Strip Club In A Nutshell
I hereby confirm that I am heterosexual. Boobs in face did not prove to be enticing but instead, mildly disconcerting.
The Internet is my Home
I have been suffering from a sudden bout of homesickness.
I can't explain why - after three full months of being in New Zealand I am jolted with the fact that I would love to wake up tomorrow morning and find myself on my semi-hard bed snuggled under my Garfield bedspread, surrounded by my trusty bookshelves, wardrobe and computer desk.
Mum and Dad in the kitchen, eating oatmeal - Mum in her sweatshirt getting ready to go for a walk at FRIM, and Dad in his crisp office shirt, being late as usual. Sis in her room, bleary-eyed, getting ready for classes. I sprawl on my bed and breathe in the familiar scent of my pillow, eventually pulling myself up and the first thing I do is of course, to turn on the computer.
I think that is why I have been spending a disproportionate amount of time in the Internet cafe in Wellington. I have been online for three days in a row now, for no good reason. There are no emails for me, I don't have anything of note to blog about, and I don't chat that much either. Yet it is comforting, just being in this familiar cyberspace. I dread to think of when I have to spend 3 years of my life in Singapore. The very thought is depressing.
Travelling from one town to another every week had kept me occupied. Mondays we leave for a new city. Tuesdays are uneventful. Wednesdays we get our pay, which is always a highlight. On Thursdays we conclude the week and do our timesheet, and calculate if we have achieved target (or manipulate our way through). Fridays - well, Fridays are Fridays. So we have reached the weekend where we plan to go somewhere with the car. And the cycle repeats.
But now - we are stranded in Wellington, with nothing to do. Long weekend, therefore no work. There is nightlife here, but I'm not accustomed to clubbing so that's out. I don't feel like staying in the hostel as it's always crowded and there's always unfamiliar people around. The girl that shares our dorm is scary. I want to call home but the phone is always occupied. Shops close way too early and I'm not really in the mood for shopping anyway. Everything to do costs money and I choose to squander my pay on the Internet. Which gives me solace, comforts my restless soul and numbs my instincts to run.
On the brighter side - there always is a brighter side, no? I got my 100 signup certificate from Greenpeace this morning and together with it was a gift certificate from Whitcoulls. $20. I also have a $10 voucher from Borders by spending more than $75 at the shop. Think of all the books that I can buy! The possibilities! But seriously, books in NZ are freaking expensive that it's not even funny. I've checked out books in Singapore, which has a similar exchange rate as NZ, and the books cost like one third/half the price. Just ridiculous to buy books here.
And also, I am going to a strip club sometime this week with Marten. The arrangement is symbiotic - I am too shy to go on my own, and he needs an excuse to go back again. (He was there two nights ago, his first time and he liked it.) The entrance fee is only $20. Fair enough for a one-off experience.
Here's a picture of me bungy jumping off Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Hopefully I will resume having the Spirit of The Bungy soon, after I start menstruating and stop whinging. Since as the Internet Cafe will not be open on Christmas - on Christmas the whole of NZ is like a ghost town where no shops open - there should be no further wallows in self-pity on this blog. Two days should be enough for me to recover from my down time I guess. NZ is after all a great place to be and I shouldn't waste it by being homesick.
In the meantime, all of you have a good Christmas ya.
I can't explain why - after three full months of being in New Zealand I am jolted with the fact that I would love to wake up tomorrow morning and find myself on my semi-hard bed snuggled under my Garfield bedspread, surrounded by my trusty bookshelves, wardrobe and computer desk.
Mum and Dad in the kitchen, eating oatmeal - Mum in her sweatshirt getting ready to go for a walk at FRIM, and Dad in his crisp office shirt, being late as usual. Sis in her room, bleary-eyed, getting ready for classes. I sprawl on my bed and breathe in the familiar scent of my pillow, eventually pulling myself up and the first thing I do is of course, to turn on the computer.
I think that is why I have been spending a disproportionate amount of time in the Internet cafe in Wellington. I have been online for three days in a row now, for no good reason. There are no emails for me, I don't have anything of note to blog about, and I don't chat that much either. Yet it is comforting, just being in this familiar cyberspace. I dread to think of when I have to spend 3 years of my life in Singapore. The very thought is depressing.
Travelling from one town to another every week had kept me occupied. Mondays we leave for a new city. Tuesdays are uneventful. Wednesdays we get our pay, which is always a highlight. On Thursdays we conclude the week and do our timesheet, and calculate if we have achieved target (or manipulate our way through). Fridays - well, Fridays are Fridays. So we have reached the weekend where we plan to go somewhere with the car. And the cycle repeats.
But now - we are stranded in Wellington, with nothing to do. Long weekend, therefore no work. There is nightlife here, but I'm not accustomed to clubbing so that's out. I don't feel like staying in the hostel as it's always crowded and there's always unfamiliar people around. The girl that shares our dorm is scary. I want to call home but the phone is always occupied. Shops close way too early and I'm not really in the mood for shopping anyway. Everything to do costs money and I choose to squander my pay on the Internet. Which gives me solace, comforts my restless soul and numbs my instincts to run.
On the brighter side - there always is a brighter side, no? I got my 100 signup certificate from Greenpeace this morning and together with it was a gift certificate from Whitcoulls. $20. I also have a $10 voucher from Borders by spending more than $75 at the shop. Think of all the books that I can buy! The possibilities! But seriously, books in NZ are freaking expensive that it's not even funny. I've checked out books in Singapore, which has a similar exchange rate as NZ, and the books cost like one third/half the price. Just ridiculous to buy books here.
And also, I am going to a strip club sometime this week with Marten. The arrangement is symbiotic - I am too shy to go on my own, and he needs an excuse to go back again. (He was there two nights ago, his first time and he liked it.) The entrance fee is only $20. Fair enough for a one-off experience.
Here's a picture of me bungy jumping off Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Hopefully I will resume having the Spirit of The Bungy soon, after I start menstruating and stop whinging. Since as the Internet Cafe will not be open on Christmas - on Christmas the whole of NZ is like a ghost town where no shops open - there should be no further wallows in self-pity on this blog. Two days should be enough for me to recover from my down time I guess. NZ is after all a great place to be and I shouldn't waste it by being homesick.
In the meantime, all of you have a good Christmas ya.
I am bored.
I am also PMSed.
I am in an Internet cafe now in Wellington, which cost like $3 an hour and is probably the best rate in town. The rest cost $4. It's Friday night and I have nothing to do, so I am prepared to squander my hard-earned money by opening MSN Messenger, something which I have not done since I have been on the travel team.
There is a karaoke nearby and it is evident that some people really can't hear themselves when they sing. If they could, they would probably destroy their eardrums out of sheer shame that they had produced such noise pollution. But too bad, they can't, and their eardrums are still intact for no good reason. (Since they can't hear themselves sing.)
Today was last day of work and we will have a long paid weekend from tomorrow till Wednesday. I did quite okay on turf today with four signups. Theoretically I should be in ecstasy but I am still disgruntled because of annoyances like
Ooh! My paycheck has arrived. I feel marginally better. After all it's better to be stuck in Wellington than, say, Palmerston North.
Miss everybody at home. I wish I were home this Christmas. The Internet Cafe Guy has informed me that they will close in 15 minutes.
Probably going to the Te Papa museum tomorrow. Yeah I do have a museum fetish. And it's supposed to be the best in NZ so I'm quite looking forward to it.
I am in an Internet cafe now in Wellington, which cost like $3 an hour and is probably the best rate in town. The rest cost $4. It's Friday night and I have nothing to do, so I am prepared to squander my hard-earned money by opening MSN Messenger, something which I have not done since I have been on the travel team.
There is a karaoke nearby and it is evident that some people really can't hear themselves when they sing. If they could, they would probably destroy their eardrums out of sheer shame that they had produced such noise pollution. But too bad, they can't, and their eardrums are still intact for no good reason. (Since they can't hear themselves sing.)
Today was last day of work and we will have a long paid weekend from tomorrow till Wednesday. I did quite okay on turf today with four signups. Theoretically I should be in ecstasy but I am still disgruntled because of annoyances like
- New Zealand Post LOST MY PARCEL that I sent to Auckland, I probably lost like $100 worth of stuff inside. HUGE ANNOYANCE.
- We are stuck in Wellington till 31st Dec. And we have returned our car, won't be getting another one till we reach South Island. So we are effectively stuck in the Wellington City Centre for the following 10 days. The only consolation is that on Christmas day all trains are free, so I will probably hop on and off just for the hell of it, and visit some nearby towns. Not that I'm expecting anything fun because we've done some of the towns as turf anyway.
- We have to move to another backpacker's on Christmas Eve, and move back again to the present one 4 days later. Without a car. What a pain!
- Robert is leaving the travelling team. Today was his last day working with us. I will miss him so much. Hi Robert! *waves* Ik zal u missen!
Ooh! My paycheck has arrived. I feel marginally better. After all it's better to be stuck in Wellington than, say, Palmerston North.
Miss everybody at home. I wish I were home this Christmas. The Internet Cafe Guy has informed me that they will close in 15 minutes.
Probably going to the Te Papa museum tomorrow. Yeah I do have a museum fetish. And it's supposed to be the best in NZ so I'm quite looking forward to it.
New York, New York
Greetings!
Finally back from my trip stateside and have four great guides to bring you about the American east coast cities of New York, Tampa, Orlando and Miami. Lets start with the big apple. This was my first trip to New York though the city is familiar to everyone from film, television and photographs. It's Christmas time so lets plan for a great time in New York, the January Sales and the Valentines period.
New York- the QT
New York, the world's most famous city, doesn't need much introduction. The home of US big business, high fashion, the best in new music, theatre and shopping New York is the first city in the world richest country. New York has gone through a massive transition in the past 20 years. What used to be a filthy, crime ridden and dangerous city; New York has cleaned up its act.
Today New York is a living city, families with babies continue to stay in the city, it's sanitized, safe and suburban. This is great for people visiting New York to see the sights, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Rockerfeller Center but there are those who miss the old New York. The New York that didn't have a Starbucks on every corner, where graffiti artists shook their cans creating a colourful and exuberant city. New York has lost its graffiti and its edge but is still the worlds most exiting city.
Who flies to New York?
What hotel deals can you offer me?
Hotels in New York are notoriously expensive. The weak dollar means it is the best time to go to New York and stay in some kind of luxury. Any hotel with 3 stars+ should be very comfortable although New York's accommodation is famous for being a little hit and miss. Here are our recommendations based on price, location and our customers own reviews. Prices are based on two sharing a double or a twin room for 4 nights from the 8th of February 2008 taxes included.
Manhattan - the cultural, financial and fashion centre of the world, Manhattan is the world in miniature. The world's rich and poor live here, nationalities from every country of the world can be counted among the 1.5 million Manhattanites currently on the Island. Manhattan is anything you want it to be and has a niche for everyone, no matter what your flavour you will find it has a home in Manhattan. Filled with trips, tours, museums, shops, galleries, events, theatres, restaurants, it's a tourist paradise, whatever you are in Manhattan you are not bored.
The Museums and Galleries of New York are wonderfully thorough and perfectly maintained, interesting and appreciated. The most famous museums and galleries, the Natural History Museum, Moving Image Museum, Ellis Island Museum, Frick Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Television and Radio and the Museum of Modern Art are all world class museums that you can not possibly visit all in one trip.
If electricals and laptops are more your thing, try going into the East Village and Soho where there are some great low cost stockists.
In Chinatown you can pick up many a cheap fake item head into China town via Broadway and you'll be amazed at the amount of street vendors asking "Gucci, Fendi, Prada, you buy?"
Finally back from my trip stateside and have four great guides to bring you about the American east coast cities of New York, Tampa, Orlando and Miami. Lets start with the big apple. This was my first trip to New York though the city is familiar to everyone from film, television and photographs. It's Christmas time so lets plan for a great time in New York, the January Sales and the Valentines period.
New York- the QT
New York, the world's most famous city, doesn't need much introduction. The home of US big business, high fashion, the best in new music, theatre and shopping New York is the first city in the world richest country. New York has gone through a massive transition in the past 20 years. What used to be a filthy, crime ridden and dangerous city; New York has cleaned up its act. Today New York is a living city, families with babies continue to stay in the city, it's sanitized, safe and suburban. This is great for people visiting New York to see the sights, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Rockerfeller Center but there are those who miss the old New York. The New York that didn't have a Starbucks on every corner, where graffiti artists shook their cans creating a colourful and exuberant city. New York has lost its graffiti and its edge but is still the worlds most exiting city.
Who flies to New York?
- Silverjet low priced luxury flights from London's Luton to Newark Airport.
- Delta, US Airways, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Continental and American Airlines all from the London Airports to New York Airports.
- Delta, Aer Lingus, Continental and Delta fly from Manchester to New York Airports.
- Continental and Aer Lingus fly from Glasgow to New York Airports.
- Continental fly from Birmingham to New York Airports.
- Air France, United Airlines, Continental, American Airlines fly from Paris to New York Airports.
- Continental, Alitalia and Delta fly from Rome to New York Airports.
- Continental, Delta, Air Berlin, Lufthansa, fly from Berlin to New York Airports.
What hotel deals can you offer me?
Hotels in New York are notoriously expensive. The weak dollar means it is the best time to go to New York and stay in some kind of luxury. Any hotel with 3 stars+ should be very comfortable although New York's accommodation is famous for being a little hit and miss. Here are our recommendations based on price, location and our customers own reviews. Prices are based on two sharing a double or a twin room for 4 nights from the 8th of February 2008 taxes included.
- 3* GERSHWIN- Central Manhattan- £348.00
- 4* RADISSON LEXINGTON - East side Manhattan - £456.00
- 5* PALACE - in MidTown East- £724.00
Click to see all NEW YORK HOTELS
What can I see and do in New York?
The City is actually 5 boroughs, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx. Most visitors to New York spend the entire trip in Manhattan and only enter the other boroughs (or even New Jersey) when they catch their flight home. Manhattan is New York to many people but you should not discount Brooklyn and Queens if you are staying in New York for a longer visit. Brooklyn would be the USA's 5th most populous city were it not part of New York and offers many charming parks and river walks. Prices for accommodation, food and shopping are all cheaper outside of Manhattan. Many of the sports events also take place in Queens, the US tennis Open at Flushing Meadow, Queens and the baseball team the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.
Manhattan - the cultural, financial and fashion centre of the world, Manhattan is the world in miniature. The world's rich and poor live here, nationalities from every country of the world can be counted among the 1.5 million Manhattanites currently on the Island. Manhattan is anything you want it to be and has a niche for everyone, no matter what your flavour you will find it has a home in Manhattan. Filled with trips, tours, museums, shops, galleries, events, theatres, restaurants, it's a tourist paradise, whatever you are in Manhattan you are not bored.
The Museums and Galleries of New York are wonderfully thorough and perfectly maintained, interesting and appreciated. The most famous museums and galleries, the Natural History Museum, Moving Image Museum, Ellis Island Museum, Frick Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Television and Radio and the Museum of Modern Art are all world class museums that you can not possibly visit all in one trip.More specialist museums that I enjoyed were the Museum of Jewish Heritage down by Battery Park. Spanning the last 200 years of Jewish history the museum focuses on the Holocaust and Palestine as well as documenting the rise to fame of Jewish stars and the Jewish lifestyle in America including a section dedicated to the Jewish influence in Miami and the Catskills.
The less well known, Museum of Sex is a tasteful and interesting look at how sex is portrayed, sold and played out across the states. The museum is an eye opener looking at sex and sexuality from every angle, literally!
Sports in New York get about as passionate as you can get. The cities major teams, The Mets, The Yankees, The Giants, The Jets, The Knicks, The Rangers all have a loyal and vocal following and attending a sports match is really the quintessential New York experience. Depending on the time of year there will almost certainly be a game on during your stay, Football, Hockey, Baseball or Basketball.
If you can we recommend a Baseball game at either the Yankee's up in the Bronx or the Mets in Queens to get you out of Manhattan and into real living and breathing New York and New Yorkers.
Shopping - Two dollars to the Pound and one fifty to the Euro means that your greenbacks are really stretching nicely in the States. Even in New York you're going to find yourself chuckling merrily at the prices in comparison to London.
New York's got it all, electricals, fashion items, gifts, jewellery and everything you may ever desire. The typical and famous New York shopping hot spots are Barneys, Bloomies and Saks. The ladies will enjoy countless hours in these stores but for a younger crowd looking for some lesser know designers at better prices check out the Meatpacking District.
If electricals and laptops are more your thing, try going into the East Village and Soho where there are some great low cost stockists.
In Chinatown you can pick up many a cheap fake item head into China town via Broadway and you'll be amazed at the amount of street vendors asking "Gucci, Fendi, Prada, you buy?"
Where can I eat in New York?
Certainly New York is the USA's number 1 city for dining. People from every culture came together to create New York an nowhere does this strike you as more obvious than when making a restaurant reservation. The possibilities are endless, Chinese, Thai, Italian, Mexican, Hungarian, Polish, Jewish, English, Irish, Korean, Japanese, Argentinian, Cuban and even... American!
Here are some recommendations (£ - Inexpensive - under £10 for a main course - ££ - Reasonable £10-£15 for a main course - £££ - Pricey £15-£24 for a main course- ££££ - Expensive £25-£35 for a main course - £££££ - Daylight Robbery - £35+ for a main course)
- Babbo - Greenwich Village Italian food mecca, Exceptional - ££££
- Katz Deli - famous Pastrami sandwiches in this Jewish cafe. East Village - £
- Momo Fuku - Greenwich village multi cultural, Chinese meets Mexican meets ??? - ££
- Union Square Cafe - Top chef, great service and expansive wine list, class - ££££
- Sushi Yasuda - finest Sushi restaurant in New York - ££££
No one can ever wrap up New York in a few words. These are our personal recommendations for great things to do in New York. Don't forget to write to us and let us know about your own experiences in the world's favourite city.
Ciao for now HotelClickers!
Ramblings in P. North
Palmerston North's museum was not nice. I only went to the free part of it, and I wouldn't want to pay more to see the rest of it, so I am back at the city library where I am going online for 30mins for $1.
So far the travel team has been absolutely wonderful. The money's good, the van's fantastic, the company's great - just that the working part of it kinda sucks, but I guess this world was never meant to be perfect. (I would have much smaller cheeks if it were.)
The cultural blend in the team is really good. Yesterday in an Irish pub the guys drew me a map of Europe and where to visit, as Mum has given me her blessings that if I am able to amass enough of funds, I can go to Europe before I am confined for three years in the tiny little island-country south of Malaysia in August next year. I doubt that I would be able to get enough of money before that, but perhaps I could take some time off my PhD and go travelling.
The travel bug has definitely bitten me.
We are going to watch a play tonight, and if Palmerston North would have one chance of redeeming itself, this would be it. (Besides the fact that it has Burgerfuel, the best burger chain in NZ) So far the hostel has sucked, the turf has sucked, even the museum sucked! Why, why why would someone put displays in a case, label them all with numbers, and put the descriptions on the wall 3 feet away? Do you seriously think that I care about Maori musical instruments enough to look at the description and the number, go to the display, forget the number, curse, and go back to the description again? Yeah right.
Intellectual conversations amongst travel mates include whether bees feel emotions, whether duelling should be legalized, and whether Val would take a beer if Marten had one in his pocket right then. I have resorted to labelling the conversations with numbers because we keep recycling the same topics over again. Maybe I should produce a catalogue out of that.
Marten says that he will design a Rainbow Frank Experience (see link above to understand what I'm saying) T-shirt for us at the end of the trip. Possibly we may create our own boardgame and a soundtrack. A whole string of merchandise really.
2 minutes left till I am booted out of this computer.
So far the travel team has been absolutely wonderful. The money's good, the van's fantastic, the company's great - just that the working part of it kinda sucks, but I guess this world was never meant to be perfect. (I would have much smaller cheeks if it were.)
The cultural blend in the team is really good. Yesterday in an Irish pub the guys drew me a map of Europe and where to visit, as Mum has given me her blessings that if I am able to amass enough of funds, I can go to Europe before I am confined for three years in the tiny little island-country south of Malaysia in August next year. I doubt that I would be able to get enough of money before that, but perhaps I could take some time off my PhD and go travelling.
The travel bug has definitely bitten me.
We are going to watch a play tonight, and if Palmerston North would have one chance of redeeming itself, this would be it. (Besides the fact that it has Burgerfuel, the best burger chain in NZ) So far the hostel has sucked, the turf has sucked, even the museum sucked! Why, why why would someone put displays in a case, label them all with numbers, and put the descriptions on the wall 3 feet away? Do you seriously think that I care about Maori musical instruments enough to look at the description and the number, go to the display, forget the number, curse, and go back to the description again? Yeah right.
Intellectual conversations amongst travel mates include whether bees feel emotions, whether duelling should be legalized, and whether Val would take a beer if Marten had one in his pocket right then. I have resorted to labelling the conversations with numbers because we keep recycling the same topics over again. Maybe I should produce a catalogue out of that.
Marten says that he will design a Rainbow Frank Experience (see link above to understand what I'm saying) T-shirt for us at the end of the trip. Possibly we may create our own boardgame and a soundtrack. A whole string of merchandise really.
2 minutes left till I am booted out of this computer.
In code
Right noqw I asm in as Psalmeraston North, as city in asouth North Iaslasnd, asnd the astupid keyboasrd keepas asppending qwordas to the letteras thast i type, aso it ias up to you my asmasrt reasderas to maske asenase of qwhast I asm wqriting.
Yeash. I aspecificaslly qwrote as poast on thias keyboasrd juast to bug you. (Cozx you're more fun than the bunch thast reasd my trasvel blog.)
I astill hasve 3 minuteas left on thias computer.
Don't knoqw qwhast to asasy, I'm hasving as qwhasle of as time here, astill conasidering qwhether to ezxtend my astasy or not. Love you, miasas you asll.
Yeash. I aspecificaslly qwrote as poast on thias keyboasrd juast to bug you. (Cozx you're more fun than the bunch thast reasd my trasvel blog.)
I astill hasve 3 minuteas left on thias computer.
Don't knoqw qwhast to asasy, I'm hasving as qwhasle of as time here, astill conasidering qwhether to ezxtend my astasy or not. Love you, miasas you asll.
Bungyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
Yo. Bungying in four hours. Bungying in four hours. Bungying in four hours.
The fear hasn't kicked in yet and I am trying to hype myself into it. That's kinda funny because on some level I feel that I should be scared, but I am not right now. Or maybe I am, since I woke up at 6:30am and couldn't go back to bed. Hyper hyper hyper.
I finally took the first step to learn cooking yesterday. After work, I tagged along with my co-workers to Foodtown, which is a supermarket nearby where we live. I loitered around the snack section as my three strapping male counterparts walked around to choose their veges for dinner. That felt faintly embarrassing, so when I met Robert, my Dutch colleague at the wine aisle, I made him teach me how to cook.
I was not scalded with hot oil. I did not blow up the kitchen. Flowers did not wilt at the smell of my terrible cooking.
It turned out that the wildly exaggerated notions that I had on culinary mishaps were, well, wildly exaggerated. After the unfortunate episode of almost burning the building down by putting a frozen fish fillet into overheated oil, the cooking yesterday went smoothly and was almost disappointingly uneventful. I did okay and under the gentle supervision of Robert, learnt that stir frying vegetables does not mean squashing them with a spatula. (I thought doing that would help conduct the heat to cook the broccoli better. Ahem. In hindsight that sounds stupid.)
Should I die a terrible bungy death, to Asa I leave my entire collection of manga.
Oh yeah! Valentin has his own blog now, so I return his good name to him and announce that he is no longer The Boy Too Stupid to Open A Blog. Here's his blog, The Curious Incident of Me Being in New Zealand. Good stuff, mate! Awesome! Keep it up! ;)
Got the offer letter from Nanyang Technological University, so I am now officially on a research scholarship to Singapore for PhD next August. More details later.
Ah gotta rush! Bungy awaits!
The fear hasn't kicked in yet and I am trying to hype myself into it. That's kinda funny because on some level I feel that I should be scared, but I am not right now. Or maybe I am, since I woke up at 6:30am and couldn't go back to bed. Hyper hyper hyper.
I finally took the first step to learn cooking yesterday. After work, I tagged along with my co-workers to Foodtown, which is a supermarket nearby where we live. I loitered around the snack section as my three strapping male counterparts walked around to choose their veges for dinner. That felt faintly embarrassing, so when I met Robert, my Dutch colleague at the wine aisle, I made him teach me how to cook.
I was not scalded with hot oil. I did not blow up the kitchen. Flowers did not wilt at the smell of my terrible cooking.
It turned out that the wildly exaggerated notions that I had on culinary mishaps were, well, wildly exaggerated. After the unfortunate episode of almost burning the building down by putting a frozen fish fillet into overheated oil, the cooking yesterday went smoothly and was almost disappointingly uneventful. I did okay and under the gentle supervision of Robert, learnt that stir frying vegetables does not mean squashing them with a spatula. (I thought doing that would help conduct the heat to cook the broccoli better. Ahem. In hindsight that sounds stupid.)
Should I die a terrible bungy death, to Asa I leave my entire collection of manga.
Oh yeah! Valentin has his own blog now, so I return his good name to him and announce that he is no longer The Boy Too Stupid to Open A Blog. Here's his blog, The Curious Incident of Me Being in New Zealand. Good stuff, mate! Awesome! Keep it up! ;)
Got the offer letter from Nanyang Technological University, so I am now officially on a research scholarship to Singapore for PhD next August. More details later.
Ah gotta rush! Bungy awaits!
No place like Rome
Greetings!
Well, the football is over and England are out. The face behind the blog is very upset today but I will try and pull myself together and write a blog entry about my favourite city and the headquarters of HotelsClick, Rome.
Rome - the QT
Rome is surely on everyones "top 10 places to visit" list. Everyone I know either has been or desperately wants to visit Rome and with good reason. Rome is all things to all men with an ancient quarter, gothic quarter and modern areas. Rome is also all things to all women with Via Condotti (high end shopping), the world's most fabulous Ice Cream and Italian men dressed as Gladiators. Surely there can be no finer city to visit? That's right, there isn't. Wonderful cuisine, museums and public spaces make Rome my favourite city and if you come in Spring, the best time of year, it may just be your favourite city too. Just do yourself one small favour... leave the car at home. The Romans drive like today is their very last day on earth and everyone is going to pay! Look both ways before crossing the road people!
Who flies to Rome?
Roman hotels can be a hit and miss affair. There are many budget options around Termini but whilst this area if convenient and well connected it is a little "dodgy" shall we say. Below we've recommended some hotels in the safer area's of Rome. These prices are an example of 11 January, 2 Nights, 1 Double Room.
What can I see and do in Rome?
The City of Rome is more compact than you'd imagine and it's quite possible to walk from the sights in the East (Colosseum and Forum) to the sights in the West (St Peters and the Vatican) though taxi's are cheap and frequent. Much of Rome is covered by the local Metro although some areas, notably Piazza Navona, are not covered by Metro due to the possibilities of endangering many historically important buildings by digging underneath them and the constant vibrations from a metro could cause damage. So, it's out with the old comfy trainers to see Rome on foot. The summer in Rome can be extremely hot with temperatures regularly soaring over 40°c. Many Romans leave the city in August and Rome basically shuts down including many shops, business' and restaurants. The best time to visit Rome is just after Easter, after the christian pilgrims have left the city or in September and October when temperature can stay in the pleasant 25°c range.
The Holy See and the Must See - It's impossible to write about Rome without mentioning the Collosseum, the Forum, the Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and St Peters but please, we all know about these. Half of us have visited these before, and maybe more than once so what I want to talk about today is the lesser know tourist attractions; the path less travelled. I am not recommending that you don't see these wonderful attractions, of course, if you've never been to Rome these are must see, 5 star attractions and among the very best spectacles anywhere on the planet. Today we're going to talk about the Roman Catacombs, Villa Borghese and Trastevere.
The Roman Catacombs are not as famous as their Parisian counterparts but still intriguing in a morbid way. All history buffs should set some time aside to visit the catacombs. A burial place from the 2nd Century for Christians and Jews the catacombs have lived a chequered life. Originally just a place of burial they have served also as a place of refuge from persecution and the shrine of actual Christian martyrs. The catacombs came into effect simply for financial reasons. Unable to afford to bury their dead spread out across expensive Rome, they had to dig down, creating an underground world full of corridors and, well, dead bodies. The catacombs continued to be used until the 5th century after the fall of Rome and invasion of the Barbarians. The relics and jewels once buried with their owners were then taken away to churches throughout Rome away from the hands of the Barbarians. With their removal there was no longer an urge to visit or guard the area and the catacombs were deserted and well into the middle ages were considered "lost", noone knew where they were anymore. Not until the 17th century were the catacombs found once more and are considered amongst the most important archaeological sites of Christian history. At the catacombs you can witness the burial chambers in something of a labyrinth, many of the inscriptions on the "tombs" remain as well as some emblems and relics.
Ciao for now HotelClickers!
Well, the football is over and England are out. The face behind the blog is very upset today but I will try and pull myself together and write a blog entry about my favourite city and the headquarters of HotelsClick, Rome.
Rome - the QT
Rome is surely on everyones "top 10 places to visit" list. Everyone I know either has been or desperately wants to visit Rome and with good reason. Rome is all things to all men with an ancient quarter, gothic quarter and modern areas. Rome is also all things to all women with Via Condotti (high end shopping), the world's most fabulous Ice Cream and Italian men dressed as Gladiators. Surely there can be no finer city to visit? That's right, there isn't. Wonderful cuisine, museums and public spaces make Rome my favourite city and if you come in Spring, the best time of year, it may just be your favourite city too. Just do yourself one small favour... leave the car at home. The Romans drive like today is their very last day on earth and everyone is going to pay! Look both ways before crossing the road people!Who flies to Rome?
- EasyJet fly daily from Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Gatwick and Newcastle.
- RyanAir fly daily from Glasgow, East Midland, Dublin, Liverpool, Stansted and Luton.
- British Airways fly from Heathrow, Gatwick
- Alitalia fly from Heathrow.
Roman hotels can be a hit and miss affair. There are many budget options around Termini but whilst this area if convenient and well connected it is a little "dodgy" shall we say. Below we've recommended some hotels in the safer area's of Rome. These prices are an example of 11 January, 2 Nights, 1 Double Room.
- 4* EUR SUITE - Well connected luxury in EUR- £92.50
- 4* NOVA DOMUS & SUITES - Close to the Vatican - £153.50
- 5* AMBASCIATORI PALACE - on Via Veneto- £297.50
What can I see and do in Rome?
The City of Rome is more compact than you'd imagine and it's quite possible to walk from the sights in the East (Colosseum and Forum) to the sights in the West (St Peters and the Vatican) though taxi's are cheap and frequent. Much of Rome is covered by the local Metro although some areas, notably Piazza Navona, are not covered by Metro due to the possibilities of endangering many historically important buildings by digging underneath them and the constant vibrations from a metro could cause damage. So, it's out with the old comfy trainers to see Rome on foot. The summer in Rome can be extremely hot with temperatures regularly soaring over 40°c. Many Romans leave the city in August and Rome basically shuts down including many shops, business' and restaurants. The best time to visit Rome is just after Easter, after the christian pilgrims have left the city or in September and October when temperature can stay in the pleasant 25°c range.
The Holy See and the Must See - It's impossible to write about Rome without mentioning the Collosseum, the Forum, the Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and St Peters but please, we all know about these. Half of us have visited these before, and maybe more than once so what I want to talk about today is the lesser know tourist attractions; the path less travelled. I am not recommending that you don't see these wonderful attractions, of course, if you've never been to Rome these are must see, 5 star attractions and among the very best spectacles anywhere on the planet. Today we're going to talk about the Roman Catacombs, Villa Borghese and Trastevere.
The Roman Catacombs are not as famous as their Parisian counterparts but still intriguing in a morbid way. All history buffs should set some time aside to visit the catacombs. A burial place from the 2nd Century for Christians and Jews the catacombs have lived a chequered life. Originally just a place of burial they have served also as a place of refuge from persecution and the shrine of actual Christian martyrs. The catacombs came into effect simply for financial reasons. Unable to afford to bury their dead spread out across expensive Rome, they had to dig down, creating an underground world full of corridors and, well, dead bodies. The catacombs continued to be used until the 5th century after the fall of Rome and invasion of the Barbarians. The relics and jewels once buried with their owners were then taken away to churches throughout Rome away from the hands of the Barbarians. With their removal there was no longer an urge to visit or guard the area and the catacombs were deserted and well into the middle ages were considered "lost", noone knew where they were anymore. Not until the 17th century were the catacombs found once more and are considered amongst the most important archaeological sites of Christian history. At the catacombs you can witness the burial chambers in something of a labyrinth, many of the inscriptions on the "tombs" remain as well as some emblems and relics. 
Trastevere is my favourite area of Rome. This medieval district on the left bank of the Tiber was once home to the poor of the city and looked down upon by the grand Imperial Romans. Today Trastevere is the most trendy area of Rome with the best restaurants and bars in the city. With an international atmosphere it is common to walk around hearing as much English as Italian. Many American and British Ex-pats have made Trastevere their home seeing the potential in this medieval quarter that looks more like Barcelona's Barrio Gotico than anything resembling Rome. It's also home to many famous Italians as well an International artists who have helped raise the areas profile, and it's property prices.
Villa Borghese is hardly a secret but it's still under appreciated. It's the best place to bring kids in Rome with huge outdoor spaces and a zoo. As the best open space in Rome, home to a fantastic art collection, and host to outdoor events all year round it's a hub of Roman life in the same way Hyde Park is in London. It's huge. If you've had the fortune to walk around the circumference of Villa Borghese then you know you've put in some km's and deserve that Spaghetti Carbonara.
The Bio Park, the city's zoo, is a valiant attempt to educate Rome's young about the plight of animals and the dangers of global warming. The message gets lost in the cute monkeys and lion cubs though.
Galleria Borghese, is an impressive 17th century villa housing the work of famous artists including Bernini and Canova. The museum is more for history fans as its first floor is dedicated to Roman antiquities, busts and mosaics. The Galleria Borghese is open all year round.
Where can I eat in Rome?
Here are some recommendations (£ - Inexpensive - under £10 for a main course - ££ - Reasonable £10-£15 for a main course - £££ - Pricey £15-£24 for a main course- ££££ - Expensive £25-£35 for a main course - £££££ - Daylight Robbery - £35+ for a main course)
- GUSTO - Upmarket Italian restaurant - ££££
- IL PASTARELLARIO - famous restaurant in Trastevere - £££
- REMO - best place for traditional roman pizza- ££
- IL CON VIVIO - One of Rome's most fashionable restaurants, great foodie place - ££££
- DAGNINO - 50's style Sicilian patisserie, great food and ambiance - £
Ciao for now HotelClickers!
Some Yellow Links
I am copying this entire post from my travel blog to post it here, because it took me the whole morning to write it and I'm not going to put a link here so that you can not click on it and waste my effort. And I have to double post it because the travel blog is read mostly by my friends and family which I try to keep away from this blog.
(Hence you may observe that the writing style is more muted, but there have been multiple times when the F word was right at my fingertips. Oh what was I thinking, I can say it here. Fuck the F-word. And Fuck Zam.)
----
I have struck a deal with the German guy next door who lives here semi-permanently, to use the wireless Internet password for two weeks. It costs me $7.50 which I have shared with Melissa (so $3.75 each) and needless to say we've both been very busy from yesterday till today immersed in the virtual online world.
So. No more beeps. No more excuses to close my blog posts. Interestingly I don't feel like blogging once I've got unlimited access, there are so many other things I have to do, like plan out what to do during my travel trip, or chat with people, or read blogs that I haven't read for ages. I've been reading up on the November 10 peaceful rally in KL, which has been grossly downplayed and skewed by the mainstream media, so here are some links to the eyewitness accounts by bloggers who were there.
Quaintly.net - We Know What We Want - A beautiful account of what happened by one of my favourite bloggers - an 18 year old girl who went there. Read the heartwarming scenarios from here.
Dan-yel - When We Painted KL with Yellow - More descriptions of the event, from another perspective by Su Ann's friend.
In Fantasyland - The BERSIH March - An eyewitness account on how agent provocateurs were planted in the crowd by the police!
Kakiblog.com - My Report from the Bersih Rally - A guy who got sprayed with the teargas, you have to read this to know what it's like.
Josh Incorrigible - It was All Yellow - Some lyrics and pictures.
Metroblogging Kuala Lumpur - Metblogs Reporting on Bersih Rally - Great post with pictures telling the stories.
Reduced and Recycled - BERSIH Rally: A Report of Events - A guy who came from JB just for the day. Also has some links at the bottom to more blog posts.
By the time I finished reading the blog posts - I am in tears, with goosebumps on my arms. Because of the people power demonstrated - people actually cared. Because of the cruelty unleashed onto civilians by our police. Because of the solidarity of all Malaysians who were there, from all walks of life. Do read them, and have a different perspective of what actually happened, by ordinary people who were actually there instead of reading the mainstream crap or even Malaysiakini. There are more, but I decided these would suffice for your short attention spans.
Yeah this is not exactly a travel post. So there. And please do not forget why the demonstration was held in the first place - it was held to campaign for electoral reforms, to pave the path - nay, to correct the path of Malaysia's democracy. Our dear PM keeps saying that it is opposition politics, but there are 40,000 people (official sources say 4,000, but everyone else says it is much more than that, and you can see through pictures of the sheer numbers of the people), concerned enough about the state of this country to brave tear gas, water cannons, getting arrested, the rain, possible bodily injuries, etc. to go into KL on that day, all because they love the country enough.
And, on that day, it was the police, civil servants who were supposed to protect us, who turned on the protesters with tear gas and water cannons. The opposition, Unit Amal PAS, directed traffic and cleaned the streets after the demonstration. The incumbents sure gave the opposition a lot of brownie points aye. And just look at Zam embarrassing the whole country in the Al-Jazeera interview. (Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1_GQ-K7P_w; or if you want to spare the noise pollution you can read the transcript here, by Rachel Leow ) Someone just sack him already!
Yeah don't worry I'll revert back to my horror stories on door-knocking and gangster neighbourhoods in following posts. I just had to blog about one of the most historical moments in Malaysia's democracy which I unfortunately missed. Gotta love the Internet for all the documentation though.
(Hence you may observe that the writing style is more muted, but there have been multiple times when the F word was right at my fingertips. Oh what was I thinking, I can say it here. Fuck the F-word. And Fuck Zam.)
----
I have struck a deal with the German guy next door who lives here semi-permanently, to use the wireless Internet password for two weeks. It costs me $7.50 which I have shared with Melissa (so $3.75 each) and needless to say we've both been very busy from yesterday till today immersed in the virtual online world.
So. No more beeps. No more excuses to close my blog posts. Interestingly I don't feel like blogging once I've got unlimited access, there are so many other things I have to do, like plan out what to do during my travel trip, or chat with people, or read blogs that I haven't read for ages. I've been reading up on the November 10 peaceful rally in KL, which has been grossly downplayed and skewed by the mainstream media, so here are some links to the eyewitness accounts by bloggers who were there.
Quaintly.net - We Know What We Want - A beautiful account of what happened by one of my favourite bloggers - an 18 year old girl who went there. Read the heartwarming scenarios from here.
Dan-yel - When We Painted KL with Yellow - More descriptions of the event, from another perspective by Su Ann's friend.
In Fantasyland - The BERSIH March - An eyewitness account on how agent provocateurs were planted in the crowd by the police!
Kakiblog.com - My Report from the Bersih Rally - A guy who got sprayed with the teargas, you have to read this to know what it's like.
Josh Incorrigible - It was All Yellow - Some lyrics and pictures.
Metroblogging Kuala Lumpur - Metblogs Reporting on Bersih Rally - Great post with pictures telling the stories.
Reduced and Recycled - BERSIH Rally: A Report of Events - A guy who came from JB just for the day. Also has some links at the bottom to more blog posts.
By the time I finished reading the blog posts - I am in tears, with goosebumps on my arms. Because of the people power demonstrated - people actually cared. Because of the cruelty unleashed onto civilians by our police. Because of the solidarity of all Malaysians who were there, from all walks of life. Do read them, and have a different perspective of what actually happened, by ordinary people who were actually there instead of reading the mainstream crap or even Malaysiakini. There are more, but I decided these would suffice for your short attention spans.
Yeah this is not exactly a travel post. So there. And please do not forget why the demonstration was held in the first place - it was held to campaign for electoral reforms, to pave the path - nay, to correct the path of Malaysia's democracy. Our dear PM keeps saying that it is opposition politics, but there are 40,000 people (official sources say 4,000, but everyone else says it is much more than that, and you can see through pictures of the sheer numbers of the people), concerned enough about the state of this country to brave tear gas, water cannons, getting arrested, the rain, possible bodily injuries, etc. to go into KL on that day, all because they love the country enough.
And, on that day, it was the police, civil servants who were supposed to protect us, who turned on the protesters with tear gas and water cannons. The opposition, Unit Amal PAS, directed traffic and cleaned the streets after the demonstration. The incumbents sure gave the opposition a lot of brownie points aye. And just look at Zam embarrassing the whole country in the Al-Jazeera interview. (Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1_GQ-K7P_w; or if you want to spare the noise pollution you can read the transcript here, by Rachel Leow ) Someone just sack him already!
Yeah don't worry I'll revert back to my horror stories on door-knocking and gangster neighbourhoods in following posts. I just had to blog about one of the most historical moments in Malaysia's democracy which I unfortunately missed. Gotta love the Internet for all the documentation though.
Yellow Yellow Yellow.
I am sipping my NZ$5.90 smooth mocha frappe in Esquires Coffee, Hobson Street - and for my purchase I am rewarded with one hour of free Internet. I am somewhat disgruntled because I had planned on camping in the cafe to mooch off its free Internet, but these capitalist folks have thwarted me by putting a timer on the wireless access.
(=_=) <-- disgruntled face, missing Starbucks from Malaysia. Starbucks here doesn't even give free wireless. Hmmph.
But anyway, I am reading up on the 10 November walk! 40,000 people! Well done you guys! *salam* The backlash from the police totally shows the fear that this government has of people power... and it is still truly staggering that 40,000 people cared enough to brave the threats of arrest, the rain, the roadblocks etc etc... Wow. So how many of you went? How was it? Kena water cannoned?
Reading the Malaysiakini reports, the Cat and Mouse thing was pretty funny, haha! Kudos to the organizers for planting a decoy, hohohoho.... and also it was very cool to see the people from PAS cleaning the streets after the event. It would be such a shame if the streets were covered with thrash left behind by so many people.
Ah. The Star (The People's Paper) and The New Straits Times (I Don't Read It So I Don't Know The Tagline) has put the figure at 4,000. Can anyone tell me how the 40,000 people were counted? To give the official figures the benefit of the doubt.
Oh well I need to close this post because the freaking one hour limit is almost up. I may be able to get the hostel's wireless Internet password later and go online more freely in the following two weeks (before I leave for travelling team in Greenpeace. Those who don't know what I'm talking about, check my travel blog.)
Okie bye dears!
(=_=) <-- disgruntled face, missing Starbucks from Malaysia. Starbucks here doesn't even give free wireless. Hmmph.
But anyway, I am reading up on the 10 November walk! 40,000 people! Well done you guys! *salam* The backlash from the police totally shows the fear that this government has of people power... and it is still truly staggering that 40,000 people cared enough to brave the threats of arrest, the rain, the roadblocks etc etc... Wow. So how many of you went? How was it? Kena water cannoned?
Reading the Malaysiakini reports, the Cat and Mouse thing was pretty funny, haha! Kudos to the organizers for planting a decoy, hohohoho.... and also it was very cool to see the people from PAS cleaning the streets after the event. It would be such a shame if the streets were covered with thrash left behind by so many people.
Ah. The Star (The People's Paper) and The New Straits Times (I Don't Read It So I Don't Know The Tagline) has put the figure at 4,000. Can anyone tell me how the 40,000 people were counted? To give the official figures the benefit of the doubt.
Oh well I need to close this post because the freaking one hour limit is almost up. I may be able to get the hostel's wireless Internet password later and go online more freely in the following two weeks (before I leave for travelling team in Greenpeace. Those who don't know what I'm talking about, check my travel blog.)
Okie bye dears!
Dear Readers,
I extend to you a sincere and heartfelt apology about an editorial error in the previous post, where I mistook the popular saying "Sweet as, bro" for "Sweet ass, bro".
To my defense, "sweet ass, bro" is more sound grammatically and logically, with a cheeky ring which urges common usage. "Sweet as" is a cliffhanger though (Sweet as sugar. Sweet as a girl. Sweet as my itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikini.), and NZlanders are suckers for hanging off cliffs.
And happy Deepavali you guys!!!!! Why NZ no public holiday!!!
Over and out.
To my defense, "sweet ass, bro" is more sound grammatically and logically, with a cheeky ring which urges common usage. "Sweet as" is a cliffhanger though (Sweet as sugar. Sweet as a girl. Sweet as my itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikini.), and NZlanders are suckers for hanging off cliffs.
And happy Deepavali you guys!!!!! Why NZ no public holiday!!!
Over and out.
Venice on my Mind
Ciao a tutti,
This week I've been up to the beautiful city of Venice and would like to talk to you about what Venice can offer you at this time of year. This weekend reached 24°c in Venice so if you're lucky it can still be a temperate time of year.
Click to see all Venice Hotels
What else can I see and do in Venice?
The City of Venice is split into 6 main areas that you will need to be familiar with when touring the city. The six districts are named Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro (including the Giudecca), Santa Croce, San Marco (including San Giorgio Maggiore), and Castello (including San Pietro di Castello and Sant'Elena). The Cannaregio is the most populus area of the city with many hotels options. It is also home to the Jewish Ghetto, the Ca' d'Oro and the St Lucia station. San Polo is the smallest and oldest part of the city situated along the Grand Canal the main attraction here is the Rialto Bridge. Dorsoduro also includes Giudecca and here you can find the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, the Accademia and the Peggy Guggenheim collection. Santa Croce is the only area of Venice where cars can travel and houses the main bus depot. Attractions in Santa Croce include the Church of San Nicola da Tolentino and the Centre for the History of Costume. San Marco is Venice's msot famous district where St Marks square is located as well as Doge's Palace, La Fenice Theatre and Palazzo Grassi. Finally Castello, the largest district and home to the 13th century shipyards and the Scuola di San Marco.
Accademia - L'Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia was founded in 1750 by the Venetian Senate as the city's school of painting, sculpture, and architecture. In Vencie, it is uniformly known as the Accademia and mainly as a museum. The aim was to replicate official institutions which had existed for many years in other major artistic centers. It was one of the first institutions to study art restoration starting in 1777 with Pietro Edwards, and formalized by 1819 as a course. L'Accademia still holds some of the worlds greatest works of art including works by Canaletto, Giorgione, Charles Les Brun, Lorenzo Lotto, Mantenga, Piazetta, Preti and most famously, Leonardo da Vinci's "Drawing of Vitruvian Man"
Doge Palace is a hugely impressive building standing on the Grand Canal next to the Bridge of Sighs. Perhaps it is here, more than any other Venetian building where you get a real sense of Venice's changing fortunes. Visit the Chancellors Office, the man responsible for writing all the secret documents of the Republic and learn how the Venetian guaranteed his loyalty! Check out the gruesome Torture Chamber where enemies of the state would be tortured before the state inquisitors. Learn about the single form of torture that the Venetians used, and why no-one was able to resist the pain! "I Piombi" Prisons, were wooden cells beneath the lead roofs of the Palace that would be intolerably hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter months. It was in these cells that the famous lover Casanova was incarcerated and here you learn about the trumped up charges that Casanova's enemies used against him to imprison the world's most famous lover.
Next Wednesday we will review the city of Dublin and take a look behind the Guiness and Temple Bar. Ciao for now HotelClickers!
This week I've been up to the beautiful city of Venice and would like to talk to you about what Venice can offer you at this time of year. This weekend reached 24°c in Venice so if you're lucky it can still be a temperate time of year.
Venice - the QT
Home of the gondola, the Rialto bridge and St Marks Square, we all know the basic tourist sights in Venice. At once familiar to all of us from films, television commercials and even computer games the Venitian cityscape is a magnificent thing of beauty. Venice was once a bustling city state independent from Italy and in many ways, as well as being geographically adrift from the mainland, still likes to think of herself as seperate entity. Today we are going to look not at the Venice of memory, but Venice as the Venetians enjoy. These attractions and recommendations come from th people of Venice.
- EasyJet fly daily from Gatwick, Belfast and East Midlands.
- RyanAir fly daily to Treviso from Dublin, Stansted and Liverpool.
- Click Here to view all incoming flights into Treviso Airport.
- Click Here to view all incoming flights into Venice Marco Polo.
What hotel deals can you offer me?
Venice is packed with beautiful hotels positioned on the Grand Canal that are somewhat pricey. There are cheaper options on the Island but for a really cheap deal you'll need to be on the mainland in Mestre or the cheaper Island of Venice Lido. These prices are an example of 7 December, 2 Nights, 1 Double Room.
- 3* ARISTON - Mestre on the mainland - £63.50
- 4* DUODO PALACE - St Marks Square - £134.00
- 5* GRAN DEI DOGI- Jewish Ghetto - £282.50
Click to see all Venice Hotels
What else can I see and do in Venice?
The City of Venice is split into 6 main areas that you will need to be familiar with when touring the city. The six districts are named Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro (including the Giudecca), Santa Croce, San Marco (including San Giorgio Maggiore), and Castello (including San Pietro di Castello and Sant'Elena). The Cannaregio is the most populus area of the city with many hotels options. It is also home to the Jewish Ghetto, the Ca' d'Oro and the St Lucia station. San Polo is the smallest and oldest part of the city situated along the Grand Canal the main attraction here is the Rialto Bridge. Dorsoduro also includes Giudecca and here you can find the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, the Accademia and the Peggy Guggenheim collection. Santa Croce is the only area of Venice where cars can travel and houses the main bus depot. Attractions in Santa Croce include the Church of San Nicola da Tolentino and the Centre for the History of Costume. San Marco is Venice's msot famous district where St Marks square is located as well as Doge's Palace, La Fenice Theatre and Palazzo Grassi. Finally Castello, the largest district and home to the 13th century shipyards and the Scuola di San Marco.
Accademia - L'Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia was founded in 1750 by the Venetian Senate as the city's school of painting, sculpture, and architecture. In Vencie, it is uniformly known as the Accademia and mainly as a museum. The aim was to replicate official institutions which had existed for many years in other major artistic centers. It was one of the first institutions to study art restoration starting in 1777 with Pietro Edwards, and formalized by 1819 as a course. L'Accademia still holds some of the worlds greatest works of art including works by Canaletto, Giorgione, Charles Les Brun, Lorenzo Lotto, Mantenga, Piazetta, Preti and most famously, Leonardo da Vinci's "Drawing of Vitruvian Man"Doge Palace is a hugely impressive building standing on the Grand Canal next to the Bridge of Sighs. Perhaps it is here, more than any other Venetian building where you get a real sense of Venice's changing fortunes. Visit the Chancellors Office, the man responsible for writing all the secret documents of the Republic and learn how the Venetian guaranteed his loyalty! Check out the gruesome Torture Chamber where enemies of the state would be tortured before the state inquisitors. Learn about the single form of torture that the Venetians used, and why no-one was able to resist the pain! "I Piombi" Prisons, were wooden cells beneath the lead roofs of the Palace that would be intolerably hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter months. It was in these cells that the famous lover Casanova was incarcerated and here you learn about the trumped up charges that Casanova's enemies used against him to imprison the world's most famous lover.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection is Venice's most eclectic and forward looking museum with prominent American modernists and Italian futurists artists on prominent display. Famous artists including Picasso, Dali, Brancusi and Jackson Pollack all have works on display. The collection is housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, an unfinished 18th century palazzo which was never built past the ground floor level. In one room, the museum also exhibits a few paintings by her daughter Pageen Vail. In the courtyards between the main buildings are sculpture gardens containing an extensive collection of works. Its most famous (or notorious) exhibit is the 1948 bronze "The Angel of the City" by Marino Marini, positioned at the front of the palazzo, facing the Grand Canal.
Where can I eat in Venice?
Venice is an expensive city but it also has some of the best cuisine on the planet. Below we offer some suggestions that cater to all budgets.
Here are some recommendations (£ - Inexpensive - under £10 for a main course - ££ - Reasonable £10-£15 for a main course - £££ - Pricey £15-£24 for a main course- ££££ - Expensive £25-£35 for a main course - £££££ - Daylight Robbery - £35+ for a main course)
- GRAND CANAL at HOTEL MONACO - smart dress, venetian cuisine- ££££
- LA FENICE - opera house location, venetian/international- £££
- HARRY'S BAR - exclusive 14 tables but very good food, central - ££££
- AL PARADISO PERDUTO - Pasta, Fish and meat specials, good budget option - ££
- DA RENATO - basic interior but great traditional food- £
Next Wednesday we will review the city of Dublin and take a look behind the Guiness and Temple Bar. Ciao for now HotelClickers!
Sweet Ass Bro!
That means "cool" here in NZ, as in "great", not as in temperature. It also works as a form of expressing gratitude, like if I were to ask someone directions and he gave it to me, I would say "sweet ass bro!" to him. Variations are "sweet ass" or "sweet".
I saw Amazing Race Asia on TV in the common room of the hostel yesterday. Can someone tell me if the Malaysian girls won? I kind of recall reading it on the papers before I came. Just want to confirm. I miss KL!!! The first leg of the race was in KL and I was like, look there's Dataran Merdeka! "Jemput Naik" on taxis! No haze, that's always good - and I was rooting for the Malaysian teams (if I'm not mistaken there were two teams, one couple other than the Malaysian girls).
Breaking the hiatus just for the sake of breaking it - I don't have much to say anyway. The more interesting my life gets the less interesting my writing! How are you guys? Things going well back in Malaysia? I do check Malaysiakini, but very seldom, because most of the time I'm online I'm busy replying emails or blogging at the other blog. It's weird to be so detached from the online world, but time spent living life is more meaningful aye.
Leave me some comments la, need some love from home! Why is noone emailing me? For the first time in years I am buying Christmas cards. I'm sending photos (printed out ones) back home so I thought I'd protect them by putting them in between the Christmas card.
I have not smoked weed although there has been multiple chances to. My Indian colleague says that I've passed the age to. That is kind of sad but true.
Ah. Have to go now. Miss you guys. Like a lot.
I saw Amazing Race Asia on TV in the common room of the hostel yesterday. Can someone tell me if the Malaysian girls won? I kind of recall reading it on the papers before I came. Just want to confirm. I miss KL!!! The first leg of the race was in KL and I was like, look there's Dataran Merdeka! "Jemput Naik" on taxis! No haze, that's always good - and I was rooting for the Malaysian teams (if I'm not mistaken there were two teams, one couple other than the Malaysian girls).
Breaking the hiatus just for the sake of breaking it - I don't have much to say anyway. The more interesting my life gets the less interesting my writing! How are you guys? Things going well back in Malaysia? I do check Malaysiakini, but very seldom, because most of the time I'm online I'm busy replying emails or blogging at the other blog. It's weird to be so detached from the online world, but time spent living life is more meaningful aye.
Leave me some comments la, need some love from home! Why is noone emailing me? For the first time in years I am buying Christmas cards. I'm sending photos (printed out ones) back home so I thought I'd protect them by putting them in between the Christmas card.
I have not smoked weed although there has been multiple chances to. My Indian colleague says that I've passed the age to. That is kind of sad but true.
Ah. Have to go now. Miss you guys. Like a lot.
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