblestone streets amidst the tourists and the locals who were going about the business of daily living, baskets on their shoulders and bicycles laden with goods. The smiling proprietors of small cafes beckoned weary wayfarers like us to partake of their fine wine and vittles Hola, Senoritas! As the day wore on, our backpacks grew heavy and we stopped at a hand-painted sign offering a room. A dark Spanish woman, swarthy and a bit thick through the middle, took us through a door that opened directly off the street and then up a steep staircase. At the top was a small, Spartan foyer with four or five doors presumably leading to guest rooms. She opened a set of flimsy double doors, which didnt quite meet in the middle due to some sort of chopping at the space between them. The gap was now about three quarters of an inch wide and would have revealed to anyone who chose to look, the entire contents and characters within (along with the content of their characters, perhaps). To prevent just such chicanery a faded piece of cloth was hung on the inside of the door - a curtain, as it were. We surveyed the room with a jaded eye having already experienced the drill of expecting more from a room than we ever got during our extended tour of Europe. This one was a bargain at a buck and a half per night and was worth every peseta. The plaster was chipping and the chenille bedspreads were mismatched and worn. The curtains on the door that led to a small balcony overlooking the main street had seen better days, but we paid the small sum and dropped our packs to rest our travel-weary bodies while we sipped some local red wine. As evening approached our tummies rumbled so we changed into our other set of clothing and headed for the nearest restaurant for some more vino and una comida. Robin had discovered an interesting spot in Europe on $5 a day, so we located it and ventured in for dinner. A loaf of hot, homemade bread and a steaming bowl of succulent Paella filled with sumptuous shrimp, clams and rice were placed before us by a smiling Spanish waiter, and we ate with gusto, juice dripping down our chins. Soon after dinner, our explorations led us to an American style discotheque complete with black lights and flashing neon. We worked our way through the crowd looking for a seat and managed to squeeze into a spot near the bar to watch the tourists mingle with the locals. Scantily clad bodies gyrated to the beat of the outdated American tunes that blasted from the rickety jukebox. We Americans tourists stood out in a crowd with our sturdy walking shoes and nondescript clothing. I had packed two pairs of trousers, two sweaters, two tee-shirts, five pair of underpants, three pairs of socks and a down coat. My hair was cut as short as it had ever been for the ease of sink shampoos in cold water. Robyn looked like a Spaniard with thick, dark hair and tawny skin and a Rubenesque figure. Our apparel only seemed to draw attention to us, and we moved uneasily away from the gaze of more than one dark stranger who seemed to be assessing his prey. We mingled as only young twenty-something girls can do meeting an array of people ranging from strange to fascinating and by 2am or so my body begged for sleep. I said goodnight and left Robyn in the company of several young men and wandered back the short distance to the room (okay, maybe I staggered a little) and flopped into the lumpy bed for a deep doze enhanced by the abundance of red wine I had imbibed. Not long after, I was awakened suddenly by Robyns harsh Aussie whisper in my ear. Wake up! Wake up! Someones trying to break into our room! I jumped up rather unsteadily and approached the door with my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I beat against the door with my fist and hollered, Go away, get out of here! Who knows, in the heat of the moment, I may even have shouted Vamoose! Silence. We looked at one another and reluctantly crawled back into bed leaving the light on, hoping the would-be intruder had vanished into the night. But soon, I awoke to bloodcurdling screams coming from Robyn who sat bolt upright in her bed. I sat up and began screaming too, and saw a dark man turn and flee from the room leaving the two doors wide open and the curtain inside flapping between them. We continued to scream for a few more rounds until an Englishman arrived at our door dressed only in thin, cotton pants. What is the problem? he asked in his clipped British accent while rubbing his eyes. We saw . . . there was . . . someone tried . . . we panted breathlessly as we managed to reveal our plight and cause for such abject terror. He listened patiently and then said, It was probably just some Spaniard trying to rape you. Is that so terrible? We were stunned by his stiff upper lip approach to this whole scenario, but were deeply grateful when he offered to leave his two huge dogs with us for the remainder of the night. Stay, he said and they curled up between the two beds and went to sleep. However, we lay awake, eyes wide, contemplating who, why, when and where, terrified that the stranger would return to rape and pillage. We couldnt wait for morning when we quickly packed our belongings and departed. We ventured warily into the street, scanning each face wondering about the stranger who might recognize and be following us, but whom we would not recognize if we fell over him. We found some good American fellows we had met the night before and told them of our intruder. They quickly offered to share their room until the ship returned two days later, and we slept on the floor of their room, honest! Thoughts ran wildly through our minds as we relived the horrifying experience, but the only viable answer we found was that perhaps the man had followed Robyn from the disco thinking she was alone. When he burst into the room, hit the curtain and was assailed by two screaming banshees, he likely panicked and fled, forgetting his original intent. By the time the ship was ready to depart, we were exhausted and more than ready to say goodbye to the little island that had become little more than a frightening place. As I lay in my berth aboard ship that night chasing sleep, a tiny gnawing pain had begun to grow in the pit of my stomach. When we arrived in Barcelona, chills and fever had replaced the pain, but I persevered. We were anxious to board the overnight train to Paris but soon found ourselves sharing a small sleeping compartment with four other people of mixed race and gender. I was in the middle berth with my head near the door. As passengers entered the compartment, their faces were at my eyelevel, and I could smell their body odor and garlic breath, which only worsened my condition. I rotated from one end of the bed to the other where I could open the window and breathe a bit of fresh air. As the chills shook me, I donned all my clothing from my backpack only to quickly remove them as the fever and sweats returned. By the time we reached Paris, I had a full- blown case of the touristas, otherwise known as amoebic dysentery. Well, I wont go into the sordid details of the last few days of my trip. Lets just say, given the quality and texture of Parisian toilet paper, I was very glad when the morning came for me to board a train to Luxembourg for my flight home. I said goodbye to Robyn, descended the five flights of stairs at the Hotel Cluny on the left bank of the Seine and ventured out to hail a cab. I hailed and waved and shouted, but none stopped. Finally, I returned to the room where Robyn informed me that I must go to a cabstand, but now I had missed my train and, possibly, my flight home. My only choice was a plane. Low on funds, I borrowed the necessary amount for airfare from Robyn. Once aboard the transatlantic flight, I watched with empathy and pity a poor girl lying across three seats, literally green from her trip across the English Channel in a boat. With problems of my own, I dozed and dreamed of all the foods I couldnt wait to indulge in when I got back to the States, dysentery be damned. We played the food game with many of the Americans we met on our trip. Some wanted a grilled beefsteak with French fries; others craved bacon and eggs. I longed for my mothers juicy meatloaf and a crispy baked potato with butter. When my 8-hour flight finally landed, I was met by my mother and step-dad to whom I must have written at least two postcards during my six-week adventure. As we climbed in the car, my mom turned to me and said, I hope youre hungry. Ive got meatloaf and baked potatoes for dinner. I sighed with pleasure and snuggled happily into the back seat, wondering if it was just a fluke or a classic case of mothers intuition. 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Central America Travel Books

Central America travel books, guides - Map Town Ltd. Buy a travel book or guide for Central America. Home Maps Canadian Topo Etopo Digital Maps World Maps Wall Maps Maps of Canada Maps of USA Maps by Country Michelin Maps Freytag & Berndt Delorme Maps USA Topo Mexico Topo Aeronautical Maps World Aviation Nautical Charts Digital Maps GPS GPS Units GPS Accessories GPS Software Globes Floor Models Desktop Models Specialty Globes Inflatables Books Alberta and BC Lonely Planet Books by Country Aviation Books Nautical Books Accessories Map Accessories Services Laminating Scanning Reference World Facts Conversions Topofinder Site Map Special Order Feedback How to Search Web Cams Central America Travel Books and Guides Central America covers the area from Belize and Guatemala to the southern border of Panama. Travel to these seven countries has grown tremendously in the last ten years. You can take in the sun on the beaches, go shopping or hike through the jungle to ancient ruins. Map Town features several Central America travel guides. Buy a travel book of Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala or even Panama. If you require a Central America travel book, Map Town has guides for the whole region. Buy a travel guide for Central America to ensure you get the most out of your holiday. Please click here for Central America Regional Travel Books Central America Country Maps Belize Travel Book Costa Rica Travel Book El Salvador Travel Book Guatemala Travel Book Honduras Travel Book Mexico Travel Book Nicaragua Travel Book Panama Travel Book Please click here for Maps of Central America Back to the Continental Listing Central America is considered to consist of the seven republics of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama (1990 est. pop. 29,000,000). The mountains of North Central America are an extension of the mountain system of Western North America while the ranges of South Central America are outliers of the Andes Mountains of South America. The middle portion of Central America is an active zone of volcanoes and earthquakes; it contains the Nicaragua Depression, which includes lakes Managua and Nicaragua. Tajumulco (4,210 m/13,846 feet), a volcano in Guatemala, is the region's highest peak. Central America's climate varies with altitude from tropical to cool. The eastern side of the region receives heavy rainfall. Bananas, coffee, and cacao are the chief crops of Central America, and gold and silver are mined there. The economies of the countries in the region are becoming increasingly diversified, although agriculture is still the largest employer. Quick Search Search View Thumbnails Text List Products Per Page 10 20 50 100 100 - 400 5 Ave SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 0L6 Email: maps@maptown.com Ph. #: (403)266-2241 Fax #: (403)266-2356 Toll Free Ph #: (1-877-921-6277) Toll Free Fax #: (1-877-776-2356) Hours of Operation: 8:00am - 6:00pm MST Monday - Friday 10:00am - 5:00pm MST Saturdays

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Vacation Rentals, Holiday Rentals, Vacation Rental Home and Condo Rentals Worldwide | PerfectPlaces.com Vacation Rentals, Holiday Rentals, Vacation Home and Condo Rentals Worldwide Choose from over 5000 Vacation Rentals! Click on the world map to view vacation rentals in that region: Finding Vacation Rentals: PerfectPlaces.com has specialized in helping travelers find qualityvacation and holiday rentals around the world since 1996. Properties include homes, villas,condos, cottages, cabins and bed and breakfasts. Try our advanced vacation rental search to search by travel dates and destinations. Listings for vacationrentals include detailed descriptions, pictures, availability,pricing and owner/manager contact information. Review our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on finding and booking vacation rentals. Advertising Vacation Rentals: Property Owners and Managers canlist vacation rental homes, villas, condos, cottages, cabins and bed and breakfastswithin minutes using our vacation rental management tools. Give your vacationrental property exposure to 1000s of potential guests visiting PerfectPlaces.com each day. Worldwide Vacation Rental Destinations: Africa · Asia · Australia and South Pacific · Caribbean · Central America · Europe · Middle East · North America ( Canada , Mexico , United States )· South America European Vacation Rental Destinations: Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Estonia · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Ireland · Italy · Malta · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Russia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Switzerland · Turkey · Ukraine · United Kingdom-England · United Kingdom-Scotland · United Kingdom-Wales United States Vacation Rental Destinations: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · Wisconsin · Wyoming Featured Vacation Rental Orlando Disney World, Florida: 5 Bedroom Golf Club Villa Owners/Managers of Vacation Rentals Introductory Three Month Free Trial! Owners and Managers: add your vacation rentals and start finding new customers today! Click here to list your vacation property View Vacation Rentals by Interest Snow Skiing Golfing Tennis Hiking Boating Pet Friendly Fishing Hunting Scuba Diving Horses Water Skiing View by Accommodation Type Bed and Breakfast Cottage Rentals Villa Rentals Apartment Rentals Holiday Rentals Gites for Rent Condo Rentals Vacationers: Have questions? Click here for our vacation rental FAQ page View PerfectPlaces.com site map © 1996 - 2005 Perfect Places, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact Customer Service

Russia Travelogues for Russia

Russia Travel Pictures | Russia Travel Photos Russia Travel resources, links and information for Russia. Click on the thumbnails to read stories and see travel pictures. Book a hostel Book Youth hostels in Russia Fly your way! Book your flight to Russia online - saving 40% or more! Other countries: Andorra Austria Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Liechtenstein Lithuania Malta Monaco Norway Poland Portugal Romania Spain Sweden Switzerland The Netherlands Turkey United Kingdom Vatican City Child of the Soviet Empire, Russia is still an enormous country which could already take a lifetime to explore. The capital nowadays is a mix of proud Russian culture and new cruel market economy life. Stories and pictures: Moscow Useful travel links: Book your hotel in Russia Weather Lonely Planet Russian homestays Directory and Guide to Russia Travelogues for Russia Currency exchange Many more links on Russia ! Suggest a site Go directly to: Africa Asia Europe North America Oceania South America Join our mailinglist: If you want to be updated about developments at Around the World in 80 Clicks, subscribe! Your E-mail address: Travel Forum Join others in discussions on Europe Also on this site: read and sign the guestbook send us your suggestions ! send this site to a friend read about the background of this site publications on this site meet new friends for travel, dating or just fun! Around the World in 80 Clicks All rights reserved - www.traveladventures.org - 1999-2005 Share your comments