Luke Posted January 4 Posted January 4 8 minutes ago, Charlie said: Fuerteventura, Spain. Riding waves with my kids. Enyoing the warm weather with great beaches. It doesnt get much better than this. Have been there a lot when I was a child, great place, enjoy!!
ASTA Posted January 4 Posted January 4 Went on a 5 day Christmas market trip basel=ok Starsburg=not good Cologne=amazing and good party Berlin=good and amazing city München=good salzburg=ok Vienna=amazing for couples and family’s Budapest=poor but best food by a mile. so if you ever want to go to a Christmas market in Europe that’s my score. Will travel like crazy this year every two weeks somewhere in the world :d excited 1
Gamecock-YT Posted January 4 Posted January 4 Been in Tokyo since New Years Eve, between earthquakes, tsunamis, and plane collisions, I fully expect Godzilla to make an appearance by the weekend.
Spekulatius Posted January 4 Posted January 4 On 8/15/2023 at 2:40 PM, Xerxes said: Unless something goes off this fall, I should be going to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, GeorgeTown, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Most likely in that order. Phuket is now Pukhetistan - the vast majority of tourists ( and quite a few LT residents on LT Visa) are Russians. Bangkok was very nice. It has probably the best food in the world. For westerners, I recommend the food courts in Siam paragon, Terminal 21 and Emquartier and a few others. We also did the local outdoor markets (they all have food) and it was mostly awesome. I also recommend getting a thai massage, but many of the places on tourist or shopping streets don't do it right - we went with this (Healthland Spa) , which is a franchise. 2h for 650 Baht (<$20) https://reservation.healthlandspa.com/ If adventurous check out to the Soi Cowboy alley next to terminal 21.
Gamecock-YT Posted January 4 Posted January 4 36 minutes ago, ASTA said: Went on a 5 day Christmas market trip basel=ok Starsburg=not good Cologne=amazing and good party Berlin=good and amazing city München=good salzburg=ok Vienna=amazing for couples and family’s Budapest=poor but best food by a mile. so if you ever want to go to a Christmas market in Europe that’s my score. Will travel like crazy this year every two weeks somewhere in the world :d excited Was this your first time at these places? I've previously done the München to Budapest trip in December trip as well. Was cool going ice skating in Wien at the outdoor rink they have set up next to the Christmas market in town. Budapest did have excellent food but it was absolutely freezing. Curious why you didn't like Strasbourg? The alsace has a unique blend of cultures I really liked. Plus top notch tarte flambee and choucroute. I spent a decent chunk of time in Köln this summer, and really enjoyed it. Would encourage you to visit these places again in the warmer months and it's a totally different experience. Hiking around Salzburg is excellent as well.
Xerxes Posted January 4 Posted January 4 16 minutes ago, Spekulatius said: Phuket is now Pukhetistan - the vast majority of tourists ( and quite a few LT residents on LT Visa) are Russians. Bangkok was very nice. It has probably the best food in the world. For westerners, I recommend the food courts in Siam paragon, Terminal 21 and Emquartier and a few others. We also did the local outdoor markets (they all have food) and it was mostly awesome. I also recommend getting a thai massage, but many of the places on tourist or shopping streets don't do it right - we went with this (Healthland Spa) , which is a franchise. 2h for 650 Baht (<$20) https://reservation.healthlandspa.com/ If adventurous check out to the Soi Cowboy alley next to terminal 21. Thanks when I went in November I actually went to Chiang Mai. I wanted to see the north. So skipped Phuket. I think that needs a dedicated trip of island hopping. I don’t think I saw much Russians in Chiang Mai, but saw a lot of Israelis. I agree with your comments about Bangkok food. If you forget for a moment the smoky cars and the heat, it is a fantastic city with style. They are extremely service oriented.
Xerxes Posted January 4 Posted January 4 (edited) @Spekulatius I think the more appropriate term would be “Phuketgrad” and not “Phuketstan” Contrary to popular belief the “stans” of the former of Soviet Union are not terms such because “Stan” is Russian for the “land of …l“ I can say that in Farsi we call England, as “Ingalistan”, we call India as “Hindustan” etc. so I think “Stan” has Persian and probably Urdu roots. And Afghanistan and Pakistan (the other “stans”) were never formal Russian territory. Perhaps @Dinar can chime in. Here is a quick Google search. Edited January 4 by Xerxes
Spekulatius Posted January 4 Posted January 4 19 minutes ago, Xerxes said: @Spekulatius I think the more appropriate term would be “Phuketgrad” and not “Phuketstan” Contrary to popular belief the “stans” of the former of Soviet Union are not terms such because “Stan” is Russian for the “land of …l“ I can say that in Farsi we call England, as “Ingalistan”, we call India as “Hindustan” etc. so I think “Stan” has Persian and probably Urdu roots. And Afghanistan and Pakistan (the other “stans”) were never formal Russian territory. Perhaps @Dinar can chime in. Here is a quick Google search. you are correct on the "Stan" etymology - it's not Russian. the Russian tourists (and mafia from what I heard) is concentrated in Phuket and Pattaya. I guess the Russians go elsewhere too, but they are probably too dispersed in a big city like Bangkok. On the tourisms side, there are much less Chinese tourists (they avoid Bangkok after that Mall shooting in October, I have heard) than I expected and Indian tourists now seem to replace them. Biggest issue I have with Bangkok is the heat and the pollution as you say. Temps were from 30-34Deg C and that is about the coolest month. Summer you have the monsoon wet season and April/May are the hottest month. I just can't take the heat as well as I used to when younger. Chiang Mai is a lot cooler, but that's a trip for another time.
Gamecock-YT Posted January 4 Posted January 4 Chiang Mai is lovely, I'm actually heading there next week, just have to hit the sweet spot between the end of the rain season and the start of burning season. Usually mid November - middle of February. I've seen very little Russians in my ~4 months of living there, actually more Ukrainians I've came across. But primarily American and Canadian expats with a decent bit of South Korean tourists recently. It seems every nationality has their little pocket they frequent. Russians and eastern europeans in phuket and the beaches down south, Scandinavians in Hua Hin, Japanese in Bangkok (2nd largest diaspora in the world behind Los Angeles), German speakers in Pattaya. As mentioned above the Thai government has been desperate trying to court the Chinese tourists back to the country. To the point now there's no visa requirement. Same for Indians. Russians now get 90 days visa free. Vietnam also recently allowed 90 days on a tourist visa, will be interesting to see if Thailand starts losing people to there. I'm planning a long trip there after my Thai visa expires.
Xerxes Posted January 4 Posted January 4 The Thai government even floated the idea of having Chinese police in Bangkok. To make the country “more safe” for Chinese. i don’t know how that came about. Now that is an explicit breach of sovereignty saw a lot of Germans in Chiang Mai. Probably “giving back” to Thailand, given how much money the crown prince is throwing around in Germany. I am told this is touchy subject for the Thai.
ASTA Posted January 6 Posted January 6 Strasburg was full of military police and normal police and makes you uncomfortable compared to the others. I have been in Germany a lot so know the place well, my kids first language and my father is Austrian so know Austria really well. For the next couple of trips I will make it investment oriented so maybe turkey South Korea Japan London and Toronto . So I can have fun but with a purposes. Then already booked Berkshire Hathaway meeting trip to bad really wanted to see Charlie once in my life dam missed it. But will bring my son to see Warren first time for both. Life threw me a curve ball but have to make the best of it. So if anyone lives in those places we can meet up and I can pay for dinner catching up from my youth when I travelled every single holiday from the age of 9 to 24. And my first passport is from a country that does not even exist anymore so travel here I come
Parsad Posted January 6 Posted January 6 https://www.businessinsider.com/you-shouldnt-move-luggage-already-in-overhead-bins-above-seat-2024-1#:~:text=A travel influencer sought to,already in there%2C he says. Sorry, I disagree. Yes, attendants have final say, but the jackass in row 30 should not be putting his 3 carry on bags in the overhead compartment in row 10! Will flying ever become comfortable and decent again? Other than business or first class! Cheers!
Dinar Posted January 6 Posted January 6 5 hours ago, ASTA said: Strasburg was full of military police and normal police and makes you uncomfortable compared to the others. I have been in Germany a lot so know the place well, my kids first language and my father is Austrian so know Austria really well. For the next couple of trips I will make it investment oriented so maybe turkey South Korea Japan London and Toronto . So I can have fun but with a purposes. Then already booked Berkshire Hathaway meeting trip to bad really wanted to see Charlie once in my life dam missed it. But will bring my son to see Warren first time for both. Life threw me a curve ball but have to make the best of it. So if anyone lives in those places we can meet up and I can pay for dinner catching up from my youth when I travelled every single holiday from the age of 9 to 24. And my first passport is from a country that does not even exist anymore so travel here I come Let me guess your first passport was from Czechoslovakia or was it GDR?
valueventures Posted January 6 Posted January 6 Headed to Los Cabos in early March for a family trip! Anyone have any recommendations on what to do, where to eat, etc.? Thanks!
Whensthepaintdry? Posted January 6 Posted January 6 Going to Patagonia soon. Any tips would be appreciated. Has been one of the harder trips to plan.
Luke Posted January 6 Posted January 6 Yes, if anybody can recommend me good restaurants and other good things to do in Japan/Osaka and Kyoto Area, out with it!
ASTA Posted January 6 Posted January 6 Dinar that's a good guess but you have never met anyone with my first passport and will probably never meet anyone with it either or even read about it
Eng12345 Posted January 6 Posted January 6 (edited) I should start posting my travels to some of the absolute armpits of America for work - ha. Anyone heard of Pryor, Oklahoma? It reaks of a mix between natural gas and dog food production. Hitting the road again for work - headed to Orlando for a ~month and then sounds like nowhere Iowa....putting off actually getting in the truck and driving after being home for 2 months... Edited January 6 by Eng12345
Gamecock-YT Posted January 7 Posted January 7 8 hours ago, Luca said: Yes, if anybody can recommend me good restaurants and other good things to do in Japan/Osaka and Kyoto Area, out with it! Depends the time of year you are visiting, Sakura in the spring and the leaves changing in the fall can be itineraries all on their own. I would also suggest a day trip or overnight stay in Nara if you are in the area, seeing the deer all around is kind of neat and good transportation links to get around town. If you are a car person, Toyota has a great car museum not too far from Nagoya station. Also, a direct train runs from Osaka/Kyoto to Kanazawa, which will be much less crowded than Kyoto but still has a lot of historical places and a great market. Just watch out for the weather, it's the seattle of japan. That said, Kyoto: Bamboo forest (arashiyama) Fushimi Inari (go really early or late in the day), combine with Tofuku-ji temple when down in that area Imperial palace Golden temple is kind of out of the way and not really anything else there but you have to go if you haven't been Nishiki market then you have the walking path on the east side of the city to hit a bunch of temples (kiyomizudera, kodaiji, shorenin temple) eikando temple and higashiyama temple more to the northeast. Best way to get around is bus, sadly the public buses can get really crowded. There's a tourist big red bus that might be worth checking out, and a time saver too. i haven't used it but have seen it around town at some spots. Maybe because I ate there last night but Yamachan for Japanese chicken wings is a place i always go while in the country. they are utterly addiction. Osaka the prime territory is Dotonbori, plenty of takoyaki places around to get a bite to eat, walk up and down the canal and the bridges, take the photo of the famous glico man. also have to try osaka Okonomiyaki, a japanese cabbage pancake. it's fantastic. 1
mcliu Posted January 7 Posted January 7 9 hours ago, Luca said: Yes, if anybody can recommend me good restaurants and other good things to do in Japan/Osaka and Kyoto Area, out with it! Kyoto’s amazing, my favourite place to visit in the world. If you’re into food, try to find a kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto. It’s a real experience and Kyoto takes it to the next level. You might need to have your hotel book since most are reservations only. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiseki Renting a kimono for a day is kind of fun given the historical backdrop. All the Japanese gardens are incredible. The Philosopher’s Walk is a nice less touristy area to go for a walk. There’s an incredible robata (梨門邸) that we accidentally wandered into for lunch that I still reminisce about. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3906.html 1
villainx Posted January 7 Posted January 7 16 hours ago, Luca said: Yes, if anybody can recommend me good restaurants and other good things to do in Japan/Osaka and Kyoto Area, out with it! My fam are mostly vegetarian/pescatarian (I'm not). But Kyotofu Fujino was completely amazing: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hF8b7VPdotVbGPzM7 It's a tofu specialty restaurant that we went for lunch before taking train back to Tokyo. This place had long been recommended to me and now I totally regret not going there during my previous visits there. Not a specific recommendation but we've always found really worthwhile izakaya, yakitori, soba, etc places near our lodging. And as much as the temple/shrine/institution is the attraction, the supporting snack/restaurant/trinket shops surrounding the attraction are worth wandering around in, Arashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera, etc have fun supporting food/shopping areas. And if you don't have time to go to a hot spring, a local bath house is fun too. 1
Charlie Posted January 7 Posted January 7 On 1/4/2024 at 5:09 AM, ASTA said: Will travel like crazy this year every two weeks somewhere in the world :d excited ASTA, my wife and me made a sabbatical year one year ago. We made holidays nearly every month. That I can highly recommend. But be careful not to get an after sabbatical year depression.
Spekulatius Posted January 7 Posted January 7 19 hours ago, Eng12345 said: I should start posting my travels to some of the absolute armpits of America for work - ha. Anyone heard of Pryor, Oklahoma? It reaks of a mix between natural gas and dog food production. Hitting the road again for work - headed to Orlando for a ~month and then sounds like nowhere Iowa....putting off actually getting in the truck and driving after being home for 2 months... I actually would like to see some of those adventures in US flyover country. There are interesting things to eat, drink or look at everywhere. Even if I drive in the hinterland here in MA, it is almost impossible to find a town without a microbrewery for example. We traveled once south to North Carolina and the selection roadside BBQ places seemed compelling. I also fondly remember the gas station in Virginia we stopped at with a confederate flag. Got some gas there and I asked for the bathroom. Turned out this place still had a real outhouse. I decided to hold it a bit longer…. There are roadside adventures everywhere.
Jaygo Posted January 7 Posted January 7 Heading to the Florida keys with the family. Any ideas for 6-9 and 30 year olds.?
Dinar Posted January 7 Posted January 7 (edited) @Spekulatius, you are a snob! I remember going to my house of my aunt's father in law in a city of two million people in the USSR in the 1980s (the guy was very well respected doctor, and a crippled veteran of World War II), and he did not have a normal bathroom. As in there was no toilet period. So yes, every time I visited him, I had to use an outhouse. Man, you Germans are spoiled! By the way, there is an old Russian joke that there are just two problems in Russia - fools and roads, and just two Russian generals that are any good - General Moroz (freeze) and General Bezdoroszhie (no roads.) Edited January 7 by Dinar
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