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Overview and Essential Information - Bern, Switzerland

 This place was Amazing visited 2004

OVERVIEW Switzerland has a pretty capital city. Bern is a small city with many sights, most of them dating back to the 15-th century. Bern is also known for its Bear Pits where you can see real bears - the city’s name derives from the German word for bear. Sights include the 12th-century Clock Tower, the botanical gardens, the Kunstmuseum (Paul Klee), the Albert Einstein House and the arcades in the center where you can shop till you drop under the vaulted arcades. UNESCO Worldheritage With its time-honoured sandstone buildings, historic towers and unique fountains Bern is one of the finest examples of mediaeval civic architecture in Europe. The city’s appearance has remained virtually unchanged for centuries, earning Bern a place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Thanks to this honour the city with its popular Bear Pits (the bear is Bern’s heraldic symbol) is on a par with Rome, the Egyptian pyramids and the Taj Mahal. Bern is also the seat of the Swiss government. Covered promenade Thanks to 6 kilometers of arcades, Bern boasts one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe. Under the arcades and on squares and side streets are dozens of restaurants and cafés where you can rest and refresh yourself. And on Tuesday and Saturday mornings this is where you’ll find colorful markets for fresh vegetables, flowers and meat. Green space galore The River Aare is Bern’s green artery: ideal for summer dips. The river snakes round the Old Town and offers plenty of room for recreation. Just a few minutes’ walk from the rail station you can stroll along the river bank under leafy trees, surrounded by Nature. Lively diversity Bern is not only a World Heritage Site but also embraces modern movements of architecture and design. The Museum of Fine Art houses the world’s largest collection of Paul Klee works. Einstein developed his special theory of relativity here in Bern, and Tobler created his world-famous Toblerone chocolate. Concert hall and municipal theatre are only a few steps apart. Besides this, a lively arts scene, modern dance performances and jazz concerts add up to a rich, world-class cultural life. At the heart of Europe Bern is easy and fast to reach. The city is near to major European centres as well as the Alps. So it’s an ideal point of departure for unforgettable excursions to Zermatt, Lucerne, the Jungfraujoch, Lake Geneva and lots more. GETTING AROUND Like all cities in Switzerland, Bern is easy to get around. The best way to explore the city is on foot. The old part of the city ist relatively small and there is no better way to get the feel of it. If you are not up to walking or the weather is not good, then there is an excellent network of buses and trams that criss-cross the city. Bern is an ideal base from which to explore the Bernese Oberland. The best way to do this is by train. GETTING THERE Air Connections Berne-Belp (9 km/6 miles) airport offers international connections (including Amsterdam, Brussels, Florence, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Vienna and Paris). Bus connections to the centre. There is a convenient, hourly train service ("Fly Rail") to Berne from Zurich and Geneva intercontinental airports (90 and 110 minutes respectively). These connections are included in the flight ticket (common rated). Also within easy reach is Basel airport. These 4 airports enable every visitor easy and fast access to Berne; an advantage not to be underestimated. Rail Connections From Berne the traveller has direct connections with the international rail network (Italy, France, Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia, Spain, the "Chunnel"), including TGV (Paris), ICE (Frankfurt, Berlin), Pendolino-Cisalpino (Milano), Talgo (Barcelona), Euronight (Rom, Firenze), Tenda (Ventimiglia, Torino), EC Albert Einstein (Praha, Munich), EC Vauban (Bruxelles - Berne - Milano), EC Monteverdi (Venezia), EC Berner Oberland (Amsterdam), EC Matterhorn (Mannheim). Berne is the only capital with 3 different high-speed trains; TGV, ICE and Pendolino-Cisalpino. Road Connections Berne, being an important motorway intersection point, has direct connections with the European E4 network. Connection routes southwards include the car trains through the Loetschberg and the Great St. Bernhard and Gotthard road tunnels. Swiss Travel System The Swiss Travel System offers visitors from abroad convenient public transport connections to all destinations in Switzerland, whether for transfers from and to airports and border stations, or for individual trips to discover Switzerland (e.g. travel before or after congresses). NOTICE This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License, and originated from World66.com. For more information see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0

posted Jan 5, 2005 | Comments (0)

Overview and Essential Travel Information - Paris, France

 This place was Amazing visited 2004

OVERVIEW Paris is known as The City of Light and absolutely deserves this name. But it is much more than just the City of Light. Paris is one of the best travel destinations. It has everything a traveller could possibly wish for. Eating Out (both expensive and cheap), good accommodation at moderate prices, some of the best museums in the world, as well as a couple of landmarks you must have seen at least once in your life. A stay in Paris should at least include a visit to the Louvre, one of the best museums in the world, a climb of the Eiffel tower, a climb to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral, a day of shopping frenzy, a night out on the town and time to relax to sit in a parks or visit one of the squares. In the neighborhood of Paris you can visit, Fontainebleau, Versailles with its magnificent palace of Louis XIV, Vaux-le-Vicomteand the inspiration for Versailles Disneyland Paris . All of these make perfect daytrips. SIGHTS Paris has more sights than can be visited in one trip. Here we show a menu of all the different possibilities. Check out Museums - in any case be sure not to miss the Louvre, but the centre Pompidou, the Musee Rodin and the Musee d'Orsay also deserve special attention. The beautiful Churches among them the Notre Dame and the Sacre Coeur with its great views over the city should be on every itinerary. The Louvre is one of the most important museums. Here you find a short list of the best things to see in the Louvre if you only have a day on your hands. If you have more than a day, you can see all of the museum. The Espace Dali-Montmartre was set up by the Stratton Foundation, a non profit-making association operating from Lichtenstein whose main aim is to promote Art. SHOPPING If Paris had no monuments, it would still be great to go there just for the shopping. No other town has so many exquisite shops and so many well-known designers. Well, let's face it: there is only one Paris. Some of the main shopping places: Galeries Lafayette Practically accross the street from Printemps. Lafayette has a beautiful glass and steel dome, and an Art Nouveau staircase built in 1912 by the architect Cahnautin. The store - all 10 stories of it - is classified as an historic monument. Les Halles Built at the places where the markets were held in earlier days, the shopping mall of Les Halles has an ideal location right in the center of Paris, between the Louvre and the Notre Dame. In Les Halles you can find almost anything. Tati If you like shopping an do not have enough money to visit Cartier or Chanel, Tati is where the French go. There is a real big Tati in Barbes but there are several others all in Paris. You can find them at La Republique, Temple and Opera among others. They are open from 10:00 to 19:00 on weekdays. Flea Market The Saint Ouen Flea Market at the Porte de Clignancourt draws a crowd of about 70.000 Parisiens every weekend. For this reason alone, you may consider going there. There is also a good flea market in Montreuil. The Flea market is actually the biggest in the world with over 2000 salesmen. Samaritaine This is the way all malls should be. A classical building with great views from the roof terrace cafe. And sure, plenty of things you would want to buy. address: 19 Rue de la Monnaie, 1st Arrondissement (Near Pont-Neuf) GETTING AROUND There are dozens of ways to get to and from Paris' airports from rapidfire shuttle trains to the standard assortment of pokey public buses private shuttles and taxis. There's even a bus that runs solely between the two airports. Say what you will about driving around Paris the city's public transportation is world class. The most charming of Paris' public transport options the underground Métropolitain (and its sister system the RER) is a simply massive network. No matter where you are chances are there's a metro station within a few blocks. Likewise the public bus system runs everywhere but its hours are laughable and don't even try to hop aboard on Sunday or a holiday. The Noctambus network takes over in the heavily trafficked areas once both the underground and the day buses go to sleep. In case you hadn't guessed it driving around Paris is a job best reserved for the terminally aggressive - if you don't have lots of time to kill you're better off taking public transport. Likewise with bicycles: Parisians don't much like to share the road and bikes aren't allowed on the metro. There are river shuttles along the Seine but these cater more to tourists' gawking than to commuters. NOTICE This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License, and originated from World66.com. For more information see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0

posted Nov 8, 2004 | Comments (0)

Overview and Essential Tourist Info - Singapore, Singapore

 This place was Amazing visited 2004

OVERVIEW Singapore is an island city located at the tip of Peninsula Malaysia. It is well-known for being one of the richest, most well organised countries in the world. Singapore is an island with "1000 shopping malls" or so they say. Despite the hot climate, it is a tropical paradise for most tourists. This great diversity of lifestyles, cultures and religions thrives within the framework of a regulated society. Singapore's "FINE" city reputation is well-earned, and in fact, many will admire at once the clean, modern metropolis. Surrounded by artificially 'ordered' parks, its tall housing projects are populated by almost 4 million people - whose smiling native charms often belie underlying tensions of the way the island is progressing after 30 years of development. Highlights of Singapore include some of the ethnic parts of town: Arab street, Chinatown, Colonial District, Orchard road and Little India. South of Singapore are a few beautiful islands that are well worth visiting. The most visited is Sentosa island. It is a playground for people of all ages. See the Sentosa island section for more information. Nothing here, really.... However, if you wish to go here, do not bring any gum as they have very strict rules. GETTING AROUND Singapore is so called "Green Island". It is a clean and enviironmentally healthy place in the world. The public transportation in Singapore are working in effective way and safe. You can travelling in whole Singapore in economy budget. The transportation network are very well organised you can access to every corner of the island, either by bus, MRT (the underground train), taxis, rented cars and motorbikes and the best by foot. Buses are running from 6 in the morning to midnight everyday and fares are a little cheaper than the MRT. You can also go on several bus routes especially designed for sightseers. The fares are charge according to the distance you are travelling and is start from S$0.50 to S$1.10 without air conditioned, and S$0.60 to S$1.40 for air-conditioned. The MRT the underground trains- which stands for Mass Rapid Transit system - it is cleanest, safe, morden and it running on time and smoothly constanly. It operating daily from 6.00am in the morning till midnight, with economy fares. You can also buy advance pass to travelling around and it stop at almost all interest places for tourists sight seeing. "No Smoking", eating and drinking are allow in the MRT stations. Especially the tropical fruit durians is strictly probhabited. Tourists can also use The Visitors Card to travel around Singapore. The Card, costing $45, can be purchased upon presentation of an international passport. It is sold as a package comprising the following:The Visitors Card with an encoded travel value of $10. A booklet consisting of discount coupons for various goods and services e.g. attractions, shopping, golf, hotels, restaurants etc. In Singapore you can catch a taxis everywhere in anytime from day to late night at very affordable prices. All taxis fare charge according to meter, but there are additional charges applicable when using the expressways and also if travelling within the Central Business District between 7.30 to 9.30 in the morning and 5.30 to 7 in the evening, weekdays. A $3.00 levy surcharge when you hire a taxis from the airport. Any taxi displays a red sign on its dashboard, the driver is changing shift and will only pick up customers going in his direction. SMRT Taxis also offers ten cabs, which are wheelchair-accessible, to tourists and locals who need them. If renting a car, be aware that Singaporeans drive on the left side of the road; and the maximum speed limit is 50km per hour in residential areas, and 80km per hour on the expressways. And additional charges on entering the Central Business District and on expressways, especially during peak hours. Other great ways of getting around Singapore include forganized tours and cruises. Just ask at your hotel or following local tours agencies or get information from the tourist information offices. Remember Singapore is a sleepless big city. You will never feel tired of it. SHOPPING Traditionally the home of Singapore's Indian community, Serangoon Road and its neighbouring side streets are still today a bustling hive of wondrous sights, exotic sounds and intriguing aromas. Here where the locals shop, you can buy almost anything that's Indian, from handicrafts and Kashmir silk to peacock feathers and flower garlands. Glittering saris, some of simplest muslin and others of handmade silk threaded with gold, brassware, cooking utensils and Indian-designed jewellery are particularly good buys. Check out the spice mill along Serangoon Road for ready-made packets of spices for fish, meat or vegetable curries that slip easily into a suitcase. The jeweller next door sells silver amulets, spears for the Thaipusam festival, and a host of temple offerings. Other shops in the area stock jewelled bridal ornaments as well as cheap but colourful bangles, ankle chains and other adornments. Look too for luggage of every description, Indian bedspreads, pop-art posters of Hindu gods and giant photographs of Indian movie stars. Chella's Gallery, specialises in papier mache boxes and other collectibles from Kashmir. No visit to Little India would be complete without seeing two of the area's institutions, the Zhu Jiao Centre and Mohammed Mustaffa & Samsuddin Company. The Zhu Jiao Centre is on Buffalo Road by the Bukit Timah end of Serangoon Road. Known as KK Market to the locals, it is a bustling wet market full of fresh vegetables, fish, meat, spices and flowers. For small souvenir items at very reasonable prices, try the well-known brassware shop or one of the other small shops. At the other end of Serangoon Road, in Serangoon Plaza just before Kitchener Road, is the emporium cum department store cum Aladdin's cave of the Moham med Mustaffa & Samsuddin Company. NOTICE This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License, and originated from World66.com. For more information see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0

posted Nov 7, 2004 | Comments (0)

Overview and Essential Travel Information - Monaco, Monaco

 This place was Amazing visited 2004

OVERVIEW Monaco is for the rich and famous. But also for those, who dream of being rich and famous. The mini state on the Mediterranean is like one big Club Med (drinks are not included). Most people don't stay in Monaco but do it as a daytrip from the French or Italian Riviera. The present territory of the Principality of Monaco covers 195 hectares (1.95 Km"), 31 of which have been entirely reclaimed from the sea! The population is close to 30.000 more than 83% of whom are foreigners; Monegasques number about 5.000. The official language is French but Italian and English widely spoken and understood. There's also a Monegasque language (a very colorful dialect) used by the old nationals but also again studied in the schools of the Principality. The Catholic religion is the state religion, freedom of worship, however, is guaranteed by the Constitution. The national holiday is celebrated on 19 November. The sovereignty of Monaco is today indisputable, undisputed and internationally recognized but it has not always been so, as its history demonstrates. You can best wander around in the city instead of taking the bus. The unit of currency is the Euro. SIGHTS Wax museum of the princes of Monaco This Museum was Evil. I walked into the place and broswed the plexiglass displays of the old guys called"Princes" more like Princessess. Then I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I turned around, Prince Ranier was staring me in the eye. His body pasition was ready and catlike. I turned around again and the whole Gimaldi family was staring me in the eye. I paniced i didn't know what to do. They took vases and little shreds of plaxiglass ready to strike. So i took up in my hands vases and little shreds of plexiglass. It was battle time. Prince Rainer jumped up in the air about to stab at his target. I clinched my teeth and prayed to god. But his swing went right past me. And it the Tranchala by my feet. They weren't trying to kill me, but merely trying to extinguish the evil spider in their house. Princess Grace rose garden An extraordinary collection of roses beautifully displayed along a network of intersecting walkways. If you don’t already know the myriad sizes shapes colors and scents in which roses arise you’re in for a treat—there are 150 varieties represented (if you’re already a rose lover you’ll be in heaven). The gardeners keep things blossoming year round—when we visited in November there were only a few barren bushes. An expressionistic statue of Princess Grace is surrounded by particularly delicate blooms. Our only complaint: Though touted by the tourist board as “a quiet spot ” its proximity to the heliport is a serious detriment. (For a nation that takes pains to regulate the serenity of its parks and gardens they’ve got a serious conflict here.) It’s adjacent to Fontvieille Park which also includes a small duck and swan pond and is near the Chemin des Sculptures sculpture garden. Open sunrise to sunset. In Fontvieille. National Museum Monaco’s public museums tend to reflect the passions of its royalty but this one showcases a commoner’s collection and it is fascinating idiosyncratic and not just a little creepy. A villa designed by Charles Garnier (who also designed the Paris and Monte Carlo opera houses) is home to thousands of dolls including animated wind-up toys made in 19th-century Paris. It’s imperative that you time your visit with one of the automaton shows (times vary with the season—call in advance). The guard winds up a number of performing toys and dolls: monkeys that smoke magicians who make their own heads disappear circus performers. It is stunning (and scary) to see the absolute natural smoothness of their movements—and the attention to subtle details: Their chests heave with breath. (It’s not a place you’d want to be locked into at night.) Be sure to make it to the second floor to see the creche depicting the scene if Christ had been born in an 18th-century Neapolitan village: There are more than 200 villagers in the diorama each unique. In Monte Carlo. Monaco Cathedral This cathedral feels positively modern by European standards (it was built in 1875) but it’s worth a look because it houses the tombs of the former princes of Monaco and it has a particularly fine mosaic in the dome above the altar (an audience of saints faces the congregation from recesses in an arc of the dome). If your visit coincides with the Feast of Ste. Devote (27 January) or the National Holiday (19 November) you can hear the wonderful four-keyboard organ (installed in 1976). As you exit the cathedral take a moment to admire the Hall of Justice across the street (no visitors allowed inside). In Monaco-ville. Naval Museum This museum has less universal appeal than some of the other themed collections in Monaco. It will be fascinating to those interested in ships and naval history but will be of only limited interest to everyone else. There are more than 180 miniature ship models on display (many from the prince’s private collection) from clippers to submarines as well as ships’ equipment and related paraphernalia. In Fontvieille. Larvotto beach If you’re not staying at a beach hotel and your hotel doesn’t have arrangements for guests to use a private beach you (and day-trippers from France) will end up on Larvotto Beach. Showers cabanas restaurants and shops are available and as the sole public beach it can get quite crowded in high season. Parts of it will be (literally) in the shadow of the Cultural and Exhibition Center when that project is completed. Though it’s very much an in-city beach it’s adjacent to some lovely gardens (and the Japanese Gardens are on the other side of the Cultural Center site). In Larvotto. NOTICE This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License, and originated from World66.com. For more information see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0

posted Nov 7, 2004 | Comments (0)

Overview and Essential Travel Information - Chicago, Illinois

 This place was Amazing visited Oct 21, 2004

OVERVIEW Since its humble beginnings in the beginning of the nineteenth century --- by 1835 it was just a little village on the Chicago River --- it has boomed with activity and received quite appropriately the name "The City That Works". By 1870 it had become the second largest city in the nation, catching up fast with New York City. Then in 1871 what started as a small fire in a stable far to the west of the city center, became a blazing inferno that destroyed the whole inner city. But Chicagoans were resilient and fought back, creating a whole new style of architecture in the process, called the skyscraper. But there's more to Chicago than the architecture. The city is vibrant with excellent jazz and blues scenes, two great ballparks, some of America's best dining and much more. GETTING AROUND The El an elevated train is the quickest and cheapest mode of transportation between O'Hare and Midway airports and the Loop downtown. Shuttle buses leave at regular intervals from both airports to major downtown hotels and there are lots of taxis waiting to whisk you into the city though they're expensive. All the major car rental companies have outposts at the airport as well as branches in the city. The best way to get around Chicago is by foot. It's flat easy to navigate and the nicest way to get the flavor of the city. This is one of the few American cities you can fully enjoy without a car. When your feet need a break public transit is not bad by American standards. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the public transportation system serving the city. It consists of the El and buses. Most visitors should be able to use the El for almost all their transit needs the exception being those going to Hyde Park certain areas of Lincoln Park near the lake and the area east of North Michigan Avenue that includes Navy Pier. CTA buses go almost everywhere but they do so on erratic schedules. A web of commuter trains running under the Metra banner serve the suburbs surrounding Chicago. Try Evanston for vegetarian restaurants, coffee, Ten Thousand Villages on Main Street for fair trade products and walks along the lake. In Chicago, try Andersonville(North Clark Street between Foster and Berwyn) for art galleries, feminist bookshop, gourmet foods and what's left of the Swedish community. Restuarants of all flavours exist. Kopi Traveller's Cafe is a great hangout and offers snacks and coffee and atmosphere. While CTA buses are known for arriving in 'bunches'(say two arrive at the same stop simultaneously), there is a fixed schedule for BOTH buses and trains. Check schedules at www.transitchicago.com and download maps and timetables as well. Despite the little boxes that CTA personnel seem to live in at the el platforms -most will be friendly and give directions! NOTICE This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License, and originated from World66.com. For more information see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0

posted Oct 26, 2004 | Comments (0)