Europe Travel 101 -

European Guidebooks  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > Europe Travel Planning > European Guidebooks Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Suggested Reading Tips for Traveling by Train Great Walks in Europe Planning Your Trip to Europe European Photo Gallery Europe Travel 101: Before You Go Related Guide Picks European Walking Guides Western European Travelogues Travel Photography Guidebooks Germany Guidebooks Compact Digital Cameras Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Top 10 European Guidebooks Guide Picks From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Most travelers take one or two guidebooks with them on a European trip and often buy several different books to help plan a great vacation. Here are some suggested books that cover Western Europe, including some specialty travel guides. These guidebooks would make great gifts. 1) Let's Go Europe 2005 Let's Go Travel Guides have long been our favorite for budget travel. Even if you're not traveling on a budget, they are often the best for bus and train information and a good overview of each destination. 2) Let's Go 2005 Western Europe This version covers only Western Europe so has more detail than the above book. Read Review 3) Rick Steves' Best of Europe, 2006 Famous travel guru Rick Steves gives his recommendations for the best places to visit on a European trip, including hotels and restaurants for each destination. This book is not a complete guide to European countries, only the places recommended by Rick. 4) Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2005 Another Rick Steves recommendation, he calls this "The Travel Skills Handbook for Independent Travelers". In this book, he recommends places somewhat off the beaten track or a little less touristy than in the previous book. 5) Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring 2005 Lonely Planet's budget-minded guidebook covers forty countries in about 1200 pages. The book's many maps and recommendations for unusual activities make it practical even if you are not on a tight budget. 6) Lonely Planet Western Europe 2005 This book covers only Western Europe, but has almost 1300 pages of information, including lots of city maps, lodging recommendations, detailed city information, and photos. There are separate guides to Central and Eastern Europe. 7) Michelin Green Guide Europe The Green Guide offers suggestions on what to see and do with 1-3 star ratings and gives background on history and cultural heritage for 35 European countries. It also has maps, itineraries, practical information, and photos. 8) Dk Eyewitness Travel Guide Europe Eyewitness Travel Guides are known for lots of great full-color illustrations. This one has detailed maps of over 23 European cities and highlights the major sights in 20 countries. 9) European Vacation Rentals This book features short-term rentals for every budget and interest in most of Western Europe, inlcuding some unusual options. It also includes regional highlights and other essential travel information. It may be out of date by now, the latest is a 2002 edition. 10) Dk Eyewitness Travel Guides Great Places to Stay in Europe Suggestions on places to stay in Europe with lots of color photos, restaurants and cafes, and essential information for travelers. Important product disclaimer information about this About site.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There

Switzerland Travel Community? Join

Switzerland Travel Community: Free Travel Reviews, Journals, Photos, and Special Deals Home Browse: -- ---Destination--- Adelboden Airolo Aletsch Andermatt Anzre Appenzellerland Arosa Ascona Bad Ragaz Baden Basel Belinzona Bern Berner Oberland Bettmeralp Biel Braunwald Brienz-Meiringen Brig Brissago Celerina Centovalli Charmey Chteau-d'Oex Chur Crans-Montana Davos Disentis-Sedrun Einsiendeln Emmental Engelberg Estavayer-le-Lac Flims Laax Falera Fribourg Geneva Gimmelwald Glarus Grchen Grindelwald Gruyres Gstaad Interlaken Jungfrau Region Kandersteg Klosters La Chaux-de-Fonds Lago Maggiore Lausanne Lauterbrunnen Lenzerheide-Valbella Les Diablerets Leuk Leukerbaad Leysin Liestal Locarno Ltschberg Lucerne Lugano Martigny Mendrisio Montreux Morges Mount Pilatus Mt. Rigi Murren Murten Nendaz Neuchatel Nyon Pays du Grand-St-Bernard Pontresina Rapperswil Rheinfelden Riederalp Romont Saanen Saas-Fee Sainte-Croix Samedan Samnaun San Bernardino Sntis Savognin Schaffhausen Schwyz Scuol Sierre Sils-maria Silvaplana Sion Soglio Solothurn Splgen St. Gallen St. Moritz Thun Thurgau Thusis Ticino Toggenburg Torgon Vaduz Val de Illiez Verbier Villars Visp Region Weggis Wengen Winterthur Yverdon Zermatt Zug Zurich ---Region--- Basel Bernese Oberland Central Switzerland Eastern Switzerland/Liechtenstein Fribourg Geneva Graubnden Lake Geneva (Vaud) Neuchtel / Jura / Jura Bernois Schweizer Mittelland Ticino Valais Zurich Switzerland Game Log in Email Address: Password: Remember Me Problems logging in? Not a Member? What is the Switzerland Travel Community? Join the community to discover Switzerland through firsthand travel reviews and photos, to meet other Swiss travelers, earn valuable rewards, and much more! You're Almost There! We know you're anxious to dive into our exclusive Swiss information, but we need you to log in first. If you're already a member of Switzerland Travel Community, simply log in on the left. If not, please take a minute to register as a member. It's totally freeand once you fill out these few easy fields, you'll be all set to start writing about your travels, earning rewards, and sending messages to other travelers. Register For Free All Fields Are Required First Name: Last Name: Gender M F City of Residence: State/Province: U.S. & Canada only -- Choose One -- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Wyoming Alberta British Columbia Lac Sarazin, Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Country: Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Argentina Armenia Aruba Ascension Island Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas, The Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Ivory Coast/Cote d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Midway Islands Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Authority Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saba St. Kitts and Nevis St. Maarten/St. Martin San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Scotland Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka St. Lucia St. Barthelemy St. Eustatius Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks & Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wales Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Western Samoa Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe West Indies Northern Ireland St. Vincent and the Grenadines Gibraltar East Africa Saipan Montenegro Antigua and Barbuda Greenland Africa South Caicos Island Macedonia Serbia Georgia Congo Mediterranean Coast St. Helena Island Northern Europe Date of Birth: This will not be displayed to other members. -Month- January February March April May June July August September October November December -Day- 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 -Year- 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 Email Address: Re-Enter Email Address: Choose your Switzerland Travel Community member name & password. Your member name is how you'll be known to other Switzerland Travel Community members. Choose your real name (e.g., Joe Smith) or an alias (e.g., travellover2004). Do not use your email address. Member Name: Password: Re-Enter Password: *I would like to receive emails about community special deals. Yes No Switzerland Travel Community does not send spam or sell email addresses. Your email address will be kept private. Privacy Policy I accept Switzerland Travel Community's terms and conditions Yes No Submit Return to Home Information about Swiss Quality Switzerland Tourism : About Us : Privacy Statement

Russia Travel

Saint-Petersburg, Russia. St.Petersburg travel tips. Home St. Petersburg guide St. Petersburg seasons Tips to come to St. Petersburg Arrival & Departure Transfer Accommodation Excursions Tours Links for tourists Deutsch version Saint-Petersburg: Travel tips See also : Visa support | VISA Requirement | VISA Types Contact us if you like to travel to St.Petersburg, Russia. Hotel prices and itineraries of many tour programs change depending on the season. Peak season is from May to September. Alternatives are to come in spring (1 April-15 May) or fall (1 September-31 October) when prices are lower and the city less crowded. The summer White Nights in St Petersburg are spectacular but, at the same time, summer may be humid and dusty. An Indian summer in the fall is lovely. If you do not mind the cold and snow, the winter season is cheapest and accommodation most readily available. There are some of the events that annually take place in the city in winter season: "Christmas musical meetings in the Northern Palmyra", "Art Square" winter festival, international jazz festivals, sport tournaments, international cinema festivals and theatre first nights. The first thing a visitor should do is picking up “St.Petersburg: The Official City Guide”, an excellent full-color quarterly freebie, or buy the pocket edition of the Traveler's Yellow Pages. The Friday edition of The St.Petersburg Times and the monthly Pulse are both free and have good listings and reviews. All the hostels can provide everything from invitations and accommodation bookings to theatre tickets, restaurant advice and general help and advice should something go wrong. The City Tourist Information Office at 41, Nevskiy prospect is still near the bottom of a steep learning curve. You should always have identification. It is advisable to carry photocopies of your passport and visa, showing that they have been registered. Frequent random checks by police are taking place, more usually on men. Besides passport and visa are wanted to change money, and to buy train tickets, book hotel rooms and in numerous other situations. In St.Petersburg, as in any large city, you should watch out for pickpockets working in public places, such as on crowded public transport (especially at metro electric trains) or in markets and other touristy spots. Keep money and documents in inner pockets, try not to flash big means, don't leave your baggage unsupervised, have an eye on your handbag (it could be cut up insensibly and you will loose your purse). Stand as far as possible from Gypsies, including the children. Don't give them money and the like. You wan't even notice when all your valuables are disappeared. Walking out late alone in deserted dark areas (courtyards and parks) or after drinking would make you a good target for offenders. Be warned about persons representing themselves as police and wanting to check your pockets, you may find lack of money after a time. Police is allowed to inspect you only at the police station. In case of stopping you in the street dial (on your mobile phone) the special police number arranged for foreigners and explain the situation. You should obtain the officer's name, badge (ID) number, and patrol car number, and note where it happened. Verify your change carefully before leaving the cashier or seller. !! Free option: If your return flight is in the afternoon you can book a suburb tour with us for the morning of the departure day and have airport transfer free of charge! !!! Free option: If you book a travel package with our company youwill get free visa support to obtain a Russian travel visa. Travel services: VISA Support See also : VISA Requirement | VISA Types | Back to : Travel tips Contact us if you like to travel to St.Petersburg, Russia. There are three types of visas: tourist, business and visitor. A tourist visa application can be collected from a travel agent or at a Russian embassy or consulate. Three passport size photos and a photocopy of the information page of your passport are also required. Once confirmation of your the best rates in hotels. Each city you plan to visit must be written on the visa. Once in Russia, you can lengthen your stay or visit additional cities by making arrangements with the service desk at your hotel. If you are sponsored by a Russian organization, you are entitled to a business visa . Ask the organization to fax you with an invitation and dates of stay. Give this to the Russian embassy or consulate; they will usually issue a business visa without proof of hotel stay. Multi-entry visas are also issued with the proper papers. If you hosted by a relative or friend, you can enter on a visitor's visa . You must send your host a visa application filled out in duplicate (not a photocopy). The host must then take it to his own travelers' organization, OVIR, which will issue a visitor's invitation for you after several months. The traveler is only allowed to travel to the cities and stay with the persons designated on the visa. You must make these arrangements far in advance. On arrival , all visitors to Russia must register their visa and passport with Local Visa Office (OVIR) . If you are staying in a hotel, the registration desk will do this for you upon checking in. (Your passport and visa may be held for a few hours or days at the hotel registration desk.) If staying elsewhere, you should go directly to OVIR: Visa Registration Department 4 Saltykova-Schedrina Street. Now you can order visa support. Contact us for more information about visa support. Travel services: VISA Requirement See also : VISA Types | Back to : VISA Support | Travel tips Contact us if you like to travel to St.Petersburg, Russia. All foreigners traveling to or transiting through Russia must have a passport and visa covering the duration of stay in the country. Visas are issued by Russian Consulates in your home country, based on an invitation (a visa support letter) from a Russian party. To obtain a Russian visa, you should submit the following papers to a Russian Consulate: Completed visa application form (one per person) which can be obtained from consulates of Russia. Original national passport (valid not less than one month after the date of departure from Russia). Three standard passport-size photographs. Please, sign on the back. An invitation from the authorized hosting Russian travel agency (for tourist and business visas). The letter of invitation can be arranged through Nota Bena Co. A Money order or cashiers check payable to the Russian Consulate for visa processing. Russian visas must be registered in the first 3 bank days after your arrival. This can be done either at your hotel at a small fee (about 1 EUR per person) at check-in procedure or in OVIR offices (the local immigration authorities) with the help of the company that invited tourists. Registration fee in this case is negotiable. Russian visa is an exit permit as well and if you lose it or overstay your visa's validity, even for one day, or neglect to register your visa, leaving the country may cause problems. Tourist visas are not subject to prolongation. As for business visas — only your sponsor (organization which has provided your invitation) is allowed to apply for replacement, extension, or changes to your visa. Important Notes : The visa fee is paid to the Consular service issuing visas in your home country. Its cost varies depending on the country. Please, check with Russian Consulate. Visa processing fee is non-refundable. Any person applying for a visa for a stay of more than three months must present a certificate showing that the individual is HIV-negative. After you receive your visa please check it for possible mistakes (passport number, date of birth, term of validity) and, if necessary, return it to the Consulate for corrections. Travel services: VISA Types Back to : VISA Requirement | VISA Support | Travel tips Contact us if you like to travel to St.Petersburg, Russia. TOURIST VISA A supplementary requisitions for a Tourist visa: A standard tourist confirmation (visa support letter) from the authorized hosting Russian travel agency, registered with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The confirmation must contain the agency's reference number, registration number, official seal and signature of authorized person. The invitations must be on letterheads and contain full name of the invited person, his/her date of birth, passport number, period of stay in Russia and cities to be visited. The invitations must be signed by authorized persons and sealed. Original voucher issued by an authorized travel agency (or confirmed hotel reservation), indicating full name of the traveler, date of birth, passport number, dates of entry and departure, name of the hosting Russian tourist company. If you order travel services with us we can provide visa support to you. Contact us for more information about tourist visa. Please, notice that tourist visa is valid for not longer than 30 days! When entering Russia with a tourist visa, you are required also to present at the border checkpoint your tourist confirmation, voucher and a return ticket with a fixed date of departure from Russia. You also will have to prove that you have sufficient funds for your travel. However, this does not apply to cruises and tourist groups! BUSINESS VISA A supplementary requisitions for a Business visa: A letter of invitation from the Russian Foreign Ministry, its regional representatives, Ministry of Interior or its local offices, or any other authorized Russian Agency. The letter must contain: official seal and legal address of the agency, document registration number, date of registration, signature and name of official authorized to invite foreigners to Russia, travel itinerary, dates of stay, names of persons invited. A cover letter from your company or from yourself if you are traveling individually, with information about the traveler, destinations, terms and purpose of visit. Contact us for more information about business visa. VISITOR'S VISA A supplementary requisitions for a Visitor's visa: Original visa support letter (" Izveschenie ") issued by a Local Visa Office (OVIR) in Russia. Applicant's friends or relatives can obtain such invitations. The invitations must be on letterheads and contain full name of the invited person, his/her date of birth, passport number, period of stay in Russia and cities to be visited. The invitations must be signed by authorized persons and sealed. " Izveschenie " is valid within one year from the date indicated there. !!! Free option: If you book a travel package with our company youwill get free visa support to obtain a Russian travel visa. home | St.Petersburg guide | seasons | tips to come | arrival & departure | transfer | accommodation | excursions | tours | links © 2005 Nota Bena Co. Contactus .

Japan Travel

Japan Travel Guide, Japanese Popular Culture, History and Japanese Etiquette Japan travel guide, information on Japan and Japanese culture. Japan Store JZ Originals | Books, CDs, DVDs, VHS | Geisha Fans | Folding Screens | Japanese Design | Baseball Goods Japanese Games The Gaming Industry | Game Developers Modern Japan Entertainment Movies | Movie Posters | Anime Movies | Tezuka Osamu | TV Comedy | Yoshimoto | TV Anime | Manga | Pop Music | Takarazuka | Pachinko Famous people Directors | Actors & Actresses | TV Stars | Comedians | Musicians | Sports Stars | Designers | Politicians Japan Inc Economy | Global 500 |Companies A - F | G - L | M | N | O - S | T - Z Cultural Japan Entertainment Kabuki | Noh | Bunraku | Geisha | Instruments Arts Tea Ceremony | Kodo | Ukiyoe | Ikebana | Bonsai | Origami | Literature | Modern Literature Royalty Imperial Family Calendar Festivals | Annual Events | Four Seasons | Cherry Blossoms Costume Kimono | Footwear Food & Drink Basics | Dishes | Alcohol New to Japan General Visas | Accommodation | Health & Welfare | Transport | Local Transport | Mobile Phones | Money | Etiquette | Meeting People Language Alphabets | Kanji | Useful Expressions | New Japanese Employment Working | Teaching | Find a Job Japan Omnibus Geography Facts & Figures | Regions & Cities | Climate Sightseeing Onsen | Tokyo | Kyoto | Hokkaido | Tohoku | Kanto | Chubu | Kinki | Chugoku | Shikoku | Kyushu | Okinawa Sports Baseball | Soccer | Sumo | Martial Arts | Others History Early | Medieval | Modern Religion Shinto | Buddhism | Others | Shrines | Temples | Zen Gardens Politics Government | Parties | Prime Ministers Japan Gallery Landmark | Nature | People | Scenery | Urban | Miscellaneous Japan Job Search Search GaijinPot's database of available jobs JapanBloggers Webring ? Ring Home # Make 100s of thousands of new friends today, FREE! Japan Zone Features: Chat Room | Quizzes | Games | E-cards Street Fashion Our latest poll: "What's the best way to spend New Year in Japan?" Thursday, 29th December 2005 Today's Japan News | Japan Weather | Japan Stocks | Currency Converter | The latest posts on our Japan Forum Join Japan Zone Friends in December - Win a DVD! - Join Now Everyone who joins Japan Zone Friends between now and December 31st will be entered to win a DVD! It's FREE to join, so why not? Welcome to the bizarre world of an American mannequin family who have recently moved toJapan, and cause quite an uproar. Fashionably hip and gut-splitting funny, this feature was first shown on the Japanese late-night show Vermillion Pleasure Night and now has a cult following. Available from ADV Films (the largest producer/distributor for Japanese anime) from December 20 on DVD. Official website Watch a classic clip, "Lady Tutor": High quality | Low quality (Quick Time) The Latest -- Japan Zone is the only site that brings you regular news and gossip in English from the Japanese entertainment world. Noriko's Fashion Choice Talento Kato Noriko (32) is to get married on New Year's Day, according to her agency yesterday. The lucky man is Wakatsuki Yoshio (43), a creative director in the fashion world. The fax announcement of the engagement caught the media by surprise as the two have only been going out since the spring, though they've been living together for the last couple of months. They have known each other for several years, and met when Kato took a break from showbusiness to study in Paris in 2000. Wakatsuki was working on the Paris Collection at the time. • Rock band Mr. Children finished up their first nationwide "dome tour" with a show last night at Tokyo Dome. They played to 45,000 fans, bringing the tour total to about 390,000. Vocalist Sakurai Kazutoshi (35), who battled with serious illness in 2003 that saw the band take a 6-month hiatus, said 2005 was the best year ever. • Kabuki actor Onoe Matsusuke died of cancer at a Tokyo hospital on Monday. He was 59. • A survey has shown that people are pretty evenly divided about whether national broadcaster NHK should take legal action against those who refuse to pay their license fee. The number of those refusing to pay has increased to over a million following a series of scandals involving NHK employees. December 28, 2005 Recent Headlines • Noriko's Fashion Choice (December 28) • All Eyes on Women Skaters (December 27) • Ryoko Polishing Her Bridal Skills (December 26) • Boyz of Summer? (December 24) More news available on our News page . (powered by Movable Type 3.15 ) Syndicate this site Content Picks Planning a trip to Japan? ROYALTY : With the marriage of Princess Sayako, the Imperial Family lost one of its members. Will one of her nieces ever ascend to the imperial throne? CULTURE : Aromatherapy may be all the rage these days, but kodo , the art of incense, has been around for centuries and is one of the three major Japanese traditional arts. ROMANCE : Are you looking for a partner in Japan ? We have some useful background info and a list of resources to help you on your way. TOURS : Try our selection of half-day and one-day tours in Japan's most popular destinations SIGHTSEEING GUIDES : Browse our extensive sightseeing guide to the whole country, with information on all the major sights. Tokyo Kyoto Hokkaido Kyushu Mt. Fuji Osaka/Kobe Okinawa More... ELECTRONIC DICTIONARIES A must-have item for any student of Japanese or trip to Japan is a pocket dictionary.In our JapanStore, we have chosen some of the best ones around. From the reasonablypriced to the multi-featured, you're sure to find one that suits your study, businessor travel needs. Find out more... We've teamed up with Japan's No.1 online job site for English-speakingprofessionals. Search the Gaijinpot job database now for free. Through our partnership with Amazon.com, we are offering an exclusive JapanZone version of the award winning Alexa Toolbar- FREE! No browser should be without this handy tool! Plus, when you download anduse the toolbar, you'll help support Japan Zone. The Top Sites in Japan -- -- Web Japan Zone The current time in: Hawaii Los Angeles Chicago New York Brasilia London Berlin Paris Milano Israel New Delhi Bangkok Beijing Hong Kong Singapore Tokyo Seoul Canberra Guam Sign up for free & meet... Asia's largest friend finder network. Join FREE today! Sign up for our free newsletter. Keep up with the latest news and gossip from Japan. Cultural Japan | Modern Japan | New to Japan | Japan Omnibus | Japan Gallery | Japan Forum | Japan Store About us | Advertising | Links | Terms of Use | Comments on the site? © 1999-2005 Japan Zone international calling cards, phone cards

Hotel Travel

O'Reilly Open Source Convention - August 1-5, 2005 - Portland, OR ! -- Home Why Attend ! -- Invitation to Attend Registration Speakers Keynotes Sessions Tutorials Schedule Open Source Business Review Events BOFs Wiki Exhibitors Sponsors Hotel/Travel See & Do Convention Coverage Submit a Proposal ! -- Newsletter O'Reilly Conferences ! -- Portland, Oregon! -- Hotel and Travel Information Hotel Info | Directions | Room Sharing | Restaurants | Travel Assistance | Rental Cars | Airline Tickets Event Headquarters Hotel DoubleTree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center Portland - Lloyd Center 1000 NE Multnomah Portland, OR 97232 Phone: 503-281-6111 Fax: 503-284-8553 Open Source Convention Room Rate Discounted Room Rate: $129.00 (This rate is for single or double. Triple or quad occupancy is $15.00 per person extra. Looking for a roommate? ) The cutoff date to make your room reservations is Thursday, July 7, 2005 . In order to receive the discounted room rate, you must request the group rate for "O'Reilly Media, Inc." Reservations received after the cutoff date of July 7, 2005 or when the room block is sold out (whichever comes first) will be honored on a space-available basis at the prevailing rate of the hotel. Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state & local taxes (currently 12.5%) in effect at time of check-in. Make your hotel reservations by phone. Call: The hotel directly at (503) 281-6111. Make your hotel reservations On-line: Go to the DoubleTree Hotel website . Under "Check Availability", enter your arrival and departure dates and click "go". On the next page - "Select Your Reservation Details", select your room type preference and under "Special Accounts" in Group/Convention Code, type "OMI". Click "continue" and follow the steps to complete your reservation. Alternate Hotel If you are unable to make a room reservation at the OSCON headquarters hotel (DoubleTree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center) O'Reilly Media has secured additional rooms. Red Lion Hotel Portland Convention Center 1021 N. E. Grand Avenue Portland OR 97232 Phone: (503) 235-2100 Toll Free: 800-343-1822 Rate: $109.00 plus 12.5% tax (subject to change) Deadline: June 28, 2005 Distance to OSCON: Across the street from the Convention Center more info Getting There Portland International Airport (PDX) The Portland Int'l Airport serves approximately 120 domestic and international cities by 17 commercial airlines. Arrival/Departure Information Direction To/From PDX Gate Locations at PDX Ground Transportation Information at PDX (including car rental info) MAX Light Rail For cheap & convenient transportation from the Portland International Airport (PDX) to the hotels and Convention Center, hop aboard the Airport MAX light rail "Red Line". The Double Tree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center Portland Lloyd Center, the Red Lion Portland Convention Center and the Oregon Convention Center are located on the MAX light rail line with service between the Hotels and Portland International Airport. For a minimal fee, (currently $1.70) MAX will transport guests from the Airport directly to the Hotels doorsteps. Service runs every 15 minutes seven days a week between 4:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Driving Directions Visit the DoubleTree website for customized driving directions from your unique starting point to theDoubleTree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center Portland -Lloyd Center. From the North (Seattle) Stay on I-5 South. Take the OMSI/Oregon City exit (#300B), remain in the right lane. Exit onto the Morrison Bridge, remain in the right lane. Take the ramp to Front Avenue (Naito Parkway) which makes a sharp loop to the right, going back under the bridge. Head south on Front Avenue (Naito Parkway), the hotel is located 8 blocks on the right. From the South (Salem) Take Rose Quarter-City center exit 302A. At the first light, take a right on Weidler. Go to 9th Avenue and take a right. Go to the second light and the hotel is on the left. From the East (Portland Airport) Follow Airport way to I-205 South. Then take I-84 West, go approximately 5 miles to exit 1 Lloyd Blvd. Go to the second light off of the exit and take a right. Go 1 and 1/2 blocks and Lloyd Center is on the left.. Parking Valet Parking $21.00 per night Self Parking $18.00 per day Room Sharing If you are looking to save money on your housing costs, you may wish to room-share. We have set up a room-share mailing list to facilitate finding a suitable roommate. Please visit the Room Sharing page on the OSCON Wiki to submit your information and be added to the mailing list. The list will be updated and broadcast weekly. Travel Assistance The official O'Reilly conference travel planner offers one-stop shopping for your air travel and other travel needs in connection with your attendance at the O'Reilly Open Source Convention. Vivian V. Russell Travel Services 182 Farmers Lane, Suite 102 Santa Rosa, CA 95405 Email: vivianv@sonic.net Phone: (707) 525-0550, Fax: (707) 525-0560 Rental Cars Should you choose to make travel arrangements independently, you may contact Hertz directly to receive the special O'Reilly discount on rental cars at the O'Reilly Open Source Convention. To reserve a car with your special rate, call Hertz : 1 (800) 654-2240 in the U.S. 1 (800) 263-0600 in Canada (405) 749-4434 outside of these areas or call your nearest Hertz reservation center, your corporate travel department, or your travel agent. You must give the agent the Hertz CV CV#01XY0025 . Air Travel United Airlines is the official airline of the O'Reilly Open Source Convention. If you or your travel gent call United's toll-free number (1-800-521-4041) to bookyour reservations, you will recieve a 5% discount off the lowest applicable discountfare, including First Class or a 10% discount off full fare unrestricted coach fares,purchased 7 days in advance. An additional 5% discount will apply when tickets arepurchased at least 30 days in advance of your travel date. Discounts also apply onShuttle by United and United Express. Call United Specialized Meeting ReservationsCenter at 1-800-521-4041 to obtain the best fares and schedule information. Youmust refer to Meeting ID #539GN in order to receive the convention attendee discount. O'Reilly Media, Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for the facilities or services provided by the vendors and suppliers. Anyone attending this convention releases O'Reilly from any and all claims that may arise out of attending at this convention. ! -- Diamond Sponsors Platinum Sponsors Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors Media Sponsors In-Kind Sponsors Sponsors OSCON 2005 Sponsor Opportunities — Call Andrew Calvo at 707-829-0515 or email at Download the OSCON 05 Sponsor/Exhibitor Prospectus OSCON 2005 Media Sponsor Opportunities — Call Margi Levin at 707-827-7184 or email at Press and Media For media-related inquiries, contact Suzanne Axtell at Conference News Want to receive conference news? Sign up for our email newsletter. O'Reilly Home | Privacy Policy © 2005, O'Reilly Media, Inc.