My traveling tip for anyone is to speak the language.
I went to France and Mexico this summer and saved a boatload of cash just by being multilingual. The tourist shops/restaurants/etc are expensive not just because they expect travelers to be rich, but because they're paying people to be bilingual. Cheaper places (and often better places) are off the beaten path, even if that means going around a few corners to a hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop in Honfleur or the abuela selling tamales on the side of the road in Guanajuato. By the way, tamales are about the safest "street food" you can get in Mexico; they're cooked by steaming. I wasn't brave enough to have the fruit or corn sold on the street, but I heard the horror stories from other Americans who were.
Remember, a drink every day keeps Montezuma away
I agree with you Little - muchas gracias! I speak a few different languages and it's better if you at least try to learn a little something before you go to another country - they'll respect you for at least trying.
Turkey (at least 5 years ago). Friendly people, exotic atmosphere, but not so exotic as to be alien. Excellent food (Iskander kabob). Fantastic history (Troy!). Beautiful scenery (The south coast).. Strange sites (capadocia - do an image search), or the chimera (google chimera turkey), there are flames just rising out of the ground on a hillside.
Kauai Hawaii: Fantastic scenery, beautiful jungle - but no snakes and not many bugs. Easy to deal with - can wake up in a luxury hotel on the beach, and spend the rest of the day alone walking through primeval jungle.
The Swiss Alps: Beautiful mountains in a country where everything works.
Svalbard: Has a tourist hotel deep in the arctic (1000 miles north of North Cape Norway).
Canyonlands Utah - Looks like the set for a science fiction movie (and probably was). Red rocks, arches, twisty canyons.
Rome: How can you beat 2000 years of being one of the most important cities in the world - then add excellent food.
Greek Islands - Santorini: The remains of the largest volcanic explosion in human history. Probably the origin of the Atlantis legend. There is a excevated city under the ash - sort of like Pompei, but more that 1500 years OLDER than Pompei. Also, possibly the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
New Zealand - an entire continent's worth of scenery squished into 2 islands. I've walked along a Jungle river in the morning, and hiked on a glacier in the afternoon.
Crescent City California - the redwoods park where they filmed "Return of the Jedi".
Mirador Torres - probalby the most spectacular viewpoint in the world.
Tokyo - feels like you've moved about 20 years sideways in time into a sort of alternate universe where everthing is done differently.
Split, Croatia: A modern town build around a Venetial town, built into a medievel town, built in the ruins of a roman palace - decorated with some ancient Egyptian artifacts.
Home: because every now and then I do get tired of traveling.
I like so many places that it is impossible to pick one or even several. I LOVE traveling.
Anyone have suggestions for good/affordable hotels in NY?
I'm looking at travelling to Niagra Falls and then to Downtown/Times Square areas - any advice is welcome - thanks!
Don't go to Niagara Falls in New York, go to Canada. It's worth the new passport hassle. The American side is blah, oh look it's a waterfall that's nice. It doesn't have a good angle. The Canadian side is where the OMG view is. (I'm from Buffalo, so I don't really count it as traveling. It's a place we went when we got bored at family reunions.)
I second Little's opinion. The Canadian side is much nicer. Not too crowded this time of year.
For New York hotels - sometimes you can find amazingly low rates on really nice places. One time my wife and I stayed at the Mariott Marquis - on a room on the zillionth floor with a view of times square. Wasn't much more than a typical best western. Of course sometimes it is insanely expensive.
There were a couple of Best Western's in the theater district (the Ambassador maybe?) that were not too bad - but really don't have anything specific to recommend.
My entire family is from NY and Chi town, but not me, at least I was raised with the family morals & values that you don't typically find in Cali.
I've been everywhere except for NY, so I'm really looking forward to visiting.
I will def. go to the Canadian side for Niagra Falls - thanks again!
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