Europe Travel 101 -
|
|
Winter Travel to Europe - Low Season Highs from Europe for Visitors 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 Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page European Tickets on the Web European Tickets on the Web Box Office Online Italy Winter Travel Resources Christmas Markets Winter Festivals Europe Carnivals Europe Weather Europe Weather 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 Winter Travel To Europe From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Winter may be the perfect time to travel. Why not travel in winter? Hotels and airfares are cheap, sweaty summer crowds are a dim memory, and there's plenty going on:
Attend Cultural events: Opera, Theater, and Symphony Winter Seasons.
Have Fun in the Snow: skiing, snowboarding
See Christmas Markets, Festivals and Carnival
Enjoy Winter food - an entirely different animal from summer's simplicity!
Why Travel in Winter?
While it's great fun hanging out under the August sun slurping spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce at an outdoor cafe in Rome, winter travel offers some interesting opportunities you may not have considered. There are the obvious ones, like skiing and snowboarding. But what about the opera and orchestra season? European cultural events in historic halls are going full blast in winter.
Winter offers you a chance to see Europe in a whole different--albeit dimmer--light. The season presents you with a chance to put on your woollies and hike snow covered peaks, or squeeze into a tux and go to an opera gala.
How can I afford all this? Saving Money
If you think you can't afford a winter vacation, take a look at winter airline prices. It could cost you a half to a third of the price of a summer flight to get to Europe in the off-season.
Hotels usually offer discounts in winter as well.
But isn't it Cold Over There?
Some places are indeed quite chilly. But the south of Italy, Spain, Portugal and most of Greece are pretty balmy in winter. Winter is a great time to visit Spain's Andalucian trio of Seville, Cordoba and Granada. Or perhaps you'd rather take a winter visit to almost deserted Pompeii with a stopover in Naples in order to eat some of the best food in Italy. Check our Europe Weather Links for the skinny on temperatures.
The Contrarian View - Winter as, well...Winter!
Why look for sun and balmy weather at all? Winter has charms of its own. Instead of a seat at an outdoor cafe, think of wandering through Venice's wintry fog, peering into the city's steamed-up windows in search of a cozy cafe--or, better yet, think of eating rich, winter foods beside a roaring fire beneath the intricately carved timber-beams of an historic guild hall restaurant in Basel, Switzerland.
In winter, European cuisine changes dramatically. Southern Mediterranean dwellers wouldn't think of eating heavy cream sauces in summer (although they will whip butterfat into just about anything for tourists who demand such culinary blasphemy). But once the leaves fall off the trees, European kitchens burst into winter mode--creamy, long-cooking sauces, preserved duck and goose, root vegetables, and the roasting of wild game all contributing to aromas that will leave you wishing you could stay in Europe forever. In winter you'll come to find all those food "specialties" you've read about in guidebooks but were never able to locate in summer.
Cultural Events also come alive in winter. The opera, theater, and symphony seasons are in full swing. Sure, in summer you can spend good money going to a historic building to see short ditties truncated for the enjoyment of limited-attention-span summer tourists, but the shorter days of winter leave time in the evenings for the real deal. Today you'll find many ticket sales for these events online. Check the "European Tickets on the Web" box on the upper right for more.
(continue to page two for Christmas Markets, Festivals, and Skiing. 1 2 Next 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 Deals Switzerland
Switzerland tourism - Switzerland vacation reviews - Switzerland vacations - TripAdvisor Switzerland vacations - Switzerland tourism Sign in • Sign up Home > Europe > Switzerland > Switzerland Tourism Switzerland tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Deals Forums Maps, etc. All Switzerland reviews Search (e.g., Boston hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Switzerland Switzerland Overview All Switzerland Reviews Switzerland Hotels Flights to Switzerland Switzerland Deals Switzerland Attractions Switzerland Forums Switzerland Maps Switzerland Discount Hotels Switzerland Vacation Packages e-mail this page to a friend Popular cities Aargau Hotels Adelboden Hotels Appenzell Hotels Ascona Hotels Basel Hotels Bern Hotels Bernese Oberland Hotels Crans-Montana Hotels Davos Hotels Fribourg Hotels Geneva Hotels Grindelwald Hotels Grisons Hotels Gstaad Hotels Interlaken Hotels Lausanne Hotels Locarno Hotels Lucerne Hotels Lugano Hotels Montreux Hotels Saas-Fee Hotels St. Gallen Hotels St. Moritz Hotels Swiss Alps Hotels Ticino Hotels Valais Hotels Vaud Hotels Wengen Hotels Zermatt Hotels Zurich Hotels Read more Switzerland tourism Switzerland vacations - Switzerland tourism Sponsored links * Switzerland Travel Deals Switzerland : Book Best Available Room. ClassicVacations.com Call 800-921-2680 to find your luxury travel specialist Switzerland : Book Now - Pay on Checkout! Venere.com Buying Direct Means Lower Prices. Hotels, B&Bs, Apartments and More. Switzerland : Vacation Planning Experts. ClassicVacations.com Call 800-921-2650 to find your luxury travel specialist 300 Hotels in Switzerland www.bookings.ch Book a hotel in Switzerland online. Great rates. No reservation costs! All results: View all 5,871 Switzerland travel deals Where do you want to go today? Find all the best web-based write-ups and deals on your chosen destination. View map of Switzerland and choose your destination >> View all Switzerland hotels Switzerland Hotel Recommendations Other Destinations Find a great hotel based on web-wide popularity and coverage. Top-Rated hotels: Coeur des Alpes , Zermatt, Valais, Swiss Alps Widder Hotel , Zurich Chalet Fontana , Murren, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Caprice Hotel , Wengen, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Victoria Jungfrau Hotel , Interlaken, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Rugenpark Hotel / B&B Interlaken , Interlaken, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Badrutt's Palace Hotel , St. Moritz, Grisons, Swiss Alps Hotel Adler , Zurich Hotel Zum Storchen - a Summit Hotel , Zurich Hotel Eden au Lac , Zurich View all Switzerland hotels Find top hotels by destination: Select your destination Basel Bern Bernese Oberland Davos Geneva Interlaken Lausanne Lucerne Lugano St. Moritz Swiss Alps Valais Zermatt Zurich Popular Switzerland Destinations Check out these popular places: Basel Bern Bernese Oberland Davos Geneva Interlaken Lausanne Lucerne Lugano St. Moritz Swiss Alps Valais Zermatt Zurich Switzerland Attractions Top Switzerland Attractions: Museum of Art (Kunsthaus Zurich) , Zurich Cathedrale de St-Pierre , Geneva Chateau de Chillon , Montreux, Vaud Little Carouge (Carougka) , Geneva International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (Musee International de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge) , Geneva Great Church (Grossmunster) , Zurich Church of Our Lady (Fraumunster) , Zurich Jungfrau , Grindelwald, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps The Jungfraujoch Experience , Interlaken, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Munster (Cathedral) , Basel Click above or search for more attractions in your destination: Select your destination Basel Bern Bernese Oberland Davos Geneva Interlaken Lausanne Lucerne Lugano St. Moritz Swiss Alps Valais Zermatt Zurich Switzerland Articles and Guidebooks SmartDeals From tips & tricks to rants & raves. Read the best sources and the most up-to-date reviews... "Overview of Switzerland," Frommer's "Swiss values: majestic views, challenging slopes," Nov 13, 2005 , Boston.com / Boston Globe "Going To: Bern," Jun 26, 2005 , New York Times (free registration required) "In Zurich, More Than Steeple Chasing," Jun 19, 2005 , Washington Post (free registration required) Read all Switzerland reviews Find a great Switzerland hotel deal! SmartDeals show you the best rates on the best hotels. Victoria Jungfrau Hotel Average price: $1552 Victoria Jungfrau Hotel - Book best available room - ClassicVacations.com More reviews, deals Hotel Zum Storchen - a Summit Hotel Average price: $421 Hotel Zum Storchen - a Summit Hotel - Book Now! - Venere.com More reviews, deals Hotel Adler Average price: $176 Hotel Adler - Great Rates - Otel.com More reviews, deals View all SmartDeals TripAdvisor Switzerland Traveler Forums Travelers like you give candid advice on hotels and much more. Join the Discussion March Train Tour (3 replies, 3:52 pm, today) Holiday Wishes (6 replies, 9:16 am, yesterday) Tips for a trip to Switzerland in July (7 replies, 4:35 am, Dec 26, 2005) Read all Switzerland discussions Post a new Switzerland topic Share Your Travel Savvy skiing in late March in Switzerland (no replies, 4:41 pm, yesterday) 4 Day trip to Switzerland in Middle of March (no replies, 1:10 pm, yesterday) Zurich and Genava (no replies, 10:31 pm, Dec 13, 2005) Browse all Switzerland discussions Free alerts on Switzerland 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 Switzerland for You E-mail: About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor provides unbiased reviews, articles, recommendations and opinions on Switzerland 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.
European Vacation / Christmas
Amazon.com: Ultimate Vacation Collection (Vacation / European Vacation / Christmas Vacation / Vegas Vacation): DVD: Vacation Gift Your Store DVD See All 32 Product Categories Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | Advanced Search | Browse Genres | Top Sellers | New & Future Releases | Television Central | Life & Learning | DVD Essentials | Blowout DVDs | Movie Showtimes | Used DVDs Search Amazon.com DVD Web Search Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in . DVD Information Explore this item buying info editorial reviews customer reviews cast and crew Listmania! Funniest Movies "1994-2000" in... : A list by Alex Add your List Ready to buy? Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering. A9.com users save 1.57% on Amazon. Learn how . MORE BUYING CHOICES 61 used & new from $39.28 Have one to sell? Ultimate Vacation Collection (Vacation / European Vacation / Christmas Vacation / Vegas Vacation) (1983) Rating: See larger image Share your own customer images List Price: $52.98 Price: $39.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping . See details You Save: $12.99 (25%) Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Want it delivered Thursday, December 29? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. See details 61 used & new available from $39.28 Edition: Other Versions and Languages Other Versions (DVD) List Price Price Other Offers: DVD Police Academy / National Lampoon's Vacation $39.98 $35.99 14 used & new from $19.93 DVD National Lampoon's Vacation (20th Anniversary Special Edition) $19.98 $7.97 92 used & new from $5.55 DVD National Lampoon's Vacation (Full Screen Edition) $14.98 27 used & new from $5.49 Movies Summary Vacation See more info See less info Stars: Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo , Imogene Coca , Randy Quaid , Anthony Michael Hall Directors: Harold Ramis Theatrical Release Date: July 29, 1983 Rating: R Genres: Adventure, Comedy Plot Outline: The Griswold family's cross-country drive to the WallyWorld theme park proves to be much more arduous than they ever anticipated. European Vacation See more info See less info Stars: Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo , Dana Hill , Jason Lively , John Astin Directors: Amy Heckerling Theatrical Release Date: July 26, 1985 Rating: R Genres: Comedy Plot Outline: The Griswalds win a vacation tour across Europe where the usual havoc ensues. Christmas Vacation See more info See less info Stars: Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo , Juliette Lewis , Johnny Galecki , John Randolph Directors: Jeremiah S. Chechik Theatrical Release Date: December 1, 1989 Rating: R Genres: Comedy Plot Outline: The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster. Vegas Vacation See more info See less info Stars: Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo , Randy Quaid , Ethan Embry , Marisol Nichols Directors: Stephen Kessler Theatrical Release Date: February 14, 1997 Rating: R Genres: Comedy Better Together Buy this DVD with Planes, Trains and Automobiles DVD ~ Steve Martin today! Total List Price: $65.96 Buy Together Today: $48.98 Customers who bought this DVD also bought Planes, Trains and Automobiles DVD ~ Steve Martin Caddyshack DVD ~ Chevy Chase The Great Outdoors DVD ~ Dan Aykroyd Chevy Chase Collection (Caddyshack/Funny Farm/Spies Like Us) DVD ~ Chevy Chase Explore Similar Items : in DVD Product Details Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen, Ntsc Rated: (Not for sale to persons under age 18.) Studio: Warner Home Video DVD Release Date: October 7, 2003 Average Customer Review: Based on 11 Reviews Note on DVD sets: During shipping, discs in multidisc sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase. ASIN: B0000AVH9P Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,673 in DVD Editorial Reviews Product Description: 11 million VACATION franchise videos and DVDs sold to date! "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" is the #3 holiday movie of all time by E!Online! Customers who viewed this DVD also viewed Funny Farm DVD ~ Chevy Chase The Naked Gun DVD Gift Set DVD ~ Naked Gun Uncle Buck DVD ~ John Candy Police Academy - The Complete Collection DVD ~ Police Academy Gift Set Explore Similar Items : in DVD , in Books , and in Video Spotlight Reviews Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 6 of 7 people found the following review helpful: On Holiday With The Griswolds....In Widescreen! , January 12, 2005 Reviewer: L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (fountain valley, ca United States) - See all my reviews This review refers to the "Ultimate Vacation Collection" ( 4 DVD set Warner Bros).... Look out world..the Griswolds are coming! To Walley World, Europe, Vegas and Christmas at home...all 4 together, and in all in widescreen! What a treat this package deal is...and all at a reasonable price. Wherever you go with this goofy, but fun family, you are in for one hilarious time. Spreading their own kind of love and joy, taking out Stonehenge, Hoover Dam, Aunt Edna's dog, a few cars, the neighbor's house, Wayne Newton's living room, and basically all of Europe along the way. Clark, Ellen, Rusty, and Audrey know how to show you family style vacations, and will have you laughing out loud every step of the way. Chevy Chase is the definitive easy going Dad, trying to make memories with his family. It's not his fault if nothing ever goes right..is it? Beverly D'Angelo is always wonderful as his loving wife, always at "Sparky's" side, and is as beautiful in "Vegas Vacation" as she was in "Vacation", shot 16 years apart. The kids, played by different actors in each(Anthony Michael Hall, and Juliette Lewis among them), are always fabulous, the way they know how to handle Mom and Dad, and create their own mischief as well. There's always a great sprinkling of legendary guest stars in each film as well. Imogene Coca, John Candy. Eric Idle, Wayne Newton, Sid Caser, Eddie Bracken,E.G. Marshall, and Wallace Shawn just to name a few. And how fortunate we are to be able to see an act with Siegfried and Roy preserved on film. Christy Brinkley adds her charms to the fun, and then of course, lest we forget "Cousin Eddie", could we ever even think of anyone but Randy Quaid in that role? This is a great package deal and a must have for the "Vacation" series lover. Each film is in their own individual snap case, as mentioned above, all in widescreen, "Vacation" is the 20th anniversary special edition, they all look and sound fabulous, each has their own special features, 3 have commentary, "Vegas" has production notes, and all have subtitles in English, French and Spanish. So have some fun Lampoon style, have lunch with Cousin Eddie, and tour the world with the Griswolds. 5 stars to Warner Bros for putting together this package for fans of these classics! I laugh just thinking about them...enjoy...Laurie Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 1 of 3 people found the following review helpful: Classic National Lampoon Comedies , August 8, 2005 Reviewer: Julian Fonseca (Okinawa, Japan) - See all my reviews Great movies, very funny, just simply classic National Lampoon fun. Comedies don't get much better than these. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 0 of 21 people found the following review helpful: The Terminal , January 11, 2005 Reviewer: Dominic Riehl "dom" (grand forks, ND) - See all my reviews This movie moves a little slow, but all in all, a good movie. I would definately recommend it as a renter. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 5 of 10 people found the following review helpful: Love Them , October 24, 2004 Reviewer: Sal - See all my reviews These Vacation Movies are the best! They are soo funny and never get old. There a must have. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 9 of 17 people found the following review helpful: Half Great, Half Not , September 19, 2004 A Kid's Review National Lampoon's Vacation: This was, is, and always will be a classic. Chevy Chase's best performance ever (next to 'Fletch') as the good-natured Clark W. Griswald. You feel bad for the poor guy who always tries to keep people's spirits up and make the best trip for his family, but keeps screwing up. Beverly D'angelo is awesome and beautiful, Aunt Edna is awesome, and Dana Barron and Anthony Michael Hall ('Sixteen Candles') are also the best Griswald kids ever. Plus, the movie has an awesome mean streak (the fate of the evil dog and the demise of Aunt Edna, for example) and a great cameo appearance by John Candy. This new DVD features "I'm So Excited" in all the scenes with sexy Christie Brinkly flirting in the car with Chevy Chase instead of "Little Boy Sweet." I don't know which song is in the theatrical version, but my video from the 80s has "Little Boy Sweet," which I REALLY prefer. 5/5 A+ National Lampoon's European Vacation: YUCK! This boring sequel is way to mean spirited and offensive to even come close to equaling the beauty of the first film. A new writer and director replaced John Hughes and Harold Ramis, and the movie suffers because of it. All the jokes fall flat and the Griswald kids suck. Plus, Randy Quaid is absent and you'll notice. This movie definatly brings this collection down. 1/5 F National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: The series gets back on track with this great entry. The Griswald's stay at home for this one, but the movie's just as funny as the first. The in-laws are awesome, and the entire last 45 minutes (after Randy Quaid shows up) are non-stop hysteria. The kids change again, and Rusty shrinks into 'Roseanne's' Johnny Galecki. FYI, 'Roseanne' is the best show ever, and the man who played Roseanne's dad on the show is also Clark's dad here. A+ Vegas Vacation: Meh. Randy Quaid is hilarious and brings the movie up, but they definately should have ended with a big bang with Christmas Vacation. The kids aren't funny, and Chevy Chase is too old at this point. Also, the spark is burnt out and seeing Chevy Chase trying to have a fun vacation but only having disaster is, by now, a little old. 2.5/5 C I would suggest buying buying Vacation and Christmas Vacation separately and saving the money for two movies you'd never watch. Plus, European Vacation and Vegas Vacation don't even get special edition treatment, so they're pretty much useless. Either way, one and three will forever remain classics. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 9 of 11 people found the following review helpful: Hilarious Collection , March 2, 2004 Reviewer: dylan "supcan" (USA) - See all my reviews This is one of the funniest comedy series ever to be made. Chevy Chase is really on top of his game in these films. You can probably enjoy most of these films with your family, but number 2 has quite alot of nudity, and number 1 has some swears but i'm sure your kids will be able to watch them with you. In every film, they change the kids to make them stay around the same age, that's what chevy chase said in the commetary in the second one. Vacation- very funny with great plot and actors. This by far would have to be the funniest of the whole series. Since this is a special edition, they put in alot of features which was great because the non special edition version of this dvd had barely any features. The commentary in this is nice. The whole family does the commentary. European Vacation- this is a hilarious sequel to the classic comedy. It's not as good as Christmas Vacation or the original Vacation but don't let that fool you, it's still a movie that will make you laugh all the way through it. The special features do lack on this disk for all we get is a trailer and a commentary by Chevy Chase (which sucked, i'm not kidding). Anyway, this is still a hilarious film. Christmas Vacation- this is just as good as the first one. It will make you howl with laughter. This is the perfect Christmas comedy and the family could watch it. Now, warner bros box sets usually make the first one a special editon, but it this box set, the first and this one get the special edition treatment. This has the most features out of all the disks Vegas Vaction- what can i say, this was a funny movie, but wasn't that strong. mostly because national lampoons didn't make it. But it's still a funny movie and is really a family movie. This is an ok disk when it comes to features, but what can you do. So, buckle up and get ready to ride with the Griswalds in a non-stop pack of laughter. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 11 customer reviews... Listmania! Funniest Movies "1994-2000" in... : by Alex My DVD collection VIII : by "cjovignot" Funny Flicks : by "girlyhome1" So You'd Like to... More Suck Skiping Movie Edition : by Keith Whitener , Fun fun silly willy laugh 'til your sides hurt? : by C. Cade Brenchley , Classic comedy critic have a DVD collection IV : by cjovignot , Entrepreneur For more information about "Ultimate Vacation Collection (Vacation / European Vacation / Christmas Vacation / Vegas Vacation)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Look for similar items by category Browse similar items in: DVD > Actors & Actresses > ( C ) > Chase, Chevy DVD > Formats > Boxed Sets > Comedy DVD > Genres > Comedy > General DVD > Genres > Music Video & Concerts > General Suggestion Box Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. If you've found something incorrect, broken, or frustrating on this page, let us know so that we can improve it. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to suggestions made via this form. If you need help with an order, please contact Customer Service . Please mark as many of the following boxes that apply: Product information is missing important details. Product information is incorrect. Propose corrections using our Online Catalog Update Form . The page contains typographical errors. The page takes too long to load. The page has a software bug in it. Content violates Amazon.com's policy on offensive language . Product offered violates Amazon.com's policy on items that can be listed for sale. Comments or Examples: Examples: Missing information such as dimensions and model number, typos, inaccuracies, etc. Where's My Stuff? • Track your recent orders . • View or change your orders in Your Account . Shipping & Returns • See our shipping rates & policies . • Return an item (here's our Returns Policy ). Need Help? • Forgot your password? Click here . • Redeem or buy a gift certificate. • Visit our Help department . Search Amazon.com Books Popular Music Music Downloads Classical Music DVD VHS Apparel Yellow Pages Movie Showtimes Toys Baby Computers Video Games Electronics Camera & Photo Software Tools & Hardware Office Products Magazines Sports & Outdoors Outdoor Living Kitchen Jewelry & Watches Beauty Gourmet Food Musical Instruments Health/Personal Care Pet Supplies Travel Cell Phones & Service Outlet Auctions zShops Everything Else Automotive for Amazon.com Home | Directory of All Stores Our International Sites: Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | Japan | France | China Help | Shopping Cart | Your Account | Sell Items | 1-Click Settings Investor Relations | Press Room | Careers Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1996-2005, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates
Asia Travel || Laos
TRAVEL LEISURE TOURS HOTELS RESORTS LAOS Map of Laos Laos Visa Requirement LAOS AT A GLANCE Official Name : State of LAO P.D.R. : Head of State : Head of Government : Official Language : Land Area : Population : Currency : GDP per Capita : Main Exports : Main Imports : Exports : Imports : Lao People's Democratic Republic People's Democratic State President Nouhak PHOUMSAVANH Minister Khamtay SIPHANDONE Lao 236,800 square kilometres 4,581,128 (1995) Kip US$350 (1994-1995) Electricity, timber and wood products, garments and texties, coffee, tin, Petroleum, machinery and raw materials, vehicles, cement, iron, fabrics US$209.40 (1994-1995) US$375.40 (1994-1995) The Lao People's Democratic Republic is located in South East Asia at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula between latitude 14-23 degrees north and longitude 100108 degrees east. Laos has an eastern border of 1,957 km with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, a western border of 1,730 km with the Kingdom of Thailand, a southern border of 492 km with the Kingdom of Cambodia a northern border of 416 km with the People's Republic of China and a North Western border of 230 km with the Union of Myanmar. Total area of Laos is 236,800 square kilometres, three quarters of which is mountainous and forest-covered 40 % while the country is rich in natural resources, such as mineral deposits, including 1 billion tons of high quality iron are between 60-70%, lead, gold, tin and 8200-8232 calorie/gram coal. Although the Lao P.D.R. has no direct access to the sea, it has the Mekong River which is the main river of the country flowing north to south. In addition, there are many branch rivers which nourish agriculture. Laos people use it as a power source which supplies hydro-electric of over 18,000 MW from 57 dams. The Population of the Lao P.D.R. is estimated at 4,581,128 (1995) and population density remains one of the lowest in the region at 19 persons per square kilometre with a population increase rate of 2.64 %. The Lao population is ethnically diverse with up to 68 different ethnic groups identified inhabiting the country, with various languages, cultures and traditions which are classified into three groups: The Lao Loam, who occupy the lowlands plains and the Mekong River valley, and constitute about 56% of the total population; the Lao Thing, who occupy the mountain slopes, comprising about 34% of the population, and the high mountain Lao, constituting about 9% of the total population, and one per cent foreigners. LAOS VISA REQUIREMENT - Request for Laos Visa Approval should be emailed to asiatrav@asiatravel.com giving the following informations: Family Name and Giving Name and Sex Nationaltiy Passport Number - Date of Issued & Expiry Date of Birth Occupation Date of Arrival ** It takes another 2 working days to obtain Lao visa aproval Ater getting the Laos Visa Approval, travellers have to obtain Lao Visa Stamp at the Lao Embassy in their own country or in Bangkok with the following documents: 2 Visa Application Form (Photocopy accepted) 2 photos Original Passport **It takes another 2 working days to obtain Lao visa stamp FOR TRAVELLERS WHO WISH TO OBTAIN LAO VISA ONLY The Arrangement fees is US$95 HOW TO REACH LAO PDR One can arrive in Vientiane either by air or by land BY AIR - From Bangkok, Hanoi or Phnompenh to Vientiane BY TRAIN - From Bangkok to Nongkai **Train from Bangkok to Nongkai travels at night berth. Upon arrival at Nongkai in the morning, you will have to take taxi or rickshaw to Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge and cross the border. The guide will wait for you after Lao Immigration to transfer you to Vientiane. Asia Travel || Laos Hotels & Resorts
Japan Travel
Japan Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Japan Japan Hyperbolic, kitty-cute, switched-on, serene. 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 Japan Kyoto Nagoya Osaka Sapporo Tokyo View Map Click here Feature Attraction Mt Fuji Japan's highest mountain stands 3776m (12388ft) high. When it's capped with snow, it's a picture-postcard perfect volcanic cone. Fuji-san last blew in ... more Whether you end up taking photos of a reproduction Eiffel Tower, surfing an indoor wave, musing in a Zen temple, shacking up in a love hotel or kipping down in a capsule, you'll do best to come with an open mind and be prepared to be surprised. Somewhere between the elegant formality of Japanese manners and the candid, sometimes boisterous exchanges that take place over a few drinks, between the sanitised shopping malls and the unexpected rural festivals, everyone finds their own vision of Japan. When To Go Spring (March to May), with its clear skies and cherry blossoms, is probably the most celebrated Japanese season, but it's a holiday period for the Japanese and many of the more popular travel destinations tend to be flooded with domestic tourists. Autumn (September to November) is a great time to travel: the temperatures are pleasant, and the autumn colours in the countryside are fantastic. Mid-winter (December to February) can be bitterly cold, while the sticky summer months (June to August) can turn even the briefest excursion out of the air conditioning into a soup bath; on the plus side, major tourist attractions will generally be quieter at these times of the year. It's also worth considering peak holiday seasons when you plan your trip. Moving around and finding accommodation during New Year, Golden Week (late April to early May) and the midsummer O-Bon festival can be a real headache. Factoid Inking the King Japanese tattooing ( irezumi ) is often considered the world's best. The practice was banned under the Emperor Meiji, but revived after Prince George (later King George V) was tattooed, in 1881, by master tattooist Hori Chyo. 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 › 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