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Post by madamtrashheap on May 30, 2006 19:31:22 GMT -5
Hey Jen, SOM - it's so naff, yet so appropriate! The SOM tours are one of those things that you should do if you're a fan - cheesey but fun - and one of those things you should do if you've not seen the movie but want to see the scenery. You'll get swept up in the excitement anyway! The ice caves in the nearby glacier are worth a look and some of the tours to there also go to the castle in Werfen which makes it an all day tour. The salt mines (ok to see if you've been to the other places), Berchtesgaden village & Eagle's Nest (connected to Hitler during WWII) are all nearby as well, so take your pick if twirling on mountains and lonely goatherds don't interest you.
Innsbruck doesn't really need a "city tour" as such as you can easily walk through the old town and end up in the Hofburg (Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs), Hofkirche (main church, recently renovated, small but impressive) and then sit in the park for a bit.
Can't help with Linz as haven't made it there yet. Enjoy and keep us posted with your sights!
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Post by madamtrashheap on May 11, 2006 19:08:26 GMT -5
CT's back! I used to read all about your Paris adventures - nice to see you're still around!
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Post by madamtrashheap on May 5, 2006 2:06:29 GMT -5
For a long time there were signs in the London Underground about not using a flash or rather not taking photos on the platforms. Haven't seen any changes to this policy post-July 2005 ( Muvva, have you?). Paris Metro, Munich U-bahn and Berlin U-bahn have never posed a problem for me in taking photos (Rome has, but I was there during 9/11), but again it sounds like European authorities are taking things a little more seriously in light of recent info/reports and are perhaps realising that racial profiling isn't foolproof, as would-be terrorists (I like the way you refer to them Eagle!) are not necessarily from one particular race. A good example (without getting politcal) is a guy held at Guantanamo - David Hicks - or even Richard Reid. I think it's definitely something worth keeping in mind when snapping away at things we wouldn't normally consider an issue. Gives a whole new meaning to "happy snaps" doesn't it.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Nov 8, 2007 21:39:01 GMT -5
I always enjoy reading your "Just Back" reports Eagle, so it great you got a chance to post a section of your trip. Really glad you enjoyed Bath, and yes it does have a slightly seductive quality in that you always want to go back! Great photos too - I see you paid proper homage to Guinness! Nice one! And good to see you got to Kilmainham Gaol too - it's an interesting and important part of Irish history. (and yes the statue with the tour busses is the O'Connor Monument!). And I sighed looking at your photos of Dingle and Killarney - beautiful!
Looking forward to the next installment!
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Post by madamtrashheap on Oct 17, 2007 20:25:03 GMT -5
I've said it before, but I'll say it again: welcome back mareeclo! Glad to hear your first trip was amazing - looking forward to reading about your travels when you get a chance to Post.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Sept 17, 2007 23:13:00 GMT -5
PONR, great to read about your travels (so far - looking forward to the next installment!) and so very happy you enjoyed Florence so much - and that you got to one of the hidden treasures, the Bargello Museum. Shame to read that you didn't enjoy Paris so much. I do, however, recall the first time I went there and it did have a "disjointed" feel to it, but the next time (and consequent 107 times since...bless work!) I felt more aclimatised and it's now one of my favourite European cities. If you do ever have the chance to go back, don't hesitate, it can grow on you like a fungus! For your next trip, see if you can spend some time in the countryside, around Lyon/Macon/Beaune, Normandy, Provence, Reims, Bescancon - you might like the pace and feel a little more than Paris. A heatwave in Rome is never good at the best of times, and least of all for Canadians...turns you into little puddles! Now, that fountain in front of the Spanish Steps (most overrated sight in Rome, except in May when it's full of azaleas) is called the Fountain of Fertility...and bathing isn't allowed...like that ever stops anyone! You're meant to drink from it for fertility, can't see that happening now everyone has their feet in it, blech. And you didn't throw coins into the Trevi...how will you ever be able to go back?!! Good to see that you got to experience the chaos that is life around Naples. The maniac drivers (taxis, motorini, cars, all mental!), the old lady on Vesuvius with the walking sticks (you could have given her Euro10 and she would have mumbled!), the searing heat that is Pompei... un casino! Did you get into Ercolano as well or just Pompei? And did you get to see anything of Naples (that didn't whiz by in a taxi window)? Awaiting the next installment!
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Post by madamtrashheap on May 20, 2007 21:49:10 GMT -5
Welcome back speedbird!
Great you enjoyed your trip - I plan to get to the Ice Hotel one day too! What happened with the Eastern Europe part - Im curious?
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Post by madamtrashheap on Mar 1, 2007 20:38:39 GMT -5
Glad you got to see a little of Cologne, despite the jetlag (sometimes it kills, other times it's fine) and that the play in Paris - how about the other show(s) you were going to? Been great reading your travel tales, can't wait for the next installment!
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Post by madamtrashheap on Apr 6, 2008 19:59:24 GMT -5
The trains from Florence (Firenze) to Pisa are local trains, so you'd probably be ok buying tickets on the day. Yep, unless it's a Friday or the day before a public holiday (you get a lot of Italians travelling on home on those days) then you'll be fine. It's so not an issue as the number of tickets aren't restricted for these trains (no reservations required) so on those busy days it can be standing room only. Having said that, you're usually fine first thing in the morning and will get a seat (not that it's a long journey) so just buy tkts on the day of travel and pick the next train that suits.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Apr 3, 2008 22:23:56 GMT -5
Bret, this question has been answered several times recently, mainly in the Itinerary section if you wanted to look there for details.
No need to pre-purchase tkts, just buy them on the day of travel as the trains are very frequent.
And it will more likely be a half-day trip, not a full day.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Mar 24, 2008 22:40:39 GMT -5
Welcome scurvy!
To solve the rail pass situation, would you look at flying from Paris to Barcelona or Madrid (or anywhere else that suits in Spain for that matter)? This will get over the hurdle of a rather long train ride from Paris to Spain and may solve the rail pass situation as sometimes the cost of flights are better with so many budget airlines to choose from now. David's suggestion of plugging your destinations in to Railsaver will help, and perhaps herrbert will have some suggestions on an itinerary that will aleviate any o/night trains - there are flights within Spain to be had that might suit you as well.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Oct 24, 2007 21:55:48 GMT -5
The ferries from Italy to Greece leave from various ports along the Adriatic so they don't all take three days (some are only overnight). However, as you're coming from Spain, I'd also suggest flying. Check herrbert's suggestion of Clickair, or try Vueling as they still fly during Winter but only on some days of the week, not daily.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Oct 21, 2007 20:32:38 GMT -5
strygun, I trust you're visiting mainland Greece and not the islands? Things are all but closed down on the islands during Winter - Athens and surrounds are still worth visiting however.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Jul 16, 2007 3:31:48 GMT -5
The cheapest way, would be to swim heh heh! ;D But seriously tim, have a look at this Post (scroll down a bit) for a discussion on going to Morocco from Spain pretravel.proboards1.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&n=1&thread=2935&page=1 as I'd suggest either flying from somewhere in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga) - look at www.iberia.com (select Spain as your country for the best flight selection) or Royal Air Maroc for specials on flights, or even Air Europa. Or you could take the ferry from Algeciras (Spain) or Gibraltar to Tangiers in Morocco. You could also take the longer ferries from Italy or France (like a cruise on a cargo ship!) but you may not have time for this. I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) that the only airline that flies direct to Morocco from the US is Royal Air Moroc (RAM - Morocco's national airline) so that may influence your flying in terms of where in the US they fly (think it's NYC, Washington, SFC, Seattle). Another good book to read is The Pillars of Hercules by Paul Theroux - great visualisation, inspiring and covers all of the Med. Hope you find a way there (that doesn't involve swimming!).
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Post by madamtrashheap on Jul 16, 2007 3:43:42 GMT -5
Your Eurail pass will be valid on these trains, just keep in mind that you'll need to pay an additional reservation fee for the Eurostar trains (can be booked and paid from any station in Italy, just know the time and date of travel) as this fee isn't covered by the pass. Not sure why you couldn't find the route on RailEurope as it's coming up when I just searched for it - technical issues! At any rate, at least with the Trenitalia site you can work out the exact route and times that suit then keep that info for when you travel.
The "socio" is, from memory, the ID card to prove your age - particularly necessary if you are travelling on a discount ticket purchased in Italy (and many other countries, but I digress). If you use a Eurail pass your Passport is (very) valid ID. As far as the difference between the two junior ticket types, these are for tickets purchased in Italy as opposed to applying to the Eurail pass, so I wouldn't worry about it. Cartaviaggio is the travel card (Italy purchased), so again this won't apply to your Eurail pass.
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