Travel advice

ms4766 · 20-03-07 00:08:56

Since I haven't found anything on this topic here so far, how about a new thread with travel advise from natives. Since I'm planning to visit Australia some time soon, I'm for sure completely selfish creating this topic.
But in return here's some first advice on Germany:
Oktoberfest is not the typical German beerfest. Actually it's mostly Aussies and Italians now. Which is perfectly fine Just don't expect it to be too authentic. But there are lots of smaller beerfests in lots of cities and villages especially in Bavaria. E.g. the oldest in the world is in Erlangen, close to Nuremberg.
Cities to visit: Munich (not for the Oktoberfest, but for the city), Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Dresden... well, just plan a round-trip.
Things to eat: Käsespätzle (in Swabia), Bratwurst (everywhere, since they are all different), Schweinshaxe (grilled pork knuckle, only in Bavaria, and always with a good beer), any kind of bread and rolls
Things to drink: Well, beer for sure. In all it's varieties. Try these kinds at least once to find out which you like most: Pils, Hefeweizen (common in Bavaria), Kölsch (only in Cologne), Alt (only in Düsseldorf)

Feel free, to ask for more...

aven frey · 20-03-07 00:14:40

I will defer to Desert Girl, she knows all the good places.

The_Elfman · 20-03-07 00:17:02

When holidaying in Australia don't be bashful. Melbourne taxi drivers expect you to haggle.

The_Elfman · 20-03-07 00:49:03

When touring England if you accidentally jostle a stranger in a traditional Yorkshire pub remember that it is the custom to spit in his beer.

gala · 20-03-07 02:48:04

1. don't go to LA. ever.
2. have french toast at mario's on brunswick in melbourne.
3. the best place to hang out in a new city is at the farmers' market.

nihpuad · 20-03-07 05:49:20

The_Elfman wrote:

When touring England if you accidentally jostle a stranger in a traditional Yorkshire pub remember that it is the custom to spit in his beer.

Is this truly disturbing assertion true, or are you just setting innocent travelers up to get themselves pummeled?

nihpuad · 20-03-07 05:58:56

ms4766 wrote:

Cities to visit: Munich (not for the Oktoberfest, but for the city)...

My wife and I were there in December (December 1986, mind you), and we truly enjoyed the Christkindlmarkt. My biggest regret is that I didn't leave time to do more than zip through the Deutsches Museum just before closing time. I'll have to go back some time, if only for that.

And the beer, of course.

And the wursts.

And did I mention the beer?

kirejos · 20-03-07 08:44:13

ms4766, thank you for the Germany advice! I'm planning a tour for summer '08. I think you've convinced me to check it out. I always forget just how many wonderful and historic cities there are in Germany. I stopped by Munich on a trip to Austria years ago, absolutely beautiful.

A little advice for aspiring globe-trotters. Check out a book by The Rough Guide called "First-Time Around the World". Read the whole thing, great practical advice about jobs (legal or not), visas, transportation, etc. They also publish "First-Time Asia", and "First-Time Latin America". In Europe, air passes with the Star Alliance are a great, fast, cheap way to get from city to city.

Here's my preliminary schedule after Europe- Thailand, Japan, Australia, Hawaii, Argentina. Any travel experience anyone miight care to pass along about those destinations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Desertgirl44 · 20-03-07 08:46:35

ms4776, what sort of holiday are you planning Down Under? How long will you spend here? Are there some cities or states you particularly wish to visit? Museums, galleries, beaches or the bush? Or a mix? Let me know and I'll respond with some ideas. Unfortunately Max doesn't appear to get outside of Victoria, but she's young. She obviously knows where the best ferris wheels are!

Elfman, you're very naughty! Lesson One on touring the UK, the Yorkshireman's beer is considered sacred, please ask first before spitting.

Last edited by Desertgirl44 (20-03-07 08:46:55)

The_Elfman · 20-03-07 09:39:24

nihpuad wrote:

The_Elfman wrote:
When touring England if you accidentally jostle a stranger in a traditional Yorkshire pub remember that it is the custom to spit in his beer.
Is this truly disturbing assertion true, or are you just setting innocent travelers up to get themselves pummeled?

It's so much more fun giving bad advice .

AnnaNerd · 20-03-07 20:59:58

thanks for the German travel advice, ms4766. I'm going through there this summer, though I believe I'm only going to Berlin and Goerlitz. Here's few of my own observations (note: I like off-the-beaten-path travels):

When visiting Spain, your highest priorities should be the cities of Granada and Toledo rather than Barcelona and Madrid. Toledo is the oldest city in Spain and is walled, built into beautiful mountains, and has a very medieval feel to it. Granada was the Moorish capital and I've never seen such beautiful architecture as at the Alhambra.

When visiting Cuzco, Peru, follow Gala's advice on farmer's markets. Theirs in particular is amazing, but hard to find, and the locals like to keep it a secret. The Florence, Italy farmer's market is amazing too.

The best beach I've visited is Matala on Crete in Greece. Not only is the water sublime (and no sea urchins!), these awesome tombs are built into the cliffs surrounding the beach. And if you're that particular brand of crazy, there's a high cliff where you can jump off into the water. Or you can sit at the beach and listen to the screams echo off the cliffs as people plummet...like I did.

ms4766 · 20-03-07 22:21:02

Lots of advice already. So some answers:
@Gala: 1) been there, not worth it 2) not been there yet 3) completely agree
@kirejos: If you know more about your 08 trip, let me know and I can get you some ideas of where to go. BTW, another great way of getting around in Europe is to get a railroad pass. Just hop on a train in one country and get off in another one.
@Desertgirl44: I'm thinking about getting a car and driving around to see as much as I can (but maybe I'm just too naive here). How long? I thought about 3-4 weeks. Cities? Well, Sidney and Melbourne for sure. Would also like to see Uluru. Just not so sure about the driving there. Bush? Well, if it's not the one from the US, then that would be great. Beaches, hmmm, why not. Just completely relax for a few days. So a mix would be best. Thanks already.
@Max: Girl, get your cute butt out of Victoria and explore the world.
@Elfman: If the Yorkshireman is half as serious about his beer as I am, there'll be lots of trouble. So travel advice: NEVER SPIT INTO MY BEER!
@AnnaNerd: Never been to Görlitz. But Berlin's nice. Try to get into the glass roof of the Reichstag. Great view (if the weather is nice). But usually long lines (if the weather is nice:)). Even better view from the TV tower. Try shopping at KaDeWe on Kurfürstendamm. If you're into history a bit (or watched the Oscar awarded German movie "The lives of others"), go to see the Stasimuseum (http://www.stasimuseum.de/en/enindex.htm). The Jewish Museum is also supposed to be interesting (even so I haven't been there yet). And for a nice walk, go from the Brandenburg Gate along Unter den Linden.

Italy advice anyone? Well, rent a car and drive along the lakes in Northern Italy. Lago di Como, Lago Maggiore, Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda. Just beautiful. City advice: Not crowded with tourists, but just incredible is the Città Alta (the upper city) in Bergamo.

Desertgirl44 · 24-03-07 13:48:16

ms4766, I've not forgotten you. If you go to my journal website you'll get all my travel thoughts plus hyperlinks to get you started on your trip planning for Australia. Let me know if any of the links don't work, I've typed it all up rather quickly. Thought the entry was overly long for IFM so opted to leave it on the blog.

Happy travelling!

Last edited by Desertgirl44 (24-03-07 23:16:45)

Khanada Faye · 24-03-07 17:40:42

I really should stop reading this thread. I'm absolutely dying, dying, dying to see Europe outside of Malta, but we're so broke we can't even afford a weekend in Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame! Those descriptions of Germany are literally making me drool.

But I suppose I'll weigh in. If you ever find yourself in Malta while traveling the Mediterranean (and of course, I highly recommend it), I'd definitely take the ferry over to Gozo. It's the smaller of the two islands and a bit more country. There's a lot of farmland. The beach Ramla Bay is gorgeous, though usually packed with tourists in the summer. One of my favorite places to go, if you don't mind swimming in a rocky area (as opposed to sandy-bottomed) is Xwejni, which is never crowded, and you can walk over to the salt pans, which are really neat to see. They are off the coast of the village Zebbug. On the main island, you have to see St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. It's hard to list all the great places (and really, the island is small enough to probably hit most of the big spots in a single day!), but that's one of my favorite places to go. I visit every time I'm there. It's a great country to visit for history buffs--Gozo has the Ggantija Temples which are older than Stonehenge.

The_Elfman · 24-03-07 18:25:51

Khanada Faye wrote:

I really should stop reading this thread. I'm absolutely dying, dying, dying to see Europe outside of Malta, but we're so broke we can't even afford a weekend in Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame!

I'd love to visit there!!!! It just goes to prove that the grass is always greener on the other side of the hill.

Elfman

Khanada Faye · 24-03-07 19:01:24

The_Elfman wrote:

Khanada Faye wrote:
I really should stop reading this thread. I'm absolutely dying, dying, dying to see Europe outside of Malta, but we're so broke we can't even afford a weekend in Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame!
I'd love to visit there!!!! It just goes to prove that the grass is always greener on the other side of the hill.
Elfman

Which there? If you mean the Hall of Fame, then me too! I'd love to see it and the town itself, which I hear is lovely, and I believe it's only about an hour and a half drive from Albany. My boy has been there and speaks very highly of it. Are you a baseball fan, Elfman? Or did you mean Malta? As I said above, I highly recommend Malta. I've only ever been there in the summer, but I've been told that it's most beautiful in the spring and autumn, especially late September, when the weather begins cooling but you can still swim, and it's not as crowded with tourists.

I will admit, though. I am a bad American. I get much more excited at the prospect of seeing places outside of this country than within it. That's not to say that I'd pass up the opportunity to travel here (of all the American places I've been outside of where I've lived, Seattle's probably been my favorite so far). I suppose it's the idea of the foreign. I would imagine that people who don't live here get excited about the prospect of visiting the US. Is that the case?

Last edited by Khanada Faye (24-03-07 19:02:24)

The_Elfman · 24-03-07 19:06:19

Sorry for my ambiguity Faye. I meant Cooperstown. And yes I love Baseball (Mets and Cubs).

Khanada Faye · 24-03-07 19:32:33

The_Elfman wrote:

Sorry for my ambiguity Faye. I meant Cooperstown. And yes I love Baseball (Mets and Cubs).

Okay, you were absolutely awesome before, but now you totally rock. We are a Mets home through and through! They came so close, so close! This'll be our year, baby

Well, to steer this back to travel... If you're ever in New York City during baseball season, I highly recommend a trip to Shea Stadium. I know it's not historic or anything, but it's just a good time, and it won't be there much longer (the Mets, as well as the Yankees, will be building a new stadium). There's nothing like a spring baseball game. I also recommend Coney Island down in Brooklyn. It's the ocean, and nothing beats the ocean, but you also have to ride the Cyclone if you at all like old wooden roller coasters (Max? ). I'm also partial to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I know that's a place where everyone goes, but that's because it's so incredibly wonderful. And if you visit the museum, walk through Central Park (in the daytime).

The_Elfman · 24-03-07 19:41:37

Khanada Faye wrote:

The_Elfman wrote:
Sorry for my ambiguity Faye. I meant Cooperstown. And yes I love Baseball (Mets and Cubs).
Okay, you were absolutely awesome before, but now you totally rock. We are a Mets home through and through! They came so close, so close! This'll be our year, baby

We were robbed!!! I was devastated. Throughout that series I had this at the bottom of all my posts:

Let’s Go Mets!!!

Khanada Faye · 24-03-07 19:53:29

The_Elfman wrote:

We were robbed!!! I was devastated. Throughout that series I had this at the bottom of all my posts:
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/2441/nymof6.gif Let’s Go Mets!!!

Gasp! How do I get that??

The_Elfman · 24-03-07 20:18:35

Khanada Faye wrote:

The_Elfman wrote:
We were robbed!!! I was devastated. Throughout that series I had this at the bottom of all my posts:
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/2441/nymof6.gif Let’s Go Mets!!!
Gasp! How do I get that??

If you click the quote button against this post you will see all of the code at the bottom. Just copy and paste it where you want.

Let’s Go Mets!!!

kirejos · 24-03-07 20:24:47

The_Elfman wrote:

We were robbed!!! I was devastated. Throughout that series I had this at the bottom of all my posts:
Let’s Go Mets!!!

I rooted for the Mets in 2000

Even though we were completely robbed in '86

Last edited by kirejos (24-03-07 20:32:06)

The_Elfman · 24-03-07 20:57:56

kirejos wrote:

The_Elfman wrote:
We were robbed!!! I was devastated. Throughout that series I had this at the bottom of all my posts:
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/2441/nymof6.gif Let’s Go Mets!!!
I rooted for the Mets in 2000
http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/7636 … soxio9.png
Even though we were completely robbed in '86

That was a great Series (86). At the time it was the most extensive coverage of a world Series we'd had in the UK (About 4 hours of highlights). Now we get all of the playoffs and the Series on cable of course. When I was younger I used to listen to games broadcast on short wave radio on the American Forces Network. No televised baseball in the UK at all in those days.

kirejos · 24-03-07 22:20:17

You get all of the playoffs on TV too? Wow, I didn't realize that baseball had a following in Britain. Very cool.

You know, the Mets have beaten the Cardinals twice this preseason already. Pedro says he's feeling better.

Man, I remember when Pedro was in Boston (I went to college in Boston). I was sitting in the bleachers with some friends, and struck up a conversation with a woman who said she drove in from Cleveland just to see him pitch at Fenway. When he's healthy, he's a force to be reckoned with.

Willie Randolph will get those guys in tip-top shape. I think he's one of the best managers in baseball.

It'll be interesting to see what Alfonso Soriano can do for the Cubbies this season, he's definitely All-Star material. At least 30 HR's.

Opening day six days away!

Last edited by kirejos (24-03-07 22:37:47)

The_Elfman · 24-03-07 23:34:57

Martinez does seem to be improving. I just hope they don't try to bring him back too early. El Duque seems just about there but 6 innings in Spring training means nothing. I agree with you about Willie Randolph. I also think that he's the right manager for this team.

Baseball doesn't have a big following in Britain even with the amount of MLB coverage we have over here now. I think that there are too many comparisons with our national game of cricket for it to really catch on.

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