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European Vacation," was just

feature National Lampoon's European Vacation "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Intro Oh, my goodness -- is this really the last night of Joe Bob's Summer School? Well, hack off my leg and call me Peggy. I'm Professor Joe Bob, and tonight's class is Recreational Geography 207, where we find out whether our first movie, "National Lampoon's European Vacation," was just a good excuse for the stars to go to Europe -- and we can DO that, because we have not only the producer, Matty Simmons, as one of our guest lecturers, but we have the world's most famous expert on travelling all over the world without paying anybody for anything, the one and only Robin Leach. He'll stay with us for this movie and maybe our second one, too, Dan Aykroyd and John Candy in "The Great Outdoors." Now. Speaking of vacations, I want you to remember the one cardinal rule of all professional vacation-goers. [writes on blackboard] "Do Not Structure Your Damn Time." Do you understand what I'm saying here? For example, I have this friend Larry who's as rich as a sitcom star, and so every year at this time he takes one of those European cruises where you drink champagne every night and listen to bad cabaret acts and occasionally get off the boat to look at some Madonnas or sit at a seaside cafe with red-checkered tablecloths where you can guzzle the local vino for thirty bucks a pop. And they have all kinds of "programs" and "seminars" and "athletic activities" on board, so you can learn how to be a real-estate agent or a professional shuffleboard coach or find out who Marcel Proust was. Now here's the interesting part. On his daily schedule of all the "programs" and "seminars" and "cultural activities," there's always a place marked "Free Time." Like there's time that costs money, and then there's FREE TIME. But, no, that can't be what it means, because it ALL costs money on a cruise, whether you CALL it free or not. So what they mean is, there's PRISON time and then there's FREE time. This is when the guy's ON VACATION! This is when he's in the one place in the world where ALL the time is supposed to be free! What's wrong here? When I was a kid, I'd go to these science fairs where they had "labor-saving inventions of the future," and we were all supposed to be working twenty-hour weeks by now. But what happened? We invented all these labor-saving devices, everything got faster, and we have two-thirds LESS "Free Time" than we had twenty years ago. You know why? Because of guys like Larry who CAN'T STAND IT. They go on vacation and they're faced with this endless stretch of "Free Time," and they start to go crazy with guilt and nervousness. There's some great Yuppie Devil God in their gut crying out, "You could have done SEVENTY HOURS of work in the time you spent hanging around the Parthenon and chucking rocks in the Aegean. Your life is MEANINGLESS." And so they have "Free Time." They work just as much as they do when they're back home -- they're getting an education, or they're becoming culturally enlightened, or they're IMPROVING themselves -- and then, after they've done that, they can just barely face that agonizing hour of "Free Time." They can suck down a couple martinis without guilt, though, because they've just read part of a book about Giotto. They can USE that Giotto someday. They'll be talking to that West Coast sales rep who's into European art, and they can just casually mention that magic word -- "Giotto" -- and pretty soon they'll be bosom buddies for life. But tonight we're gonna teach you how to vacation right, by watching "National Lampoon's European Vacation," the follow-up to the comedy classic "National Lampoon's Vacation." "European Vacation" picks up as the Griswalds accidentally win a gameshow and embark on their first trip overseas, where they run people over, trash national monuments and make a general nuisance of themselves. Check it out, and we'll have Robin Leach popping out here to join us. [fading] Robin's gonna be slumming. Instead of doing "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," he'll be doing "Lifestyles of the Hard-Up and Obscure." "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #1 See, isn't this movie helpful as a travel tool? When planning your European vacation, just beat Paul Bartel and his family on "Pig in the Poke"! You know what's NOT a good sign, though? FOUR dream sequences, and the movie's barely 20 minutes old. Okay, let's not dwell on that, because it's time to welcome our first guest-lecturer of the evening, world-traveler extraordinaire, a guy who has been every place via every mode of transportation. The one and only Robin Leach. LEACH: How're you doing? Welcome to Joe Bob's Summer School. And all right, so here we are. LEACH: Only two places in the world I haven't been to. Really. What are they? LEACH: I haven't been to Burma, which is now called Myanmar and I haven't been to Papua New Guinea, where in some parts there's still cannibalism practiced. Really? LEACH: I don't want to wind up . . . You won't go there even to sample the cuisine? (LAUGHTER) All right, so here we are watching a movie about a European vacation. I would suppose that you have taken a vacation in Europe so many times that, well, let me ask it this way. The Griswalds -- they just checked into this worst hotel in London. LEACH: The worst. The worst. Have you ever gone out to do like a journalistic piece as part of one of your shows and ended up in some roach-infested nightmare? LEACH: No. It never happens. LEACH: I tell you the only thing that was really surprising to me in all my travels was in Cuba, where I went into a bedroom and I was the only person in the bedroom. But there were eight single beds in the bedroom. I wondered who the other seven friends (LAUGHTER) were going to be for the night. And who showed up? LEACH: No, fortunately nobody. Not even cigar farmers. So that was all right. Or unfortunate. All right. Have you ever . . . LEACH:. . . And the bed I was given was the furthest from the phone. That I never understood. (LAUGHTER) What, you couldn't switch beds? That was against the rules? LEACH: No they wouldnt let me switch beds. Against the rules. Have you ever paid for anything Robin? (LAUGHTER) LEACH: Is that the traditional Joe Freeload question? (LAUGHTER) Of course we've paid as we've gone around the world. Weve done it at a travel agent discount but no, we pay. We have to -- that's the law. Oh, even at the hotels . . . LEACH: Yes. that you're featuring in a show. LEACH: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You have to pay. Favorite destination in Europe? LEACH: In Europe, again it would be Italy. Italy? LEACH: Just like the Griswalds wind up there, the most spectacular country is Italy. And so after all your travels, its still good ol' Italy -- probably one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. LEACH: Because they know how to live, those people. They have such a great lust for life. You know, they drink wine. They smoke cigars. They eat pasta. They don't care about anything other than . . . No smoking sections in a restaurant. (LAUGHTER) LEACH: No. None of that stuff. LEACH: This is the la bon vie, as they say in France. Of course most of our audience can only dream about places like that 'cause right now they're planning their trips to Six Flags over Bakersfield. (LAUGHTER) But you probably do those kinds of trips too. Ever do, like, low budget trips? Have you ever done that? LEACH: No. Never. (LAUGHTER) You've never been. LEACH: I dont, I dont . . . Youve probably never been to Six Flags have you? LEACH: Yes, in Dallas. You were there? Okay, the original Six Flags over Texas in Arlington. You went there? LEACH: Yes. How did you like it? LEACH: The roller coaster was great. And I went to the Six Flags in New Jersey with Bob Pittman, who used to run it, and on the Batman and Robin ride. What else would I go on? You've experienced it. But I doubt if you stayed at the Six Flags Inn across the street, did you? LEACH: No. And Motel Six is a strange name to me. (LAUGHTER) All right. Let's return to National Lampoons European Vacation and -- roll the film -- and then we'll talk some more at the next break. By the way, Robin. My eagle eye picked up Playboy Playmate of the Month for 1984 Tricia Lang as the game show hostess at the beginning of the movie. Now, did you ever do any Playmates on Lifestyles? That didn't come out right. Did you ever have any Playmates as Lifestyles guests? LEACH: I want you to try that even one more time. (LAUGHTER) No, but we did feature Hugh Heffner up at The Mansion, so a lot of the attractive, ah, decorations were hanging around. (LAUGHTER) So you went to the king? LEACH: Well, yeah, or the king came to the mountain. I don't know what that is but yeah, it was -- that's a palace. Palace of pleasure. Okay. I can imagine. (LAUGHTER) "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #2 I don't mean any disrespect to the late Dana Hill, but she doesn't really seem right for this part. I think it would've worked better with that kinda laid-back prettiness of the original Audrey, Dana Barron. Hey, Robin, did I tell you I'm moving to El Lay? LEACH: No. You like El Lay don't you? LEACH: Yeah. It's one of your favorite places. Can you introduce me to some girls? LEACH: Ah, probably. Okay Robin. LEACH: You won't have a tough time handsome, tall, talented host. (LAUGHTER) Don't bet on that, Robin. Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty all right? What are the best party towns in the world? Where can you go if you just really want to tear it up? LEACH: New York is the greatest party town in the world. Really? Right here in the USA. LEACH: Then the nightlife of Paris. Okay. Paris. That's a big one. LEACH: It used to be a great nightlife in Rome, but not so much any more since La Dolce Vita quieted down. Monte Carlo is also good during the summertime in San Tropez. And of course, in America, we have Las Vegas, which is the party city of the entire world. I need to start writing these down. Where can you go if you just want to tear it up and you don't want anybody in your immediate family to know what you did while you were there? LEACH: About four thousand miles away. Four thousand miles away . . . LEACH: Get four thousand away from the nearest family member. (LAUGHING) Yeah. And what, you findwhat city would that be? LEACH: It could be any city. You can have fun and games in any city of the world. Okay. But you know are there some that are kind of like special in, you know, special cities for like that dark, naughty side? LEACH: Paris. Paris is the best? LEACH: I would think so. Okay. LEACH: As you see in this movie when the Griswalds go off to the nightclub, they even find their own child in the Crazy Horse. Right. Well now, see, one reason I trust you, Robin -- even before you were world famous, I would have trusted you because you're English. And I trust the English guys on any kind of issue like this about nightlife, because, well But one thing I do, I make it a rule to never drink with English guys or at least try to drink as much as they drink. (LAUGHTER) Because now we -- now listen, hear me out. Wouldn't you agree, Robin, your countrymen do know how to put away cocktails? (LAUGHTER). And you will drink 37 different kinds of cocktails at dinner and sweet ones and everything and then at two in the morning somebody'll say, But we haven't had an after-dinner liqueur yet! The English like many many, many different kinds. Would you say this is true? LEACH: I would say that's true. Okay. (LAUGHTER) Well, all right, all right. Well keep working on that party list as we return to National Lampoon's European Vacation. Roll it. You know, the trouble with going to those kinds of places is that you can't remember 'em when you get home 'cause somebody told me that. . . LEACH:. . . they don't wish to remember them. Well maybe that's good 'cause . . . ROBIN:. . . explains why there is heavy drinking. I know, I know, 'cause somebody told me one time that they spent three days with me at Mardi Gras in 1985. I don't even remember even going there. (LAUGHTER) LEACH: We've forgot New Orleans. Yeah. Oh. LEACH: The greatest of them all. That's on the list. And it's naughty isn't it? LEACH: I don't how you define that. Oh, ho. Come on, okay? LEACH: There's no such thing as naughty. Oh, okay then I do understand you. (LAUGHTER) The whole list was naughty. "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #3 And Chevy Chase takes his famous pratfalls to the extreme and knocks down Stonehenge. Ha ha ha. Lot of the gags in this movie don't really work, do they? LEACH: No, it was the model that didn't work in the movie. That's true. It was kind of cheesy wasn't it? LEACH: Did you notice that as well? Yes, I. . . LEACH: That's a lot of damage for a small English car to do that hardly backed up in reverse. Yes. Okay, Robin, now we're in Paris. First thing . . . LEACH:. . . ooo la la . . . Yes, we were just talking about Paris. Now, first thing that comes to your mind well, first of all, best hotel in Paris? LEACH: Oh, the Ritz. Best restaurant in Paris? LEACH: Um, boy. Well, Taurus would say Maxims, but it would be the new Alain Ducasse restaurant in Paris. Alain Ducasse. Alain Ducasse. Okay. Best place to see naked French girls? LEACH: Ah I would say, go to the Crazy Horse. Really? Still, after all these years . . . LEACH: They change the show every three months so . . . Okay. LEACH: They change the girls every three years. All right. I want to talk about Thailand. LEACH: My favorite country in all the world. Really? LEACH: Yeah. I love Thailand. Is Thailand really all its cracked up to be? You hear so many people . . . LEACH: Nicest people in the world. Yeah. LEACH: The most incredible food. Yeah. LEACH: Wonderful countryside. Wonderful Asian culture. How much does it cost? LEACH: You can get there quite inexpensively. Yeah. LEACH: Depends how you want to do it. If you want to go on a private, you know, G-5, it'll cost a lot of money. But if you want to go as baggage on a boat, it'll cost very little. Yeah (LAUGHTER) but you would never go as baggage on a boat, I mean LEACH: . . . I've only heard about doing those things. (LAUGHTER) The typical trip for you, though, I mean what would it cost for a week? Bangkok? LEACH: It makes a hard man humble. You could do Bangkok on a very, you know, on a grandiose scale of under five thousand for a week. And what does that include? Hotel? Meals? LEACH: Yeah. Everything. LEACH: Not the . . . . . . Okay. LEACH: Not the air transportation. Then Bangkok you could also do much more inexpensively because they have very, very small hotels. And then, of course, if you wanted to go to any of special places that Bangkok is somewhat known for (LAUGHTER). Well that's kind of what I was gettin' at. LEACH: You were getting to the Thai massage. Uh huh. LEACH: Was that what you were getting to? Uh huh. Yeah. LEACH: The two or three girls on a rubber raft. Yeah. LEACH: And the swimming pool? Yeah. I go with that. (LAUGHTER) You can actually stay overnight there. LEACH: I'm told its quite reasonable . . . I would assume. (LAUGHTER) Well, and you could probably stay overnight at those places. LEACH: You can stay for as long as you wish. Oh, so like you just spend seven days there -- you don't even need a hotel room. (LAUGHTER) LEACH: That's one way to look at it. (LAUGHTER) All right. I'm gonna need your home phone number, Robin (LAUGHTER), after this is over. Okay. That was an awfully short segment, so let's get back to the movie. You ever need somebody to do, like, script continuity on your crew or something? LEACH: Are you offering? Location scout. I'll be your (LAUGHTER) location scout. Yes, Im offering. LEACH: You're too tall to go to some of the places we go to. Too tall. LEACH: Yes. Too tall to go to Bangkok? LEACH: No. Not too tall to go there, but there are other places where only the short make it. Really? (LAUGHTER) I don't even want to think about what you're talking about. LEACH: I don't want you to think about what I'm talking about. (LAUGHTER) "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #4 Well, that's a first. TNT is famous for holes in the dialogue where the cuss words should go, but I've never seen em bleep the subtitles before. And that scene where the dog jumps off the Eiffel Tower --that's obviously a reference back to the scene in the ORIGINAL "National Lampoon's Vacation" where they forget the dog is tied to the back of the station wagon and they kill the little guy. So this time you THINK the dog is gonna die, but then they go out of their way to show the dog swimming to safety in the river. I mean, why is everything so much SOFTER in this movie? Yeah, it's really not very good, and it was written by John Hughes, the guy who did "Breakfast Club" and all those famous movies in the eighties. "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #5 So we KNOW that Audrey misses Jack. We got that. But you probly DON'T know that the guy who just played Fritz, the Bavarian relative, is the German comedy legend "Willy Millowitsch." And you know what cut-ups the Germans are. "Nehmen Sie meine Frau, bitte!" [Naymen-Zee miyna frow, bitta] You know what that means? "Take my wife, please." See, wasn't funny. Anyhow, it's getting crowded here at "Joe Bob's Summer School," we've got so many experts hanging out with us. Robin Leach, the world's most experienced tourist and traveller and . . . could I call you a libertine? AND Matty Simmons, producer of the National Lampoon movies, who for many years published and edited the funniest magazine in American history. Brian McConnachie--funny writer. That sequence where they rush through the Louvre. And then, of course, drinking out of the bedpan --that's always GREAT for laughs. You know what's different about this movie, Matty? There's no goal. In the first one, they had to get to Wally World, but in this one, they're just kinda . . . travelling. I'm sure Robin would agree with me. It's two against one. Did you tell John Hughes his script sucked for that reason? Okay, let's get back to the brilliantly conceived, but less than brilliantly executed, neverthless financially successful, "National Lampoon's European Vacation." Roll it. "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #6 Okay, Matty, what's with the extended SHOPPING MONTAGE? The movie's almost OVER. And you're starting a Mafia subplot. What do you have to say for yourself? You know I'm moving to El Lay next week, Matty? I might be able to get you hooked up. As you may know, all our guest-lecturers get a book as a parting gift. We got you this one: it's called "Matador." I figured you could maybe make "National Lampoon's Spanish Vacation." Okay, we're gonna watch the conclusion to "National Lampoon's European Vacation," where we're finally gonna get some plot, believe it or not. So, roll it, and then we'll come back and talk some more to Robin Leach. [fading] Do you think of Chevy Chase as living out YOU on the screen, Matty? "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Outro We just had the entire plot of the movie in the last ten minutes, didn't we? Accompanied by a little late-movie cameo by Moon Unit Zappa as Rusty's girlfriend. I should point out that there was some in-fighting of how they were gonna end that flick. Chevy Chase wanted it to be him sitting in front of the fireplace saying, "It's good to be home." But Matty Simmons pointed out that they were making a COMEDY, and then HE came up with what I think is a pretty funny ending, which is that they're all relieved to be home, and a guy with a camera crew knocks on the door, saying, "You've just won a trip to the Great Wall of China!" And Chevy's really happy, and he turns to the rest of the family, and they're all glaring at him, so he says meekly to the guy, "What's second prize?" But Chevy Chase was so p.o.ed at Matty that he'd ix-nayed HIS idea, that Chevy then ix-nayed Matty's idea, and they had to go with Amy Heckerling, the director's idea, which was the Statue of Liberty thing we just saw. And what do you expect from the director of "Look Who's Talking Too," the only flick we've ever given ZERO stars? © 2000 Turner Network Television. 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Air Travel - find cheap airfares, book budget and business travel online, etc.  You are here: About > Travel > Air Travel Travel Air Travel Essentials Save money on airfare Airline Seat Maps Airlines - details and phone numbers Frequent Flyer 411 Info about the 30 Busiest Airports Articles & Resources Book your trip Shopping & gift giving Airlines big/small/budget Airport Info/Shop/Stay/Play Travel Docs and Mileage Seat maps and Inflight Advice and Tips In the news + Travel Tools Safety / Security Job search and training Info/History Buffs Skydive, glide and more Destinations and Events Humor and fun Service Issues Buyer's Guide Luggage Digital SLR Cameras Children's books Portable DVD Players MP3 Players Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Air Travel newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Air Travel From Arlene Fleming , Your Guide to Air Travel . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! What happened with the seaplane? This is the question that many officials are asking in the wake of a seaplane crash that killed everyone on board on December 19th. There are theories that the seaplane had some sort of crack in the wings that might have separated inflight. The hope was, with the retrieved voice recorder, that some clues to what happened would be revealed, but the recordings could not be deciphered. This was considered to be a safe airline, with a solid history. CNN has the details on what the voice recorder did not reveal... The history of the airline which had illustrious passengers such as Ernest Hemingway. Tuesday December 27, 2005 | permalink Happy Holidays Whatever holiday you may be celebrating, have a safe and happy holiday season. May all of your air travels be delay-free and on-time! Sunday December 25, 2005 | permalink Pay as you go Get used to keeping small change and bills ready for your flights. In a pilot project, the regional arm of American Airlines, American Eagle, is planning on charging for a can of cola, ginger ale, etc. Thirsty and hungry passengers be prepared! Although the staple of several low cost carriers for some time, scheduled carriers have continued to provide non alcoholic beverages to passengers on a complimentary basis. Now granted, this is a pilot project, but it could be the sign of more cutbacks to come. Connecticut's Hartford Courant reports on the latest cash grab idea in air travel... Sunday December 25, 2005 | permalink Charging at Check-in One of the low cost airlines in Europe has decided to embark on a new course for collecting fees - checked luggage. fly be has decided to charge for the luggage that you check in. It is a nominal fee, and they have decided to also increase the weight allowance for both checked in and carry on luggage. But how well will it work? First, you have the issue of collecting fees at check-in - time consuming. Then you have the issue of increased carry on luggage allowance - less space on board. The Scotsman reports the story on charging for checked in luggage Friday December 23, 2005 | permalink No holiday weight allowed An airline in India is taking the concept of excess baggage to a new level, and is now looking at its crew to drop the pounds...or else. Implying that some of its crew is obese, the threat is that if they don't shape up, they will be grounded, and reassigned to non-air tasks. For the brief details on the weight loss required policy, CBS's Tampa affiliate shares the story Wednesday December 21, 2005 | permalink Yes, he did it, he cut down the airport tree Blunder #1 ... chopping down a tree on a property other than your own. The bigger blunder - #2 ... chopping down a tree on airport property. In the spirit of the holidays a man cut down a pine tree on airport property, saying that he couldn't afford one. Now he has a criminal record to show for his act. The Washington Post reports ... Monday December 19, 2005 | permalink Airlines grounded Nigeria has had a huge share of the accidents in aviation this year. After 2 recent crashes, one which killed everyone on board, the president of Nigeria has decided to suspend the services of two Nigerian airlines, and has decided to try to overhaul a country's airline industry that has been plagued with corruption and questionable safety standards. It certainly is unusual for a country's leader to literally shut down several airlines, but given the frustration that must come with inadequate runways, poorly maintained aircraft, and suspect airline practices, it is not entirely surprising that things came down to this. Reuters reports on the suspension of flights, and a plea for help to international civil aviation authorities to help fix an airline industry gone terribly wrong... Saturday December 17, 2005 | permalink Coat check at the airport? A few airlines in Korea are offering passengers a service that allows them to store their winter coats at the airport for free (well, for five days). In a novel project that runs until March 2006, Asiana Airlines and Korean Airlines will hold your winter coat at Incheon Airport while you travel off to hotter climes. So you can head off to the heat without your cumbersome coat. The Korean Times reports on the coat check at Incheon. Thursday December 15, 2005 | permalink Don't have time to get out there and shop? Then the shopping and gift giving guide might save you time. If the thought of shopping malls, and worse...the parking lots at shopping malls, at this time of year seems daunting, then shopping online is always an option. From portable DVD players, to handheld GPS devices, to books and movies, there are lots of different gift ideas for the armchair or air traveler. Want to check out some of the gift ideas for things air travel related? The gift giving and shopping guide might help save you holiday shopping time. Monday December 12, 2005 | permalink Song front and center on the Apprentice If you saw the latest episode of Martha Stewart's Apprentice then you saw Song at the center of the task for the week. You would have also watched the promotion of Song's New York to Los Angeles for $99. I received a press release about the Song appearance, which also includes other cross country fares for $99 such as Orlando to San Francisco. The press release detailing all of the latest low fares from Song, including the one featured on the Apprentice is in the Air Travel Forum Sunday December 11, 2005 | permalink Display Latest Headlines | | | Read Archives powered by Movable Type Advertisement Most Popular Airline Phone Numbers Family emergencies - bereav... 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Pay as you go Get used to keeping small change and bills ready for... Charging at Check-in One of the low cost airlines in Europe has decided...

Japan Travel Guide Japan

Japan Travel Guide Japan Hotel Reservations - Hotels in Tokyo,Osaka,Sapporo,Fukuoka,Kyoto,Nagoya,Narita and Yogohama Online Reservations Japan Travel Guide Japan Travel Guide | Japan Attractions Guide | Japan Travel Basic | Japan City Map | Japan Food & Drink Japan Entertainment | Japan Festivals & Events | Japan Onsen | Shopping in Japan | Transportation in Japan Tokyo information | Kyoto Information Tokyo Hotels | Kyoto Hotels | Osaka Hotels | more Japan Hotels Introduction Open the world map and look at the extensive Asia/ Pacific region. Almost at the very center, you'll discover the Japanese archipelago stretching north to south along the eastern edge of the Asian continent. Japan has lured untold numbers of adventure since Marco Polo first introduced it to the world back in the 13th century as "Zipangu - the land of Gold." Though the Japan of today may not be a land of gold, the "NEO ZIPANGU" does possess powerful and magnet-like attractions: great culture variety, colorful and inspiring natural attractions beautifully interwoven by distinct for seasonal changees, not to mention the overflowing hospitality of its people. As such, Japan is vigrously gaining in popularity as a tourist destination that is easily accessible from any part of the world. A destination any on can enjoy on a resonable budget and with a sense of complete security. This is where the past literally greets the furture. This is where they both mingle. Japan has a long history of absorbing advance cultures from the Asian Continent from ancient times through the Middle Ages. Later it began to assimilate elements of western civilization from latter half of the 19th century. By selectively assimilating these many cultural influence, the country hassuccessfully added rich new dimensions and depth to its indigenous culture. This marvelous harmony between the refinement of things and concepts "Oriental" blended with the leading-edge technology and the often ultra-modern urban lifestyle you find in Japan today is truly proof of a long and eloquent history. Beautiful, relaxing, nostalgic, profound, fashionable, mouth-watering, exciting, succulent, historic, cultural, Just name it!, Japan, Japan! Which would you like to meet¥ Interwined with a genuine and heart-warming hospitality, Japan awaits you. Yes! Welcome to our Japan! Japan General Information Total Land Area: About 378,000 sq. km.., an archipelago of over 6,800 islands Population: 127 million Capitol: Tokyo, with a population of some 12 million Official Language: Japanese; English is taught in schools from the 7th grade on. Relogion: Shintoism and Buddhism are the two main religions. Climate: Generally mild, but since the nation stretches for some 3,000 km. from the north to south, the weather depends on where and when one travels. Seasonal Clothing (for Tokyo & Vicinity): Spring (Mar. - May.): lightweight jackets and sweaters Summer(Jun. - Aug.): light clothing, short sleeves Autumn (Sep. - Nov.): same as spring Winter (Dec. - Feb.): topcoats, wool suites and warm sweaters and jackets. National Holidays Date National Holiday: January 1 New Year's Day 2nd Monday of January Coming-of-age Day February 11 National Foundation Day March 20 (or 21) Vernal Equinox Day April 29 Greenery Day May 3 Constitution Memorial Day May 5 Children's Day 3rd Monday of July Maritime Day 3rd Monday of September Respect-for-the-aged Day September 23 (or 24) Autumnal Equinox Day 2nd Monday of October Health-Sports Day November 3 Culture Day November 23 Labor Thanksgiving Day December 23 The Emperor's Birthday When a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a holiday. When a weekday is sandwiched between national holidays (except Sundays and Mondays), it also becomes a holiday. This rule applies to the 4th of May. December 25 (Christmas) is not a national holiday in Japan. Government and other public offices as well as many companies are closed between December 29 and January 3. The above material are taken from All Travel Japan Tourism Our system will help you to find the best Japan discount hotels and Japan Information . Whether you are looking for hotels in major Japan cities such as Tokyo Hotels , Kyoto Hotels , Osaka Hotels , Fukuoka Hotels , Nagoya Hotels , Narita Hotels , Yokohama Hotels and Sapporo Hotels , there is a great selection from when to choose. Make your payment with our SSL security online payment . Welcome to Thailand Hotels & Resorts Online Reservation Service. You will find special Thailand Travel Hotels rate and Discount Packages throughout Thailand. Variety of destinations, hotels, resorts are waiting for you WE LOVE GOOGLE