Tagged With "Port Said"
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Re: Hamburg concert hall: Overdue, Over Budget, Finished
The German government were offering Hamburg as a suitable venue for the Olympic Games. The good people of Hamburg have said they no longer trust developers and politicians. No thank you. I find the new Concert Hall to be a monster on stilts. Not a pleasant view from any angle.
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Re: Carnival opens 'social impact' program to all
"First, you must cross my palm with silver" - as the fortune teller said. Am I just getting cynical ?
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Re: April 8, 2020: Standley Lake Regional Park, Colorado
Thank you DrFumbleFinger. This whole no travel thing is making me insane, l We've missed two trips already, one because of sickness over Valentines Day and one one because of this irritating virus issue. We also have two more (2+ week road trip through 11 states for our anniversary, and a trip to Atlanta for a convention) before the end of June that will prob not happen. Just so frustrating. I am also worried about a trip to AZ in Sept, NH, VT, and ME in Oct and CA in Nov. Not knowing when...
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Re: Arriving in Venice, 1960
Almost a Big Mistake in Venice. I remember taking my daughter to Venice for her birthday then buying a $750 ring for her in one of the jewelry stores. The owner told me I could get the tax refunded from the government and he said it would be about $700. I said that is almost the entire price of the ring, then he told me the ring was $7,500 because I converted the Lira wrongly on my calculator due to many Lira zeroes with that currency. She did get a ring but not that one.
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Re: 12 Countries ask vouchers instead of refunds
I have said it before and certainly have not changed my mind: why do airlines think they are above the law? There are plenty of other businesses suffering severely at present, but they do not have the option of hanging on to their customers' cash to keep themselves afloat. The way in which airlines have behaved over this issue is simply disgraceful and will have done nothing to engender goodwill amongst their customers. Indeed, many might - at a stroke - have destroyed the benefits of their...
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Re: France: Cameras are watching more than speed
Well said. I've always thought that aggressive driving is more dangerous than speeding...especially in areas where the limit is set too low.
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Re: EU Parliament Ends Cell Phone Roaming Charges in 2017
Yes, it will apply to prepaid plans, which many Europeans as well as visitors use, but it's not as happily absolute as some of the celebrators make it sound. The final June 2017 step depends on a reform of the European wholesale roaming market in which carriers pay each other for roaming use, and is also subject to limits for those who roam "too much." Here's a quote from one of the Parliament members who was a leading proponent of the law (which also originally included provisions for net...
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Re: What's the Best City in the World to Eat in?
I won't claim any city to be the best in the world—at least not until I have time to visit them all! I'm always skeptical anyway about "the best" "the most" and so forth. That said, I'll also add that the best is not always the most expensive or famous. And I'm pleased to see that he's not pushing posh places, but rather inexpensive curry houses and a 24-hour cafe. His point seems to be that London is the best city to eat in because it is, his opinion, the best city to BE in. So, I'll...
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Re: Where Gumbo Was #12. Brasov, Romania
Hey , i'm so happy that you made this blog about Brasov, my city , happy that someone figure it about and posted the right answer about the puzzle. Everything said here is true, and to add more info about this destination, remind that The Black Church is the most photographied attraction in Romania, and right behind it with Dracula Bran Castle.
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Re: Where Gumbo Was #12. Brasov, Romania
I'm not sure whether it is a case of shifting borders, or of seeking publicity, but Lugosi's official biography said Transylvania...but can you trust Hollywood? Hmmm....
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Re: Crashing the geocache
guten abend, Janine - That is reassuring. Thanks so much ! He had also been wondering about how to use his mobile in Europe. No problem downloading some apps - too many ! - while in the uS. I think his buddies said that they have GPS on their devices. So the dogs are really good at finding the geocaches ? Our dog only finds old shoes and icky trash. I was in Germany in my college days and loved it. They say a lot has changed. The food and the beer is probably better than ever, though. Thanks...
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Re: Suggestions wanted: Andalusia
I should have said, but no: no car...although I did consider taking one for a day, for the Jerez excursion. Sounds more and more, though, like we'll have to plan on returning to Andalusia another time...
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Re: See Them While You Can: 10 Wins for Historic Preservation
PM (and anyone else I misled)...I went back and found the link that said "Around the World" on their page was actually another link to the same domestic 10. I've edited the reference out of the clip above. Too bad...I was looking forward to reading it...
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Re: "Mind Your Manners!" VisitBritain Warns Hoteliers
TatToo. I cant find any trace either. Could this be another invented story ? I love TravelGumbo because it sends me an Email as soon as some one adds new words to a Post. It tells me what they said too. Then the contributor removes it because they had second thoughts. But the Joke is still in the Email !! Thanks MrX
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Re: Lawrence and the Pirates
Thanks for letting me as close as I'll probably get to the tramp steamer fantasy so many of us grew up with--and which is now, apparently, more civilized than in the fantasies...but still with an edge of danger.
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Re: Lawrence and the Pirates
Great piece and great photos!That way of travel appeals to me a lot more than a luxury cruise ship. Thanks for taking us along the adventure.
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Re: Lawrence and the Pirates
That's an amazing story! I love that scene from Lawrence Of Arabia and can see why it'd make you wanna go.
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Re: Lawrence and the Pirates
Thats a fantastic perspective and life experience. Thanks for sharing that with us.
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Re: Lawrence and the Pirates
A sad addendum, "our" Lawrence, Peter O'Toole, has died in London at the age of 81. One of my very favorites for all time, the movie and the actor. RIP "Orence".
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Re: Lawrence and the Pirates
CNN highlighted Lawrence of Arabia as one of the most influential travel films of all time. Anyone who's seen it will know why. Here's a link to their brief tribute to Mr. O'Toole.
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Re: It's not snow: silvery cholla cactus, backlit, Christmas Day in Green Valley, AZ
I bet your friend said to use "fish nose" plyers. The same kind you use to get a deeply swallowed hook out of a fish.
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Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
I'm personally acquainted with one of Brunel's railway bridges, the Gatehampton Bridge over the Thames in Berkshire, England. I was advised by my Thames Path guidebook that I was approaching it. There was a strategically placed bench in a meadow where I sat, had a snack and looked at it from a distance for a bit before walking under it. Not at all knowledgeable, or even much interested, in bridges I tried to get at least a glimpse of what the guide meant when it said "one of Brunel's Great...
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Re: How'd We Live Without Travel Apps?
A lot to be said for what might be the ultimate travel app category: Maps and GPS. I know people have their favorites (Google's not the only one, according to my wife...) but almost everyone uses some version on their phone or tablet. Another good one is local transit. Most big cities have a route-finder on their transit site, but you have to find it. But Google Maps and HopStop and some others have transit info for most big cities. One downside: Apple is as bad as Google about business;...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 2, 2014
After being married for 40 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said, "Forty years ago we had a cheap house, a junk car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10-inch black and white TV, but I got to sleep with a hot 20-year-old girl every night. Now, I have a £500,000 home, a £45,000 car, a nice big bed and a large screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 60-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of things." My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me...
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Re: Classic American Cars #5
I posted on the linked page instead of here. I agree with GarryRF and said much the same thing.
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Wow, this is turning into a real education!! I checked with my uncle and yes, I can fly Chicago to Manchester and return from either London or Paris to Chicago. The ticket is free to him and he said he would cover any fees as a "graduation gift to me" (he's a pretty cool dude!), but I don't want to burden him with a heavy departure fee, so maybe Paris would be the way to go. I'd like to leave about Friday, May 9th and return 4 weeks later, June 6th. A few days later and returning a few days...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hank, While you're in London you can get a Coach (Bus) Tour that will show you Stonehenge and Bath and The Cotswold Villages - very pretty and very old. Leeds Castle (not in Leeds, close to London). Stonehenge is not an overnight stop - remember what I said about distances in the UK being smaller? If you need to fill a gap take the Train (or Bus) to York. Very old - lots of History and a Museum that will take you back 150 years walking the streets of Victorian England. Go into Old Shops and...
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Re: Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print
I told Pauline Frommer that I was disappointed with the Frommers' England Guide. She said I'd be Happy with the new Frommers' London (not England) so I wait with baited breath for a read of the new issue.
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Re: Traveling for Local Food
I took a look and it looks like just what I need. I can even use the info to plan our route. I had my mom look at it, too, and she said it reminds her of when she was a kid and my granddad had a book called Duncan Hines that had local places all over. I wonder if that's the same Duncan Hines as the cake mix?
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
Thanks for your comments, Garry! We actually had very nice weather during our visit, GarryRF. It was windy and rainy at times, but being from Canada that was no great hardship. Still, good for people to be forewarned and prepared. Always pack in layers and let one layer be a rain shell. It was one of your fellow countryman who said, "There's no bad weather, just bad clothing" or something to that affect, but I can't remember who that was. Didn't try the "moonshine" (no one offered!), but my...
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Re: Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print
Like GarryRF, I'd rather be in wide open places. But that said, I do love snippets of big cities. A week at a time is about enough to satisfy my need for hustle and bustle for awhile. I know others can't live without the constant adrenaline rush of a city. The beauty of a free world is that everyone can pick what they want.
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Re: Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print
Beautiful Rideau Lakes In Ontario Canada - and me living in borrowed clothes to enjoy it ! ...and that's me on the balcony looking out ! I said I liked Cold but that Canadian Cold is so cruel !!
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hi guys, hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. It was good to be with my family again. Visiting and catching up with everyone took longer than I'd thought, but did do a little research into the trip and came out with this plan. Basically, with GarryRF's advice, I think I'll focus my time in the north to save money cause my budget is limited. After that I'll finish my vacation in London and Paris. I need to find places to stay but more important now just to frame the trip. The details I...
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Re: Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at TravelGumbo!
Yes DrF.... Those Ozzies have some strange habits ! First time in Coogee Bay Hotel Sydney I ordered Steak and Chips (Fries) Guy showed me a Tupperware Picnic Box full of raw steak. You choose, then he puts it on a plate for you. You take it outside to the "Barbee" (BBQ). You cook it how you like it. Then come back in for your Chips and salad ! I stopped at a Restaurant in Bondi Beach and the waiter asked me if I would like a bottle of wine with the meal. "Yes please" I said. "Well git ya...
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Re: The Tulou of Fujian Province
Amazing!! As you said, ahead of the crowd.....what an adventure!
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Re: The Tulou of Fujian Province
I'm amazed at seeing this. At first I was thinking, well, communal dwelling, sort of like pueblos, and then I realized that this is much bigger, since you said there are hundreds of these. Do you know if they are in other areas of China, too? Are people still building like that now?
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Re: Whom did you say was flying this plane?
Boeing is really big up here in Seattle. I know they make great planes. But like FlashFlyer said, things can go really wrong and I'd just feel better knowing there's someone in the cockpit besides a robot.
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Re: Do you Like these Hotel Tipping Tips ?
Before I retired, I traveled quite a bit on business, both inside the U.S. and abroad. I still travel frequently to racing and club events, but almost all are in the U.S. or Canada. That said, here’s my take on tipping: Restaurants – According to the sources I checked, in the U.S. the Federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13. Most states have set higher amounts, but food service workers are still generally paid much lower wages that other ‘minimum wage’ employees. Unless the...
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Re: Do you Like these Hotel Tipping Tips ?
I certainly understand GarryRF's comments completely. A guest has a right to expect a good quality meal with good service. That should be part of the dining experience. That said, because I was raised and have lived in Canada/USA my life, I have a sensitivity to food service employees not being paid well and being stressed by their employers. So I tend to follow Dave B's guidelines (thanks for outlining these, Dave!) If I see a waitress is trying hard, I'll leave the 15% tip (and don't come...
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Re: Is trip cancellation insurance really worth it?
My elderly mother bought it when she went on a cruise. For her, it made sense because her health is not so good. She might have had to cancel and did not want to lose her deposit. The policy that she bought was specifically for trip cancellation but did not cover health issues or other unexpected issues during the trip. That policy would have covered a deposit refund but not all of them do. There are lots of different types of trip insurance so one has to ask lots of questions. As it turns...
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Re: Share Your Budget Tablet and Laptop Picks
Lime green! They'd have to pay me to take that one. Must be selling, though--when I looked it said there were only 6 left!
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Re: Share Your Budget Tablet and Laptop Picks
I noticed that there's a whole new iPad model out, and the article said a lot of the people looking to buy right away were people who keep trading up. So, if they're trading in last week's model, do you have any idea where's a good place to buy good used ones? It might be as cheap as the new ones here, if they're OK
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #22
If you hadn't said it was natural, I would have imagined it at night, with cartoon monsters and an even light glowing from within Skull Rock...
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Re: When Debit and Credit Cards aren't your best traveling choices
I've been places where it was not possible to use a credit card much of the time, even when I was told that I could, by the very people who then returned and said, sorry, not working, cash please. But Burma was the only place I can recall that was, when I was there a year+ ago, 100% cash. It's changing now, even there, I've heard. So this has been very interesting, reading about Argentina. Who'da thought?
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Re: Birmingham's Greatest Buildings
I enjoyed Birmingham's architecture a lot, it has changed and it is still changing in a pleasant way. Unfortunately many British people are stuck to the old image of other UK cities, the same can be said for other cities such as Manchester or Leeds. They are totally underestimated because people think they still are those kind of purely industrial minor cities devoted to production but it's not like this anymore. A weekend or day trip is enough to make you change your mind
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Re: 20-year anniversary for 'Stolpersteine' memorials
I found them very thoughtful and moving memorials. By placing them in the pavement, people keep polishing them with their feet. As I've said before, there's no people I know that have faced the crimes of their past generations the way today's Germans face their Nazi infamy.
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Re: February 28, 2018: Ait-Ben-Haddou, Morocco
As I said, quite a few films were shot here. Wikipedia has a list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...t_A%C3%AFt_Benhaddou Ouarzazate is the centre of Morocco's film industry. We actually visited one of the studios - but Ait-Ben-Haddou is far more interesting.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Aug. 2, 2015: Uncertain times
My family and I love this section of Berlin. Great pictures. You were there on a beautiful day. And by the way, this is where Reiner (of the Finding Reiner series) drank a beer in Zum Nussbaum, the oldest bar in Berlin (or so he said), before he was doomed to face the Russian Front.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, September 11, 2015: The Black Death!
I haven't a picture, but I did see a sign in the subway once that warned of a $25 fine for tampering with the sign. And that's all it said...
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Re: Welcome to The Golden State.
Later today, after I'd posted this photo, I was watching the local 6:00 news, Sacramento. A fire had started in Lincoln, NE of Sacramento, a yard full of trucks engulfed and spreading into grass, moving toward a subdivision. A spotter plane left the Grass Valley Base, flew over my house and I looked to see what it was. About 10 minutes later the news helicopter showed it arriving low over the fire to inspect it. I went out again to watch the next plane, a retardant tanker, possibly the one...