European Vacation By Ray

10 Money-Saving Tips for Your European Vacation Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living As seen in Transitions Abroad Magazine March/April 2001 Related Topics Back Door Travel with Rick Steves Budget Travel Related Articles Europe’s Online Travel Deals Cheap Travel in Europe Ricks Steves' Thrifty Fifty: How to Make Your Dollars and Sense Carry You Further in Europe Ricks Steves' Dirty Thirty: More Tips on How to Make Your Dollars, Euros, and Pounds Stretch 10 Money-Saving Tips for Your European Vacation By Ray Bangs Traveling cheaply is not just about saving a few francs, it is really about getting a better value for your money. Eat like the locals and you will save big bucks. Food and drink costs add up. For breakfast, a cup of coffee, a roll, assorted cold cuts, and a piece of fruit from the local market can be very reasonable. For lunch, try a picnic. Even in winter you may find Europeans unpacking a sandwich in the park. Choose the fixed menu and the house wine. Restaurants usually offer two or three choices that highlight some of the house specialties. Spend the night on a train. Your long-haul transportation and accommodations are taken both care of and you gain one more day for exploration. Bring a meal and snacks with you, since the dining car prices are often outrageous. Water is essential and will help you avoid that hangover effect if you do not sleep well. If you decide against the sleeper-car, an inflatable neck-pillow is important. Buy the postcard. Instead of snapshots of the Eiffel Tower take pictures of your friends and the people you meet. Keeping the rolls of film in a Ziploc bag will allow you to safely transport them back to the U.S. where developing costs are much less. Digital cameras are another eco- and wallet-friendly option, as long as you have some means of recharging the battery. Send an email instead. At a dollar each, the cost of mailing postcards can add up. Try to get everyone’s email address before you go, then at every city send a group email from an Internet café. If you are using a digital camera, you could even send that photo of you trying to distract the Buckingham Palace guards. It’s nice to receive emails from the people who write back to you as you travel. Try to speak the language and meet the locals. Everything can cost more than it should when you are unfamiliar with the currency, the customs, and the language. Following the advice of locals beats following the guidebooks. Use your credit card and get cash at ATMs. You will get a much better exchange rate and not have to pay conversion fees. Buy prepaid phone cards. In Europe these are available at any market or kiosk. Plan your souvenir budget. The little sew-on patches, stickers, or postcards are inexpensive mementos. If you simply must have a replica of Julius Caesar’s bust, remember that the further away from the Coliseum you go, the cheaper it will be. Get the discounted price. A student ID card can help you get the best prices on everything from museums to hotels. Joining a hostel association is worth the small investment. In the larger cities, an inexpensive public transportation ticket will allow you to enjoy the tour at your own pace. RAY BANGS lived for two years in Europe before moving to Tempe, AZ. He is planning a move back to Europe. Contact him at RCBangs@hotmail.com . Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living Disclaimer ©Transitions Abroad

Family Vacation

Johnson Family Vacation Johnson Family Vacation Watching Johnson Family Vacation is like watching somebody's vacation videos - there is a feeling of being trapped, stuck at the mercy of whoever is narrating their boring experiences. The difference is that this is a movie, and one can leave the theater. Even better, don't go to the theater in the first place to watch this movie. It's not bad; it's just so derivative and uninspired that it's dull, which is especially disheartening given some of the talent in front of the camera. This is Cedric the Entertainer's ( Barbershop 2: Back in Business , Intolerable Cruelty ) first outing as the star of a film, and it was a serious mistake on his part. He plays Nate Johnson, insurance salesman and family man. The Johnsons are crossing the country from the Los Angeles suburbs to Missouri, site of the Johnson family reunion. Of course, everything that can go wrong along the way does, but that's okay, since everything will be peachy at the end. First, Nate is separated from his wife Dorothy (Vanessa Williams, Shaft , Light It Up ), but oddly enough, she lives literally right down the street. She had career aspirations, and apparently Nate disagreed with them. Still, for their kids, she agrees to go. So Nate, Dorothy, Nikki (Solange Knowles, sister of Beyonce), DJ (Bow Wow, Like Mike , All About the Benjamins ), and little Destiny (Gabby Soleil) pack into Nate's mistakenly tricked out SUV and head off across the county. The nature of the movie is episodic, and for better or worse (WORSE), the script by Todd R. Jones and Earl Richey Jones unfolds this way. Each state brings a new wacky adventure for the family, and they slowly begin bonding along the way. An episodic movie is not inherently bad, but director Christopher Erskin haphazardly strings all the various misadventure together, and then drops any sort of meaningful plot development that is supposed to tie all these things together. Along the way, they pick up a goofy hitchhiker (Shannon Elizabeth, Love Actually , 13 Ghosts ), stop by an Indian reservation, Nate gets stuck naked in a jacuzzi, and other random comedy bits strewn together with no rhyme or reason. The other diversions are so forgettable they aren't even worth mentioning. Waiting at the reunion is Nate's brother Mack (Steve Harvey, You Got Served , Love Don't Cost a Thing ), who is constant competition with Nate for the attention of their mother. He has also won the family of the year award at the reunion for a number of years running. And, Nate's mother doesn't know he is separated. Cedric the Entertainer is a wildly funny comedian. Not here. It feels like Erskin slipped him a sedative, then told him to start performing. The script gives him nothing to work with, and he seems too bored to make an effort to make bland material watchable. Other actors like Williams and Harvey can be appealing, but here Williams is also bland and Harvey is annoying. The Jones' are content to rely on bathroom material to wake up the viewers instead of doing anything memorable. Bow Wow acts like he is trying to hard, and all that Knowles does is bat her eyelashes and roll her eyes in disgust. Maybe the latter is from watching her own movie. Haro Rates It: Pretty Bad. 1 hour, 36 minutes, Rated PG-13 for some sexual references, crude humor and brief drug material. Back to Movies HOME MOVIES MUSIC ADVICE CAREERS ADULT HISTORY CONTACT

Travel Guide

Lonely Planet: the world's best guidebooks, travel advice and information text express | help about us WORLDGUIDE SHOP THORN TREE FORUM TRAVEL SERVICES TRAVEL TICKER THEME GUIDES ON THE ROAD POSTCARDS TRAVEL LINKS ABOUT US HELP FEEDBACK Bollywood or Bust The beat of Bollywood is pulsing through traveller Michaela Gordon's veins. Will she find a costume? Will she become a star? Will she get paid enough to pay rent? Read it › RELATED WorldGuide: Mumbai ; Shop: Six Degrees Mumbai Photo Feature - Best of blogs 2005 It was a year of pot-bellied men in pyjamas clutching revolvers, gifts of sour horse milk and folk being mistaken for kiwi fruits. Check out our top picks. See it › RELATED On the Road: Blogs ; Shop: The Travel Book Untitled Document Japan Ancient and modern, spiritual and sleek. Japan is a tale of two countries both of which inspire and delight. Buy it › Promo Totally, utterly, completely free delivery. Yours with minimum purchase. 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Spain Travel

Spain Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Spain Spain The Spanish passion for living is deliciously contagious. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Events Transport Money General RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Spain Alicante Andalucia Balearic Islands Barcelona Gibraltar Granada Ibiza Madrid Malaga Mallorca Murcia San Sebastián Seville Valencia View Map Click here Feature Attraction Alcázar Let your imagination run wild with Rapunzel towers, turrets topped with slate witches' hats and a deeeeep moat. Visiting this castle, the inspiration ... more Once away from the holiday costas, you could only be in Spain. In the cities, narrow twisting old streets suddenly open out to views of daring modern architecture, while spit-and-sawdust bars serving wine from the barrel rub shoulders with blaring, glaring discos. Travel is easy, accommodation plentiful, the climate benign, the people relaxed, the beaches long and sandy, the food and drink easy to come by and full of regional variety. More than 50 million foreigners a year visit Spain, yet you can also travel for days and hear nothing but Spanish. When To Go Spain can be enjoyable any time of year.The ideal months to visit are May, June andSeptember (plus April and October in thesouth). At these times you can rely on good-to-excellent weather, yet avoid the extreme heat - and the main crush ofSpanish and foreign tourists - of July andAugust. But there's decent weather in some partsof Spain virtually year round. Winter alongthe southern and southeastern Mediterraneancoasts is mild, while in the height ofsummer you can retreat to the northwest, tobeaches or high mountains anywhere to escapeexcessive heat.The best festivals are mostly concentratedbetween Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) and Septemberto October. Factoid Pablo Ruiz? Spaniards have three names: a given name ( nombre ), and two surnames ( apellidos ). The first surname is the persons' father's first surname, the second is the mother's first surname. So Picasso's full name was Pablo Ruiz Picasso. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › On the Road Read an Iberian road tale. Drive there › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

Italy travel Amalfi -

Amalfi guide - Sorrento travel guide - Amalfi - guide to Sorrento - Italy travel Amalfi - Italy Amalfi guide - Sorrento travel guide - Amalfi - guide to Sorrento - Italy travel Amalfi - Italy - 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 Sorrento & Amalfi Hotels Reserve Sorrento & Amalfi Hotels: save up 70% on rooms! Compare offers & book on line at hotel's web sites. About Campania Pompei: in search of a lost civilization The city of Pompeii was established in the XII century B.C. and enjoyed great prosperity from the point of view of culture, economy and city planning until 79 A.D. when the terrible eruption of Vesuvius covered everything in lava and small stones... The Cilento, discover its charm and beauty The Cilento is the southernmost part of Campania, before Basilicata, between the plains of the river Sele to the north... The Sorrento Peninsula, between the mythical sea and romantic land. The setting of a scene from the Odyssey and a land crossed by Grand Tour poets and scholars, the Sorrento Peninsula is a magical place... Teatro San Carlo - Napoli In this site you will find the complete schedule of the famous Neapolitan Opera House ... Sorrento & Amalfi Guide Italy THINGS TO KNOW Getting there History and culture THINGS TO SEE Churches, Palaces and Monuments THINGS TO TRY Eating and Drinking Shopping Hotels and lodgings THINGS TO EXPERIENCE Events La Dolce Vita ITINERARIES Beaches, marinas and nature reserves Positano, Ravello, Vietri and other places not to be missed Directories of Web Sites Sorrento & Amalfi Italy Sorrento & Amalfi Hotels Downloads Sorrento & Amalfi Guide in PDF format Land of colors and fragrances, birthplace of Torquato Tasso, retreat for such artists and writers as Caruso and Wagner, who found inspiration in this splendid corner of Campania. The Sorrento Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast host an enticing pageant of blue seas, jagged coastlines, lush hills and delightful towns: Sorrento , Amalfi , Positano , Ravello , Vietri ... Getting there The Sorrento Peninsula is easily reached thanks to its proximity to cities like Naples and Salerno and thanks to highways... >>> History and culture The glorious Maritime Republic of Amalfi, sea battles off the Sorrento coast against pirates and invaders... >>> Churches, Palaces and Monuments All the places you need to see, to get a full picture of the history and culture of Sorrento and Amalfi... >>> Eating and Drinking Fresh fish and other local delicacies, not to mention the sublime Limoncello... >>> Shopping Inlaid wooden ornaments, ceramic ware, cameos and embroidery... >>> Hotels and lodgings Tips for organizing your vacation: Sorrento hotels , Amalfi hotels , Positano hotels ... >>> Events Sorrento Summer of Music, Ravello Wagner Festival and all the highlights of the area... >>> La Dolce Vita A coffee in Sorrento's Piazza Tasso, a cocktail in a wine bar in Positano or a stroll along the beach to gaze at the stars... >>> Beaches, marinas and nature reserves Sandy beaches, crystal-clear seawater, rocky coastlines and charming little marinas... >>> Positano, Ravello, Vietri and other places not to be missed A glimpse into the magic of the Sorrento Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast... >>> More guides on: Region: Campania Campania Cities: Capri Ischia Naples 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