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Chinese gardens are nice also, the parks are generally empty in Singapore, as everyone is busy SHOPPING.
I stay in the 70 story Swisshotel downtown during the week, and the ShangriLa (near gardens) on weekends. Swimming 50 laps on your back and looking up at the lights of the 70 story hotel (from 8th story pool) is a nice relaxing evening activity. (great poolside atmosphere too)
A lot of Switzerland, Austria, and Bavarian regions of Germany are very much better than expectation. Spending Christmas at a 'house-party' in a castle on the Scotland / England border was delightful, especially the 'frosty' sheep in foggy meadows on cold mornings, while sipping some warm tea or cocoa in front of the crackling fire. (of course the room was not too warm!)
I was very surprised by Solvang, CA. Simply because I didn't know about it beforehand and was just looking for a place to spend the night in the area when this little cute fairy tale unfolded before my eyes!
Palm Springs was a surprise, too. Had somebody told me this road looking like road to nowhere would end up in a pretty pleasant place, I wouldn't believe him.
We traveled to New Zealand in September of 09' for a one week trip. I cannot say enough positive about this country and the people who live there.
First of all, EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING was actually included in the price we paid for the vacation through Air New Zealand. Unlike America and many other countries, New Zealanders still believe firmly in discounts for children. So we learned to our pleasure that everything was discounted for a ten year old right down to the price of an airline seat.
Second, service people in New Zealand are quick, helpful, and efficient. They do not expect a tip for what they do. This includes waiters and cab drivers. Tipping is discouraged in New Zealand, yet the basic needs of these service employees are met by guaranteed minimum wages for the labor they perform.
Third, since the recession, the country is not crowded with travelers so they appreciate the ones who come.
Fourth, New Zealand has some of the most beautiful scenery in this world. The beaches literally shine. The country seems almost devoid of air and water pollution. Garbage is routinely picked up off the streets early in the morning before tourists come out.
Five, the variety of activities on the trip made it lots of fun. We were able to ride horses on the beach, drive in a bus along a beach (not a road) for about sixty miles, slide down steep sand dunes on a piece of cardboard, hike, meet Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, and Britons, and dig for clams.
Its a great place to visit and there are lots of deals right now.
Every place my car ever broke down always turned out to be a surprisingly nice place. That would include Ukiah CA, Elkins WV, Pekin IL, Brunswick GA, Providence RI, Syracuse NY, Acaponeta, Mexico. In every instance, local repair shops bent over backwards to get my car fixed and on the road at a fair price (or free). All of them were actually memorable experiences.
In Providence, almost midnight, stopping for gas, and battery was dead. The young station attendant secured my car, took me and my family to his apartment, put us up overnight, got up the next morning, his wife made breakfast, he took us to a garage, got the car fixed, and sent us on our way. Similar stories at the rest of the places.
Everywhere that you need help always turns out to be nice, because someone always does.
In Sona, Panama, my wife stumbled and fell in the street, and dislocated her elbow. A taxi driver a half block away, saw what happened, rushed over, put us in his cab, and drove us to the hospital. He refused to accept payment. He explained "At times like this, I am not a taxi driver, I am a neighbor".
We traveled to New Zealand in September of 09' for a one week trip. I cannot say enough positive about this country and the people who live there.
Second, service people in New Zealand are quick, helpful, and efficient. They do not expect a tip for what they do. This includes waiters and cab drivers. Tipping is discouraged in New Zealand, yet the basic needs of these service employees are met by guaranteed minimum wages for the labor they perform.
Third, since the recession, the country is not crowded with travelers so they appreciate the ones who come.
Fourth, New Zealand has some of the most beautiful scenery in this world. The beaches literally shine. The country seems almost devoid of air and water pollution. Garbage is routinely picked up off the streets early in the morning before tourists come out.
Five, the variety of activities on the trip made it lots of fun. We were able to ride horses on the beach, drive in a bus along a beach (not a road) for about sixty miles, slide down steep sand dunes on a piece of cardboard, hike, meet Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, and Britons, and dig for clams.
Its a great place to visit and there are lots of deals right now.
I spend a lot of time in NZ and I have to say that I don't find the waitstaff to be all that great in NZ restaurants. A lot of my kiwi friends are always eager to come back to the USA and travel due to the great service they get here in comparison.
Also NZ does have air pollution in the winter from wood burners and in some places like Christchurch and Nelson it is terrible. It's like a London Fog that smells of wood smoke. Auckland and Wellington can get smoggy at times too. And the water isn't clean in many places due to agricultural runoff and other pollution. NZ trades on the 100% pure trademark but don't be fooled.
I agree it is a great place to travel and the South Island is probably one of the best places in the world for those that like the outdoors.
4 years ago I was in Croatia. I met several travellers who raved about Slovenia. I went to Ljubjana and fell in love with the city. I ended up staying there 5 nights. It was awesome, beautiful achitecture and a river that runs through the business district. I found the people to be nice and it was pretty inexpensive(this was pre-Euro, they were getting ready to join the EU at the time). I took a day trip to Lake Bled and Lake Bojin(sp?), they were beautiful!. I hope I have a chance to return someday.
Every place my car ever broke down always turned out to be a surprisingly nice place. That would include Ukiah CA, Elkins WV, Pekin IL, Brunswick GA, Providence RI, Syracuse NY, Acaponeta, Mexico.
Wow, you need a new car...
You know, now that you've brought it up, the couple of times I've had car problems far from home have actually brought about some nice experiences--meeting some people who really went out of their way to help.
It's just always gone to show that there are good people every where.
"Saxon Switzerland" region on the German / Czech Republic border south of Dresden. Fabulous Bryce-Canyon-type scenery, Saxon castles, hiking, rock-climbing during day - fabulous museums and churchs in Dresden when rainy day, great beer and sausages at pubs at night, fab Plzn (Pilsen) beer and more sausages and hand-blown glass art in Czech R. Bucolic riverbank for picknicking on the Elbe R. A microcosm of Europe in a small area.
If I can make enough money before I die I'd love to have a summer home there to escape Houston for a couple of months or so each year during humidity season.
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