Euro Travel & More

I was looking for a hotel to stay in the city for next week – for a few days – when all the hotels that I wanted to stay in downtown Halifax was completely booked.   I usually booked thru’ Hotel.ca – but this time – they didn’t have the right offer for me – so I went searching for another alternative and came across this unique set up – called the Airbnb – and you can get rooms or the entire apartment at the price range you like – and the location that you are searching for because – they connect the people who have a room or house or apartment to spare – to people who like myself are looking for a specific kinda place, locality and price to stay in.

What’s unique about this arrangement is – you get to connect with the people who really owns the place and it’s pretty casual – or private if you choose to – and most of the places I’ve viewed are awfully unique – the decor of the place – and the hospitality shown online – is pretty incredible.  I loved the setup and am going to try airbnb out soon and let you know how everything worked out – so stay tuned.

We all go on holiday and with holidays – we go on tour buses – but don’t you hate it when you tour bus is a dingy old van ?  well ! so do I and you are not alone – especially if you are touring on the tour bus for a good part of the day.  So what can you do to avoid sitting on a dingy old van – uncomfy seats – and even smell of sweat or puke?  Actually a lot !  I know we all don’t expect our tour buses to come with maserati mats but the least we can expect is air-con and comfortable seats and a deceent driver.  So the next time you book a tour or go on holiday – make sure you ask your tour operator – what kind of tour buses you will be on – because you are afterall the customer – and you are entitled to as much comfort as you can get.   Don’t feel bad about asking – because you have to know what you are paying for.

If you are in Malaysia during the month of August – you are in for a feast – because it’s Ramadan month and with Ramadan month – it can only mean one thing – food !  and more food.  During the ramadan – the muslim will go for a fasting period for a month from dawn to dusk and when they break their fast in the evening – you can see lots of food stall all over malaysia – selling all kinds of food – in their food bazaar and they choices are endless.  If I go to Malaysia during Ramadan month – I have to have lots of appetitie suppressing ideas because you can bet on it that I would eat any kind of food I come across.  The food are not only delicious they are so color and so fragrant – no one can resist it.

From curry to popiah – and sweets and even drinks – they are absolutely delicious – so if you are on a diet – do not think of going to Malaysia during the Ramadan month – for I can assure you that after 5pm – food and its stalls are all over the place in Malaysia.

Some people confirmed that they put on more weight during their fasting month than they do during the entire year – because they eat a lot more of the good food offered after fasting for the entire day.

The variety of food offered are endless and they are really reasonably priced because they are targeted for the average family – who are out working and have no time to break their fast properly by cooking for the entire family.

Yummy coconut dessert are to die for!  i can eat 10 of these at one go.

So if you don’t have anywhere to go yet – for the Labor day holidays – try taking advantage of VIA Rail network as all Canadian destinations are on sale!  50% off the regular adult fair for both the Economy and Business classes.  But you have to book before August 31st 2011.   From Toronto to Montreal is only $69!  great prices!  hurry ! hurry!

Everyone wants to go away for the Labor Day weekend – because it’s the last week before the kids goes back to school.  Some people go camping which is by far the easiest – but for people like me – I want to be up in the city and doing some last minute shopping for the kid – and her going back to school gear.  But a check around – you will know that most hotel are either fully booked or they are going for very expensive rate on the Labor day weekend.

So what do one do?  well – the other alternative is to have a huge bbq – with friends and family and enjoy a lazy weekend.  That is not a bad idea either.  Some other suggestions will be to check out Expedia.com – for they have some sale on for Labor Day to Paris – up to 50% and of course – Las Vegas if you are in United States would be a wonderful place to be – rooms starting from $44.00.  I checked locally for Halifax but nothing less than $125.  So I guess we are going to be staying for a BBQ.

I don’t know if I want to live in an airport for 80 days and 80 nights – even with $50 a day for food and snacks but the winner of the  Live @ YVR contest – Jaegar Mah will be doing just that.   He will be staying that the Fairmont Hotel in the airport in Vancouver and have the inside scoop as well as get to use and see anything he wants inside the airport – they probably even let him use the usb barcode scanner at the Duty Free shop if he wanted to try a day’s work at that department.  But it would be fun when he is done is project – because he gets $15K in cash and he might just be hired by some local radio station then.

This is the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle – also known as Newcastle upon Tyne in England – I had only been to Newcastle once – but I’m sure all football fans know where Newcastle is right?

This is the Millennium Bridge which is just as famous as the Tyne Bridge.  This tilt bridge can be used by pedestrian and cyclist – a pretty amazing looking bridge if you asked me.  I think the bridge was just opened not too long ago – in 2001 when I had taken a short trip for business in NewCastle.  I wished I had stayed longer – to check out more cool stuff in NewCastle.

Before coming to Canada – I rarely look at the Roots product – but ever since buying a tote from Chapters the bookstore during Christmas as a Christmas present for a friend – I’ve been looking out for good buys at Chapters.  I found a weekender tote bag from Roots – and normally if you bought from Roots – you would have to pay at least $300 tax included.  But at Chapters – I found it for $79 – and of course I grabbed it.  A look at it this morning – to order more – it was not available anymore – bummer.  So look out for good deals from Chapters – for Roots product.  This Tote is great for those going on a weekend getaway and can be used for your carry all on the plane.  The quality is really good – made of real leather and we all know that Roots product is really good.  But let it be known that the ones found in Chapters is not lined – therefore you will find lint – or left over fiber inside your leather tote.

I remembered learning all about the Yangtze River in China when I was a kid – during history lessons and when the boss said that we should go see the 3 Gorges and the Dam – I said why not!  so we hopped on a bus and off we went.  I don’t know the place is like now – but back then – it wasn’t really a pretty sight when we arrived in Chong Qing.  The hotel that we were booked in to stay wasn’t the most pleasant I’ll have to say – but the cruise down to the 3 Gorges was really nice.   If you are thinking of cruising down Yangtze River then in a tourist cruiser – then you can forget it – it’s more like a bunk boat.

The town folks selling all sorts of food – near the river.  And if you were told that the Ghost Theme Park is to die for – I’ll have to tell you it was more amusing – but not really for kids.  We had seen some kids that had tour with us – and were crying buckets at night from nightmares even though the statues and stuff weren’t that frightening.   We loved the magnificent dam as well as the Yangtze bridge – but I was glad to get out of Yangtze but I am assuming they are in better shape now – the town I meant.

Health retreats are getting more and more popular here in the West  but we’ve all gone for a few in the East especially around Bali and Thailand but lately – I have been seeing more and more inns offering health retreats specializing in detox programs and yoga sessions.   I think it is a very smart idea to have these health retreats to help revitalize and rejuvenate  – now if they have these opiate detox done with the view of the harbor and rooftop setting or just about any Balinese view  – I think I wouldn’t mind spending time there and doing my detox either.   But yes!  I found one right here in our backyard – a Yoga retreat place combined with a wellness program  – I think it is an awesome program – for those who wants a better lifestyle – or who needs help with detoxing your body – plus it’s nice to be able to tell people that you went for a health retreat – afterall, detox is like a health retreat right.