Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

    Well, it's official. I'm heading to Munich for about two weeks. Anything I should know?
    Code:
    As of 9/21/10:         As of 9/13/10:
    College Hockey 6       College Football 0
    BTHC 4                 WCHA FC:  1
    Originally posted by SanTropez
    May your paint thinner run dry and the fleas of a thousand camels infest your dead deer.
    Originally posted by bigblue_dl
    I don't even know how to classify magic vagina smoke babies..
    Originally posted by Kepler
    When the giraffes start building radio telescopes they can join too.
    He's probably going to be a superstar but that man has more baggage than North West

    Comment


    • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

      Originally posted by dxmnkd316 View Post
      Well, it's official. I'm heading to Munich for about two weeks. Anything I should know?
      When ordering bier, if it's Dunkel it's dark, Hell/Hellig (pronounced hellish) is light. They're likely out of season until early September. All other beer styles you should already know.

      München = Munich
      Bayern = Bavaria

      Don't drink the water, get it from bottles.

      Head to the Blackforest, real close, get your parents a cuckoo clock as a souvenir from the place they were invented.

      Kids will be on the city buses and light rail going to school, that includes Saturdays.

      If someone yells "Fick dich!" at you (sounds like deechk), they're not your friend.

      Just use the trains for getting around the town or country.

      ETA: Spaetzle (might be Spätzle) I like a riced pasta. Get it with Käse, and it's basically an excellent version of mac & cheese because they'll use real, German cheeses to make it.

      Wurst = processed meats/sausages
      Fleisch = cuts of meat - steaks, filets, etc.
      Huhn = Chicken
      Schwein = pig
      Ei/Eier = eggs
      Eis = ice or ice cream, depends upon the context
      When ordering water, ask for natural water, otherwise you'll end up with a seltzer water.
      Some other stuff too.
      Last edited by St. Clown; 07-24-2017, 03:33 PM.
      "The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." George Orwell, 1984

      "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust, the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume." Boromir

      "Good news! We have a delivery." Professor Farnsworth

      Comment


      • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

        Rauch (sp?) = smoke(d).

        I learned that the hard way years ago when I got a beer labeled like that.
        Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
        Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens

        Comment


        • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

          Originally posted by Brenthoven View Post
          Rauch (sp?) = smoke(d).

          I learned that the hard way years ago when I got a beer labeled like that.
          Correct. "Keine rauchen" = No Smoking. It's usually accompanied with the standard no smoking graphics/signs you see here in the US.
          "The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." George Orwell, 1984

          "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust, the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume." Boromir

          "Good news! We have a delivery." Professor Farnsworth

          Comment


          • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

            Back from 5 days in Vancouver. Some descriptors: eye-popping beautiful; diverse: affluent; expensive; Asian; kind of West Coast laid back hip with much less pretense than SF.

            Walked, bussed, taxied, biked, and drove around the City and up the coast a ways. Wow! If I'd discovered this city 30 years ago, I'd have found a way to live here.

            Comment


            • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

              Originally posted by burd View Post
              Back from 5 days in Vancouver. Some descriptors: eye-popping beautiful; diverse: affluent; expensive; Asian; kind of West Coast laid back hip with much less pretense than SF.

              Walked, bussed, taxied, biked, and drove around the City and up the coast a ways. Wow! If I'd discovered this city 30 years ago, I'd have found a way to live here.
              I'd say those descriptors are pretty accurate. On the negative side, I'd also throw in "more homeless people than usual". Not as bad as LA, but still pretty bad. Part of it is the ever-increasing affluence and cost of living there, as cheaper housing gets pushed over for new high-rise construction. Part of it is that the city has a needle exchange program and supervised injection clinics, so sadly, it is a magnet for Canada's heroin addicts (even though the goal is to help them get into treatment).

              For the most part though, it's a pretty nice place.

              Comment


              • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                Originally posted by FadeToBlack&Gold View Post
                I'd say those descriptors are pretty accurate. On the negative side, I'd also throw in "more homeless people than usual". Not as bad as LA, but still pretty bad. Part of it is the ever-increasing affluence and cost of living there, as cheaper housing gets pushed over for new high-rise construction. Part of it is that the city has a needle exchange program and supervised injection clinics, so sadly, it is a magnet for Canada's heroin addicts (even though the goal is to help them get into treatment).

                For the most part though, it's a pretty nice place.
                I agree with you about the homeless. In fact, in an earlier draft I attempted from my phone and which was accidentally deleted, I described that. Tent cities and drug addled and mentally ill homeless on the streets is higher than many cities I've experienced or lived in. Partly due also to the friendly weather, I 'd guess, though I don't know how Toronto is on that score.

                God knows a short visit is no reliable way to judge a city. That's also why I think it's necessary to ride buses and subways (and walk, if it's safe enough) in the "ugly" side of a city to get a full picture and not just the one that is presented in the tourist's brochures. Would I walk around the ninth ward in Nola or areas of Washington Heights in NYC late at night? Probably not, though my kids have and felt safe in doing so. But it is important to know how a city treats its poor.

                Comment


                • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                  Anyone know anything about Bermuda? We are thinking of taking a much-delayed babymoon there in September. And when I say much-delayed, I don't mean that we're getting around to it a few years after the baby was born - I mean that I graduated college in 1994 and this is our first. Math is left as an exercise for the reader (and yes, I robbed the cradle).

                  We figured Bermuda could be the full island experience without the Zika....
                  If you don't change the world today, how can it be any better tomorrow?

                  Comment


                  • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                    [QUOTE=LynahFan;6511426]Anyone know anything about Bermuda? We are thinking of taking a much-delayed babymoon there in September. And when I say much-delayed, I don't mean that we're getting around to it a few years after the baby was born - I mean that I graduated college in 1994 and this is our first. Math is left as an exercise for the reader (and yes, I robbed the cradle).
                    Things are expensive in Caribbean so all inclusive is good- they really meant all inclusive when we were there- Loved it.

                    Also went to the Bahamas- Breezes- pkg deal- very reasonable.

                    Comment


                    • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                      That feeling when you pay for a regular seat on an international flight and get Comfort Plus legroom.

                      I could do a cartwheel between me and the seat and front of mine.
                      Code:
                      As of 9/21/10:         As of 9/13/10:
                      College Hockey 6       College Football 0
                      BTHC 4                 WCHA FC:  1
                      Originally posted by SanTropez
                      May your paint thinner run dry and the fleas of a thousand camels infest your dead deer.
                      Originally posted by bigblue_dl
                      I don't even know how to classify magic vagina smoke babies..
                      Originally posted by Kepler
                      When the giraffes start building radio telescopes they can join too.
                      He's probably going to be a superstar but that man has more baggage than North West

                      Comment


                      • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                        Originally posted by LynahFan View Post
                        Anyone know anything about Bermuda? We are thinking of taking a much-delayed babymoon there in September. And when I say much-delayed, I don't mean that we're getting around to it a few years after the baby was born - I mean that I graduated college in 1994 and this is our first. Math is left as an exercise for the reader (and yes, I robbed the cradle).

                        We figured Bermuda could be the full island experience without the Zika....
                        I liked Bermuda. My advice is to stay the f-ck away from every tour, guide, promo, cruise gimmick, etc, hang out, talk to locals, and just melt into it.

                        Everybody even marginally connected to commerce in Bermuda is either a criminal or a scum-sucking pig.

                        I mean, even more than usual that you'll find in the States.

                        But everybody else on the island is great.
                        Cornell University
                        National Champion 1967, 1970
                        ECAC Champion 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010
                        Ivy League Champion 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020

                        Comment


                        • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                          Originally posted by Kepler View Post
                          I liked Bermuda. My advice is to stay the f-ck away from every tour, guide, promo, cruise gimmick, etc, hang out, talk to locals, and just melt into it.

                          Everybody even marginally connected to commerce in Bermuda is either a criminal or a scum-sucking pig.

                          I mean, even more than usual that you'll find in the States.

                          But everybody else on the island is great.
                          And ride the bus from one end to the other. You get a real flavour of what is what.

                          Comment


                          • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                            Tricks to getting cheap flights? Not sure there is one but trying to fly to St Croix for about 5 days. Tired googling, incognito window, on the phone and an app and all the prices are high

                            Just back from New Brunswick which was a pleasant surprise. Went to Fundy National Park, Hopewell Rocks, Shediac, Kouchibouguac National Park. Kelly Beach there was amazing!
                            http://www.pc.gc.ca/fr/pn-np/nb/kouchibouguac/index

                            Comment


                            • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                              Originally posted by leswp1 View Post
                              Tricks to getting cheap flights? Not sure there is one but trying to fly to St Croix for about 5 days. Tired googling, incognito window, on the phone and an app and all the prices are high

                              Just back from New Brunswick which was a pleasant surprise. Went to Fundy National Park, Hopewell Rocks, Shediac, Kouchibouguac National Park. Kelly Beach there was amazing!
                              http://www.pc.gc.ca/fr/pn-np/nb/kouchibouguac/index
                              http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

                              Punch in the following:

                              Departing from: BOS, MHT
                              Destination: STX

                              See calendar of lowest fares

                              Nights: 4-6
                              Departing: 10/01/2017 (and a month later)

                              Leave all the other options the same, but un-check 'Allow Airport Changes'


                              Not sure what you're looking at for dates, but the above will search for the best available fares from Manch-vegas and Logan, to St. Croix, for stays of 4-6 nights, that depart any time on or after October 1st for up to a month after.

                              The system will do some thinking, and spit back a calendar of fares, with the cheapest available dates marked in orange (however, you need to hover over to see how many nights you have to stay to get that fare - there could be a difference between a 4-night fare and a 5-night fare).

                              When you find one that looks good, and matches the number of nights you want, click it to be shown the list of available flights with that fare, including times, departure airport, connections, etc.

                              However, ITA Matrix is just a searching service. Once you've identified the itinerary you want, keep that tab open, because you'll have to open a new tab and book directly through the airline. You should be aware that to get the prices you're seeing, you may need to do a multi-city booking, rather than a basic round-trip. Airline pricing is often screwy like that. Just make sure it's all on one itinerary with one confirmation number, rather than separate one-ways. Not worth the hassle of booking separate one-ways if there's a delay that causes you to miss your next segment, and you need to get re-booked - causes a big mess, since it's technically not a connection, but a different itinerary. Also, you have to check-in for each one-way segment - yuck.

                              Other tricks are standard knowledge. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to be the cheapest days to fly, because they are the lowest volume/demand days for air travel, but it's more of a trend than a hard/fast rule. Fridays and Sundays, are usually the most expensive. 6-10 weeks out is the most common "sweet spot" window for grabbing the best available fare, but that's not a hard/fast rule either, especially for overseas travel. Once you get to less than 4 weeks, the prices start to creep up, and less than 10 days out is when the airlines start to figure that your boss is probably paying for the ticket, and that's when the prices go up exponentially until you're paying full-boat.
                              Last edited by FadeToBlack&Gold; 08-05-2017, 01:07 AM.

                              Comment


                              • Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

                                Originally posted by FadeToBlack&Gold View Post
                                http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

                                Punch in the following:

                                Departing from: BOS, MHT
                                Destination: STX

                                See calendar of lowest fares

                                Nights: 4-6
                                Departing: 10/01/2017 (and a month later)

                                Leave all the other options the same, but un-check 'Allow Airport Changes'


                                Not sure what you're looking at for dates, but the above will search for the best available fares from Manch-vegas and Logan, to St. Croix, for stays of 4-6 nights, that depart any time on or after October 1st for up to a month after.

                                The system will do some thinking, and spit back a calendar of fares, with the cheapest available dates marked in orange (however, you need to hover over to see how many nights you have to stay to get that fare - there could be a difference between a 4-night fare and a 5-night fare).

                                When you find one that looks good, and matches the number of nights you want, click it to be shown the list of available flights with that fare, including times, departure airport, connections, etc.

                                However, ITA Matrix is just a searching service. Once you've identified the itinerary you want, keep that tab open, because you'll have to open a new tab and book directly through the airline. You should be aware that to get the prices you're seeing, you may need to do a multi-city booking, rather than a basic round-trip. Airline pricing is often screwy like that. Just make sure it's all on one itinerary with one confirmation number, rather than separate one-ways. Not worth the hassle of booking separate one-ways if there's a delay that causes you to miss your next segment, and you need to get re-booked - causes a big mess, since it's technically not a connection, but a different itinerary. Also, you have to check-in for each one-way segment - yuck.

                                Other tricks are standard knowledge. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to be the cheapest days to fly, because they are the lowest volume/demand days for air travel, but it's more of a trend than a hard/fast rule. Fridays and Sundays, are usually the most expensive. 6-10 weeks out is the most common "sweet spot" window for grabbing the best available fare, but that's not a hard/fast rule either, especially for overseas travel. Once you get to less than 4 weeks, the prices start to creep up, and less than 10 days out is when the airlines start to figure that your boss is probably paying for the ticket, and that's when the prices go up exponentially until you're paying full-boat.
                                Thanks! I will try that. I am looking to fly out the 18th of this month (Sat) and fly back the Wed night. Short jaunt. Lowest I could get was >600. Wouldn't be paying for anything but airfare but still ridiculous.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X