Tagged With "Forbidden City"

Actually, I think the banks have a fairly minimal (as small as I can make it) impact on my currency transactions, in part because I never deal with exchanges; I use bank ATMs. That way, the exchange takes place not on my account, but as an interbank transaction at the base rate banks use with each other. I used to use my ATM card from Citibank, but eventually they began charging a 3% foreign exchange fee even on withdrawals. At that point, I opened an account with Charles Schwab, a brokerage...

Interesting your comparison to Versailles, on size (which omits the gardens, of course). The comparison that came to my mind was Topkapi, in Istanbul, where a series of courtyards encloses a huge space, with increasingly restricted access to each. In the first courtyard there were troops, palace services and more; the second was restricted to government officials and prominent visitors, in the third only the highest officials of the Sultan and in the last, only the family and its servants.

That's a fascinating visit, Jonathan, thanks for sharing it. I can easily see where you'd have wanted a full day to explore the amazing architecture of the place -- and everything else!

For some of us, credit cards are more than a convenient way to pay—they are the lifeline to free travel through loyalty programs. Between points for purchases and bonuses for opening or upgrading credit card accounts, it's possible to get quite...

Recently PHeymont wrote a nice article on how to pay for things while traveling abroad which I'd recommend you familiarize yourself with (click  here ) before reading the rest of this blog post.  I largely agree with what he posted, but...

Up, up and away—quickly! That’s the goal for many frequent fliers, and a current round of cards for various airlines is offering some big bonuses to meet that goal…some of them enough for a round-trip to Europe in one shot. Right...

Here is the thing about The Forbidden City. It is unlike the European castles that I have visited, which can pack more opulence in a square foot than the eye can take in. What is truly overwhelming is the way that open space and size has been used.