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Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums VirtualTourist TRAVEL GUIDES Choose a Destination Over 2.2 Million Locations Top Spots Paris Hotels , Things To Do London Hotels , Things To Do New York City Hotels , Things To Do Prague Hotels , Things To Do Rome Hotels , Things To Do Amsterdam Hotels , Things To Do Barcelona Hotels , Things To Do San Francisco Hotels , Things To Do Venice Hotels , Things To Do Bangkok Hotels , Things To Do Las Vegas Hotels , Things To Do Vienna Hotels , Things To Do » view all travel guides » view special interest guides FEATURED DESTINATION: Paradise Island Home to luxurious beaches, a world class golf course, gigantic casinos and world class entertainmentParadise Island lives up to its name. Sponsored by the Atlantis Resort Travel Reviews by VT Members 1,246,831 Reviews 2,166,992 Photos Read About: Write About: Hotels Things To Do Restaurants General Tips Nightlife Off The Beaten Path Tourist Traps Warnings Or Dangers Transportation Local Customs Packing Lists Shopping Sports Travel In: Paris London New York City Prague Rome Amsterdam Barcelona San Francisco Venice Bangkok Las Vegas Vienna Budapest Berlin Sydney Istanbul Kuala Lumpur Brussels Chicago Beijing other location... Monument Valley State Park Things To Do Visitor Center by Trekki If you are visiting Monument Valley Tribal Park, please try and not do it in a rush, but plan minimum 1 day (including 1 overnight stay). Only this will allow you to breath in this incredible beauty of the land and the landscape. Prior to entering the park, please check the Visitor center, which is located at the entrance. You can learn a lot about what you are going to see ! Even though I have visited Monument Valley 3 times over the last... [read more] Geraz do Minho Local Customs Tall Haystacks by Bwana_Brown On our way south from Cabeceiras de Basto, I was intrigued to see these tall Portugese-style haystacks outside of the village of Canedo de Basto! I don't know how they put them together, but it looks like a lot of work to me! A few vines growing in the foreground are probably used to help make some of the local wines! Update: VT-member 'JohntheFinn' tells me that they have similar haystacks in Finland, with the hay formed around a vertical... [read more] The VirtualTourist Travel Community in Action Newest Tips. 883 tips in the last 24 hours Manyana just created a new Hotels tip on London MJB123 just created a new Transportation tip on Pescosolido Brillemeister just created a new Things To Do tip on Atlanta sandysmith updated a Sports Travel tip on Gwynedd salisbury3933 just created a new Hotels tip on Yaroslavl' nhcram just created a new Hotels tip on Prague nhcram updated a Restaurants tip on Prague Brillemeister just created a new Things To Do tip on Snellville » more new tips Newest Forum Postings. 1,116 new postings in the last 24 hours chaco2589 . Spain forum: " RE: Southern Spain, from Malaga to Cadiz " Fourka . Sweden forum: " RE: RE: Lunch (-Dinner) Cruise Stockholm " Basterma . Cairo forum: " RE: RE: Meeting In Cairo " lasseg . Sweden forum: " RE: Long time car rental " Roadquill . Spain forum: " RE: 2 weeks-Honeymoon " w_james . Illinois forum: " RE: Urbana-Champaign University on summer!!! " istanBULent . 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RickinDutch on InnocentOne's Homepage : "Ameera - birthday greetings..." » more page comments Newest Deals. 14 new entries in the last 24 hours carteki commented on myriam_c's Hotel Deal on Brussels alenardini commented on sandra's Flight Deal on Brazil nicolaitan commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe HORSCHECK commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe shirez commented on baronedivandastad's Flight Deal on Italy cnango commented on TeresaB25's Flight Deal on London zuriga commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe giampiero6 commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe » more deals Today's Birthdays. 648 members are celebrating today pentimento lives in Turkey , born December 27, 1979. Pookie46 lives in Crescent City , born December 27, 1946. bridgettebay lives in North America , born December 27, 1971. Genester lives in Halifax , born December 27, 1947. 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Mommy is recovering well and baby Katie is doing great! We LOVE hearing from VirtualTourist members and visitors alike. We frequently get notes just letting us know that you're out there and you're enjoying VT. Very often we'll forward the mail around to the rest of the team, to share the love. Drop us a note, we'd love to hear from you. You can see more community news items from previous days in the community news archives Drop us a note at feedback@virtualtourist.com if you'd like your item to be considered. Destinations Members Keywords VirtualTourist MEMBERS 212 online now 661,410 total 315 new today search for VT members FEATURED MEMBER Lalique Lives in Moscow Member since: September 17, 2001 "Crashing your mind! - Chasing the Sun....." 31 countries 162 locations 688 tips » make your own map VirtualTourist FORUM VT Travel Forum Ask about a trip you're planning. VT Technical Help Forum Help using VT, computers & more VT Miscellaneous Forum Fun and friendship with fellow travelers FEATURED TRAVEL FORUM TimmiT asks about Comunidad Valenciana Q. Looking for an apartment for 8 persons during Fallas "Hi! We're (we = 8 belgians) planning on visiting Fallas in Valencia! Since we will only stay there for 4 days (16th till 19th march) we are searching for an apartment, house, big studio that is and close or in the centre of Valencia & reasonable in accommodation, price & ..." Read this posting 0 Replies so far FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam FEATURED DEAL BY VT MEMBERS flyingcaribou posts a Flight Deal for Paris Montreal-Paris Jan.18 "Departure from Montreal. Leave from Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau, montreal, Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 7:05 PM. Air Transat Flight TS310. arrive at paris, Charles De Gaulle at 7:55 AM, Thursday, January 19, 2006 . Return to Montreal. 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Italy Travel

Italy Travel Tips Book Online or call (800) 682-3333 Europe Asia Americas Caribbean Mediterranean Pacific Cruises Home Hotels Find a Vacation Specials Contact Us Italy & Sicily Spain & Portugal Britain & Ireland France Belgium & Holland Central Europe Scandinavia Greece River Cruises China & Japan Southeast Asia Thailand India South America Brazil Peru Costa Rica Bahamas Caribbean & Mexico Bahamas Cancun Riviera Maya Punta Cana Jamaica Greece & Turkey Israel Egypt Morocco Australia & New Zealand Tahiti China & Japan Southeast Asia Sea Cruises River Cruises Italy & Switzerland Travel Tips Climate / Clothing Language Code of Conduct Currency Holidays Travel Insurance Car Regulations Luggage Local Emergency/Phone Health Precautions Passports and Visas Driving Electricity Shopping Tipping Venice Transfers Departure Tax Papal Audiences Climate /Clothing Italy : Spring and Fall: 55 - 75F; Summer: 70 - 85F; Winter: 40 - 55F. Bring comfortable shoes, a sweater, clothes you can layer and an all-weather coat. On the cruises, informal dress is the general rule but there may be some occasions were formal dress is required. Some religious sites may require modest dress to enter (no shorts or sleeveless tops). Italy Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/italy-travel/weather/italy-weather.htm . Switzerland : The Alps cause many climatic variations throughout Switzerland. In the higher Alpine regions temperatures tend to be low, while the lower land of the northern area has higher temperatures and warm summers. Switzerland Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/italy-travel/weather/switzerland-weather.htm . Language Italy : Italian is the local language. Limited English is generally spoken as well. Switzerland : German, French, Italian, and Raeto-Romance are the official languages, but English is widely spoken. Passports and Visas Italy : Passport required. Visa not required for tourist or business stays up to 90 days. Switzerland : Passport required. Visa not required for tourism/study stay of less than 90 days. For more information, please see www.gate1travel.com/visas.htm . Currency Italy : Euro Switzerland : The Swiss Franc Tipping Italy : This is a matter of personal discretion. Tips are appreciated and expected for good service in restaurants and other places. Although restaurant bills often include a service charge, this amount is not typically for the waiters/staff. A typical tip is approximately 10%. Switzerland : A service charge is included in all hotel, restaurant, cafe, bar, taxi and hairdressing services by law; further gratuities are not usually required. For specific guidelines, please refer to www.gate1travel.com/tipping.htm Electricity Italy & Switzerland : The voltage used is 220 volts. *Note: The U.S. uses 120 volts and you can purchase a converter and transformer at most hardware stores for your 120V appliances. Shopping Italy : Shops are generally open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., with some variations in Northern Italy, where the lunch break is shorter and shops close earlier. Prices are reasonable and the quality of goods is very high. Department stores such as La Rinascente, Coin, Upim, and Standa are found in many Italian cities and towns. Things to buy: Clothes for men & women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts); lacework, jewelry, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver items, alabaster; woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware. It is advisable to carry merchandise purchased with you in order to avoid any inconvenience. All major credit cards are honored in Italy. A proof of purchase (receipt) must be kept. Switzerland : Special purchases include embroidery and linen, Bernese woodcarving, chocolate, cheese, Swiss army knives and luxury handmade clocks and watches. Shopping hours usually run Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:30 -6:30 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:30-4 p.m. Most shops are closed on Monday mornings. Health Precautions Italy & Switzerland : No inoculations are necessary when arriving in Italy or Switzerland from the U.S. but you should consult with your health care provider before traveling. To prevent "Montezuma's Revenge," avoid the tap water, including raw fruits and vegetables washed in tap water. Your stomach may still become upset due to the change in diet. Bring anti-diarrhea medicine just in case.*For the latest overseas travel health information, call the Center for Disease Control's traveler's hotline at 404-332-4559. Or visit their web site at www.cdc.gov Conservation/Code of Conduct Italy : The social structure is heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic church and, generally speaking, family ties are stronger than in most other countries in Western Europe. Normal social courtesies should be observed. Dress is casual in most places, though beachwear should be confined to the beach. Conservative clothes are expected when visiting religious buildings and smaller, traditional communities. Formal wear is usually indicated on invitations. Smoking is prohibited in some public buildings, transport and cinemas. Visitors are warned to take precautions against theft, particularly in the major cities. Switzerland : Avoid red roses; never give chrysanthemums or white asters as they are considered funeral flowers. Informal wear is widely acceptable. First-class restaurants, hotel dining rooms and important social occasions may warrant jackets and ties. Black tie is usually specified when required. It is customary to give unwrapped flowers to the hostess when invited for a meal. Luggage *Gate 1 tour packages allow one piece of luggage per person, plus carry-on bag. Additional baggage will be subject to handling charges of up to $100 per piece. As Gate 1 will not be responsible for loss or damage to luggage and personal belongings, you MUST report any loss or damage immediately at the time of the incident and obtain a written report from the local authority for submission to your insurance provider. If you luggage is lost or damaged by the airlines, a baggage claim form MUST be filed with the carrier before leaving the airport. See www.gate1travel.com/destinations/luggage.htm for Important Baggage Information for U.S. Travelers. Departure Tax Italy & Switzerland : There are currently no departure taxes in Italy or Switzerland, please see www.gate1travel.com/Destinations/departure_tax.htm for more information. Travel Insurance We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance as additional security in the case of cancellation or interruption of travel plans, lost or damaged luggage, travel delays, illness, or accident. Keep all boarding passes, ticket copies and receipts for expenses paid during your trip if it later becomes necessary to file a claim. Local Emergency Phone # Italy : ambulance/medical: 118 fire, disasters: 115 police & general emergency: 112 Switzerland : general emergency: 112 Holidays Italy : January 1 New Year's Day January 6 Epiphany Mar 28 Easter Monday April 25 Liberation Day May 1 Labor Day June 2 Anniversary of the Republic August 15 Assumption of the Virgin November 1 All Saints Day November 7 World War 1 Victory Anniversary Day December 8 Immaculate Conception December 25 Christmas Day December 26 St Stephens Day *Note : In addition, local feast days are held in honor of town patron saints, generally without closure of shops and offices. These include: Turin/Genoa/Florence: Jun 24 (St John the Baptist) Milan: Dec 7 (St Ambrose) Siena: Jul 2 and Aug 16, Palio horserace Venice: Apr 25 (St Mark) Bologna: Oct 4 (St Petronius) Naples: Sep 19 (St Gennaro) Bari: Dec 6 (St Nicholas) Palermo: Jul 15 (St Rosalia) Rome: Jun 29 (St Peter) Trieste: Nov 3. Switzerland : Public Holidays: January 1 New Year's Day January 2 Berchtolds Day Mar 25* Good Friday Mar 28* Easter Monday May 5* Ascension May 15* Whit Monday Aug 1 National Day Nov 1 All Saints Day Nov 7 World War 1 Victory Anniversary Day Dec 8 Immaculate Conception Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 26 St Stephens Day *Note : (a) *These holidays may not be observed in certain cantons. (b) There are additional regional holidays which are observed in certain cantons only. Driving Italy : Traffic drives on the right. There are more than 185,500 miles of roads in Italy, including over 3700 miles of motorway (autostrada) which link all parts of the country. Tolls are charged at varying distances and scales, except for the SalernoReggio Calabria, PalermoCatania and PalermoMazara Del Vallo stretches which are toll-free. Secondary roads are also excellent and require no tolls. Road signs are international. Many petrol stations are closed 12 -3 p.m. Visitors are advised to check locally about exact opening times. Switzerland : Traffic drives on the right. Road quality is generally good. Many mountain roads are winding and narrow, and often closed in heavy winter conditions; otherwise chains and snow tires may be necessary. Rail is often more efficient than driving. Car Regulations Italy : Driving licenses and other traffic documents valid in other countries are recognized in Italy. Distances are indicated in kilometer ( 1 km = 0.621 miles). An international insurance certificate is required for citizens from non-EC countries.The wearing of seat belts in front and rear seats is obligatory. An appropriate harness system is obligatory for children from 2 to 12 years of age. Gasoline : Almost all the service stations in the country are equipped with pumps for lead-free (95 octane) and diesel fuel. The fuel distribution network for gas-propelled vehicles is reasonably developed (ask for information at the Automobile Club d'Italia offices). Service stations are open from 7 am to 12:30 pm and from 3 pm to 7:30 pm. Service is guaranteed 24 hours a day on the motorways. Automatic pumps, which accept 10,000 and 50,000 lire banknotes, function in the evenings and at night. Carrying gasoline in gas cans is prohibited. Traffic Tips : On highways (autostrade) no U-turns are permitted and stopping is permitted only in emergency parking areas or parking lanes. The Italian Highway Code follows the Geneva Convention and Italy uses international road signs. Driving is on the right, passing on the left. Violators of the highway code are fined; serious violations may also be punished by imprisonment. In cities and towns, the speed limit is 50 km/hr. Papal Audiences, Vatican City General audiences with His Holiness are usually held once a week (Wednesdays at 11 a.m.) in Vatican City. They may be held inside the Basilica itself or in the hall of the Papal Audiences (Aula Paolo VI, Seating 7000), and in summer in Saint Peter's Square or in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. Catholics are requested to have a letter of introduction from their parish priest. For this audience women should dress modestly, with arms and head covered. Dark or subdued colors are requested. Men are asked to wear a tie and jacket. Return to the Italy brochure More TravelInformation Email This Page to a Friend © 2005 Gate 1 Travel Home | About Us | Travel Agent | Free Brochure | Help | Site Map | (800) 682-3333 Read our privacy policy . Contact Us . This site can be best viewed using Internet Explorer 4.0, or higher. The browser software can be downloaded, free of charge, from the Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com . All external sites will open in a new browser. Gate1travel.com does not endorse external sites.

London Vacation Packages e-mail

London tourism - London vacation reviews - London vacations - TripAdvisor London vacations - London tourism Sign in • Sign up Home > Europe > United Kingdom > England > London > London Tourism London tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Deals Forums Maps, etc. All London reviews Search (e.g., London hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) London London Overview All London Reviews London Hotels Flights to London London Deals London Attractions London Forum London Maps London Discount Hotels London Vacation Packages e-mail this page to a friend Traveler Reviews Write a review . What was your experience with London? Tell others what's hot and what's not. Deals on London Hotels Parkes Hotel Renaissance Chancery Court London Draycott Hotel The Halkin Hotel Hotel 41 Cranley Hotel Royal Park Hotel The Milestone Hotel The Landmark London Sofitel St James London Chesterfield Mayfair Rubens At The Palace Dukes Hotel Montcalm Nikko London City Inn Westminster The Zetter The Dorchester The Bentley London Baglioni Hotel London The Soho Hotel K+K Hotel George Claridge's Crown Moran Hotel Ramada Encore London West Langham Hotel London One Aldwych Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London Sydney House Courthouse Hotel Kempinski The Montague on The Gardens 22 Jermyn Street Kingsway Hall Hotel Marriott London County Hall Threadneedles Hotel Athenaeum Hotel & Apartments De Vere Cavendish St. James's 47 Park Street - Marriott Grand Residence Club Swissotel The Howard Luna & Simone Hotel The Sanctuary House Hotel The Stafford Hotel Sheraton Park Tower Hazlitt's London Marriott West India Quay The Conrad London Royal Horseguards Four Seasons Hotel London Mandeville Hotel The Lanesborough, A St. Regis Hotel Myhotel Chelsea London hotels: 1 - 20 London hotels: 21 - 70 London hotels: 71 - 120 London hotels: 121 - 170 London hotels: 171 - 220 London hotels: 221 - 270 London hotels: 271 - 320 London hotels: 321 - 370 London hotels: 371 - 420 London hotels: 421 - 470 London hotels: 471 - 520 London hotels: 521 - 570 London hotels: 571 - 620 London hotels: 621 - 670 London hotels: 671 - 720 London hotels: 721 - 770 London hotels: 771 - 820 London hotels: 821 - 870 London hotels: 871 - 920 London hotels: 921 - 970 London hotels: 971 - 1020 London hotels: 1021 - 1070 London hotels: 1071 - 1120 London hotels: 1121 - 1170 London hotels: 1171 - 1177 Read more London tourism London vacations - London tourism Find Hotels Travelers Trust City: Check-in: Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov 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 Check-out: Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov 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 Price level: Adults: 1 2 3 4 More options Currency: U.S. Dollar Euro British Pound Canadian Dollar Australian Dollar Swiss Franc Sponsored links * London Travel Deals London : Hotel Deals from $88 Expedia.com Don't just travel. Travel right! London : Great Prices, Great Rooms hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. View Maps, Photos, Rates. Book Now! London : Low Hotel Prices Made Easy Orbitz.com The faster, easier way to find the hotel you want. Just Orbitz and go! London : Book Now - Pay on Checkout! Venere.com Buying Direct Means Lower Prices. Hotels, B&Bs, Apartments and More. All results: View all 4,159 London travel deals Airfare: Find deals on airfare to London London Hotel Recommendations Find a great hotel based on web-wide popularity and coverage. Top-Rated hotels: Parkes Hotel Renaissance Chancery Court London Covent Garden Hotel Draycott Hotel The Halkin Hotel Hotel 41 Cranley Hotel Royal Park Hotel The Milestone Hotel The Landmark London View all London hotels   Hotels for: Less than $100/night $100-200/night $200-300/night More than $300/night Hotels by Star Rating: 5-star 4-star 3-star 2-star 1-star Neighborhoods: All Islington/Angel/King's Cross Tower of London/City of London Mayfair/Soho/West End Covent Garden/Trafalgar Square/Piccadilly Paddington/Bayswater Westminster/Belgravia Chelsea Knightsbridge/Earl's Court/Kensington Fulham Hammersmith North Kensington South Bank/Bankside Greenwich Northwest/Regent Park Hampstead Ilford Harrow Kingston upon Thames London North London East London West London Southwest London Southeast Find this weekend's best available hotels London Traveler Recent Reviews London Traveler Photos Our users are talking about London! Here are their latest comments: Best Reviews Hotel 41: "Wonderful Hotel," Dec 27, 2005 , A TripAdvisor Member Chesterfield Mayfair: "The pinnacle of service," Dec 27, 2005 , Worst Reviews The Caesar: "Hostel standard !!!!!!!Worst hotel Ive ever stayed in!!," Dec 27, 2005 , A TripAdvisor Member The Cumberland: "Design first, customer comfort last," Dec 26, 2005 , Read all London reviews Our users are taking photos in London! Here are their latest pictures: View all London traveler photos London Attractions Top London Attractions: Tower of London British Airways London Eye Tate Modern Westminster Abbey Hampton Court Palace British Museum Cabinet War Rooms Victoria and Albert Museum Original London Walks St. Paul's Cathedral View all London attractions London Articles and Guidebooks SmartDeals From tips & tricks to rants & raves. Read the best sources and the most up-to-date reviews... "Overview of London," Frommer's "Rediscovering New York and London," Dec 9, 2005 , Dallas Morning News (free registration required) "Looking down on London," Nov 13, 2005 , Toronto Sun Read all London reviews Find a great London hotel deal! SmartDeals show you the best rates on the best hotels. Renaissance Chancery Court London Average price: $477 Renaissance Chancery Court London - Great Rates - hotels.com More reviews, deals Draycott Hotel Average price: $440 Draycott Hotel - Great Rates - EpoqueHotels.com More reviews, deals Parkes Hotel - save up to 9% Average price: $378 Parkes Hotel from $346 - Expedia.com More reviews, deals View all SmartDeals London Traveler Forum Travelers like you give candid advice on hotels and much more. Join the Discussion Swimming at the Berkeley??? (1 replies, 5:52 pm, today) FAO onward and all other Canadians (esp Vancouverites) (2 replies, 5:50 pm, today) Did Santa leave London-related presents? (17 replies, 5:47 pm, today) Read all London discussions Post a new London topic Share Your Travel Savvy New & Improved: Websites for London Visitors (no replies, 1:31 pm, Nov 22, 2005) Your Local Expert for London (no replies, 5:58 pm, May 23, 2005) UAL Systemwide Upgrades (no replies, 4:53 pm, today) Browse all London discussions Newsletter Alerts Other Destinations Subscribe to our TripWatch newsletter: Weekly alert to new reviews and deals Personal watch list is customizable to add other cities, hotels or attractions Plus getaway ideas from your hometown ( new feature, limited coverage ) Let Us Watch London for You E-mail: Popular England Destinations TripAdvisor travelers also enjoy these locations... Bath Bedfordshire Berkshire Birmingham Blackpool Brighton Bristol Buckinghamshire Cambridge Cheshire Cornwall Cotswolds Cumbria Derbyshire Devon English Riviera Essex Greater Liverpool Hampshire Hertfordshire Kent Lake District Liverpool London Manchester Northamptonshire North Yorkshire Oxford Somerset Stratford-upon-Avon Surrey Tyne and Wear Warwickshire West Yorkshire Wiltshire Worcestershire York About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor provides unbiased reviews, articles, recommendations and opinions on London vacations. Recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, travel guides and lots more! Visit TripAdvisor in another language: About Us | Membership | Site Map | Become an Affiliate | Top Cities | Hotel Reservations | Hotel Deals | Links | TripAdvisor Gear Popular Hotels: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , by city TripAdvisor Recommends: Las Vegas hotels , London hotels , Paris hotels , Rome hotels , New York City hotels , Chicago hotels , Orlando hotels © 2005 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved. TripAdvisor Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . * TripAdvisor, Inc. is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site... ( more ) TripAdvisor, Inc. is not responsible for content on external web sites.

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

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