Russia Travel

David Tomanek's Russia Travel Page David Tomanek's Russia Travel Page This is one of the most unusual destinations I have visited so far.Below are some of the noteworthy facts you will appreciate knowing as a visitor. To a large degree unspoiled by the Communist system, Russians (and other nationals of the former Soviet Union) have kept up withtheir tradition of hospitality. While service personnel may be unfriendly, people are generally friendly, caring and helpful on a personal level. Culture in its original sense, not restricted to performingarts or architecture, and including culture of human relationships,is highly valued. It is truly a joy to get involved in a livelydiscussion with Russians about Art, Science or Politics, and feel theexcitement and deep desire to find the fundamental truth. This alonemakes an encounter with the Russian culture worth the trip. With amazing accuracy, locals spot foreigners even beforethey open their mouth. By default, foreigners are assumed to beAmericans. Ownership of a car provides drivers with a license to kill. To alesser degree, this also applies at pedestrian cross­walks,where car drivers exercise their right of way somewhat lessaggressively. The dual­pricing system, where foreigners are charged a higherrate than locals for the same service, is an outgrowth of plannedeconomy in desperate need for resources. More resources are believedto be generated using the well­established method to increase egg production by forcing chickens to lay several eggs a day, rather thanacquiring more chickens. This dual­pricing system has recently reached a new level ofabsurdity. As an example, the beautiful state Hermitage museum in St.Petersburg charges foreigners 15­20 times more than Russians. Individual tourism is efficiently suppressed by linking visarequirements to a hotel reservation. This provides hotels with aneffective monopoly on visa, and allowing for hotel rates, applied toforeigners, to be a multiple of those applied to locals. Individualtourists are often asked to pay the price of a western first­classhotel accommodation for a room without running water or toilet paper. One unusual exception from this rule is the American­founded Youth Hostel in St. Petersburg .It charges locals and visitors the same rate of US$ 19 per night perperson (as of Summer 1997) in clean rooms with few beds. Showers andtoilets are unusually clean by local hotel standards. There are noage restrictions. Most important, the hostel is run very efficientlyby an in­house travel agency that specializes in arranging visa. Thehostel/travel agency runs a server on the internet and a very useful Web site . The staff are helpful and experienced, and routinely make use oftheir in­house e­mail and fax facilities. ... back to David Tomanek's home page David Tomanek at Michigan State University tomanek@pa.msu.edu This page has been visited 1325 times. Last update: 15 July 1997.

France Travel Cheat Sheets

Free France Travel Cheat Sheets  You are here: About > Travel > France for Visitors Travel Go France Essentials New Year's Eve in Paris and France Worst of France 2005 Paris Travel Guide Top French Ski Resorts Best New Year's Eve Champagne Articles & Resources Destinations Trip Planning Transportation Interests & Situations Money, Safety & Issues Things to Do in France Where to Stay in France Staying Connected Blogs Picture Galleries Culture, Language & People Fun, Freebies & Quizes Relocating to France Nudism, Sex & Gay Travel D-Day & Historic Travel Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Sites Selling French Products Before You Buy the Gift of Travel Gifts for the France Fanatic Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the France for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search France for Visitors Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Suggested Reading France by Destination Travel Planning Essentials Relocating to France Related Blogs Dispatches from France Blog Paris Blog French Word-a-Day Blog La Coquette Blog Chroniques dune Fraise Nice Blog Rsidence Les Marronniers Provence Blog L'Oiseau Blog Chocolate and Zucchini Blog Forty Days in Paris Blog Most Popular "Naked City" Christmas in Paris Photo Tour Paris Sex District Top Paris Attractions Christmas in France What's Hot New Year's Eve in France Paris Gay Pride Parade Host A France-Themed Party Nice, France Photo Gallery Camping in France Related Topics Europe for Visitors French Language French Cuisine Honeymoons / Romantic Getaways Wine Free France Travel Cheat Sheets From Kelby Carr , Your Guide to France for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Print Up a Personalized French Guidebook Why do France the hard way? Get a little assistance with these free France Travel Cheat Sheets, which provide tips on getting around, the French language, the French people, important and emergency numbers, and more. Get a personalized (and free) guidebook for your trip. INSTRUCTIONS : Just click on the link of a cheat sheet below that interests you. Once you get to the sheet, click the "Printer-Friendly Version" button to the top right if it is available, and print. If there is no printer-friendly option, click on "File" in your Web browser, then "Page Setup," then select "Landscape" for the paper, and then print. When you are done with each sheet, click "back" to return to the list, or the "Free France Travel Cheat Sheets" link in the Essentials box at the top left of every page. Feel there are some subjects or topics missing from this list? E-mail me at gofrance.guide@about.com and suggest a topic. Please put "Cheat Sheets" in the subject. Happy cheating! Basics France: Before You Go Top France Travel Guidebooks Packing Packing Checklist Tips on Packing Light How to Get Your Suitcase Closed - a List of Items You Can Take Out Top 10 Packing Must-Haves for Your French Vacation Destination Guides Paris: Before You Go How I Do Paris: Secrets to Really Getting a Feel for This Huge City Carcassonne: Before You Go Disneyland Paris: Before You Go Nice: Before You Go Top Beach Destinations of France Getting Around How to Survive France's Rails Choosing the Right Rail Pass French Culture & Language Avoiding the "Rude" French Survivalist's French Language Course - Learn the Basics on the Plane Ride Over The French Schedule France: The Bad, Ugly & Smelly Safety & Health Issues How to Cope With Travel & Flying Fears Are Americans Safe Traveling to France? Travel Medical Insurance Ins & Outs Being American in Paris During Iraq War Tensions Lodging in France France's Lodging Options Paris Hotel Reviews Camping in France Special interests & Hobbies Band of Brothers Tour Stay at a French Chateau Plan Your Own Cathedral Tour Cap d'Agde's Naturist Quarter: Before You Go How to Get Naked in France Staying in Touch Using Your Cellphone in France Have Laptop, Will Travel - a Guide to Using Your Computer in France Using French Keyboards Money Matters Pinching Centimes - a List of Ways to Stretch That Pricy Euro Getting Euros in France - DOs and DON'Ts Holidays, Events & Festivals Visiting During Cannes Film Festival Christmas Markets of France Celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau's Release Halloween in France Thanksgiving in France        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 New Year's Eve in France Paris Gay Pride Parade Host A France-Themed Party Nice, France Photo Gallery Camping in France

Vacation Package

Sunburst Vacations :: Vacation packages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Bahamas, and Bermuda - Book online today! Enter your email address to receive travel offers & exclusives for FREE! Go To My Itinerary Retrieve Itinerary Antigua Aruba Bahamas Grand Bahama Nassau Paradise Island Barbados Bermuda Dominican Republic La Romana Puerto Plata Punta Cana Santo Domingo Grand Cayman Jamaica Montego Bay Negril Ocho Rios Mexico Acapulco Cabo San Lucas Cancun Cozumel Ixtapa La Paz Manzanillo Mayan Riviera Mazatlan Puerto Vallarta Puerto Rico St. Kitts St. Lucia St. Maarten/St. Martin U.S. Virgin Islands St. Croix St. John St. Thomas Flight & Hotel Hotel Only Flight Only From Airport Search Destination Select Your Destination Acapulco (ACA) Anguilla (AXA) Antigua (ANU) Aruba (AUA) Bahamas - Freeport (FPO) Bahamas - Nassau (NAS) Bahamas - Paradise Island (NAS) Barbados (BGI) Bermuda (BDA) Bonaire (BON) Cabo San Lucas (SJD) Cancun (CUN) Cancun - Mayan Riviera (CUN) Cayman Islands (GCM) Cozumel (CZM) Curacao (CUR) Ixtapa (ZIH) Jamaica (MBJ) Jamaica - Montego Bay (MBJ) Jamaica - Negril (MBJ) Jamaica - Ocho Rios (MBJ) La Paz (LAP) La Romana (LRM) Manzanillo (ZLO) Mazatlan (MZT) Puerto Plata (POP) San Juan (SJU) Puerto Vallarta (PVR) Punta Cana (PUJ) Puerto Rico (SJU) Santo Domingo (SDQ) St Barths (SBH) St John (STT) St Kitts (SKB) St Lucia - Vigi (SLU) St Lucia - Hewanorra (UVF) St Maarten (SXM) St Martin (SXM) Turks & Caicos (PLS) US Virgin Islands - St Croix (STX) US Virgin Islands - St John (STT) US Virgin Islands - St Thomas (STT) US Virgin Islands - US Virgin Islands (STT) Vieques Island (VQS) Departure Date anytime morning afternoon evening Return Date anytime morning afternoon evening Airline All Airlines Aero California Aeromexico Air Jamaica America West Airlines American Airlines Cayman Airways Delta Air Lines Mexicana Airlines US Airways Service Class coach business first Rooms 1 2 3 Adults 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Children 0 1 2 3 Please select child age below. under 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 under 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 under 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 infant in seat infant in lap infant in seat infant in lap infant in seat infant in lap 0) location.href=this[this.selectedIndex].value;" Choose Your Destination Acapulco Cabo San Lucas Cancun Cozumel Ixtapa La Paz Manzanillo Mayan Riviera Mazatlan Puerto Vallarta 0) location.href=this[this.selectedIndex].value;" Choose Your Destination Grand Bahama Nassau Paradise Island St. Thomas Wyndham Sugar Bay 35% OFF Bahamas Westin at Our Lucaya Every 3rd Night FREE Cabo San Lucas Presidente 30% OFF Melia Cabo 30% OFF Westin $25 Credit Barbados $500 Air Credit & FREE Night! Almond Beach 40% OFF Jamaica Couples Resorts 35% OFF Puerto Rico El Conquistador 50% OFF St. Lucia Coconut Bay $100 Resort Credit! Bermuda Fairmont Southampton FREE Upgrade Cabo San Lucas Costa Real Cabo Spa 30% OFF Manzanillo Gran Costa Real 20% OFF Casinos Golf Luxury Spa Vacations | Destinations | Travel Agents | Contact Us For Reservations & Information Call 1-800-SUNBURST Terms & Conditions | Travelers Edge | Optional Trip Cancellation | Privacy Policy | About Us powered by EzRez release-4-3

Spain Travel

Barcelona Spain - Barcelona Travel Guide  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors 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 Map showing the location of Barcelona, Spain. James Martin Stay up to date! Map showing the location of Barcelona, Spain. James Martin Email to a friend Print this page Spain Resources Spain Map and Travel Essentials Spain Links Eating in Spain Barcelona Resources Barcelona in Pictures Barcelona Links 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 Barcelona, Spain - Travel Essentials Barcelona Spain Guide From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Where is Barcelona Spain?:  Barcelona, the capital of the region of Catalonia, is located on the Mediterranean coast in the east of Spain. It is located at 41.40°N Latitude and 2.17°E Longitude. What is the Population of Barcelona?:  The population of Barcelona in 2003 was around 1.5 million people. Getting to Barcelona by Air:  Barcelona's Airport is 13 km (8 miles) from the city of Barcelona. It has three terminals and its airport code is BCN. A taxi takes 20-30 minutes to get into town and costs 15-25 euros. Train services to the airport are available every 30 minutes from Clot-Arago, Arc de Triomf, Placa Catalunya and Barcelona Sants stations. Cost is 2.10 Euros. A bus runs every 15 minutes from the Plaza Catalunya to the airport. The fee is 3.30 Euros one-way. Barcelona Train Stations:  The two main stations serving Barcelona are Estaciós (stations) Sants and França. Sants services destinations in Spain and a few international trains, while most long distance trains (from Geneva, Milan, Paris and Zurich) depart from Estació França. Barcelona Bus Stations:  Estació del Nord is the larger of the two. It handles busses to most major Spanish cities as well as hosting international busses run by Eurolines/Linebús and Starbus. Location: Carrer d'Alí Bei near the Arc de Triomf metro station. The Estació d'Autobuses de Sants near the Sants train station handles buses to Montserrat and international services operated by Eurolines/Julià Via. Tourist Information:  Centre d'Informació Turisme de Barcelona in the Plaça de Catalunya, tel: 906 30 12 82 Language:  Traveling in Catalonia can be quite a challenge for those of us who speak a tiny bit of Spanish but no Catalán, the language of the region. Rest assured that Barcelona is a major travel destination, so you'll see menus in both Spainish and Catalán, and many folks speak a bit of English as well. What to do in Barcelona:   Walk La Rambla - One of the world's greatest boulevards. Watch people, gawk at performing artists, grab a bite to eat at the market, and watch your wallet. Take in the Picasso Museum - One of Barcelona's top art attractions, known for its large collections of the artist's earlier years. Open Tue-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-3pm. 5 Euros, Students pay half that. It's free the first Sunday of the Month. Fondació Joan Miró - Get contemporary by visiting a museum featuring the works of one of the greatest Catalan artists in the Placa Neptu. 7 Euro admission. Open Tue-Wed 10am-7pm, Thu 10am-9.30pm, Fri-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-2.30pm. Gaudi all over - Visit the Parc Güell that contains the Casa-Museu Gaudí , where Gaudi lived from 1906-1926. Free. Then visit the Sagrada Familia , the church Gaudi devoted 18 years of his life to constructing and it's not done yet. 5 Euros to get inside, which gets you great views of Barcelona and, for the cellar dwellers, a peek into the crypt containing the fascinating history though photos and drawings. Walk the twisty lanes of the Gothic quarter - Free and interesting. Lunch at the Mercat La Boquería - at 101 La Rambla, it's Spain's best market. Inside are several tapas bars. Pull up a stool and eat the best that comes to market that day. Cathedral Crawl - The cloister is a fine and most peaceful place if you ever need to escape the beautiful hustle and bustle of Barcelona. Dinner at Los Caracoles Restaurant - on Escudellers Street in the Gothic Quarter.        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

Mexico Travel

Tulum Mexico Travel Information : TravelYucatan.com Tulum Mexico Travel Information Tulum Mayan Riviera Mexico TULUM MEXICO Tulum Mexico is the combination of a beach [coastline], archeological zone, and town. You could say that there are three distinct zones making up what people commonly refer to as Tulum. TULUM RUINS Tulum ruins are located 130 km south of Cancun. The "Tulum Archeological Zone" is the first distinct zone. You can't miss the ruins driving along Hwy 307 either in a rental vehicle or in a bus/collectivo. There are numerous signs and there is a big pink hotel on the corner. Tulum ruins are approximately 1 km down a road towards the coast. There is a large market there as well as a few fast food restaurants. Along the road towards the ruins on your immediate right is where the Mayan Pole Flyers do their pole flying. They perform throughout the day and you can sit and watch. Tulum ruins has one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. You can jump in the water at Tulum ruins and swim north to Boca Paila [we have done this]. TULUMS HOTELS For current Tulum hotel and resort information including rates, availability and secure on-line reservations please see: Tulum Hotels and Resorts Cancun Airport to Tulum Transfer Information TULUM PHOTOS Click on Image to Enlarge Restaurants Restaurant Main 307 Strip Mini Super Tulum Taqueria Maya at Ruins Ruins Beach North Ruins Beach South Tulum Ruins Beach TULUM BEACH Boca Paila has yet to be invaded by the all-inclusive resorts and remains as one of the last popular bastions of hedonistic culture in the Riviera. Along the beach you find inexpensive cabana's for rent [no reservation needed] and the odd drink stand/BBQ joint. Clothing is optional. Snorkeling along the coast here is not that good. Lots of sand and weeds. Tulum Beach can be accessed through a number of points. You can walk in via the road that takes you to the ruins. Just keep following the road south when it hits the ruins. This same road takes you to the Sian Kaan Biosphere and Punta Allen. You can access the beach by walking through an opening or access point from the road. There is also access at Tulum Pueblo. TULUM PUEBLO Tulum Pueblo is either a small city or a large town; it is hard to say. This is where many of the locals live who work in the nearby resorts and hotels. Many support workers such as bus drivers and construction workers live here as well. It is a diverse population with everything from computer programmers to dive instructors. You enter Tulum Pueblo on Hwy 307. Along the highway is the tourista zona and there is shop after shop selling everything and anything. Lots of tortilla stands, restaurants, pharmacies and other kinds of stores. There are dive shops, tour companies, car rental agencies but no bank or bank machine, go figure. The closest bank machine is at Hacienda Isabela [Bahia Principe Resort]. Off of the highway are residential streets with people living in houses and businesses. BUS INFORMATION There are two bus terminals in Tulum, one near the Pemex station, open to the public from 9: 00 to 18: 00 hrs. The other is located in town and is open 24hrs. Both provide first & second class bus service. The collectivo also stops in town on Hwy 307. You can take the collectivo from Tulum to Playa del Carmen for 15 pesos. TAXI There are 2 main taxi stands. Just look for the line up of taxis. Usually you do not have to look for a taxi as they are constantly driving by looking for fares. TOURIST INFORMATION / POLICE The Police station as well as the library, the Mayor's Office and the Tourist Information Office are located beside the baseball field. The Post Office is located on the main avenue [Hwy 307]. ENGLISH SPANISH hello hola please por favor beer cerveza thanks gracias bathroom bao travelers de viajero cash efectivo credit credito bank el banco open abierto MAYAN RIVIERA Overview Photos Choosing a Hotel Hotel List Hotel Maps Group Hotel Rates Getting Around Map FAQ Weather Ruin Sites Things To Do DESTINATIONS Puerto Morelos Playa del Carmen Playacar Calica Puerto Aventuras Xpu-Ha Kantenah Paamul Akumal Chemuyil Xcacel Tulum OF INTEREST What's All Inclusive? Vacation Info Montezuma Revenge Mayan Riviera Airport Transfers Mark every piece of luggage inside and outside with your last nameand first initial only. Do not use a title [Mz.] Do not put your homeaddress or destination address on the luggage unless yourdestination is a hotel or resort. Mayan Arts & Crafts The Mexican name for the Atlantic coastal region of the Yucatan Peninsula is "Riviera Maya". The English translation is either Maya Riviera or Mayan Riviera. It is used all three ways in this web site. Can't find what you're looking for here, try... | Cancun | Chichen Itza | Merida | Uxmal | Isla Holbox | | Mayan Riviera | Playa del Carmen | Cozumel | Isla Mujeres | Last Mod: November 2, 2005 2005 TravelYucatan.com v3.1 Description: Mayan Riviera Mexico Vacation Information. Travel Information for the Mayan Riviera Mexico