In today’s modern world with airplanes jetting around the globe, sometimes we forget how travel got its big start. Cross country trains and railroads were one of the first big steps in making travel accessible to everyone. Major metropolises like New York City built enormous railway terminals like Grand Central Station and Pennsylvania Station to service the needs of their passengers. While some of these stations have been torn down and replaced, others have been reborn into libraries and museums. In countries like Japan and Germany where high speed bullet trains are being used, new modern railroad terminals are being built. Here’s a look at 22 old and new railroad stations from around the world … and at the end a train station that’s visited by certain famous wizard …

Photo credit: OliverN5

Grand Central Station New York City

Grand Central Terminal, most popularly known as Grand Central Station, is the largest and one of the most well-known train stations in the world. New York City’s Grand Central Station is found in Midtown Manhattan at 42nd Street and Park Avenue. Commuters can travel to Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York, as well as Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut.

Photo credit: wecand

Berlin Central Statio

Berlin Central Station, otherwise known as Berlin Hauptbahnhof, is Berlin’s main railway station and the largest crossing station in Europe. Opened on May 26, 2006, Berlin Central Station is located on the site of the historic Lehrter Bahnhof. About 350,000 passengers travel through the Berlin Central Station each day in more than 1,800 trains daily.

Photo credit: e³°°°

Antwerp. Railway station

The Antwerpen-Centraal, otherwise known as Antwerp Central, is the main railway station in Antwerp, one of Belgium’s most important cities. It was built as a replacement for another railway station in 1895 to 1905 and is now regarded as the finest example of railway architecture in the company. Antwerp Central is difficult to classify as far as architectural style goes because of the variety of influences.

Photo credit: wili_hybrid

Toronto Union Station

Toronto’s Union Station is the most important railway in Toronto, serving as the major inter-city rail station and major commuter railway hub for the area. The city of Toronto owns the railway and it serves over 200,000 passengers every day, making it the busiest railway station in Canada. Union Station is served by VIA Rail, Canada’s national passenger railway system.

Photo credit: rvaphotodude

Science Museum of Virginia formerly Virginia’s Broad Street Station

Richmond, Virginia’s Broad Street Station is a union railroad station located near the Fan district on Broad Street. Built in 1917 by architect John Russell Pope, the station features a neoclassical style that was popular in American architecture at the time. Passenger service ceased in 1975 and the building is now home to the Science Museum of Virginia.

Photo credit: Gret@Lorenz

jungle in Atocha Station Madrid Spain

The Atocha Railway Station is the largest railway station in Madrid, the largest city and capital of Spain. Run by Spain’s national railway company, Renfe, the station serves both intercity commuters and regional trains from the South. Built in 1851, the Atocha Railway Station is located in a historic part of Madrid.

Photo credit: mdiocuh galeals

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai

Formerly known as the Victoria Terminus, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a historic railway station and the headquarters of Central Railways. Designed in 1887, it is one of the busiest railway stations in India. Although it was originally named in honor of Queen Victoria, an Indian initiative to rename public locations with Indian names saw the railway station undergo its name change.

Photo credit: stevecadman

Gare du Nord Station

Paris’ Gare du Nord, or North Station, is the busiest station in Europe, with about 180 million passengers daily. Gare du Nord serves trains that travel to the north of France and to various other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands. French architect Jacques Hittorff designed the Gare du Nord and its was built between 1861 and 1864.

Photo credit: Sam Ruaat

Washington Union Station

Washington D.C.’s Union Station has transformed into a D.C. landmark and is visited by 32 million each year. Amtrak, MARC, and VRE commuter railroads are all served by Union Station, as is the Washington Metro transit system. Union Station was designed to be the grand ceremonial entrance into Washinton D.C. in 1908 and has defined the city ever since.

Photo credit: whitewall buick

Pennsylvania Station (demolished)

New York City’s Pennsylvania Station, most commonly abbreviated to Penn Station, was opened in 1910 for the Long Island Rail Road trains. In October 1963, demolition of the original Penn Station began after a push for modernization, even though international outrage showed that people wanted the original Penn Station to remain. Today, Penn Station serves 600,000 passengers every day and is North America’s busiest train station.

Photo credit: Canadacow

Cincinnati Museum Center formerly Cincinnati Union Terminal

The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal began its life as the Cincinnati Union Terminal in 1928, designed to streamline Cincinnati’s extremely busy railway traffic. Although the terminal faced destruction in the 1970s and 80s, a 1986 decision transformed Cincinnati Union Terminal into the museum center it is today. Six organizations call the Cincinnati Museum Center home and it has become a major city landmark.

Photo credit: Runder

Gare du Palais inQuebec City Canada

The Gare du Palais is a train and bus station located in Quebec City, Canada. Architect Eugene-Etienne Tache designed the stunning Gare du Palais, which is well known for a stunning fountain display at the front of the station. VIA Rail, Canada’s national passenger railway, serves the station, which is named for its proximity to the Palace of the Intendant of New France.

Photo credit: andresumida

Estacion Mapocho in Chile

Chile’s Estacion Mapocho served for a long time as the hub for all traffic in Northern Chile. It was declared a national monument in 1976 because of its significance to the country, as well as the decline in demand for railway travel. In 1994, Estacion Mapocho was renovated and it now serves as a cultural center rather than a functioning train station.

Photo credit: joosteto

Amsterdam Centraal Station

Amsterdam Centraal is Amsterdam’s aptly-named central station, serving as one of the main railway hubs in the Netherlands. About 150,000 passengers use the station every day, even though the station is currently under reconstruction. Architects Pierre Cuypers and A. L. van Gendt designed the station and it opened in 1889, serving as one of the Netherlands’ most important transportation hubs ever since.

Photo credit: Ralphman

Oakland Train Station

The Oakland Coliseum Amtrak Station is located in East Oakland and it is connected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Station by a pedestrian bridge. It is also located very close to the Oakland Coliseum and the Oracle Arena, which is where the station gets its name. An electronic ticketing system replaces the need for any staff.

Photo credit: abhijeet.rane

Leipzig Railway Station East Entrance

Leipzig Central Station, known in German as the Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, is the central railway station in Leipzig. By size, it is the largest terminal railway station in Europe and it sees an average of 150,000 passengers each day. The station is known as one of the last grand railway stations of the 19th century.

Photo credit: mbrubeck

Union Station Seattle

Seattle’s Union Station was built in 1910 and 1911 to service the Union Pacific Railroad and the Milwaukee Road. The railway station was abandoned by both of companies by 1971 and sat unused until the late 1990s, when it was renovated. The building now serves as the headquarters of the Sound Transit and can be rented for weddings and other such events.

Photo credit: Prince Roy

Harbin Railway Station China

The Harbin Railway Station is the very first railway station built in China’s history. Serving Harbin, which is China’s tenth largest city and famous as the portal for Chinese trade with Russia as well as for its beautiful ice sculpture displays, the Harbin Railway Station is the busiest train station in China. There are only three modernized railway stations in China.

Photo credit: Andyrob

Paddington Station

London’s Paddington Station is a historic railway site that has served London commuters since 1838. Recently modernized, Paddington Station now serves as the terminus for the Heathrow Express service. Paddington Station specializes in long-distance trains, allowing London commuters to travel to several locations throughout the United Kingdom

Photo credit: Peter π

Piccadilly Station

The Manchester Piccadilly Station is the main railway station for Manchester, England. This station serves as a nexus between the London area, the South coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central in Scotland, and several other routes throughout Northern England. Piccadilly is the busiest station in the UK outside of London and well-known for its 92% customer satisfaction rate.

Photo credit: pokpok313

Shinjuku Station in Tokyo

Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station is located in the Shinjuku and Shibuya wards of Tokyo and its serves as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between downtown Tokyo and its western suburbs. About 3.64 million people used Shinjuku Station daily in 2007, making it the busiest railway in the world in terms of passenger load. Registered with the Guinness World Records, Shinjuku Station is popular as a tourist attraction.

Photo credit: digny564

Nagoya Station Japan

Nagoya Station is located in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, in Japan. By floor area, Nagoya station is the largest train station in the world, with a massive 4,800,000 square feet. More than 1 million people use the train station every day, making it the 6th busiest train station in Japan, and the station is known for the prominent JR Central Towers.

Photo credit: C Pirate

Platform 9 3/4-C Pirate750

King’s Cross Station in London which was the set used for filming in the Harry Potter Movies, has now added a platform 9 3/4 with a trolley stuck in the middle of the wall, it’s quite popular with a lot of tourists.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

22 Train Stations from Across the Globe

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Anybody interested in sharks can find plenty of free information online. You don’t have to do your own research or buy hundreds of dollars in books to learn more about sharks and related topics. Once you know which websites about sharks are the best, you can rely on them to increase your knowledge base.

Photo credit: jon hanson

whale shark

Here are some of the top websites about sharks that you do not want to miss:

1. The National Shark Research Consortium. This organization is made up of four shark research organizations: the Pacific Shark Research Center, the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory, the Florida Program for Shark Research, and the Shark Research Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. With information being pulled from so many top notch organizations you can only imagine how much you can learn on this site. You will find everything from research results to basic information on the different species.

2. Shark Research Institute. Is there something you don’t understand about sharks? If so, you should visit the Shark Research Institute website. They focus on correcting the many misconceptions surrounding sharks. To go along with this, the Shark Research Institute puts a lot of time into fighting against the killing of sharks. The shark science and education sections of the website offer plenty of educational information.

3. SharkInformation.org. Those who want to learn the basics of sharks, while also viewing many high quality photos and videos, should visit this website often. This is one of the best educational websites on sharks. Some of the most popular categories include species, photos, videos, and facts.

The above three shark websites are popular for many reasons. If you are interested in any aspect of sharks, you should visit all three sites to see what you can find. You will not be disappointed.

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Shark Information Websites

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July 4th.  Now sure, any time you refer to the Fourth of July as America’s birthday, some know-it-all will point out that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed precisely on that day.  But a date had to be picked, and that’s the one the founding fathers chose.  Today, July 4th is marked by one of the greatest creations ever known to man… fireworks.  Every year, countless locations across the USA play host to some of the most spectacular fireworks displays on the planet.

New York City

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Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks display is one of the most famous fireworks shows in the country.  Fireworks are released from three different locations within the city.  The Air Force does a flyover, and NBC broadcasts the event across the nation.  This isn’t even counting the numerous other fireworks displays taking place at the same time throughout the area, lighting up the night sky.

Philadelphia

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While celebrate the fourth of July in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love?  Let us not forget that Philadelphia, was America’s first capital.  And, even more significant for July 4th, this is where the Declaration of Independence was signed.  What better place to celebrate the birth of a nation than in the city in which it was born?  Suffice to say, the city hosts one heck of a fireworks show.

Boston

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This is a city that loves the Fourth of July.  If you hear “Stars and Stripes Forever” on the radio, chances are it’s being played by the Boston Pops.  Every year for over three decades the Boston Pops have played a top rate concert accompanied by one of the best fireworks shows in the country.  When it comes to celebrating the Fourth, you can never go wrong with Boston.

Washington D.C.

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This one’s a no-brainer.  Washington D.C., the capital of the United States of America, is of course going to have one of the best fireworks displays for the Fourth of July.  The day begins with a parade along Constitution Avenue, culminating in a fireworks display over the Washington Monument.  Throughout the day, various institutions celebrate the holiday as well, from the Smithsonian Institute to the National Archives.

Chicago

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Chicago exhibits not one but two fabulous fireworks shows, the first being on the third and the second on the fourth.  The shows are displayed over Lake Michigan, making the entire lake-front the best seats in the house.  Concerts and various other events happy throughout the city to accompany the two fireworks spectaculars.

San Diego

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This is another city that loves the Fourth of July with events taking place throughout the city.  The largest fireworks display takes place over San Diego Bay with the “Big Bay” celebration.  Another great attraction around the Fourth is the San Diego County Fair, which is one of the best county fairs in California.

Seattle

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“Family Fourth”, Seattle’s largest Fourth of July fireworks celebration is also considered one of the best in the country.  The event is a day long extravaganza filled with family activities and concerts for everyone.  The fireworks display takes place over Lake Union and features fireworks designs from throughout the world.

Lake Tahoe

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Located in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Lake Tahoe spans over 192 square miles and is the second deepest lake in the United States.  It is also a major tourist attraction with a plentiful amount of outdoor summer recreation.  So why, you may ask, is Lake Tahoe on this list?  For no other reason than it is the single largest synchronized fireworks display west of the Mississippi.  Whether viewed from the shore, or from a boat out on the water, the show is spectacular.

Disneyworld

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Disney’s theme parks have been known for some time for their fabulous fireworks displays, which are held on many days throughout the year.  So it goes without saying that on Fourth of July itself Disney pulls out all the stops.  Be warned though, this is no “well kept secret”.  July 4th and the days around it are considered to be some the busiest days of the year at Disney’s theme parks.  Show up early, and be ready for a crowd, but don’t worry, the show is worth it.

New Orleans

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If there’s one city in the United States that knows how to party, it’s New Orleans.  Now sure, it is mostly known for its Mardis Gras celebration every year, but the city also hosts one heck of a Fourth of July bash.  The “Go 4th on the River Dueling Barges Fireworks Extravaganza” is considered one of the best in the nation.

Mount Rushmore

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It is one of the most iconic monuments in the United States, featuring four of the nation’s greatest leaders, and every year it hosts one heck of a fireworks show.  Strangely though, the fireworks spectacle occurs on July 3rd instead of the Fourth.  This could provide a distinct advantage though as one could viably enjoy two great fireworks displays over one July 4th weekend.  The first at Mount Rushmore, followed by a show wherever one pleases on the Fourth.  It may require a bit of travel, but where’s your sense of adventure?

Whether it be New York, Mount Rushmore, or even Disneyworld, there is still one fireworks show that is greater than all the others, and that’s the one right down the street from your own home.  The Fourth of July may be a celebration of the USA, but it is even more so a day when Americans remember what it is they love so much about their country… the friends, neighbors, and family they share it with.
photo credit: beigeinside

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Best Places to Celebrate July 4th

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Below is a list of travel stories and news for 4/7/2009

Barneo Ice Station Opens – via gadling
In another spring tradition, the Barneo Ice Station has opened for another season, providing the gateway for adventure travelers and explorers to make a “last degree” journey to the geographic North Pole from the Russian side of the ice.

3 things travelers will lose and gain in this recession – via Elliot.org
Kiss those little bottles of lotion goodbye. But don’t despair. You stand to gain better things, thanks to the ailing economy. That includes free Wi-Fi in more places, better customer service and of course, many unbelievable bargains.

Bathrooms That Are Part of the View – via NY Times
the chic boutiques of London and Los Angeles to hot new hotels in more exotic locales like India and China, exposed bathrooms are a growing trend — whether in the form of transparent glass walls and shower stalls or bathtubs set in the middle of the bedroom like free-standing sculptures.
photo credit: adselwood

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Travel Stories and News for 4/7/2009

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If you enjoy the tastes and smells of far-away lands, you’ll take great delight in a large-scale wine tasting. Most small wine-shop tastings offer only a few bottles to try and perhaps some cheese and crackers. For a flat rate, a wine expo typically offers you the pick of hundreds of wines. You’ll be able to try pairings of food and wine that are typical of different countries and watch experts discuss the pairings in a live program.

The Boston Wine Expo: January 23-25th, 2009. On its 18th year as a staple in Boston’s cultural experience, The Boston Wine Expo brings its experience to an intense weekend of food, wine, and culture. Keynoted by Gary Vaynerchuk (Wine Library TV.com) with cooking exhibitions from a line-up of PBS cooking legends, this Boston Wine Expo should meet your expectations with a flourish. Saturday tickets start at $85 and you’ll have to steer clear of some seminars that charge an additional fee. Tasting wines from more than 400 wine producers should keep you smiling all day.

The New York Wine Expo: February 27-March 1, 2009. The New York Wine expo offers 600+ wines from more than 170 winemakers from all over the world. With keynotes from Mark Oldman (”Every Day With Rachel Ray”) and Kevin Zraly (Windows On The World Wine School) will inspire your mind and captivate your senses. With tickets starting at $75 USD the New York Wine Expo offers a relatively inexpensive way to expand your palate without dealing with all the jet lag.

The Washington D.C. Wine Expo: February 14-15th, 2009. If you were wondering what to do with your Valentine’s evening, you might consider tasting all 800 wines from more than 200 wineries between bites of complimentary food. Do you think you could remember all 800? With celebrity chefs offering free cooking demonstrations and personal meet-and-greets with wine producers all evening, you’ll be sure to find your $85 well-spent.

All events are 21+ and you must present positive I.D. before making entry to the event.
photo credit: law_keven

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Travel The World For Less: East Coast Wine Expo’s

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Bradt Travel Guides, coming out of Britain, have developed a good repuation for covering the more unusual destinations across the world or more traveled places with a unique viewpoint, and for covering all of these with detailed information and balanced coverage. They’ve been expanding in recent years and in the last few months, a number of new books have been released by Bradt, including these:

• Central and Eastern European Wildlife has been published for the first time and includes everything from the bears and wolves to the many birds you can find in this region
• A guide book to Colombia has been issued by Bradt for the first time, recognizing the resurgence of interest in tourist travel to this country
• São Tomé & Príncipe, the island nation which is Africa’s second-smallest country, gets its first Bradt guide this year
• Antarctica: A Guide to the Wildlife has a new edition which is perfect reading for anyone cruising to Antarctica
• Transylvania, the traditional home of Dracula in Romania, is becoming an increasingly popular destination for tourists and it’s not surprising that Bradt has issued its first edition of this guide this year
• USA By Rail, which Bradt claims is one of the only books exclusively covering US travel by train, has been updated with a new edition including all the current timetable details

photo credit: frielp

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Newest Guide Book Offerings from Bradt

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Postcards used to be every traveler’s favorite way of keeping friends and family updated on their trips with short prose and whimsical “wish you were here!”s. Today, though, the digital ages has threatened postcards with email, social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace, and even travel-themed ecards and digital postcards.

In additional to private forms of digital communication, mass travel blogs like TravelBlog and STA travel have seen huge numbers in recent years. TravelBlog sees 100 new members each day, adding to its already 80,000 strong member base, and STA travel has accumulated 60,000 blog entries in just 3 years. These sites make it easy for travelers to communicate with loved ones and strangers from afar, telling stories of their travels and misadventures.

Despite the proliferation of digital communication, postcards aren’t doing as poorly as one might think. Britain’s Royal Mail processes about 135 million postcards each year, a surprising 30 million increase in three years. In addition, postcards now have a somewhat nostalgic value, and avid travelers, even the armchair kind, like to collect postcards from around the world.

To keep the personal touch to your travels, don’t forget the lonely postcard – it can be a wonderful reminder of your vacations.

photo credit: Laineys Repertoire

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Postcards Struggle to Find Their Place in a Digital Age

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When it comes to vacation ideas, green is the new black. Eco vacations are becoming more and more popular as travelers seek experiences that enable them to get close to nature without leaving a mark.

So what’s an eco vacation and where do you find one?

TIES, The International Ecotourism society, says ecotourism complies with the following principles:

• minimize impact
• build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
• provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
• provide direct financial benefits for conservation
• provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
• raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climate

An eco vacation can be luxurious or spartan. If you’re in the mood for roughing it and hard work besides, take a look at some of these volunteer vacations. But if you’re looking for something a bit less demanding, consider some of these trips.

The Cottages at Spring Hill Farm in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains feature a fully equipped kitchen that you can have stocked for a fee upon arrival. Each cabin has a private drive, a fireplace, custom-built beds and a deck with hot tub. The six cabins on this 92-acre nature preserve were made from reclaimed lumber. Spa treatments are available in your cabin and guests can order a three-course dinner to be delivered to the cabin.

Bison Quest Sanctuary and Spa at Wild Echo Bison Reserve in Montana is all inclusive. The experience, booked for only one private group at a time, includes spa treatments and a variety of activities from studying the bison up close with the Reserve’s staff biologists to whitewater rafting to horseback riding. Or you can just relax with a sauna in a sweat lodge. Guests stay in cabins with their own baths or Native American tipi. The facility is off the grid; electricity comes from solar and wind power and low-water composting toilets are used.

At Pacuare Jungle Lodge in Costa Rica guests sleep in thatched roof bungalows with a private bathroom and shower. The lodge, deep in the heart of the Costa Rican rainforest, practices sustainable tourism. There is no electricity. Guests are provided with candles for their bungalows, and the main lodge is lit with gas lanterns at night. Activities include guided tours of the rainforest or a visit with the nearby Cabecar Indians. Combo packages include side trips to the Tortuguero Lagoons and Canals; Caño Island. Costa Rica’s best spot for diving; or he hot springs at Ecotermales del Bosque.

Sleep in a treehouse at the Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge in Dominica. Cabins are also available and arrangements can be made to stay with a local family. Eco workshops are among the activities offered, in addition to hiking through the rainforest, lazing in a hammock or getting a massage. There is a restaurant and bar as well as a communal kitchen where guests can do their own cooking. Light is powered by a wind turbine, and water is supplied through the use of collected rainwater. We also offer a range of nature, adventure and community eco tourism services, facilities and activities to suit all.

Mystic Blue offers eco friendly sailing tours of the Greek Isles. Biologist Dr. Panayiotis Pafilis leads two tours that explore the area’s wildlife. Each night of the tour, you’ll sleep on a different island.

photo credit: ^riza^

Maho Camps and Estate Concordia offer a range of accommodations on two resorts on St. John in the US Virgin Islands from private apartments to tent cottages connected by wooden walkways. Each tent has a separate sleeping area with twin beds and an extra mattress behind the sleeping-couch in the living area. Bed linens, blankets, towels, cooking and eating utensils are all provided, including propane stove and ice cooler. Every tent-cottage has its own private deck, electric outlets, lights and fans. Barbecue areas and fresh water are available. Nearby bathhouses are equipped with modern, low-flush toilets and pull-chain showers connected to a recycling system that irrigates the surrounding vegetation.

The Mountain Trail resort in Mukteshwar, India is nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. Guests can go on guided nature walks, go rock climbing or bird watching, or take yoga and classes, among other activities. The eco friendly resort is built to blend in with nature. There are 10 double rooms and two quadruple rooms–all with Western-style bathrooms–available.

North Island in the Seychelles is a luxury resort of 11 guest villas located on a once-deserted island with four beaches. The resort has a full-service spa and a restaurant with no menu. Instead, the chef interviews the guests, finds out their food preferences and designs meals accordingly. Each villa is self-contained, with a bedroom, writing and changing area and a marble bath. The resort’s owners bought the deserted island and implemented the “Noah’s Ark” concept, which endeavors to turn back the island’s environmental clock 200 years by reintroducing many critically endangered species slowly over time.

The Web provides a number of resources for travelers looking for eco vacations:

• Eco Tropical Resorts has listings for resorts in every continent but Antarctica.
• Ecotours lists eco travel agents, tour operators and eco resorts throughout the world.
• TIES has a searchable database of tour operators, travel agents and hotels and resorts that have been approved by the organization.
• Green Travel Hub allows you to buy carbon offsets and find hybrid car rentals in addition to providing a list of green hotels.
• Green Globe member hotels and resorts are committed to sustainable tourism.

photo credit: muha…

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Eco Vacations For Everyone

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The 95th Tour de France starts July 5. This year the tour will begin in Brittany where the tour has started six times before. Choosing the route, which alters every year, begins three years in advance and must take several factors into account:

• International regulations: Rules stipulate that the course not exceed 3,500 kilometers spread over 21 days with two days of compulsory rest. Also, the individual stages can only exceed 225 kilometers twice.
• Balance: The first week should include several flat stages before the riders take on the high mountain stages in the Alps and Pyrenees and two days need to be reserved for time trials.
• Equity: The race should pass through as many the regions of France as is possible. So far, the only area that has never hosted the Tour is the island of Corsica.

Here’s a look at the towns on the this year’s tour.

Brest to Plumelec

photo credit: jmt-29

Situated on a Roman site along the River Penfield, the Germans turned this port city into a submarine base during World War II. The city was under siege for six weeks after the Allied Landing and all but three of its buildings were destroyed before the Germans gave up. Compensation payments from the West German government helped rebuild the town, which is now a major port with two harbors: one for naval shipping and the second for commercial shipping. Brest is home to Océanopolis, a marine park.

Auray to Saint-Brieuc

photo credit: Tc7

Auray is best known for the medieval harbor of Saint-Goustan, a stretch of 15th and 16th Century buildings along the River Loch. Auray was the site of a 1364 battle of the Hundred Years War between Jean de Montfort and Charles de Blois.

Saint-Brieuc is named after St. Briocus, a Welsh monk, who established an oratory there in the 6th century. It is situated between the ravines of the Gouët River and its tributary the Gouëdic, near Saint-Brieuc Bay on the English Channel. A major fishing center, the city is the capital of the Côtes-d’Armor region of Brittany.

Saint-Malo to Nantes

photo credit: Damouns

Another city named after a Welsh monk, this one called Mac Low who came to the area in the 6th Century. France’s largest marina is known as the Corsair City after the French privateers who wreaked havoc on British shipping during the 18th Century. Jacques Cartier, who discovered Canada, lived in and sailed from Saint-Malo.

photo credit: hyldrios

Nantes, the sixth-largest city in France, is situated at the junction of the Loire, Erdre and Sèvre rivers. During the 18th Century, Nantes was France’s busiest port thanks to its role in the slave trade. Nantes, which has been occupied since Roman times, was named France’s greenest city in 2003.

Cholet to Châteauroux

photo credit: Stéfan
Cholet, on the right bank of the River Moine Pays de Loire district, is famous for its Japanese gardens– the largest in Europe, which were established between 1899-1913.

The region is also infamous for its association with Bluebeard, whose castle Chateau Tiffauges is located here. Gilles de Rais was a 15th Century nobleman who fought with Joan of Arc; he also kidnapped, tortured and murdered hundreds of young boys. The château ruins cover seven acres within defensive walls.

Chataeuroux is the birthplace of actor Gérard Depardieu. The city takes its name from a castle built in the 10th Century by Raoul, prince of Déols.

Aigurande to Super-Besse Sancy

photo credit: Panoramas

Fifty kilometers from Chataeuroux is Aigurande, the next stop on the tour. Aigurande has a population of fewer than 2,000. The town’s historic buildings and cobblestone streets are very well preserved.

Super-Besse, a ski resort located between 1.350 and 1,850 meters altitude in the Sancy mountains,
boasts 45 kilometers of ski slopes.

Brioude to Aurillac

photo credit: anne lazarevitch

Brioude, located on the banks of the Allier river is renowned for its 12th Century Romanesque church, the Basilica of St. Julien. The church contains the tomb of St. Julien and has been a sacred spot since the 4th Century.

Aurillac, the umbrella capital of France, is the provincial capital of the Cantal. The town lies on the west side of the Monts du Cantal range.

Figeac to Toulouse

photo credit: edem56

The town center of Figeac doesn’t look much different from the way it did in the 13th Century. Figeac has been a settled community since the 9th Century when it was a way station for pilgrims. Later in the Middle Ages it became an important trading center. Figeac is also the birthplace of Jean-François Champollion, the man who deciphered the Rosetta Stone.

photo credit: ktylerconk

Known as La Ville Rose for the color of the bricks on its ancient facades, Toulouse is France’s fourth largest city. The city, which has been occupied for 2,000 years, was an important outpost of the Roman Empire and later served as capitol of the Visigoths. Toulouse was central to the development of the troubadours, the medieval poet-musicians who are credited with inventing modern European literature and giving us the concepts of chivalry and courtly love.

While the cyclists won’t have much time to look around, visitors to the city should really take the time to see some of Toulouse’s important monuments.

• Basilique St-Sernin: Charlemagne himself donated relics to this Romanesque church, considered to be the biggest in the western world.
• Le Cloitre des Jacobims: Founded in the XIIIth and XIVth centuries, this complex of brick buildings is a fine example of Languedoc Gothic art.
• Saint-Etienne Cathedral: A mishmash of architectural styles spanning the 500 plus years it took to build
• The Capitole: A neoclassical masterpiece of pink brick with pink marble columns.

Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre

photo credit: anne lazarevitch

Bagnères-de-Bigorre, located near the Spanish border in the Haute-Pyrénées, is home to a hot spring where the wealthy have gone to take the waters since Roman times. The area lost some of its luster after World War II, but a luxury spa that opened in 2003 continues the tradition of pampering that the town is known for.

Situated within the Pyrenees national park, Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a great place for sports and outdoor activities. There’s excellent skiing nearby in the winter. White water sports, hiking trails and golf courses are available for the rest of the year.

Pau to Hautacam

photo credit: kafeole

Located less than an hour’s drive from the Spanish border, Pau has hosted the tour 61 times before this year. The City of a Thousand Palm Trees is famous for its Boulevard des Pyrénées, a grand avenue through the center of town with buildings on one side and a spectacular view of the Pyrénées on the other. In the 19th Century, Pau became a magnet for British tourists who were responsible for the creating continental Europe’s first golf course in the area in 1860.

Hautacam is a ski resort near the thermal spa of Argeles Gazost.

Lannemezan to Foix

photo credit: jqmj

Best known for its three-towered castle, which sits on a crag overlooking the medieval town, Foix has been occupied since Roman times. The village also contains the 2th Century Church of St. Volusien and a number of hal-timbered 16th Century buildings. Lannemezan is a small market town nestled on a plateau in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Lavelanet to Narbonne

photo credit: Joel Mann

Situated in Cathar country at the foot of Montsegur castle, Lavelanet stands alongside the Touyre river, where the three valleys meet. It’s a small village whose primary industry is cloth making.

Narbonne was built by the Romans as a trading post along the newly constructed Via Dolmitia, making it the first Roman city outside of Italy. Narbo, as the Roman called it, grew to become the capital of the Roman province of Narbonensis and one of the most important cities in Gaul.

The St. Just and St. Pasteur Cathedral, known also as the Narbonne Cathedral, is one of the city’s most interesting sites. Although the first stone was laid in 1272, the building remains unfinished–partly because town fathers refused to tear down part of the town’s wall to finish the project.

Narbonne was a center of Jewish learning in the 11th and 12 centuries, principally for is contribution to the study of Kaballah. Jews had been living in Narbonne since the 5th Century.

Nîmes to Digne-les-Bains

photo credit: Fr Antunes

The focal point of the city is its 1st-Century Roman arena, known as Les Arènes. One of the world’s best-preserved Roman arenas, Les Arènes can seat 20,000. These days spectators head to the arena for the bullfights. Nîmes is the biggest European bullfighting scene outside Spain.

Nimes is also home to the Jardin de la Fontaine, France’s first public garden, which was created in 1750.

photo credit: fxp

Digne-les-Bains is the capital of the lavender trade in Provence. The town’s eight hot springs have been drawing visitors since Roman times; they were mentioned in Pliny the Elder’s Natural History. The waters are supposed to be good for respiratory problems.

Embrun to Prato Nevoso

photo credit: Wolfgang Staudt

Embrun sits on a cliff overlooking the Durance River. A popular spot for outdoor sports enthusiasts, the town’s nickname is “Little Nice of the Alps.” The Italian ski resort of Prato Nevoso will be appearing on the tour for the first time this year, though it has served as a stage for the Giro d’Italia, the second most important stage race in the world.

Cuneo to Jausiers

Cuneo, in Italy’s Piedmont, is located at the foot of the Maritime Alps on the Stura di Demonte river.

The smallest town to hold a Tour de France stage finish, Jausiers in the Ubaye Valley is famous as the birthplace of the Arnaud brothers who founded the town of Arnaudville in Louisiana and later emigrated to Mexico. The brothers became rich in the Americas and their success attracted friends and family from the valley to join them. Many of the emigrants returned to valley and built lavish homes here that became known as the Mexican villas.

L’Alpe-d’Huez

photo credit: FrenchHope

A ski resort, L’Alpe-d’Huez has hosted a stage of the tour 25 times since 1952. It’s the home of tour’s most famous climb, an ascent featuring 21 hairpin turns that’s also known as the Dutch Mountain because a rider from the Netherlands won eight of the stage’s first 14 finishes.

Bourg-d’Oisans to Saint-Étienne

photo credit: Maurice Koop

A vast plain surrounded by sharp cliffs, Bourg-d’Oisans is the main entrance to the wild nature preserve of Ecrins National Park. A cycling mecca, the town sits at the base of the road to Alpe d’Huez,. Tourists wishing to tackle the mountain can ride to the top where the tourist office offers a certificate of official completion.

photo credit: Jean-Pierre Riocreux

A center for the arms industry in the 16th Century, Saint-Étienne is a coal mining center and the one-time capitol of the French bicycle industry. The Church of Saint-Pierre of Firminy, the last project of modernist architect Le Corbusier is located nearby. The church was completed in 2006, 41 years after his death.

Roanne to Montluçon

photo credit: mike 23

Roanne is famous worldwide thanks to its star chefs, the Troisgros family whose restaurant Troisgros earned three Michelin stars. Roanne is also a major mechanical engineering center, where the Leclerc tank was made.

A walk through Montluçon is like a walk back through time. The chateau of the Dukes of Bourbon towers over the medieval city which consists of steep, narrow, streets, 15th and 16th century buildings and numerous fountains. Yet that’s only part of this city’s story. The other side of town houses the city’s rubber and metal processing industries and its mechanical and electrical components factories, which make Montluçon the Auvergne’s second largest industrial center.

Cérilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond

photo credit: C.Alary – expose à La Taverne de Cluny-Paris 5è

Cerilly is notable for its castle and it 11th Century Romanesque church, which is dedicated to Saint Martin. The church is famous for its bell-tower and a 17th century entombment.

Saint-Amand-Montrond comprises three medieval cities: Saint Armand le Chastel, Montrond and Saint Armand sous Montrond. Gold and printing are the city’s major industries.

Étampes to Paris

Photo credit: CJ DUB

A satellite of Paris, Étampes came into existence in the 7th century. It’s known as “Little Venice” because of the many rivers that flow through it. The town has 26 buildings of historic importance including the Tour Guinette, a ruined keep built by Louis VI in the 12th century; Notre-Dame du Fort, which dates from the 11th and 12th centuries; and the 16th Century St Martin with its leaning tower.

photo credit: phillipo

Paris needs no introduction. Here, the riders enter the Champs-Élysées riding up the Rue de Rivoli, on to the Place de La Concorde and then take a right onto the Champs-Élysées. Riders head up toward the Arc de Triomphe, down the Champs-Élysées, round the Tuilerries and the Louvre across the Place de La Concorde back onto the Champs-Élysées.

The tour moved its finish to Paris’ Champs Elysees in 1975 and it has finished there every year since.

photo credit: Brother G

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

A walk through the Tour de France

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So a friend sent me a link to Kiva.com a website that lets you lend money to businesses in developing countries to help them grow their businesses. Please check it out and see if there’s anyway you can help even $25 will make a difference, check out the Kathika Profile.

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Kiva Microlending Website

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GrandLuxe Rail Journeys

Do you want to go on a vacation but want a new and unique experience? Tired of driving or flying to get where you want to go? If you want to see North America in a whole new light while enjoying a fun adventure, consider traveling by train with a trip from GrandLuxe Rail Journeys.

Originally known as American Orient Express, GrandLuxe Rail Journeys has become famous for their luxury, service and dependability. Customers rave about GrandLuxe Rail Journeys. Once you take your first trip with GrandLuxe Railway, you will come back look for even more fun and more adventure.

When you ride with GrandLuxe Rail Journeys, you can choose from itineraries that last between four and ten days. You will be on one of the must luxurious trains in the world and will journey throughout a specified corner of North America. You pick the itinerary that works best for you and interests you the most. Then just let GrandLuxe Rail Journeys do the rest!

Perhaps the best thing about GrandLuxe Rail Journeys vacations is that it’s virtually an all-encompassing adventure. Since you are staying on the train during your trip, you don’t have to find accommodations at each stop. Instead, you sleep aboard the train inside your own private railcar. Each railcar has its own historical feel and is uniquely special. While the railcars have a long history, they’ve been restored and are kept immaculately clean. The result is a virtual luxury hotel suite aboard the GrandLuxe Rail Journeys train.

Interior of the GrandLuxe Railway Car

Not only do you have your own cabin in a railcar to call home, you are also fed during your stay on a GrandLuxe Rail Journeys train. And this isn’t just any food – this is high quality, award winning food. The chefs on board the train do a great job of keeping their customers happily fed.

If the beautiful scenery, spacious living quarters and fine meals aren’t enough, GrandLuxe Rail Journeys also offers entertainment during their adventures. There’s usually a pianist on board for guests to enjoy. Additionally, each adventure also has tour guides who will talk about the areas of North America that you are visiting. Want to know the history of the city you are passing through? GrandLuxe Rail Journeys offers a guide who will know that information and more!

GrandLuxe Rail Journeys takes all the worry and hassle out of traveling. The only thing you need to do is relax and have fun on your adventure. While the train is elegant, casual dress is the norm. In fact, the cabins lack a large amount of storage room, so it’s best to pack lightly. Don’t worry about bringing along your business suit or your evening gown – you won’t need it. Casual clothes aren’t only recommended, they are expected.

The GrandLuxe Rail Journeys are planned so that the weather is to be mild during the adventure. For example, if you are going into an area of North America that experiences a lot of rain, GrandLuxe Rail Journeys plans the trips so it takes place during the dry months. The only thing you might need is a jacket if you pick an itinerary that travels during the winter months.

The price of a GrandLuxe Rail Journeys vacation really depends on the itinerary that you select. Per person, the price can range anywhere from $1,500 to $8,000. Children between the ages of eight and 17 are given a discount. The discount is 50% for a child traveling with two adults and 25% for a child traveling with one adult.

grandelue-rail.jpg

While a GrandLuxe Rail Journeys trip isn’t cheap, it’s well worth the money if you can afford it! You get to travel at up to 80 miles per hour throughout North America while witnessing the breathtaking scenes this continent has to offer. Unlike a regular vacation that you have to plan, GrandLuxe Rail Journey is much more all-inclusive. You don’t have to worry about lodging, food or any extra type of entertainment along the way.

Although the GrandLuxe Rail Journeys company offers a great experience, it’s obviously not for everyone. There a few drawbacks that should be noted before you book your vacation. First of all, children who are younger than eight years old aren’t allowed to take part. Pets are also not allowed on their train. If you are traveling with someone who uses a wheelchair, GrandLuxe Rail Journey isn’t for you. Their train doesn’t accommodate either wheelchair or walkers.

GrandLuxe Rail Journeys also requires a $500 deposit per person. If for any reason you need to cancel, you get only half of your deposit back if you cancel more than 60 days prior to the departure date. If the departure date is in 60 days or less, you lose your entire deposit.

Though the all-inclusive component of a GrandLuxe Rail Journeys vacation is a nice selling point, you should be aware that not everything is included. Airfare back and forth to the departure location, if needed, isn’t included. Travel insurance isn’t included. Also not included are charges for telephone use, fax use, laundry and any extra transportation needed, such as taxicabs.

Liquor also isn’t provided by GrandLuxe Rail Journeys. Additionally, keep in mind that it’s customary to tip the workers while on the train. Tips come out to about $15 per day per passenger. Before you pick your itinerary, be sure to check which meals you will be served. Some itineraries come with more food than others.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

GrandLuxe Rail Journeys

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It’s not too late to make plans to go South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin Texas, but you better hurry. SXSW, founded in 1987, is an annual music and film festival, one of the largest and most-anticipated in the United States. Austin, well-known as home to a diverse mixture of music artists as well as the Texas Music Hall of Fame. Each March over 1400 musicians entertain a crowd of over 100,000 visitors at the Austin Convention Center and venues throughout the city. The 2008 dates are March 7-16.

The Music
A varied array of artists from all over the world are scheduled to perform at the 2008 SXSW. There are rap artists, blues musicians, rock and rollers, and more. For a complete list, visit the event’s Web site.

The Films
Film is another integral part of SXSW. Dozens of independent films are being screened at the festival, many of them world premieres. A complete list of films and times may be found on the festival’s Web site.

Making Plans
If you are thinking of attending the 2008 SXSW, it’s wise to secure your accommodations as soon as possible. The festival maintains an inventory of available area hotels. A few are still open. Registration for the event (which allows unlimited access to all or part of the festival) ranges from $300 to $1050 per person.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Austin’s SXSW

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Trip Advisor, the popular travel Web site, has posted their choices for the top 10 romantic hotels in America. Although I agree with many of their choices, I find it surprising that all they chose nothing east of Phoenix. What about New England? or Miami’s South Beach? or New Orleans’ French Quarter?

Their picks are as follows:
1. Hapana Beach Prince Hotel, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii
2. Post Ranch Inn – Big Sur, California
3. Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Wailea, Hawaii
4. Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Arizona
5. Aloha Pualani Hotel Boutique, Kihei, Hawaii
6. Bellagio, Las Vegas, Nevada
7. Meadowood Napa Valley, St. Helena, California
8. Wai Ola Vacation Paradise on Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii
9. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
10. The Avalon Hotel on Catalina Island, Avalon, California

To read their entire survey of best hotels throughout the world, click here.

(photo via flickr cc)

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Top 10 Romantic Hotels in the United States

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The next time you’re in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Chicago, or Dubai and realize you’ve forgotten your toothbrush again, don’t fret: Flight 001 is there to rescue you. Selling everything from toiletries to fashionable luggage, the store is the brainchild of Brad John and John Sencion.

Designed as a one-stop shop for busy travelers on the go, the idea for Flight 001 (pronounced Flight One) was born in 1998 when John and Sencion were rushing around for a trip to Paris. Frustrated by all the different stops they had to make, the two decided that a store with everything would truly fill a niche.

What began as one store has grown into eight, each designed to look like the interior of an airplane, with curved walls and storage bins that look just like in-flight overhead luggage bins. To create the feel of an international airport lounge, the owners also used walnut paneling.

All Flight 001 products are interesting and not quite run-of-the-mill, offering bright colors, beautiful designs and fun gifts, like magnetic Scrabble and an F-1 Plane Pal Kid Kit. So the next time you find yourself in need, get to a Flight 001 store and buy yourself some color.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Flight 001 offers one-stop shopping for travelers

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Each year in Europe, two cities are named to be the continents Capitals of Culture for the year. It gives sometimes little-known cities the chance to make their name on the world scene – like one of this year’s Capitals, the town of Stavanger in Norway – and others the opportunity to recover a reputation. That’s the case for  the other 2008 Capital of Culture, Liverpool, which wants to return to its musical roots and get past the industrial and welfare problems that it’s perhaps become more famous for.

Last weekend Liverpool officially kicked off its year as a Capital of Culture by welcoming back some of its most famous citizens: most notably, of course, ex-Beatle Ringo Starr came back to perform in the opening concert. Beatles-related tourism is definitely one of Liverpool’s strong points, with museums, tours and memorabilia all being key attractions.

In preparation for the big year – which is also Liverpool’s 800th birthday – the city built a large new arena, and that was the venue for Saturday’s huge “Liverpool the Musical” performance, where Ringo Starr got involved again.

During the rest of the year, all manner of cultural events from exhibitions and concerts through parades and special festivals will take place, so it is definitely a good year to be in Liverpool.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Liverpool’s year of culture begins

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You can almost touch the momentum of travel bloggers around the world as they run with their New Year’s Resolutions to post more and post better:

• For those keen to compare the every day costs at different destinations so you can make the most out of your traveling dollars, try a useful post at Vagablogging on Cost-comparing your destinations
• Gadling has some tips on how to deal with air travel in light of the prediction that things are only going to get worse in 2008: prices will rise, more luggage will get lost and planes will be more crowded
• Along the lines of secret Wurst recipes and champagne being a drink that only comes from a particular region of France, the United Kingdom is considering ways to protect whisky, according to a report at Vagabondish.
• The brave travelers at Brave New Traveler posted an interesting read on surviving dangerous border crossings with some helpful tips for any tricky passport control situation
• At Perceptive Travel, there’s a great piece on traveling with children which seems to decide that it’s really not as hard as all those checklists and warnings make it out to be
• And because I love an animal story, I also got a good laugh out of reading GoNomad’s tales of feeding a hippo in South Africa

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Best of Travel Blogs: Crossing Borders, Saving Whisky and Feeding Hippos

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Nothing can sour a flight like a child kicking the back of your seat, a stranger falling asleep on your shoulder, or a loud and drunk passenger regaling the entire plane with stories only she finds funny. Flying is frustrating, at best, and passengers without manners only make it worse. Thankfully, Delta’s finally supplied us with Miss Manners for Flying.

The Atlanta-based airline has developed “Planeguage: The language of traveling by plane,” a series of 25 videos that mix humor with basic airline etiquette. Episodes detail passengers we know all too well, like Kidtastrophe, which depicts the crying, whiny children whose parents do nothing to discipline them.

Delta has created these comedic shorts to help reinforce what we already know: things like:

• Remember to close your shade when the movie comes on, regardless of whether you’re watching.
• Politely ask your seat mates to let you out, instead of merely standing and expecting them to move.
• Cover your mouth when you cough and turn your head away when you sneeze.

These things seem so logical on ground, but we often forget when we’re in mid air and frustrate those around us. Planeguage might be just the friendly reminder we all need.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Planeguage: Etiquette for fliers

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MSNBC reports on the eight changes for travelers to expect this year:

• Convenience fees: You often pay them for event tickets, and now you must prepare to pay “convenience” fees to book hotel rooms, specific car rentals, and many other travel options.
• Energy surcharges: Last year, we paid extra for plane tickets, shipping, and more services, but this year, you can look forward to paying energy surcharges on things not even related to crude oil, like hotels and cruises.
• More expensive rental cars: American Express predicts that car rental prices will increase between 2 and 4 percent this year. Though it doesn’t sound like much, the increase, in addition to car companies’ famous ability to upsell their customers, will cause you to pay a lot more than you used to for your rental car.
• Traffic, traffic, traffic: Traffic got increasingly worse in 2007, and 2008 will likely be the same. To avoid this irksome problem, take public transport or, if you have to take a car, carpool so that there are less cars on the road.
• Extra cruise fees: Next time you take a cruise, you may find that the surcharges have really racked up, fuel surcharges in particular.
• Hotels are a seller’s market: Room rates will increase about 6 percent this year that increase, combined with high occupancy rates, means that your chosen hotel won’t need you as much as you need it. If they can get away with extra charges, some will, so be prepared.
• Airlines may not treat you well: If the Passenger Bill of Rights gets passed, it will be one with weaker language and, therefore, weaker rules over the airlines. The fact of the matter is that you can’t do anything about it, so we’ll just have to grin and bear the continued mistreatment.
• Broken promises: Though travel experts might make some pretty promises, don’t fool yourself into thinking that they’ll all come true. Keeping your ears open and reading all opinions on future mergers and consolidations is the only way to assure that you know what’s really going on.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

New travel fees for 2008

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After wading through a million posts about New Year’s Resolutions (and making a few of my own), I did still find some interesting posts to come out of the land of travel blogs this week:

• Gridskipper’s great urban reporting continues with a typically informative post on options for getting a haircut if you find yourself bedraggled and in need of a lift while on vacation in New York: Hipster Haircuts in Williamsburg
• At Budget Travel’s This Just In blog you can get check out where you can see a Terracotta Warriors exhibition in the United States this year
• If you’re sometimes worried by the wildlife when you travel, you might want to check out Gadling’s post on When Monkeys Attack – it’s a great collection of videos and commentary about those moments when monkeys become not quite so cute
• At Towers and Tarmacs (what a great name for a blog), you can read a succinct post on the best and worst US airports for 2007, as voted in Travel + Leisure
• You can turn your travel plans into a crusade to save the word – philosophically speaking at least – if you scan Brave New Traveler’s interesting piece called How Travel Will Save the World
• And if you’re interested in combining traveling with writing, the Write To Travel Blog had a great round-up of Top Posts for Travel Writers

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Best of Travel Blogs: Monkeys Attack and Terracotta Warriors Visit

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Some travelers are addicted to checking TripAdvisor before they book a hotel room anywhere, and it’s true that if there are a number of guest reviews for the hotel on the site, you can often get a good insight into what you might expect there. Some believe it’s full of fake reviews that you can’t trust, and others just follow whatever their guide book or travel agent recommend.

But whatever your personal opinion on the validity of TripAdvisor, you’ll have to agree that there are sometimes some hilarious and ridiculous reviews up there! Recently TripAdvisor released its 10 Funniest Traveler Comments of 2007. And while some of them seemed more of the standard of those suspicious fake reviews, a few genuine comments did make me laugh, including these ones:

• Some guests get off track and complain about the streets around the hotel, which is usually not something the hotel can control: “The neighborhood is filled with aggressive mimes, including one sitting on a toilet bowl (how creative).”
• And some guests are more than honest about their negative opinions – there’s no mistaking this guest’s anger: “Sleeping in the street during a blizzard would be better than staying at this hell-hole. The place should be imploded.”
• And other guests take the chance of posting a review on TripAdvisor as a time to get all poetic: “I echo the sentiments of the previous reviewer. The ambience is lacking to be sure, but the food is like angels copulating on your tongue.”

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

TripAdvisor Review Comments Both Weird and Hilarious

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