Tourist The World Travel

India is gearing up for PTM2011 in New Delhi

2010-09-24T13:16:00.001-07:00

The final day of the three-day PATA Travel Mart 2010 (PTM 2010), September 14-17, saw international buyers, sellers and media delegates gather at the dinner reception hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Rajen Habib Khwaja, Secretary of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, welcomed delegates to PATA Travel Mart 2011, New Delhi, India.

Said Hiran Cooray, PATA Chairman: “The PATA Travel Mart 2011 in New Delhi, India is one of the most exciting events and activities planned to roll out next year. We have a very special relationship with India, which is a rapidly emerging market, and we are delighted they are hosts for the PTM2011.”

Said Arjun Sharma, managing director, Le Passage to India: "The travel fraternity in India is excited that PATA has chosen New Delhi as the venue for PTM2011. With the explosive outbound numbers emanating from our country it is not uncommon for increased and newer destinations to woo the Indian traveller. The Mart returning to India after a gap of only three years is appropriately positioned and bears testimony to the growth of Indian tourism. The capital city is presently gearing up to host the Commonwealth Games next month. With the increased capacities and greatly modernised tourism infrastructure, we wish to assure you that New Delhi will be a bigger, better and more satisfying venue for the best trade show of the year. We look forward to welcoming all delegates to ‘Incredible India.’”

Said Ashok Kapur, CEO, Khiri DMC: “India is a fantastic choice as it is a rapidly emerging destination and market. With its incredible diversity and population, India deserves much more business, both as an inbound and outbound entity. As a travel specialist focussing on Thailand and Indochina, Khiri Travel will continue to invest strongly in the Indian outbound market. We see huge potential there for sectors such as leisure, MICE, honeymoon and top-end incentive trips. India's rapidly increasing urban middle class as also more direct flights from the primary and secondary cities to Southeast Asia are both very encouraging trends.”

Said Nicoline Dolman, director of sales and marketing, Bali Dynasty Resort: “We will definitely participate in PTM in India. The Indian family market has a huge potential for the travel-and-tourism of Bali. Balinese cultures and religion are the main attractions for the Indian market.”

Said Ashwani Gupta, managing director, Dove Travels, India, and a first-time attendant at PTM: “I am very excited about my attendance. PATA Travel Mart is world famous for its travel trade networking opportunities and also for its high level of organisation. It is a truly international event, very well organised, with meetings with your existing business partners spread into perfect time slots, and meetings with new exhibitors made accessible so as to improve our way of working and business.”

ERA airlines and airports demand volcanic ash damages from European governments

2010-09-24T13:14:00.001-07:00

Airline Presidents and Airport Directors who met yesterday in Barcelona at the Annual General Assembly of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), expressed outrage at the failure of Europe’s politicians and regulators to act to provide financial compensation to the industry following the eruption of Mount Eyjafjallajoekull which caused widespread closure of airspace and cancellation of flights. Outraged at the lack of action by national governments across Europe to compensate airlines for the financial damages they incurred, for events totally beyond their control, ERA Airline and Airport Directors agreed to a course of action to recover financial damages through legal action.
Speaking at the General Assembly, Antonis Simigdalas, ERA President and Mike Ambrose ERA director general, said: “Europe’s politicians have sat on their hands for far too long on this issue, airlines have now lost patience and have been forced to seek alternative legal solutions to recover the additional costs they incurred.
“The events in April showed that air transport is an essential element of our society and it is now time for governments to recognise the value that air transport brings to the economy and the European communities it serves.”
In concluding a course of action, the Airline Presidents and Airport Directors instructed the ERA Directorate to explore any opportunity for instigating a class action to recover damages.

Dreams of Olympic tourism could be a nightmare

2010-09-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Research and analysis released on 20th September 2010 by the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) shows that the vast numbers of foreign visitors anticipated to arrive at previous Olympics did not materialise. No host city has predicted demand for an Olympics correctly. They have invariably over-estimated the number of foreign visitors and the duration of their stay. Sydney anticipated 132,000 visitors; it received 97,000 for the Games period. Athens hoped for 105,000 per night; it received fewer than 14,000. Beijing anticipated over 400,000 foreign guests; it received 235,000 for the whole month of August. The more detailed the predictions of Olympic visitors are, the more wrong they become.
ETOA’s study reveals that the nightly usage of hotels during the Olympics varied between 13,000 beds in Athens and 28,000 in Beijing. The number of foreign visitors (including press, sponsors and officials) per night averaged 26,000, 13,000 and 28,000, in Sydney, Athens and Beijing respectively.
For London many in the industry are anticipating a boom, with up to 350,000 foreign visitors predicted per day during the Olympics. This expectation of bounty creates its own problems. In London, hoteliers expect to be full with premium business, and some anticipate a displacement of demand that fills up the surrounding months.
Availability is restricted and prices rise: a hostile environment for normal tourism.
If huge numbers of Olympic visitors attend, normal guests are displaced. Sports fans’ interests are focussed on whatever sport has attracted them. They have come to attend the Games. They are not interested in “tourism”, they are interested in sport. This impacts the wider service economy of restaurants, shops, attractions and theatres: all of whom depend on tourists. Theme park owners in Los Angeles saw a decline in revenue during 1984. In Barcelona the Costa Brava resorts had a drop in demand and at the Sydney games the normal attractions experienced a downturn in business.
The problem is not restricted to the host city. London is the gateway to the UK and its biggest draw. If you remove London from a visit to the British Isles, everywhere else becomes far more difficult to sell. Athens has nothing like the central importance that London occupies, yet when its visitor arrivals dropped by 6% in the Olympic year, regional Greece fell by 11%.
These drops in overall visitor numbers indicate a more general problem: the perception that a host city is crowded tarnishes the host country. Visitors tend to stay away for the Olympic year. Already ETOA members are dealing with assertions and assumptions that London (and so the UK) will be so full that it is best avoided.
The Olympics should not be a problem. In Beijing 2008, 28,000 rooms were taken by foreigners, and there were plenty of rooms to spare. London can (and does) absorb this number every day of every month. In August 2009 it attracted nearly 2 million foreign visitors in August. They used the 120,000 rooms available every day. This is the scale of the industry which is at risk if inflated forecasts persist.
Tom Jenkins, ETOA’s Executive Director, says “Precisely because London is one of the top international destinations, it has more to lose. At the moment a false expectation of bookings is in danger of destroying an export industry. For August 2012, ETOA members – who alone regularly deliver over 15,000 hotel rooms per day – cannot reserve space.
Without any reservations to sell, nothing can be sold.
But London is the first city to recognise the problem. It is the first city to be bigger than the Olympics. Even during the peak moments the numbers attending the Games themselves are unlikely to exceed those who attend games across the city during the football season. And these numbers are dwarfed by the millions of commuters that regularly use its infrastructure.
If this applies to the 17 days of an Olympics, then the message for the remaining 50 weeks is that London will be open, like no other city, for normal business. It is with this message that London must welcome the world.”

Facts about the Faroe Islands

2010-09-15T00:33:00.000-07:00

Location and sizeSituated in the heart of the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic at 62°00’N, the Faroe Islands lie northwest of Scotland and halfway between Iceland and Norway. The archipelago is composed of 18 islands covering 1399 km2 (545.3 sq.miles) and is 113 km (70 miles) long and 75 km (47 miles) wide, roughly in the shape of an arrowhead. There are 1100 km (687 miles) of coastline and at no time is one more than 5 km (3 miles) away from the ocean. The highest mountain is 882 m (2883 ft) above sea level and the average height above sea level for the country is 300 m (982 ft).

Climate
The weather is maritime and quite changeable, from moments of brilliant sunshine to misty hill fog, to showers. The Gulf Stream encircling the islands tempers the climate. The harbours never freeze and the temperature in winter time is very moderate considering the high latitude. Snowfall occurs, but is shortlived. The average temperature ranges from 3°C in winter to 11°C in the summer. In sheltered areas, the temperature can be much higher, but the air is always fresh and clean no matter what the season.

Population
The population is 48,778 (1st January 2009). About 19,652 people live in the metropolitan area which comprises Tórshavn, Kirkjubøur, Velbastaður, Nólsoy, Hestur, Koltur, Hoyvík, Argir, Kaldbak, Kaldbaksbotnur, Norðradalur, Syðradalur, Hvítanes, Sund, Kollafjørður, Signabøur and Oyrareingir, while about 4,700 people live in Klaksvík, the second largest town in the Faroe Islands.

Form of Government
Since 1948, the Faroe Islands have been a self governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark. It has its own parliament and its own flag. It is not, however, a member of the European Union and all trade is governed by special treaties.

Languages Spoken
Faroese is the national language and is rooted in Old Norse. Nordic languages are readily understood by most Faroese, and English is also widely spoken, especially among the younger people.

Religion
Religion plays an important part in Faroese culture and over 80% of the population belong to the established church, the Evangelical-Lutheran. 10% of the population belong to the Christian Brethren (Plymouth Brethren).

Industry
The fishing industry is the most important source of income for the Faroes. Fish products account for over 97% of the export volume. Tourism is the second largest industry, followed by woollen and other manufactured products.

DaLat Travel guide

2010-09-12T12:13:00.001-07:00

Dalat Travel ( Dalat Tours ), spelled Đà Lạt in Vietnamese pronunciation is the capital of Lam Dong Province in Vietnam. The town is located 1500 m (4,920 ft) above sea level on the Langbiang Plateau in the southern parts of the Central Highlands (in Vietnamese – Tây Nguyên). According to a myth from the French colonial era, the name derives from the acronym of the Latin phrase ‘Dat Aliis Laetitiam Aliis Temperiem’ (“Giving Pleasure to Some, Freshness to Others”), which the French colonial government used in their official emblem of Đà Lạt. In reality, the name derives from the language of the local ethnic group Lạt and its original meaning is “Stream of the Lạt,” and the acronym above is in fact a backcronym. In Vietnam, Đa Lat is a popular tourist destination – highly appreciated for its temperate climate, beautiful sights such as waterfalls and lakes and its abundance of flowers and vegetables. It is the location of the Novotel Dalat (formerly Dalat Hotel) and Sofitel Dalat Palace (formerly Dalat Palace built in 1922).

Shopping Spree in Virginia Outlets!

2010-09-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

For the last three days, we were crazily shopping at the nearby Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets (or factory outlets, er… not like Singapore Factory Outlet hor =P). The famous brands were cheap and nice! We bought from Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, DKNY, Coach, Esprit, Levi’s, Timberland…couldn’t recall more.

We also went to Tyson’s Corner Center, the largest mall in the D.C. area. I exchanged my Coach bag for a different model after I realised that I was not used to hand-carry bag. No question asked and their customer service was so good. We bought many chocolates from Godiva and they were a lot cheaper than those in Singapore too!
And we love the big and yummy cheese cakes at The Cheesecake Factory!

I bought a few tops from Mango and they were really cheap. I saw the same top in Singapore after I returned and it was selling at 2 times more expensive.
We bought a talking toy for Devin on the last night of our stay and coincidentally, the family was celebrating Devin’s 9-month-old birthday; so the talking toy became the birthday present for Devin. The birthday cake was a big ice-cream cake filled with chocolate, strawberry and vanilla flavours. Connor hates chocolate and he spat out the chocolate when he tasted it in his cake. This was the first time we saw a kid who hates chocolate so much!

Manhattan sights

2010-09-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

The art-deco Chrysler Building, Manhattan, considered by many to be the city’s finest skyscraper; it was completed in 1930 and is currently the third tallest building in New York.
There is no shortage of striking sights in New York City from the bridges across the Hudson to the older skyscrapers and official buildings, though the newer structures tend towards style-free, glass and concrete lumps.

The Manhattan Bridge, crossing the East River to connect Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn; completed in 1912. The Empire State Building gleams in the background.

The US Post Office, Manhattan
The New York Post Office, sports perhaps the world’s grandest slogan above the columns: ‘Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.’

Grand Central Terminal, more often known as Grand Central Station.
This massive rail station, rebuilt in 1913, has 44 platforms that run over 600 trains a day on the Metro-North Railroad as well as NYC subways and buses. The Grand Central Terminal information desk – at the centre of the photo above – is a popular meeting place, while the restaurants serve excellent, reasonably priced food. The Oyster Bar is particularly famous.

Los Angeles Travel Guide

2010-09-12T12:10:00.001-07:00

Why Travel to Los Angeles?
Truly one of the most grotesque, must-see cities of the world; you may well hate it but if you’ve ever seen a Hollywood movie you have to experience LA at least once.
As well as Hollywood and the first ever Disneyland, the city also houses some top museums, art galleries, fantastic ethnic restaurants and a plethora of designer stores to keep fashion wannabes occupied for days. It is also within range of some of the USA’s great beaches, from the poseurs’ paradise of Venice Beach to the upmarket sands of Malibu.
Cruise Beverly Hills, stroll Venice boardwalk, gawk at Hollywood Boulevard’s concrete hands, fight off the anacondas at Universal Studios, get wrecked in the Hotel California [actually the Beverly Hills Hotel]…

Spadena, the Witch’s House, Beverley Hills, photo by Bobak Ha’Eri
‘I love Los Angeles… Everybody’s plastic, I love plastic. I want to be plastic.‘ Andy Warhol
Downside:
- Though the public transport system is good, you’ll really need a car to get through the urban sprawl to all the top sights and that means negotiating a nightmare tangle of congested freeways and erratic direction signs. Walking around the shops or the beach is fine but elsewhere you’ll feel like a freak.
- Despite improvements in recent years, smog alerts are still relatively common in the hot summer months.
- Be aware that around 10,000 quakes rattle the region annually – fortunately minor ones.
- Crime is present but not as bad as the movies might suggest, just be sensible about when and where you go.

Los Angeles Travel Guide, climate:
Best: Spring and Autumn, tho’ winter’s usually OK too.
Worst: July/Aug [hot, humid and frequently smoggy].
Length of stay, not incl. flights:
Minimum worthwhile: 2 days. Recommended: 1 week.
Main Attractions:
Hollywood [a district in LA, as opposed to West Hollywood which is an entirely different town in the county]: Reached by bus #4 or 220, Hollywood remains a mecca for film fans even though the major studios have shifted out. Get hands on experience of the stars in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, filled with celebrity hand prints and which hosts film premieres and Academy Awards ceremonies. A further 2,000 or so celebrity names embellish 2.5 miles of pavement along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, that should keep you busy.
Real movie sets can be seen during a Universal Studios Hollywood Tour [up in the hills] and at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum.
The closest you’ll get to a real star is probably at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery [with a mausoleum to Rudolph Valentino, amongst others], though posing for a photo by the waxwork doubles at Madame Tussaud’s should fool your buddies.

Beverly Hills: take a tour to see the houses of the rich and famous in this glitzy suburb, or just cruise past the giant palms and bizarre styles in your rental before having a drink at the Beverly Hills Hotel or window shopping in ultra-chic Rodeo Drive. Melrose Avenue is the street for better prices and wilder gear.
West LA: Head out to Mid-Wilshire for the Museum Mile which includes the LACMA County Museum of Art [eclectic collections including Rodin, Dutch Masters and ethnic curiosities] and the tar-struck prehistoric critters from the nearby La Brea Tar Pits in the Page Museum.
Nearby West Hollywood is the centre of the local gay community and you’ll also find Sunset Strip for the hottest nightlife.
Downtown: Centred round The Plaza, central LA will seem strangely familiar to any movie fan. The backdrop to hundreds of films, this is the financial district but also the oldest quarter with some great ethnic restaurants and some excellent architecture. Check out the ‘Mexican Village’ market on Oliver Street and the excellent MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art, housing Franz Kline, Mark Rothko and many interesting up-and-coming artists.
Take care here after dark as plenty of homeless descend on Skid Row and the surrounding streets.
Little Tokyo: Downtown’s Japantown is considered a National Historic Landmark District and is the epicentre of the city’s vibrant Japanese population. Along with top restaurants, there are tranquil Japanese Gardens and the fascinating Japanese American National Museum which traces the history of the links between the two countries.
Entertainment: Sunset Strip is the epicentre of the city’s wild clubbing scene and also where the next-big-things in rock often cut their teeth.
Top classical music is performed at the superb Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown, and don’t miss the open air summer concerts in the Hollywood Bowl.

Venice, Los Angeles, photo by Roger Howard
Venice Beach: great for exercising and wacky people watching, including muscle builders and colourful mutants, Venice Beach encompasses a massive stretch of rather plain beach as well as some cute canals and excellent walking trails going both north and south.
Reached by bus #33, 333 or 436, this is the main city beach. The sands may be bland but the beach bums are anything but, while beautiful people parade the curving walkway or dazzlingly bring customers drinks in restaurants as they wait for their break.
Head to Abbot Kinney Boulevard for ultra hip shops.

Griffith Park: One of the country’s largest parks, covering an area of over six square miles, Griffith Park offers a green alternative to the congested city centre. By day, the views from this Art Deco Griffith Observatory on Mount Hollywood are superb. The observatory itself – which featured in Rebel Without a Cause – hosts excellent displays related to science and space and has a sublime café. The park is also home to the Hollywood sign, on the flank of Mount Lee. Originally built in the 1920s to advertise a new housing development, the 45-foot high letters have become an icon for the film industry.
Take a drive up Mulholland Drive for the best views of the sign and also to see how the other half live – this is home to some of the world’s priciest pads and has inspired everything from the film of the same name by David Lynch to paintings by David Hockney.

Santa Monica beach, photo by dekh
Santa Monica: one of the most attractive seaside towns in the Los Angeles suburbs with pleasant architecture and a calm, friendly atmosphere and massive beach.
Short Trips:
Disneyland: the first and best Disneyland is half an hour south of downtown – if the traffic is willing. Children love it and so do some big kids, but be prepared for long queues for rides unless you go in the evening.
Universal City: another great theme park but movie-based wherein you get attacked by Great White sharks or giant anacondas while being quietly chauffeured past tranquil lakes; run by Universal Studios it’s an hour north of LA.

Getty Center, photo by Roger Howard
Getty Centre: Bus #761 takes you out to the staggeringly modernist and free [tho' car parking is not] Getty Centre in the Santa Monica mountains, the one-billion-dollar designed Richard Meier arts centre whose dramatic views are only marginally less spectacular than its contents, from Louis XIV furniture to works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Man Ray.
Malibu: home of the seriously rich with some superb beaches it’s worth a drive along the coast road for the views and also the best place round LA for surfing. Malibu Lagoon is also a bird sanctuary with some excellent nature trails and walks.
Santa Barbara: Two hours north west of LA up the Pacific Coast Highway [busy and not especially scenic on this stretch], affluent Santa Barbara has some excellent beaches [though no surf], stunning, low-rise, adobe-village architecture and a typical laid-back Californian vibe.
Catalina Island: Southwest of LA and reached by boat from the Harbor Area, Catalina Island lies some 20 miles off the Californian coast. There are good beaches, hotels, superb hikes and mountain bike trails on an island where cars are restricted, most people get around by golf buggy.

Los Angeles Downtown and the San Gabriel Mountains
Safety:
Most of the places you’re likely to be visiting will be perfectly safe by day, while even after dark you should be fine in a car [though road rage is rampant during rush hour]. Walking, however, is less recommended; take care after dark in Hollywood, Venice and Downtown, while crime hotspots include the areas of East LA, Compton and Watts which can be dodgy at any time.
Public transport:
Despite its reputation for being the city of cars, public transport is used by 12% of commuters, one of the highest percentages of any US city. The bus system is extensive and efficient, subway and light rail systems cover most areas and the Metrolink extends to the suburbs and outlying areas. Day passes are good value and allow unlimited access for that day. Check the Metro Trip Planner for more maps, passes, timetables, parking and more.
Walking…though the car is king, you can take guided hikes around sights of special architectural interest with Los Angeles Conservancy Walking Tours.
Major Festivals and Events:
1st January, Tournament of Roses, Pasadena
February, Chinese New Year, with Giant Dragon Parades down North Broadway.
June, Gay Pride Parade, Santa Monica Blvd.
July/August, International Surf Festival, Redondo Beach.
September, LA County Fair, Pomona.
November/December, Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival, with a mile long light parade through the park.
Accommodation:
Los Angeles has seen overbuilding and over-pricing in the last few years but the crunch has seen a new reality surfacing in the city so prices are lower than ever. Choose your hostel/hotel well, taking into account your transport situation. i.e. if you have a rental car, ensure there is secure parking. If you’re on foot, ensure there is public transport nearby and if you want to spend time on the beach then that’s the place to park your head!

Chicago Travel Guide

2010-09-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

Chicago is “The City that Works” and “The City of Big Shoulders.” It boasts the United States’ tallest building and one of the world’s largest office buildings. With the ubiquitous elevated trains creating a continuous clatter, the city looks, feels, and in fact is, big. At first glance, Chicago can be overwhelming. But, like any city, it is the sum of its parts, and its parts are diverse. Also known as “The City of Neighborhoods,” Chicago comprises more than 75 official neighborhoods. Each features its own distinct quality and character. So, when trying to digest …

One of the world’s most exotic locations

2010-09-12T12:07:00.001-07:00

Over the last couple of decades Thailand has become one of the most loved travel destinations in the world. Each year many thousands of people visit Muang Thai (as it is known locally) for a travel experience they do not easily forget. Why though is Thailand such a popular destination? Why do visitors love this country so much? Perhaps the main reason for Thailand’s popularity is its diversity – it doesn’t matter which aspect of Thailand you consider, you are confronted by extremes wherever you look. Although there’s no snow (unless of course you count, Thailand has many types of landscape on offer. The mountainous regions of the north with its valleys filled with swirling fogs and mist agriculture, and as with southern Thailand, offers some of the most attractive beaches and islands on the planet. Of course, all this nature is set against Thailand’s metropolitan areas; Thailand is home to some major cities, Bangkok, the country’s capital, certainly the largest and the most formidable.
Culturally, Thailand is equally diverse as its geography. Unlike other countries in the region, Thailand has never been colonized and its history and culture have remained intact to develop a natural course. A predominantly Buddhist country, Thailand is a place of ritual and practice that are unfamiliar to most visitors and enhance the country’s exotic appeal. Influences throughout the country (Chinese influence in the north; Islamic influence in the south, etc.) add further to the intrigue Thailand generates. Many parts of country are home to hill tribes and traditional peoples whose traditional ways of life remain untouched and present a fascinating insight into the development of this country.
Of course, Thailand’s nightlife is legendary and a major attraction for visitors. The risqu? nightlife (go-go bars, etc.) on offer about the country has its place, but doesn’t constitute even a fraction of what’s on offer. Cabaret Shows and entertainment areas abound, even in the country’s less touristy areas. Of course, Thailand’s restaurants and bars help complete an irresistible package with some of the best cuisine and entertainment available.
Another reason for Thailand’s popularity as a travel destination is likely its accessibility. Although steeped in tradition, history and culture, Thailand’s infrastructure is one of the most modern in the region. Transport, banking, and telecommunications are all world class and help make even Thailand’s remotest of regions convenient and easy places to visit. This accessibility helps Thailand draw a very diverse group of visitors to Thailand – budget travelers, business people, people taking training courses… they are all here in their masses!
By far one of the key reasons Thailand is such an attraction to visitors is the Thai people themselves. Thai people are blessed with a character and temperament that are often the exact opposite of those found in the ‘west’. You see little in the way of confrontation between people here; the famous Thai smile replaces the temper and aggression that might be shown elsewhere. Despite the furry of modern life, Thais remain placid and calm amongst the turmoil creating a tranquility many visitors find infectious and an important part of their Thailand experience.
Whatever your reason for visiting Thailand, DiscoveryThailand.com hopes to give you the information you need to get the very best out of your trip… Get the most out of your Thailand experience with DiscoveryThailand.com… Kick Start a New Career
World-class English teacher training in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket with ECC.

Khao Wang, Hua Hin, Thailand

2010-09-12T12:06:00.002-07:00

This 92-metre hillock on the northern approach to Phetchaburi provincial capital (some 36 kilometres north of Cha-am), supports the Phra Nakhon Khiri palace constructed in 1860 by King Rama IV (King Mongkut). Phetchaburi residents refer to it as Khao Wang, literally Palace Hill.
The style is mainly European with some Thai and Chinese influences. Sitting on three peaks the temple of Wat Phra Khew is to the east; the main stupa of Phra That Chom Phet in the middle and the residential Grand Palace to the west.
Both Kings Rama IV & V used the palace at their leisure and to entertain their visitors. After the death of King Rama V it was used less and less and sadly slipped into a state of decay. In 1935 it was registered as a national monument by the Fine Arts Department and was restored to be a National Museum and National Park. Open daily 9am-4pm it can be conveniently reached by funicular railway round-trip 40 Baht. Once at the top entrance to the Museum is 30 Baht for foreigners and 10 Baht for Thais. It is an excellent half-day excursion and takes a couple of hours to walk the path linking the three peaks. The views are spectacular.

Cardiff in a day

2010-09-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Home to the Welsh national opera and other Wales’ major cultural institutions, the Millennium Centre was opened by the Queen in 2004. Drop in for a free performance that can be jazz, classical, choir or even hip hop at the Glanfa Stage.

Further down, you would come across an intriguing building with a wave-like roof and see-through glass walls overlooking the bay. It’s the Welsh Senedd (Parliament) Building. Through the glass walls, everyone can see a clear view of the debating chamber and this reflects the encouragement of the involvement of public participation. The eco-friendly building incorporates natural ventilation and interestingly, when the locals express that it allows hot air to be drawn out of the debating chamber, you know it can be synonymous with heated debates!

Back in the olden days, seafarers and immigrants from across the world settled near the bay and the population grew. The bustling scenes of port activities were long gone and replaced by holiday-makers relaxing around the bay. Nonetheless, the modern Cardiff Bay still retains the old charm that speaks of its glorious past as a major coal exporter to the world in the 19th century. Established in 1897, the Pierhead still stands elegantly at the waterfront. Originally the headquarters of the Cardiff Railway, the red terracotta building of French-Gothic Renaissance theme is now a Welsh history museum and exhibition centre. It’s affectionately known as the “Baby Big Ben” of Wales. In the foreground, the sculpture of a face combines with a ship hull is the Merchant Seafarers War Memorial that commemorates the seamen of Cardiff who perished during World War II.

Did you know that the world famous author Roald Dahl was born in Cardiff? He was christened in the former Norwegian Sailors Church, presently known as the Norwegian Church Arts Centre that holds exhibitions, concerts and events. To try some Norwegian flavours, dine in the centre’s coffee shop that offers a range of food and drinks.

The old lightship Helwick LV14 is a floating chapel for worship and doubles as a tourist attraction where visitors can tour the vessel and enjoy refreshments with a bay view.

To get tourist information, souvenirs and understand more about Cardiff through videos, exhibitions and interactive displays, look for the “squashed toilet roll” structure. Locally known as “the Tube”, the design of the visitor centre is so “unconventional” that I nearly missed it!

There are plenty of shops, restaurants, bars and cafes at the Mermaid Quay. Stroll along the boardwalk and greet the People Like Us. The bronze sculptures reflect the diverse culture and attributes of the world major coal exporting port in the olden days.

The Celtic Ring on the boardwalk with tidal charts, maritime instruments and docks indicated on its bronze surface.

If time permits, drop by Doctor Who permanent exhibition at the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay where you can find props, costumes and monsters featured in the latest series. Cardiff is home to Doctor Who, a science fiction TV series filmed in the city. Open 7 days a week till 6.30pm. An adult’s ticket costs £6.50; a child’s ticket costs £5.00.
We travelled to Cardiff Bay by the bendy bus and decided to take a different route to Cardiff Castle at the city centre by Aquabus, Cardiff’s water transport service. The designated waterbus departs hourly from Mermaid Quay to Cardiff Castle and a single adult trip costs £3 and £5 for a return trip. Kick back and enjoy the smooth sail along River Taff with a whiteness of swans swimming graciously in the waters.
Cardiff Castle sits in the heart of the cosmopolitan city. Very deep in history, it’s the leading heritage attraction in the centre and you shouldn’t miss it. Well, you can’t miss it too! Remember I mentioned in my previous post that it’s just right across the road of Hilton Hotel where we stayed? The medieval Castle was originally constructed as a Roman fort and evolved into a variety of architectures over a period of 2000 years. It was refashioned into a neo-Gothic castle in the 19th century by the 3rd Marquess of Bute and the renowned Victorian art-architect, William Burges. In 1947, the 5th Marquess of Bute presented Cardiff Castle to the city.

Admission fee to enter the castle is £10.50 for an adult and £7.95 for a child. This includes an audio guide (with several language options) of Castle grounds, Norman Keep and Battlement walk; entry to some Castle apartments; Cardiff Castle Museum of the Welsh soldier; the Interpretation Centre with exhibition and film show.
Note: If you wish to join the 45-minute guided tour, arrive at the Castle before the tour starts at 1.40pm. The premium tour adult ticket costs £13.50 and £10.00 for a child. The premium tour will include additional Castle apartments with a guide.

Make an easy climb up to the Norman Keep for a panoramic spectacle of the ancient Castle grounds and buildings in juxtaposition with the urbanized city. The 12th century Keep used to serve as a secure residence for the lord and his household as well as a prison and armoury. Look out for the iconic Millennium Stadium with four huge masts. Featuring a 72,000-seater capacity with a fully retractable roof, the famous sporting arena will host football competition in the London 2012 Olympics.

Adjourn to the Castle apartments to appreciate the opulent interiors and be awestruck. Highlights include the Library with a red and gold canvas adorning the walls and intricately carved furniture produced by Lord Bute’s own workshops, as well as the Arab Room with a stunning interior of Egyptian-inspired stained glass windows and Italian marble walls and floor. The medieval-themed Banqueting hall decorated with murals is the impressive centerpiece of the castle built to accommodate Lord Bute’s guests.

Yeouido

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Sue and I took an afternoon trip over to Yeouido, which is a quasi-island along the Han river in Seoul. (I think it’s technically an island in that it has water on all sides, but the water on one side is really more or a tiny stream that looks like you could wade through it without much difficulty.)

Yeouido park.

Statue of King Sejeon in the park.

Sunset view of Seoul from Building 63 (big, golden-colored skyscraper on the island).

View of Seoul (south of the Han) starting to change into its nighttime colors.

Building 63 also has a small aquarium. Not bad, but pretty small and pales in contrast to Atlanta’s mega-behemoth Georgia Aquarium.

Kiyomizu-dera temple & Osaka Castle

2010-09-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

This is another UNESCO World Heritage listed site in Japan – Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山清水寺, Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera, literally means “Pure Water Temple”), one of the oldest Buddhist temple in Kyoto. (Contributor: Wee Lai)

The flamingly beautiful autumn leaves at Kiyomizudera.

Osaka breaking news: A mysterious sighting of a humongous “Spider-crab” making its way up the building…

… and a Singapore tourist had devoured one of those jumbo crab legs!

The magnificent Osaka Castle is one of Japan’s most famous castle popularly visited by thousands during the cherry blossom bloom – hanami or “flower viewing”.

A restaurant in Shinsaibashi, a shopping area in Osaka.

Tokyo Mega Web,Sensoji Temple,Tokyo Tower

2010-09-12T12:01:00.001-07:00

Guess Wee Lai was trying to shop for the latest car model, but realised that she had not gotten her driving license yet at that time… LOL! Just kidding. Every visitor can enjoy different car driving simulators, admiring at the latest models of cars and buying them at the Mega Web, a giant multimedia amusement and exhibition centre of motor vehicles.
A futuristic car, certainly belongs to the future!

Nice sunflower car – this colourful creation is just like a mimic of those cars drawn in manga!

Japanese manga can be seen everywhere; they are simply part of Japanese culture.

The real Samurai swords are definitely not for the faint-hearted to handle! Take my stroke!

Sensō-ji (金龍山浅草寺,) is the oldest ancient Buddhist temple in Tokyo.

A group of adorable Japanese school boys and girls following their teacher obediently.

This Eiffel tower-like communication tower is the tallest artificial structure in Japan and the 11th tallest tower in the world. The Tokyo Tower, as the name suggests, is located in Tokyo.

Kanazawa Pictures

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Kanazawa, a large, modern city on the west coast of Honshu [Japan's main island] is scattered with cultural and architectural relics from the days when it was the centre of the wealthy and sophisticated Maeda clan. Without doubt the finest remnant of those feudal days is the magnificent Kenrokuen [Kenroku-en] Garden, a 17thC-19thC creation that belonged to the adjacent castle [Kanazawa-jo] and is now a showpiece of classic, controlled and laborious Japanese gardening style and one of Japan’s finest natural works

Kenrokuen: roku means six in Japanese and the original designers of this garden were given six objectives – originally conceived in China- to fulfil this project.
It should:
1] be large 2] be clearly designed by man 3] offer spacious views 4] use water features 5] have a tranquil and comforting ambience 6] encapsulate the traditional Japanese attitude to recreating nature.
Kenrokuen satisfies all six aims with stunning combinations of flowing water, stone lanterns, moss, flowers or blossom depending on the season and trees painstakingly hand-manicured with branches not lopped but propped at aesthetically pleasing angles.
Natural, no. Fantastically calming and perfectly balanced, yes. On a sunny day no one with any artistic, let alone gardening sensibilities can fail to be awed by this piece of work, nor by the amount of maintenance it still clearly requires!

Kenrokuen Garden is open 7am – 6pm March to mid October, 8am – 4.30pm in winter. Try to visit early or late in the day and not at the weekend. In winter, tree branches are supported by shapely conical rope work radiating from the trunk, to avoid snow damage.
Kanazawa Castle, home of the Maeda for 500 years was destroyed by fire many years ago and partially reconstructed; it is nearby and worth a stroll for any tourist wandering Kenroku-en.

Kanazawa’s Nagamachi district is another worthy sight, a quiet place of high mud walls where the Maeda clan’s elite samurai warriors used to live. The Nomura Samurai House is open to the public and also offers a pleasing, if small, garden.

The Higashi Geisha district is another ancient and well-preserved Kanazawa attraction, a cluster of narrow streets lined with 19thC wood-slat tea houses where geishas would meet and entertain wealthy customers. These days tourists pay to visit traditional houses, drink very expensive green tea that they are unlikely to appreciate, or shop for gold leaf art forms…

Gold leaf cake for tea? Actually makers claim that small quantities of gold alleviate some complaints, such as rheumatism. It certainly alleviates wealth.
98% of Japan’s gold leaf is produced in Kanazawa and goes on and in just about anything imaginable.
Shop here for superb, bizarre, gold-oriented souvenirs that are not as pricey as you might think.

Kanazawa tourism is made easy with a day ticket, hop-on hop-off bus originating from the train station.
Other excellent tourist activities in the city include some fine museums, especially the futuristic 21stC Museum of Contemporary Art, the 15thC ‘Ninja’ temple of Myoryu-ji with its interior secrets and trickery [but only with a guide] and the labyrinthine bustle of Omicho Market – a great place to eat seafood.
Goodbye Kitty!

Tokyo tours

2010-09-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

Tokyo is also one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, but is called a metropolis (to) rather than a prefecture (ken). The metropolis of Tokyo consists of 23 city wards (ku), 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small Pacific Islands in the south of Japan’s main island Honshu.

The 23 city wards (ku) are the center of Tokyo and make up about one third of the metropolis’ area, while housing roughly eight of Tokyo’s approximately twelve million residents.

The mainland portion of Tokyo lies northwest of Tokyo Bay and measures about 90 km east to west and 25 km north to south. Chiba Prefecture borders it to the east, Yamanashi to the west, Kanagawa to the south, and Saitama to the north. Mainland Tokyo is further subdivided into the special wards (occupying the eastern half) and the Tama area.

Take a cinematic city break in Venice

2010-09-12T11:56:00.001-07:00

Italy does not let anything get in the way of a good time – the perfect example is the fact that it wouldn’t even let WWII interrupt the famous Venice Film Festival.
The prestigious Venice Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the world – it’s been running annually since 1932. And it’s just so ridiculously alluring, you have to get there at least once in your life. It was founded by a count and takes place on the island of the Lido, Venice, in the sunny weeks of late August or early September.
It used to be entirely Italian, but now the menu has opened up and many Oscar-tempting films make it in, along with the red carpet fashion smackdown. In 2010, the program featured movies by US directors like Vincent Gallo, Robert Rodriguez, Darren Oronofsky and Sofia Coppola, as well as a bash honouring Quentin Tarantino and some red carpet sparklers from Jessica Alba and Natalie Portman.
Every odd-numbered year, the festival coincides with the Venice Biennale, so if you really want to up your chances of rubbing shoulders with the big guns of art and film, this would be your time to go.

Want a slice of the full-tilt film festival experience? First, put on your oversized shades. Be impervious. Be fabulous. Check yourself into the unfathomably glamorous Hotel Excelsior, where you can get an exclusive assisted transfer from Marco Polo International Airport – yes, we’re talking porter assistance and private water taxis. The Hotel is also the location of the festival’s Style Star Lounge – a 300 sqm space-age candy store of elegant swanning, where stars are interviewed, presentations are made, films are screened and ice cubes twinkle like stardust in cocktails. Say, isn’t that Catherine Deneuve? Boy, she looks good! Oh hey Quentin! Hey Dustin! Loved your movie!
Then the needle scratches across the record and the music scrapes to a halt, leaving you in cricketty silence. Yes, the Hotel Excelsior will make your credit card cower, and the Star Style Lounge is of the strictest invitation-only. So unless you actually are Tarantino, you might not need to fit this stop on your list – yet.
But hey – you can still go to the films. And the Biennale (get an artist’s tips). And really, that pricey champagne ain’t all that. And if you follow our tips on how to do Venice on a shoestring, you’ll be able to save some money to splurge on a customised Vespa that says ‘Call my agent’.

Romantic Paris

2010-09-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

Paris is beautiful beyond words, with nice alleyways between the fine, elegant old buildings. Our backpacks were very heavy. We headed directly to AIJ, an international hostel providing bare-bones accommodation; but most importantly, it is located in the city centre and walking distance to Bastille district and Ledru Rollin Metro Station.
We checked in at AIJ Hostel around 10am but it was still early to get our room. We left our backpacks in a storage room with other people’s backpacks. Rather concerned with the safety of our belongings, we used a chain to secure our backpacks together and padlocked the chain.
We walked to Bastille. It was like a marketplace with many people.

We visited the Carnavalet museum (Musée Carnavalet in French) in the Marais district, free admission. This museum is devoted to the history of Paris from its origins to recent times. The architecture of the building is in renaissance style. It has many reconstituted palace rooms and a collection of paintings.
Saw this artefact depicting the two planes that crashed into the World Trade Center.

Lunch time. We walked to a peaceful and refreshing garden in The Place des Vosges that lies at the heart of Marais district. There were many people lying on the soft short grass; some were reading and some were just relaxing under the blue sky. We bought some kebab sandwiches from a nearby Turkish stall and had picnic at the garden. We were rather prudent in spending Euro dollars (in 2003, it was S$1.98 = 1 euro) so we tried to share food and buy out meals.

Travel photos

2010-09-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

Italy is one of Europe’s most attractive and complex countries, crammed with thousands of years of turbulent history encompassing among other evocative names: Hannibal, Julius Caesar, the Roman Empire, Nero, gladiators, Anthony and Cleopatra, Charlemagne, St Peter, the Vatican, Popes, the Borgias, the House of Medici, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Mussolini and the Mafia. No other country can get even close to that many historically important figures or self-indulgent nouns.

The country embraces some of the world’s most fascinating ancient cities, with Rome, Venice and Florence topping a global list of ’see before you die’ candidates, as well as an unbeatable collection of art treasures led by Rome and Vatican museums.
Throw into the tourist pot cute hilltop villages, rolling golden vistas, good wine, opera, predictable sunshine, a serious attitude towards food with always edible, good value cuisine and you have one of the world’s most attractive destinations.

Roma
Upsides:
- summer sunshine is pretty well guaranteed and the Mediterranean is warm and inviting.
- the food and wines are superb and good value compared to most of Europe.
- anybody with a camera cannot fail to go home with stunning pictures of Italy.
- the law is generally considered to be an ass in Italy and Italians frequently disregard it, so anti-establishmentarians [always wanted to use that word] will enjoy life here.
- train and bus services are frequent and cheap, though frequently late too.
- the sights, large and small are unbelievable.
- there’s so little rain in summer that mosquitoes don’t breed.
- roads have posted limits but no apparent police control on them.
- Italians seeing a powerful car in the rearview mirror will let it pass as soon as practical.
- town centres are very walkable even if you do have to lurch deliberately in front of moving vehicles in order to cross a road at a pedestrian crossing. They won’t stop if you just stand there hoping.
- English has many similar roots to Italian via Latin so some bits of the language are kind of understandable.

Vatican City, Rome
Where to go:
The lakes and good value ski slopes of far north Italy, the Italian Riviera coast for summer beaches though they’re many are small and stony, visiting a couple of little hill towns – but most tourists would want to spend at least a few days in the magnificent cities of Rome, Florence, Venice, Genoa, and perhaps Pisa or Bologna before worrying about the smaller places like Verona and Lucca.
In the south of Italy – which starts below Rome – the coast of Amalfi is stunning, as are the two ancient sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. From there things get very unsophisticated and tourism drops off dramatically, but the scenery of the Gargano peninsula is lovely while distant Sicily offers a Afro-rustic version of traditional Italy along with a couple of excellent beaches and ancient Greek sites. And then there’s Sardinia island, offering Italy’s best beaches and a delightful capital, Cágliari.

Venice, Venezia, Veneto
Downsides:
- Italian cuisine is excellent – pasta, pizza and risotto. Then more pasta, pizza and risotto, hmm. Then more of the same – if you are in a tourist area and on a budget or elsewhere and don’t read Italian [No, knowledge of French or Spanish is surprisingly not going to help with menus]. Nor is international cuisine readily available. Chinese? Mama mia!
However, if you can unleash a fat wallet or have studied up on Italian food words then the cuisine can be superb.
- directional signs for pedestrians have the same lack of continuity [or just lack] that road signs have. GPS, map-reading skills, patience, imagination and/or a grasp of Italian language will be essential to successful navigation in Italy.
- roads between magnificent towns are often sadly drab, garbage-strewn and bordered with concrete excrescences.
- while some Italians are cheerful, welcoming and speak English not a lot of those types work in the service sector so don’t expect to see a smile or hear ‘Have a nice day’ from your waiter or ticket collector. Never mind, you don’t have to tip them!
- mainland Italian beaches are frequently small, stony and packed or large, sandy and pay-your-way.

Genoa, Genova, Liguria
Best time to go to Italy:
The shoulder months April-June and Sept-Oct generally have the best weather and fewer tourists or cars on the road. The latter months are also good for swimming.
Winters will be decidedly chilly in north Italy but bearable in Florence, Rome and further south.
July and August are the worst months for tourism due to excessive heat, crowds and busy roads, though the sea will probably be delightfully refreshing.

Travel Netherlands

2010-09-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

The Netherlands vs Holland:
The correct term for this country is the Netherlands [Nederland in the Dutch language means low lands], or more formally ‘The Kingdom of the Netherlands’ [which includes Aruba and the Dutch Antilles].
The reason for the Netherlands/Holland confusion is that the two most important of the country’s twelve provinces – historically the most powerful and still hosting the most important Dutch cities of Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam – are called North and South Holland; those were the places that made the country great and those were the places everyone talked about.
Even the Dutch people [aka Nederlanders] call their country Holland from time to time, including at international soccer games.
The origin of the Dutch name/language is a combination of German deutsch and Dutch dietsch meaning language of the common people – as opposed to the Latin language that the posh folk spoke in medieval times.

The Netherlands:
Flat packed is one way to describe this low lying snooker table of a country at the centre-west of Europe, with the North Sea on one side, Belgium and Germany on the others.
Half of the Netherlands lies below sea level and is saved from inundation and infertility only by dykes [huge, sloping grassy walls]. Survival of so many large people in such a small, endangered location is thanks to the creativity, stamina, organisation and efficiency of the Dutch people.
Visitors to Holland tend to enjoy the stimulating urban life rather than trying to find wild things on Netherlands nature walks, though the 300 km [200 mile] long coast offers several scenic trails through sand dunes and nature reserves. However, biking from town to town through damp and sunken fields is as close to a Dutch wilderness as most tourists experience.

A traditional grassy sea wall, also known as a dyke, protecting low-lying Dutch land.
Travel Safety:
Theft is not common in Holland and generally confined to bike ‘borrowing’, bag snatching or pickpocketing perpetrated by non-Dutch nationals. Be especially careful with bags on commonly travelled tourist trains such as those to and from Schipol Airport.
Another Netherlands scam involves two or three men of probable east European extraction pretending to be ‘undercover’ police, showing fake IDs and searching tourists in remote locations. In the process valuables magically disappear. The best response to this harassment is either refuse point blank to be searched or if the men are are pushy demand to be taken to the police station for the search.
Real police are concerned, reliable and mostly speak good English.
Biking or inline skating:
Holland is one of the most cycle friendly countries on the planet as the land is almost flat, about 85 % of Dutch people travel regularly by bikes and most of the time bikes have priority over other vehicles.
There are said to be more bikes than inhabitants [16 million] in the Netherlands. It has about 17,000 km [including 20 long distance routes totalling 6,000km] of well-marked cycling paths/lanes and every local VVV will provide appropriate information.
Commercial cycling packages/tours are frequently on offer, too. Detailed cycle maps are available at book stores. Netherlands Railways are cycle friendly as bikes can be carried on trains or rented/ parked/ repaired or even bought at more than 100 stations throughout the country. Check out bike-rental vouchers at the station.
Try the windmill trail, the flower bulb trail, North Sea and Wadden Sea, long coastal routes or riding white bikes in Hoge Veluwe National Park.
Destination information:
Some of the Nederland’s biggest tourist attractions are Amsterdam, Leiden, Haarlem, Delft, The Hague, Rotterdam and Maastricht.
When to go to the Netherlands:
Best: May-September.
n.b. weather conditions can change rapidly and dramatically in the Netherlands so always carry warm/cool and wet gear with you on your Dutch trip.
Worst: Winters are cool, December-February, but when winds start to whistle across the flatlands, the chill factor freezes your blood and bicycles are not on the menu du jour – a warm, dry taxi will do nicely. However, if you’re visiting for purely urban life and wrap up well then winter can be interesting and is naturally less touristy.
Spring and Autumn involve a lot of rain so grey skies sometimes seem to be Holland’s default setting.

The look of leaves: a New England autumn tour

2010-09-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Touring through small-town New England in search of autumn’s changing colours has become such a popular activity, it has sprouted its own enthusiastic subculture of ‘leaf-peepers’. But this trip is about much more than just flora and fauna: become immersed in the bountiful harvest spirit that envelops the entire region each fall.
Peak fall foliage season starts at the beginning of September and runs through to the end of October. To get yourself in an appropriately autumnal frame of mind then, plan a trip to Clyde’s Cider Mill in Old Mystic. Visitors can watch the cider mill in action – this is the only such mill in the country still powered by steam – and then purchase alcoholic or nonalcoholic cider in plastic jugs. As soon as you’re properly hydrated and fortified at the mill, head west to the town of Essex where the Connecticut River Expeditions runs a Fall Foliage Cruise aboard the RiverQuest.
About 30 miles north of Mystic, the Blue Slope Country Museum in Franklin is essentially a celebration of all things bucolic. During the fall season, life at the museum gets even more interesting: how about pie-eating contests and Amish outdoor furniture for sale?
On the opposite end of Connecticut, the Litchfield Hills region is the state’s other major destination for serious leaf-peeping. Incidentally, it’s also a popular region in which to visit one of Connecticut’s sugar houses, producing Connecticut’s famous maple syrup. Tours are given daily at Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington.
About a half-hour drive to the west is the fifth-generation Bunnell Farm where you can pick-your-own flowers or embark on a horse-drawn hay and tractor ride. Both these trips lead to a PYO pumpkin farm, which is naturally at its peak during fall foliage. And like many PYO farms, Bunnell is solidly in on the corn-maze craze as well – if you happen to arrive after sunset, they’ll even loan you a flashlight and let you stumble around in the dark.
Before venturing north into Massachusetts, stop by one more of Litchfield County’s PYO farms, the Ellsworth Hill Orchard & Berry Farm. This farm is home to a particularly challenging six-acre corn maze. And naturally, berries, plums, peaches, and apples can be snapped right off the vine by your very own hands.
Continue heading north, and cross the state border to reach this trip’s next stop, which is in the northern Massachusetts town of Deerfield. The historic Deerfield village itself is a collection of 14 houses, all decorated in the popular styles of the 18th and 19th centuries. Visitors are led from house to house by a well-informed guide, and for those without a strong grounding in American history, a larger building known as the Flynt Center for the Study of Early American Life does a decent job of explaining it all in smaller and more easily digestible chunks.
Travel north for about 90 miles along I-91 to reach the town of Woodstock, VT, and the Billings Farm and Museum. Billings is a working dairy farm, and visitors who tour the grounds here are taken to a horse barn and a calf nursery before going on a self-guided tour through a series of 19th century barns.
From Woodstock, hop right on I-89 north and take it all the way to Burlington, which sits directly on the shores of Lake Champlain; the Adirondacks of New York are located on the opposite side of the lake.
Burlington, of course, is home to a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities, so if you’d like to briefly get off the cycle of country farm- and fall foliage-specific activities, the Lake Champlain Valley, as this area is known, is a great place to do that.
One of Vermont’s most unusual and most visited attractions, the Shelburne Museum, is seven miles south of Burlington and right in the heart of Lake Champlain valley. Founded in 1947 by Electra Havemeyer Webb, a woman with a truly unique artistic vision and a serious shopping compulsion, the museum is home to nearly 200,000 pieces of distinctive American folk art and crafts. But Webb also collected buildings and historic structures, and her art is now housed in literally dozens of them, including a jail and a 220ft-long steamship.
Drive east – I-89 south, then Rte 100 – to Stowe, where anyone in search of a truly unforgettable culinary experience should run directly to the Trapp Family Lodge. This Austrian-style alpine mountain resort is still operated by the same von Trapp family that inspired the musical and movie The Sound of Music.
You’re now about 120 miles away from this trip’s next stop, which happens to sit atop New Hampshire’s Wildcat Mountain: the zip cable ride known as the Wildcat Express Gondola is well worth it, and the views of Mt Washington will blow your mind. And no, you won’t be hanging on with your fingers: the Wildcat is essentially a cross between a hammock and a chair. It does soar at speeds of up to 45 mph, though, and the trip is a half mile long.
Hiking or driving to Mount Washington State Park is a popular activity, and reaching the peak via the 7.6-mile Mt Washington Auto Road makes for one of the most remarkable drives in New Hampshire.
This trip comes to its decidedly laid-back conclusion in the resort town of Kennebunkport, Maine, where generations of writers, artists, and even world leaders have come for a mix of inspiration and down-time. Kennebunkport is about two hours by car from North Conway. When you arrive, check into one of the 16 designer Cottages at Cabot Cove, which, yes, actually are lined up inside a breathtakingly gorgeous tidal cove. And while the prices are admittedly high, they graciously include beach passes, a fully equipped kitchen, and the use of kayaks and rowboats. In fact, the only serious downside to staying at the cottages is that you probably won’t ever want to pack up and leave.