Ni Hao once again from China, still the world's most populous country. I had forgotten since my last tour here which ended just 9 months ago that it may also be the world's loudest and dirtiest at times. Which is not to say it's all bad. Only the areas with too many people are. The trick is getting to those rare places without swarming masses as I finally did a week into my stay here. Hong Kong Phooey: Not that it's all that bad, I just liked … [Read more...]
And That’s The Way It Is…
I am writing you from Chefchaouen Morocco. All the keys are reorganized on this computer so bear with me as it is very difficult to type. I am not looking at the screen just down at the keyboard. We arrived in Africa yesterday passing by the Rock of Gibraltar. Immediately as anticipated we were hounded by faux guides marketing to us with fear - telling us it was unsafe to travel in the afternoon because Moroccans become more dangerous in the … [Read more...]
Welcome to Thailand: Where taxis, tuk-tuks, boats, elephants, sky train, motorbikes, and mini-buses merge for your convenient transportation.
December 7, 2002 Greetings all from Bangkok, Thailand!!! Bangkok leaves me speechless because it is so utterly different and fascinating. I have no words to describe it, but I'll do my best. The 30-hour trip began by wandering the solitary back roads of Oregon and ended in the heart of crowded, congested, and polluted Bangkok. We were met by Syy and Jim in the airport and whisked away to our "hotel." Outside of this hotel were the slums of … [Read more...]
Death Valley, CA – When to Visit
If you enjoy extreme high temperatures visit Death Valley in the middle of July, as historically that is the hottest time of the year. However the most comfortable time of the year to visit is in early Spring, like March and the first or second week in April. During these months the high temperature is often in the 70's and 80's. Fall can also be a nice time to visit but the high temperatures in September and October are a bit warmer averaging in … [Read more...]
Death Valley, CA – Attractions
Death Valley is the largest national park in the lower 48 states; it houses a diversity of natural and human-made attractions. Based on numerous trips to Death Valley, we recommend at least 4-5 days to have enough time to visit some of the following highlights. However some schedules may not allow that amount of time: One day: we recommend you concentrate your sightseeing efforts near Furnace Creek as many natural attractions are located … [Read more...]
Saigon, Vietnam – Shopping
Galleries - Saigon features a diversity of galleries and various works of art - many of these galleries and shops are located in District 1 along Dong Khoi Street. However there are also other galleries scattered throughout the city. Artwork ranges from paintings, embroidery, wood carvings - to other small Vietnamese arts and crafts. XQ DaLat Silk Hand Embroidery Picture Gallery is located at 81 Dong Khoi Street in District 1. This … [Read more...]
Arequipa, Peru – Other Activities
All listings on this page are alphabetized. We visited or participated in all the activities listed on this page. Colca Canyon - view our description here El Misti - towers above Arequipa at 5,822 M or 19,101 feet. Visitors to the city can't miss it; it dominates the skyline. Several options are available for hiking in its vicinity or climbing to the top. A normal climb is 2 to 3 days but those who have problems with altitude or are not … [Read more...]
Dave’s Travel Photos Appear in Newspaper Insert
(3/28/02) Several of Dave's travel photos photos and travel descriptions recently appeared in a travel insert in the 2nd largest newspaper published in Israel. This newspaper has a publication of 850,000 newspapers per day. This travel insert was a piece to promote tourism to Israelites - highlighting select locations around the world. The particular photos used from Dave's Travel Corner were taken from one of his previous trips to Europe. … [Read more...]
Europe Travel Guru, Rick Steves – December 2000
Rick Steves is the authoritative resource for travel in Europe and beyond. Rick's keen sense of humor will lighten and enlighten any of your European travels. The guides for his European tours are hand picked and many are personal friends of Rick. His rare insight and travel experience will lead you to what he terms the "backdoors" of Europe. He maintains a hectic travel schedule as well as making appearances on TV and National Public Radio. He … [Read more...]
Paros, Greece – Phones
Excellent cell and data coverage exists throughout the island. We recommend using a phone that has a local SIM card installed with a pre-paid Internet and calling plan. This is the cheapest way to stay online - rather then using roaming data. Sim cards are sold at local convenience stores - or at the airport in Athens. Greek phones are operated by Organismos Tilepikoinonion Ellados. If you follow some simple steps when using a Greek telephone … [Read more...]