Visiting somewhere other than Japan

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Mystique

I don't know how currently is currently, as i said i went 3 and a half years ago.
I did hear that the laser show was no more though
Probably at the time I went it was incredibly ideal, ah well, I got the memories

It is a tourist trap, and I was a tourist. Most countries and cities will have specific attractions to invite tourists that the locals may avoid.
Your point ShimatheKat?
My friends in singapore prefer to hop over to Taiwan they said if they had to visit a beach and once you've been to Sentosa a few times it loses it's appeal (fair enough)
But to call me dumb (well how else am I to take your sentence smith) I don't think you know any 'better' for not going, in fact you prob missed out.
What did i experience for going there?
Well i got to see a dolphin up close and personal (and sadly i had no change of clothes, else i'd have tried to volunteer to wade in the water with it)
Not many places I know you can do that without a special package deal.
Jazz in the beach concert occured, got to get upclose and personal with an albino snake (that was gorgeous)
Then the generic light show and they had one attraction that depicted the history of Singapore.
While you natives may have learnt it to death at school, I loved the interactive attraction to see how the country was formed, how 4 main diff ethnic groups coincide, what ideals the country has and what makes singapore special, rather have gone there than visit a boring museum (that i'd prob have had to pay for) to check out the entire history of singapore.

If I had to be 'dumb' to experience and learn all that, then I'd rather be so then stuck up about it ShimatheKat. We only live once, and I saw/experienced things I'll probably never get the chance to again, (plus I'm a city slicker, i crave the beach)
Just chilling, watching natives play volleyball was cool, listening to the sea *wants to go back, lol*

Ah well, to each their own, I had a fantastic time

Well it's basically the beaches, the Merlion, Underwater World, Fort Siloso (they'll never demolish that due to historical site issues) that remains relatively unchanged. The rest are either closed pending upgrading or outright gone. Most of the island is covered by the building sites of upcoming casinos. Images of Singapore, Lost Civilization, Enchanted Groves of Tembusu, Musical Fountain, Volcano Land etc though not exactly A-class always gave the island a kind of charm despite the place being dead and empty. no more now. The pristine natural feel the island once had is well, gone.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by ShimatheKat

Lucky you.



I've been there 5 times, and every time, it's always the same stuff. I bet Vivocity changes its shops more often that Sentosa changes its festivities/events.



I actually agree with them.



It's no personal attack, really.



Five times over. Who said I didn't?



There was no Dolphin Lagoon then, AFAIK.



Usually, the admission covers everything, and I'd prefer that. At Sentosa, it's a pay for what you use system, and you have to queue up every time. I don't fancy that.



Bali has that too, before 911.



You have a point there.

.

I'm not stuck up, I've actually been that dumb to go 5 times [3 with the school, no less]

Going with friends and class is always fun no matter how sucky the place may be.

Dolphin Lagoon was around since I was in P4 (8 years ago)

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Going with friends and class is always fun no matter how sucky the place may be.

Dolphin Lagoon was around since I was in P4 (8 years ago)

The first time I went, I never heard about it.
The second, third and FOURTH, it was closed, which is as good as non-existent.
The fifth, I didn't even bother trying anymore, I had the benefit of Dolphin Lagoon in HK.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by ShimatheKat

The first time I went, I never heard about it.
The second, third and FOURTH, it was closed, which is as good as non-existent.
The fifth, I didn't even bother trying anymore, I had the benefit of Dolphin Lagoon in HK.

..........Oooookayyy, wonderful efficiency there.....

[darkfreya]

im from the philippines and i want to travel on taiwan or hong kong

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by darkfreya

im from the philippines and i want to travel on taiwan or hong kong

Be prepared to blow BIG bucks. Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise, since there's no GST to talk about, and most goods [not including branded goods] are cheapest in the region. The Disneyland may not be much there, but Ocean Park is something to see.

Taiwan is a place where you'd more likely spend on a product 'cause it has pretty wrappers [and the food inside is plain, or plain boring]. So be prepared to blow BIG BUCKS again.

[Tommy]

I'm flying to London tomorrow!

Gonna be gone for 15 days.

So far my travel plans are as follows; London>Paris>Brussels>Luxembourg>somewhere along the Rhine?(need suggestion)>Munich>Salzburg>Prague>Berlin>Frankfur t.

I think I may be a little overambitious. I want to stop somewhere along the Rhine for maybe a half day but don't know if I have the time. I also wanted to go to Ingolstadt but again probably won't have time.

[Isegrim]

If you're a tourist, Rüdesheim and its famous Drosselgasse could be nice. Otherwise, Düsseldorf an Köln have a lot of pubs for evening entertainment. For landscape, the Loreley is a nice place.
Ingolstadt isn't that nice, Augsburg, Regensburg, Dachau or Nuremberg are much more beautiful. Concerning Munich, I think it's overrated, but if you want further information, contact me.

[Mystique]

Originally Posted by Tommy

I'm flying to London tomorrow!

Gonna be gone for 15 days.

So far my travel plans are as follows; London>Paris>Brussels>Luxembourg>somewhere along the Rhine?(need suggestion)>Munich>Salzburg>Prague>Berlin>Frankfur t.

I think I may be a little overambitious. I want to stop somewhere along the Rhine for maybe a half day but don't know if I have the time. I also wanted to go to Ingolstadt but again probably won't have time.

Niiiiiice
Not many Americans I see do a full on Eurotrip over here, hope you have a nice time.
Had I known a few days before you left that you were heading off to my hometown I'l have told ya about the European rail pass
www.raileurope.com/
http://www.eurail.com/

I used this when i went to Holland last year, since it covers Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg in one.
(So used one day to spend in Belgium)
It's the same concept as the Japan rail pass. You can buy 3, 7 or 14 (i think) days worth and 1 day = 24hr period to travel where ever you like, as many times as you like within that period.
Very useful for when you're crossing multiple European countries.
But you're probably on a plane now, so wishing you all the best, say hi to London for me

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by Mystique

Niiiiiice
Not many Americans I see do a full on Eurotrip over here, hope you have a nice time.
Had I known a few days before you left that you were heading off to my hometown I'l have told ya about the European rail pass
www.raileurope.com/
http://www.eurail.com/

I used this when i went to Holland last year, since it covers Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg in one.
(So used one day to spend in Belgium)
It's the same concept as the Japan rail pass. You can buy 3, 7 or 14 (i think) days worth and 1 day = 24hr period to travel where ever you like, as many times as you like within that period.
Very useful for when you're crossing multiple European countries.
But you're probably on a plane now, so wishing you all the best, say hi to London for me

I didn't read anything that said I couldn't buy a Europass when I'm in Europe, so hopefully I can still pick it up once I get to London, otherwise DOH! EDIT- I just read that I can buy the pass in Europe, but it's gonna cost 20% and up more then if I bought it here. DAMN!

[qwertyuiopz]

World islands!

[Thingle]

North Korea. I watched the VBS video about it and it's like a time machine ride. Plus, the tea-girl is cut too

[LeoXiao]

Dudes, I just found out that I'm going to Russia at the end of this summer. It was only this morning that I found out. I will be going to St. Petersburg and then travel along the rivers until I reach Moscow. Is there anything besides Red Square and the Winter Palace that I should see?

[Kudryavka]

Here's Komari, from Los Angeles, California. Anyone want to visit here, I know a few places you can go. I guess... ^-^;
Anyways, I'd like to visit England, France, and Russia one day. Especially France, I learned that there's tons of fresh bread bakeries all over the place, I'd love that. And eating cheese and fruit for dessert sounds very inticing.

[diabolistic]

Hello asuki, long time to post!
Any old-timers here? I'm in Rome right now, topping off my month long trip in Europe. Stay tuned for some tips, stories, and pictures!

[diabolistic]

My girlfriend and I decided to travel to Europe together this summer. Initially, we were going to use youth hostels as our primary means of accommodation and travel using Eurolines' bus pass, but after assessing our finances, we realized that it would be cheaper and wiser to spend an extra 5 euros on hotels for the level of comfort and convenience, and also for the complimentary breakfast :P . We also decided to not use any umbrella passes, and planned/reserved each bus/train ticket, saving us at least 200 euros. Europeans always find ways to manipulate the train system for the best price, so if they can do it, why can't we? My best advice for tickets would be to buy early and save yourself a world of hassle. Especially when dealing with DB (Germany's main train line, and a database for all european trains) and ESPECIALLY with Trenitalia (for some reason, Italian websites, even though they have an English feature, always seem to revert back to Italian on the most crucial pages). Italian ticket booth operators, for me, were notorious for being unhelpful with procuring cheap train tickets. If worse comes to worse, you can usually find discount tickets in Italy from any self-service machines, but you should still do this at least 3-4 days in advance.

Our trip began at Gatwick airport. We arrived around 5am, and took a shuttle bus to, Fulham Broadway, a convenient station within London' zone 1/2. While most people would normally take the express train that goes directly to Victoria station, we found that Easybus was fast, efficient, comfortable, and they also had space for our luggage. It also cost only 7.50 euros each .
While in London, the 24 hour day pass encompassing zones 1 and 2 were truly amazing. For only 5 pounds, we had access to the underground for the entire day. We were never walking for more than 30 minutes due to the convenience. We were hard-pressed to find cheap/good lodging, but there are a ton of hotels around the Sussex Gardens area, many of them offering deals around that time. London is great for checking out museums, since a lot of them are free all year round! The National Gallery should be on any art-lover's list. Beware of over priced fish and chips, if you get out of the city center, you'll be able to find prices for food and drink that dwarf the exorbitant downtown cost.

Spoiler for westminster abbey:

Spoiler for view from a top St. Paul's Cathedral:

We then took a Eurolines bus from London to Paris. The bus actually boards a boat that crosses the English channel, and arrives in Gallieni station, about a 20 minute Metro ride to Ledru-Rollin, the stop nearest to our hostel. Paris is great for budget travelers since there are so many open markets in the city. To get a taste of what Parisians eat, you can visit Monoprix or Franprix (supermarket chains). Generally, a cheap bottle of wine costs a fraction of a bottle of water!

Spoiler for Mont Marche:

Spoiler for me waiting for the Metro:

Our next stop after that was Frankfurt, and again, we took a Eurolines bus all the way from Paris. Eurolines operate many overnight buses, so we were able to save on one or two nights of housing. Score! Frankfurt is an amazing city, though with fewer well-known attractions, I found Frankfurt had the best deals for delicious food and housing. Just south of the Dom Romer, and across the river, one can easily find amazing quality ice creams, bakeries, and delis, for prices you can't find in any other major European city. Schweinehaxe for 3.40 is pretty damn good!

Spoiler for schweinehaxe!!!:

From Frankfurt, we got a discount ticket to Munich, travelling overnight on the I.C.E, which is almost like Germany's equivalent to Japan's Shinkansen. Though there wasn't any vendor with a cart offering snacks, the train was equiped with showers, and electric sockets near every seat. We arrived at our hotel, a little bit outside Munich's central area, around 11am, and spent the day exploring the old town.
Munich is probably best known for their old town, the world famous Hofbrauhaus, Glockenshpiel, as well as Oktoberfest, but if you walk around the university area, you'll find intimate cafes, pizzerias, antique stores, gelaterias, and of course, beer gardens.

Spoiler for the serve beer here by the liter:

Spoiler for Glockenshpiel! Fairly overated...:

After Munich, we used the Bayern ticket and travelled by train to Salzburg. It's hard to forget that Salzburg is Mozart's birthplace, as well as the backdrop to the acclaimed film, The Sound of Music. You'll be reminded of these two facts on every billboard, in every shop, and walking by any bus stop. Despite this, Salzburg's scenery; a historic old town with a wealth of gorgeous cathedrals resting underneath an imposing fortress, and behind that, magnificent snow-peaked alps, explains why it brings so many tourists. at the south east edge of Salzburg's old town, there's an elevator that takes you to the top of old town's mountain ridge. From there, one can hike all the way around old town and catch a breath taking view of both sides of Salzburg. At the end of this hike lies the impossing Festung castle. Though it feels more like an attraction, this fortress has never fallen under enemy forces!

Spoiler for Salzburg is touristy, but still breathtaking:

From Salzburg, we took a local train to Vienna. Though the train ride was a bit longer than normal, we were able to pass bay some beautiful little towns, as well as glimpse the breathtaking abbey in Melk. For a city of it's size, Vienna is still one of the safest cities in Europe. Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum is simply amazing. In terms of sheer size, it doesn't compare to the Louvre, but (for me at least) the layout and quality is unmatched. I also loved Vienna for their cheap and delicious ice cream (1 euro for 1 scoop!) and the amazing Sacher Torte. If you get a chance in Vienna, make a reservation at the Hotel Sacher cafe and try this cake! Better yet, get a Vienna Card, which gives you discounts to Museums and Churches, unlimited access to public transportation, AND a free mini Sacher Torte!



From Vienna, we travelled to Italy.. stay tuned for more stories and pictures...

[Mystique]

^
cool trip above ^^

Off to Singapore for a wee spell, been 4 years since i last went, dunno if i wanna visit sentosa as i fell in love with it back then but heard its changed lots now, so it'll prob taint my memory, may go to another beach

Heard the weathers gona suck though, any natives got any sun dances up your sleeves to keep the thunderstorms away? ;_;

[Narona]

Originally Posted by diabolistic

We then took a Eurolines bus from London to Paris. The bus actually boards a boat that crosses the English channel, and arrives in Gallieni station, about a 20 minute Metro ride to Ledru-Rollin, the stop nearest to our hostel. Paris is great for budget travelers since there are so many open markets in the city. To get a taste of what Parisians eat, you can visit Monoprix or Franprix (supermarket chains). Generally, a cheap bottle of wine costs a fraction of a bottle of water!

Spoiler for Mont Marche:

Not Mont marche, it's Montmartre!!! XD

And as an info for the other members, the place that you can see in the photo is La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. at the top of Montmartre. A nice place

About the foods ^^ You might not find real good French dishes/food at Monoprix and Franprix (i don't say it necessarily tastes bad, but it's not a good representation of the french cuisine). About the wines, the cheap wine sold in those places are usually an insult to good French wines like Bordeaux. But of course, good wines are not cheap.


Anyway, nice trip ! The report was fun to read

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Mystique

Off to Singapore for a wee spell, been 4 years since i last went, dunno if i wanna visit sentosa as i fell in love with it back then but heard its changed lots now, so it'll prob taint my memory, may go to another beach

Heard the weathers gona suck though, any natives got any sun dances up your sleeves to keep the thunderstorms away? ;_;

You're visiting only now? We've just had our second Formula One Grand Prix tonight, with Britain's very own Lewis Hamilton the champion here after last year's win for Fernando Alonso. Just over the past weekend, it's been celebrities galore over here, from the Black Eyed Peas to Nicole Sherzinger and Lindsay Lohan. The parties last weekend were probably some of the biggest Singapore had seen in months.

Well, presumably, you aren't here for the glitz. Sentosa has changed dramatically since four years ago, with a huge new shopping mall on the mainland facing the island, and lots of ongoing construction of a brand new casino Resorts World. My advice would be to give it a miss.

If you're really into nature stuff, I strongly recommend giving the newly opened Southern Ridges Walk a try. Also, it's become incredibly easy to visit Pulau Ubin. Might be worthwhile to take a walk around Chek Jawa on one end of the island. It's a tidal flat which is interesting for nature lovers.

The weather has actually been quite good, with only occasional showers (but, of course, a shower to us is probably like a thunderstorm to Britons). You should be glad, actually, because temperatures are unusually cool for this time of the year.

[nikorai]

Narona

Not Mont marche, it's Montmartre!!! XD

Nice point. J'aime la France, j'aime Paris.
I was there back in 2002! Paris is as great as it was, and it's even better now.

I wish I could visit London, too. Too bad it's much more expensive than going to France and it's hard to get a visa for Russians, too (that is, if you don't have a seven digit dollar account).