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Overview and Essential Travel Information - Rotterdam, Netherlands

 This place was Amazing visited Oct 21, 2004

OVERVIEW This large and modern port city has risen phoenixlike from the ashes of World War II. In 1940 the Germans bombed the city to force a fast surrender of the Netherlands. Most demolition was actually done in the process or rebuilding the city to modern standards. Only three large buildings in the center have survived miraculously: the city hall, the St. Laurence church and the White House. Today Rotterdam’s the most modern city in the Netherlands, with the high rising towers of company buildings in the center. Some people think it became a playground for architects trying their theories and thus making Rotterdam one giant wind tunnel, but you can really feel things are happening here if you are interested in architecture. However, don't expect this to be the place for a decent night out. Though Rotown has decent, though small acts and is well-known internationally, Nighttown is the place to be for dance and house, and De Doelen is a wonderful venue for classical music, ttheatre is sorely missed. Not even the city theatre and the Luxor theatre can compensate, as the programming there is uninspired and only aimed at the Dutch. Symbol of Rotterdam is the Euromast Space Tower, 605-ft-/184-m-tall that had to be extended several times to keep its leading position as highest building of the Meuse city. From this tower with its revolving sit-down elevator you have an excellent over the city and the surrounding industrial harbour landscape. The harbour is one of the busiest in the world is a draw in itself and still the largest one if you count by pure volume. A city like this can’t do without Museums. A collection of painting, sculpture and design worth seeing is displayed at the Boymans-van-Beuningen Museum. Half a day in Rotterdam is really sufficient for most, but you can also spend several days if you want to see it all. The Dutch institutes of photography and of architecture are located right near the center, and there are lots of galleries. In February there’s always the Film festival and every other year there’s a photo biennale. The Kunsthal, designed by the famous architect Rem Koolhaas, has changing exhibitions on all sorts of expressions of art and culture. The people, though claiming to be one of the friendliest of Holland, are actually fairly prejudiced towards foreigners - a fact clearly demonstrated by the 2004 city laws to forbid people from poorer families to settle in the city. This law came to be, when all other recources were depleted to stop poverty from becoming ever more popular. It is therefore no surprise Rotterdam was also the home of the ultra right wing politician Pim Fortuyn, who became the first victim ever of political assassination in The Netherlands when he was killed on May 6th, 2002. There is a statue you can visit, which still regularly has flowers put underneath it. Do come to Rotterdam - for the architecture, the museums, the music or just some shopping, but buy a return ticket. There is a reason why the average tourist only spend $15 and three hours in town... SIGHTS Blijdorp Zoo The Blijdorp Zoo is very popular due to its many different animal species that live in imitation surroundings: a Gorilla island, Malayan 'forest rim', a widely varied Asian area with many unique animals like bantengs and babirussa. The newly build Oceanium is a real sight. Here you can experience walking beneath the sea surrounded by tons of fish. Laurens kerk The St Laurence church is one of few buildings in the centre of Rotterdam that survived the WO-II bombardment. It suffered severe damage and had to be partly rebuild, but it’s still standing. This rebuilding was finished in 1968. The church dates back to the first half of the 16th century (1525) and replaces an earlier church. It’s build in a typically Dutch fashion with gothic shapes made in brick. Just the top of the 64 meters rising tower and the window and doorframing are made of stone. The place is near the origin of the town Rotterdam. The dam build in the river “Rotte”, which gave it’s name to the city, once was were the "Hoogstraat" crosses the "Binnerotte". The black blocks to the northern side of the church were added between 1976 and 1981. But are still topic of discussion. They are by W.G. Quist,the architect who designed the Cities Theater. Their dimensions represent the same masurements on what basis the church was build. The church is now also used for concerts, lectures and exhibitions. Spido harbourtrips To take a real close look at the biggest port of the world go on a Spido boattrip and see the busy river and sea traffic from close by. An ocean liner or cargo carrier may be an impressive sight standing ashore, see how it looks from a relatively small ship. Arboretum Trompenburg This is a unique botanical garden in the heart of Rotterdam since 1820 and it's the best place to enjoy the nature and tranquility in the noisy Dutch city. You will see beautiful plants and trees from all around the world for only 5 guilders. GETTING AROUND In the plans for the rebuilding of Rotterdam there's been a lot of attention for transport. Rotterdam was to be a city with separated areas for offices, industry and living. The plan therefore incorporated broad motorways, bicycle paths and pedestrian areas. Even today the centre is good accessible, though parkingspace is becoming more and more a problem. There are three ways of public transport: trams, busses and subways. A taxicab can be hailed if the sign is not lit or at a taxistand. Taxi For a taxi you can call the Rotterdamse Taxi Centrale RTC. You can also hail a taxi when the sign on the roof is lit. Most cafés and restaurants will be happy to call you a cab when you're leaving, just ask. Usually there's a small fee charged for a called cab, but this should not be more than more.. Bus The Busstation In Rotterdam is opposite the Central Trainstation. From here there are leaving many buses within Rotterdam and to the places around this city. Kippers Tram/Metro The best means of transport are the tram and the metro in Rotterdam. General info can be found at the info stand in the central station. Most trams have their startingpoint here as well. Boat There are several boatcompanies in Rotterdam which you can find at the port. They can take you for a roundabout through the harbour. Car When you are visiting Rotterdam you can also choose to travel by car, although it isn't a very fast way of traveling here. You are likely to get in a traffic jam because the roads are often busy, especially around the centre. SHOPPING Shopping In Rotterdam you can shop all week long. Besides all the shops in the city-centre you should also try the several markets here. The Lijnbaan Europe's first pedestrian shopping streets, it's one of Rotterdams typical shaped streets. Noorderboulevard Really nice street in North part of Rotterdam. The Vrij Entrepot Rotterdam a worldmarket and several other stores. Try one of the many international places to eat and drink. Alexandrium I, II and III an indoor shoppingmall (I), a shoppingstreet with mega-stores (II), and 60.000m2 ideas for domestic decoration (III). You can easily reach this by bus. Zuiderboulevard A 2 km long shopping street with hundreds of shops in the southern part of Rotterdam. The Centrummarket This market is one of the biggest in Holland and is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Take a look at the stands (there are about 500 of them!) where you definetely will find what you're looking for. 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)

Overview and Essential Travel Information - Ottawa, Canada

 This place was Amazing visited Oct 21, 2004

OVERVIEW Ottawa is Canada's capital, and it is a city well worth a visit. For a current view of the Parliament Buildings, visit Parliament Hill. Ottawa has been described as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. Less than an hour's drive from the American border, Ottawa enjoys the attributes of a major centre for the visual and performing arts, as well as other big city attractions. Yet, it still maintains the accessibility, atmosphere and charm of a smaller city, in addition to access to spectacular park and wilderness areas located within and around the city. SIGHTS Canadian Museum of Civilization Through its vast archaeological, ethnological, folkloric and historical collections, the Canadian Museum of Civilization traces Canada's development from the Vikings to the present day. Métis architect Douglas Cardinal designed the building to represent the geological formation of Canada. Its location, on the Ottawa River, is one of the most spectacular in the region offering amazing views of Ottawa's skyline and river shores. As part of its permanent exhibits, the museum houses the recently-expanded Children's Museum, reputedly one of the largest in the world, and the new Postal Museum. It also contains the world's first combined IMAX/OMNIMAX theatre; screenings in this theatre surround the audience and allow the viewer to feel the sensations of flying and movement as no other theatre can. "Aboriginal Experiences" Guided tour of native village. Traditional Native lunch with a choice of buffalo, caribou or smoked arctic char (fish) with wild rice salad and Inuit tea or juice. Interactive demonstration of traditional native dancing, including audience participation. One on one workshop in creating a dream catcher or other craft of choice. GETTING AROUND Transportation within the city of Ottawa is excellent whether on foot, by bus, bike or less conventional modes of transportation. The city's major advantage is that the downtown core is very compact and many of the sites and attractions are accessible on foot. Guided sightseeing tours, many of which operate on a schedule with flexible "on-off" privileges, allow visitors to stop and see the attractions of their choice. Sightseeing can be done via a walking tour, on an air-conditioned coach, a motorized trolley or on an authentic British double-decker bus. To experience the city up-close, visitors can rent a bicycle and pedal along Ottawa's designated bike lanes and scenic paths; or, pamper themselves and hire a rickshaw. Boat cruises along the Rideau Canal, Rideau River or Ottawa River are also a good way to see the sights. From May until October, train buffs can enjoy a half day trip along the beautiful Gatineau River on one of Canada's last authentic steam-powered trains; the steam train is the only one of its kind still operating in eastern Canada. Ottawa also boasts one of the most modern public transit systems in North America. As well, there are many taxi and car rental firms available to transport visitors around the town. For tourists in town and out using their own vehicles, they can relax - traffic in and around the capital is light and it's easy to get around. The City-funded public transportation system, OC Transpo, consists of an extensive bus system and a single light-rail line. The Transitway is OC Transpo's backbone; it is a network of bus-only roads that cross the city, offering high-speed and traffic-free connections. Thus, a ride from the airport to downtown takes only 20 minutes. The light-rail line, known as the O-Train, was built as a transit experiment and is consequently a short route; its main use is to serve Carleton University. That said, the city is planning a major expansion of the light-rail system over the next decade. OC Transpo is relatively inexpensive. Fares on busses are generally $2.50 cash or two 85¢ tickets available at many bus stations and area stores (busses that run to more rural locations have higher fares). A child's fare is $1.25 or one 85¢ ticket. A transfer can be requested at no additional charge, offering unlimited travel on both bus and train in any direction until the time printed (around two hours). A Daypass, $6, allows unlimited travel all day. The O-Train tickets are purchased at automated terminals for $2.00 (85¢ tickets are not valid on the O-Train); these also offer unlimited transfers on both bus and train for about two hours. The OC Transpo system links up with Gatineau's STO bus system in downtown Ottawa. Transfers from either system allow travel on the other; however, a small supplement is sometimes needed to transfer from the OC Transpo to STO system. 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)

Overview and Essential Travel Information - Budapest, Hungary

 This place was Amazing visited Oct 27, 2004

OVERVIEW Budapest is the capital of Hungary and with a population of 2 million citizens by far the largest city in the country. The city is often referred as the Paris of the east, and deserves this name. It bears some resemblance to Prague, but larger and friendlier. The picturesque setting on two sides of the Danube, the nine connecting bridges and the villa's and public buildings from the fin-de-siècle era really make Budapest one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe. Budapest is composed of two cities: the small Buda, on the west side of the river looking over the much larger Pest on the opposite side. The two parts developed seperately as the bourgois Buda with it's palaces and spas and the more commercial Pest. At first, the hills of Buda were the safe core of the twin cities, but as Buda and Pest were united with Óbuda (Ancient Buda) the plains of Pest became the centre of the growing metropolis. Today, the most famous landmark of Budapest is the Parliament building on the banks of the Danube. From a distance it looks a lot like the English House of Parliament. Only Big Ben is missing. The best view of the Parliament can be had from Castle Hill, a Budapset highlight itself. This collection of palaces, churches and monuments has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is a must see for every tourist. Budapest has some very good museums as well, The National Museum, the Jewish Museum and the Historical Museum of Budapest being the best. Budapest has developed to become a very lively city, with many good restaurants and a nightlife scene you need to check out to believe it. By day, you can roam the city, visit a museum, take a look around churches, make your choise from the dozen or so types of coffee in one of the cafés. By night you can have dinner at a cheap or a fancy eating out, go to the opera, and afterwards dance the night away. SIGHTS Budapest is a beautiful city with more than enough to see to keep even the most demanding visitor happy. The thermal baths of Budapest are famous, and certainly worth a visit. Or you can climb the hill to the citadel for a good view over the city. The Castle District alone is enough to keep you occupied for at least a day. This UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Buda side of town encloses several palaces, museum, churches, and is one of the main tourist attractions in Budapest. A kilometer or so further along lies the citadel on top of another hill. At the statue of Liberty you have a great view over Buda, Pest and the elaborate green cast iron Szabadsag bridge. On the Pest side of town is also much to be seen. There is the area around Hero Sqare (Hosok tere), with several museums, an architectural oddity (Vajdahunyad castle), the zoo, and the stately residential area where most of the embassies in Budapest are located. Don't forget to visit tha Parliament house, the St. Stephan basilica, and the large indoor food market at Fovam ter. As a zoological garden, it may not be spectacular, but the Budapest zoo had other qualities. It is one of the oldest zoos in the world (compeleted in 1911), and some of the beautiful turn-of-the-century buildings, including the entrance gate, are still intact. The cast iron fence surrounding the zoo alone is worth a stroll along that direction. The Vajdahunyad castle was first built out of cardboard and wood for the World Exhibition in 1896. It was a monument to 1000 years of Magyar inhabitation and was supposed to give insight in the architectural past of Hungary and combined several small reproductions of buildings representing different architectural periods in history. The building proved to be so popular that after the Exhibition, they rebuilt the castle in stone. Part of it now houses the agricultural museum. Aquincum dates back to around 35BC, when the Romans colonized the area around Budapest. Back than it was a trading settlement as well as a garrison town protecting other stratigic places along the Danube. You can now visit the museum, see the amphitheatre and admire the water organ. GETTING THERE By Air: The international airport, Ferihegy, is a destination reachable from most major european airports. It's located some 25 kilometers from the town center. Hungarian national carrier is Malév. They are the main operators next to Lufthansa, Delta and Air Alitalia The recently opened '2B' wing means a great improvement of passenger handling. The old Terminal 1 building is now used for cargo flights only. By Train: Budapest has three large international railway stations: Keleti pályaudvar (Eastern Station) which is the main terminus for international rail services from Western Europe Nyugati (Western Station) handles international traffic heading east to Romania and Slovakia, and is an sight in it’s own right. Déli is the third, station, at the southern end of the city. By Bus: The cheapest way to reach Budapest is probably hitching, but more reliable are the different international bus services. Most coaches arrive at the downtown Erzsébet tér bus station. It’s recommended that you check-in at least one hour before departure and often baggage is limited to one suitcase plus hand luggage. More is very unpractical anyway. When arriving from Eastern European countries you probably end up at Nép Stadion. 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 (1)

Overview and Essential Travel Information - Vienna, Austria

 This place was Amazing visited Oct 27, 2004

OVERVIEW Austria’s capital Vienna spreads along both sides of the “Blue” Danube (which as the Viennese are certain to point out is actually muddy brown) at the very foothills of the Alps. The city is a smorgasbord of Baroque with a dash of art nouveau. Circling the old town (the Innere Stadt ) is the imposing revivalist architecture of the Ringstrasse Vienna’s main boulevard. These buildings range from the charming Opera House to the monumental Natural History Museum. Nestled throughout the city are the graceful art-nouveau buildings of turn-of-the century architects Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos. The buildings are one of the many remnants of the artistic and intellectual flowering that took place in Vienna at the turn of the century. Of course the buildings and the city’s history are only a backdrop for the daily culture that can still be found in the concert halls opera houses and cafes. After a coffee or a cup of tea you should be ready to visit one of the many world-class museums along the Ring. The Kunsthistorisches Museum has works of art by Bruegel, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Titian as well as Roman and Egyptian antiquities. Just across the plaza is the Naturhistorisches Museum which has the 25 000-year-old Venus of Willendorf one of the oldest works of art in existence. The Museum of Applied Art located farther down the Ring has an amazing one-million piece-collection of Rococo Baroque and Jugendstil furniture glass porcelain and fabric. Just off the Ring is the brilliant Secession Building one of the must-sees of Vienna. Built as a reaction to the overblown Ringstrasse buildings the museum is a work of art in itself and—except for Gustav Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze—generally better than the hit-or-miss contemporary art exhibited inside. If the Ringstrasse is the pulse of the city the Innere Stadt (the old city) is the heart. This is where the city’s main attractions are located (and since it is a pedestrian zone it is also a great place to stroll). For an overview climb the bell tower of the 450-ft-/137-m-high St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The cathedral built in 1258 is easily identifiable by the zigzag pattern of its roof tiles. Between St. Stephen’s and the State Opera House is Karntnerstrasse Vienna’s main shopping street. Nearby is the Albertina museum which houses more than 200 000 drawings (works by Albrecht Durer among others). At another corner of the old city is the Hofburg Palace a massive complex that contains the Burgkapelle (the chapel where the Boys Choir sings Mass) the Stallburg (where the Spanish Riding School performs on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings) the Imperial Treasuries (Habsburg Crown Jewels) and the elaborate Austrian National Library. Across the river from the old city is Prater Park an enjoyable amusement park that dates from the 18th century. The park’s main attraction is the Riesenrad the giant Ferris wheel seen in the film The Third Man (the film plays every summer in one of the theaters on the Ring) and the goofy statues scattered around the park (one shows a enormous baby taking his tiny father for a walk). On the other side of the old city near the Südbahnhof is the Belvedere Palace which houses a stunning collection of Viennese art from the art-nouveau era including Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss.” These enchanting pictures are reason enough to visit Vienna. The palace also has a spacious garden with a great view of the city. Another enjoyable museum is the quirky KunstHausWien designed by the artist Hundertwasser. The museum is a fantasy of colorful tile lumpy floors and peculiar architecture (trees grow out of the third floor window). Just down the street is a block of apartments that was also designed by the artist. Though not open to visitors the colorful fairy-castle facade always draws a crowd of onlookers. If you still have a hankering for modern art visit the Museum of the 20th Century (we found the exhibits to be a bit spotty). SIGHTS Vienna has a compact historical centre, bound to the northeast by the Danube canal and surrounded on all other sides by the majestic sweep of the Ringstrasse. From here, the main arteries of communication radiate outwards. Most of the important sights are concentrated in this tourist-clogged district and along the Ring, but a lot of essential Vienna lies beyond it, in the initially forbidding grid of barracks-like 19th century apartment blocks. There are also outlaying sights, such as Schloss Schönbrunn, or the funfair and parklands of the Prater. To discover Vienna by walking needs more than only some days, but public transport items are comprehensive and helpful. GETTING AROUND Vienna has an exellent public transport system of trams, busses and subways. Since it's a large town and there's not much (free) parking space available, public transport is the easiest and cheapest way to get around. You can get a wide range of tickets, including tickets valid for an hour (22 schilling), 24 Hrs. (60 schilling), 8 days (300 schilling), etc. The advantage of an 8 day-ticket is that it doesn't have to be 8 consecutive days. It doesn't even have to be 8 days, you can use it for more than one person at a time, for instance, 2 people can travel on it for 4 days. All these tickets are valid in the entire Vienna district, in all busses, trams and subways. GETTING THERE By train: Trains from western regions and from Hungary terminate at the Westbahnhof, situated on the outer ring road or Gürtel, 2 km west of the centre close to Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna's brashest shopping street. From here the U-Bahn metro line U3 leads directly into the city centre. Trains from eastern Europe, Italy and the Balkans arrive at the Südbahnhof, 2 km south of the centre. from here tram "D" goes down Prinz-Eugen-Strasse to Schwarzenbergplatz and the Ring. Some trains arrive ar Wien-Nord (North of centre, take U-Bahn Praterstern) or at Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, connected to the Ring by tram "D". By bus: Most international buses arrive at Vienna's main bus terminal beside Wien-Mitte, on the eastern edge of the city centre (U-Bahn Landstrasse). By plane: Vienna's airport is called Wien-Schwechat and is located 20 km outside the centre. It is connected to the city centre by the S-Bahn-line S7, which runs underneath the airport. Trains leave every 30min, taking half an hour to reach Wien-Mitte, near the Ring. In addition, there is a reguler bus, which runs every 20 min o the City Air Terminal, next door to Wien-Mitte. Other buss run from the airport to both main train stations. 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)

Overview and Essential Travel Information - Santiago, Chile

 This place was Amazing visited Oct 22, 2004

OVERVIEW Santiago de Chile was founded in 1547. The location of the Chilean capital is quite spectacular: the snowcapped mountains of the Andes provide the backdrop for the city. Santiago is very much the center of the world as far as Chileans are concerned. For nightlife, eating out, or anything at all this is the place to be. Some of the best places to experience these things are the Barrio Suecia and Bellavista neighborhoods. The young, colorful Barrio Brasil neighborhood is undergoing a renaissance and also offers many excellent opportunities for people watching and eating, including the famed Las Vacas Gordas steakhouse on Cienfuegos. For a good view of the city, take the funicular to Cerro San Cristobal. Santiago offers some great possibilities for daytrips as well. Valparaiso and Vina del mar are not far away, the mountains have great hiking opportunities, and the ocean is nearby. And, of course, wine lovers have easy access to the Concha y Toro vineyards as well as other producers in the Maipo valley. There are several winter resorts in the nearby mountains. The Ski season opens in june and last past august. SIGHTS Bellavista neighborhood This neighborhood is the center for shopping as well as nighlife. Los Graneros del Alba Another good shopping spot is the Los Graneros del Alba shopping village behind the Church of Los Dominicos. Statue of the Virgin Begin with an overview of the city: Take the funicular to see the Statue of the Virgin atop the hill of Cerro San Cristobal and observe the city below. Plaza de Armas found at the Plaza de Armas especially on a Sunday when families put on their best and head to the plaza to listen to music from the bandstand or watch the street performers that crowd the square. GETTING THERE By air Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez is Chile's international airport, located 21 kilometers (13 miles) from downtown Santiago. Taxis are plentiful from the airport. Fares range from $15 to $20 to most downtown destinations. Buses, as well as shuttle services are also available. Buses operate 24 hours a day, servicing major points from the airport to the city center and costing a measly $2. For a few more dollars, you can ride a shuttle or a minibus, which can drop you at the doorstep of your requested address. Average travel time from the airport to the city center is an hour and a half. 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)