This short video is a teaser showing off the many diverse museums that are in Amsterdam.
Museums of Amsterdam
Reply
Dutch TV Visits Amsterdam
Dutch TV visits with some English tourists having a great time in Amsterdam. Needless to say they are enjoying the coffeeshops and bars that fill the city with fun.
The Art of Bargaining in Vietnam
When traveling in Vietnam you barter, bargain, and haggle. Its part of the culture. Its a way of life. And that’s the way it is.
For foreigners and tourists it is not the way things work at home. But with the right attitude, it can still be a lot of fun, and can save you money. Here are a few helpful hints to get you started.
First and foremost you need to smile and embrace the entire process. From picking up things and investigating their value, to the haggling, to the actual purchase, it is important to remain positive and friendly. Having a pen and paper, or a calculator will help greatly if you haven’t yet brushed up on your Vietnamese. As well, coming into the barter with a little background information – an estimated price – will also be to your advantage. And, predetermining a fair price that you are willing to pay is key to the success of the experience!
When bargaining, don’t be a afraid to really low ball. If you’ve gone too low, you will know by the look on the sellers face. Nevertheless, continue with poise, tact, and strategy with the back-and-forth negotiations. A little acting and drama goes a long way, and might add an extra dynamic to the show. So go ahead, let it all out, especially if you have found that extra special something.
You can consider adding a number of items to the tally, helping to discount the overall price – remember to be strategic here though. Also, finding a small flaw could also be a means of marking down the price.
Finally, if you just can’t seem to get the price you want, but think you are close, you can try the ol’-thanks-but-no-thanks and walk away approach. This is a little risky because if it doesn’t work you will loose face by returning, and thus be forced have to start all over somewhere else. Nevertheless, ever so often it works like a charm!
At the end of the day, be proud of the items you bought and the prices you paid. Reflect on the people you dealt with, and forever cherish your purchases and memories of traveling in Vietnam.
Angkor Wat Cambodia Tour
The trip we had booked to Angkor Wat Cambodia was very good, which made our 5-day Angkor biking tour a memorable experience. We stayed at the most comfortable hotel and had delicious breakfast. The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful.
After that, we continued our Cambodia adventure tour and saw the scenic villages and the large metros of the countryside while reaching the Pre-Angkorian temples named Preah KO and Lo Lei temples which have some beautiful carvings and inscriptions on the walls.
After enjoying the beauty of temples, we had a boat trip in the Tonle Sap Lake and then explored Phnom Kulen – the great mountain ranges passing through the dense forests and local villages and enjoyed the beautiful view. Then we reached the top of Phnom Kulen and we enjoyed the beautiful view from there. There was a waterfall for swimming, a Pagoda and a river of a thousand Lingas. We continued the Angkor biking tour to the Angkor National Park to visit the beauty of South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is the most beautiful wall in the history of Cambodia.
Later, we planned a visit to the Bayon temple and the Ta Phrom temples, which were surrounded by giant trees and vines, which gave a delightful look to the temples. The beauty of Cambodia was delightful while we were lucky we found a really good guide and some really great people along. After that we went to visit Prah Khan, which had the ancient statues and sculptures. We then visited to see the greatest attraction of Angkor, the Neak Poan, which is a monument shaped in an artificial island which created a beautiful sense of aura around us.
After enjoying the beauty of Neak Poan, we visited the East Mebon and Pre Rup temples to explore these magnificent temple sites and on the last day of our Angkor Wat Cambodia tour we visited the Banteay Srei temple which was a beautiful ride through the flat countryside.
We landed back into the city at late afternoon feeling the most relaxed and beautiful but tired because of the journey but it was the most memorable trip that gave us an incredible experience on our Cambodia adventure tour.
Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Dedication by Pope
People will finally be able to worship in La Sagrada Familia, Antonio Gaudi’s beautiful church in Barcelona, after the Pope dedicates it this Sunday. The church has been under construction for 128 years, and will require many more years before completion.
Matachica, The authentic and relaxed luxury of Belize, reborn
Matachica, the award-winning beach resort located on the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize has just completed a multi-million dollar redesign and expansion. The result is wonderful and we would love to inform you all about it, and also offer you the opportunity to experience our hotel.
We thought this news would certainly be of interest to you as you most certainly would want to update with this new information on our hotel. Recent additions include 10 brand new and even larger casitas, an infinity pool, full upgrades to all existing rooms, a fleet of new kayaks and sailboats, and much more.
Please do let us know if you have any questions. Furthermore, if you are planning any trips to Belize definitely let us know as it would be a pleasure to host you.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you and all the best,
Marjorie
* * *
Marjorie Dumas
Senior Account Manager
ZOÏ Agency
430, Sainte-Hélène Street, suite 305
Montreal, (QC) H2Y 2K7
514.282.9888 ext. 23
An Alternative Guide to Rome
An Alternative Guide to Rome
As the capital of Italy and former cradle of the Roman Empire, Roma is the exquisite embodiment of La Dolce Vita and a proud culmination of thousands of years of history. No other city has had such a profound impact on Western Civilization.
Rome is home to over 3 million people and UNESCO World Heritage landmarks at every turn. To walk the city blind, sans guidebook, is to stumble on glorious magnum opuses like Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, monuments of Capitoline Hill and Palatine Hill, Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Beneath the star attractions however, beats the heart of a feisty, urbane metropolis. Amid a flurry of Piaggios, piazzas and lively espresso bars, Rome is a triumphant destination. Here are some alternatives to consider on your next visit.
The Catacombs of Rome
More than three dozen ancient burial sites proliferate under the streets of Rome. From the spectacular Vatican Grotto and Necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica to the papal tombs of Callixtus, another world lurks deep below the city. Other catacombs of note include the Jewish burial sites of Vigna Randanini and Villa Torlonia and the impressive Catacombs of Domitilla, with over 15 km of caves and channels.
MACRO Future and Testaccio
The most recent annex to the superb municipal Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome (MACRO) envelops a former industrial slaughterhouse in the newly-hip ‘hood of Testaccio. A paragon of urban redevelopment, the sleek MACRO refurb job is as avant-garde as the art inside. Testaccio is also home to some of the best restaurants and hotels in Rome and main drag Via di Monte Testaccio is where club heads gather until the wee hours.
Escape to Villa Borghese
While the overall aesthetic of Villa Borghese gardens whispers country English manor, the brilliant park is decidedly Roman. The 80-hectare site contains some of the best museums in the city, from the gorgeous Galleria Borghese to the National Museum of Modern Art, complete with works by Mondrian, Picasso, Braque and Pollock. Additionally, the Villa Borghese contains a peripheral gem in the fabulous 16th century Villa Medici, home of the French Academy in Rome. From the Villa, visitors can easily descend the iconic Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps) and amble down fashionable Via Condotti.
Trastevere
The grand ensemble of monuments in Rome can detract from some of the most character-rich enclaves in the city. Take Trastevere for instance. The former medieval district is a veritable village within the capital and a premier hub of restaurants, student bars and nightclubs. Landmarks like the Church of Santa Maria, Church of Saint Cecilia and Villa Farnesina make Trastevere worthwhile. The linchpin attraction however is the massive weekly flea market held from Porta Portese to Viale di Trastevere.
A Short Trip to Tivoli
The ancient must-see town of Tivoli is a short 30 km ride from Rome. The trip is a bona fide time warp to a bygone, erstwhile era, with magnificent architecture intact and clear views of the bucolic campagna romana. Two key UNESCO World Heritage Sites draw the lion’s share of attention. The first is the Roman archaeological complex of Villa Adriana. The site covers a square kilometre and is still under excavation. The second UNESCO inscription in Tivoli is elegant Villa d’Este, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. The nonpareil palace gardens and fountains draw scores of Rome city-dwellers in the hot summer months.
An Alternative Guide to New York City
An Alternative Guide to New York City
As the premier world metropolis, New York City’s allure is impossible to sum up with novel hyperbole. Countless films and songs make the effort but alas, only a personal visit to this oh so cosmopolitan capital will do.
While neophytes swoon under the glow of Times Square and loom of landmark skyscrapers from Empire State to Chrysler, New York, above all else, is a city of neighbourhoods. Manhattan enclaves like Harlem, Greenwich Village, Hell’s Kitchen, TriBeCa, SoHo and the Lower East Side embody the Big Apple’s burly heart and provide the proverbial marrow for tourists to feast on.
With that sentiment firmly in mind, here are five New York City alternatives to consider.
An Alternative Guide to London
An Alternative Guide to London
London is a formidable charge. Household-name landmarks pop up at every turn: The London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Parliament, Wembley and the British Museum, to name but several.
Where to begin? Well in London’s case, it helps to see the trees through the forest, as it were, and break the city up into manageable segments. This is all made reasonably effortless of course, with a phenomenal public transit system. With that in mind, consider these worthwhile alternatives in the vast English capital.
A Guide to Singapore
The usual tagline on Singapore is that aside from malls and purpose-built tourist entertainment like Sentosa Island and the Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel, the city-state is bereft of genuine character. Pure fiction!
So forgive natives of the city-state for being excessively modest and defensive. After all, the word of mouth on Singapore is rather one-dimensional. Affluent global city and economic tiger of Southeast Asia? Yes. Perpetual business travel hub? Absolutely. But so much more!
Yet for every prejudicial, hipster backpacker who shuns Singapore for gritty Malacca and Penang, one intrepid tourist discovers that outside the high gloss of the Central Business District and upmarket shops in Orchard lolls a completely different city-state. A side of Singapore where parks, wildlife, heritage architecture, ethnic enclaves and a tangle of magnificent alternatives thrive.
Tanglin Village
Chinese spice plantations, Scottish manors and the British military once held court in Tanglin. The reclamation area in Central Region, Singapore is now home to a cluster of notable restaurants, cafés and furniture shops, many of which occupy former legacy landmarks in the Dempsey area. Indeed, now a veritable “village” with some of the best hotels in Singapore, Tanglin is a prominent and cosy base for entrepreneurial architects, artists and designers of all disciplines.
Arab Quarter and Haji Lane
The Arab Quarter, or Kampong Glam, is a bona fide microcosm of what Singapore is all about. A fabulous mix of old and new Malay culture, the heritage ‘hood north of the Singapore River offers up points of interest like the Malay Heritage Centre, Sultan Mosque and Hajjah Fatimah Mosque. Nonpareil stars of the quarter include rows of revamped early-20th century shophouses on Arab, Baghdad and Bussorah streets. Meanwhile, the vivid, ultra-funky boutiques of Haji Lane preside over whatever’s hot and fashionable in Singapore.
Parks and Wildlife
Not far from the steel and glass jungle of Singapore’s Central Business District lurks another world. A world where primary tropical rainforests, brilliant coral reefs and incredible biodiversity thrive. While rapid urban sprawl and population growth is the incessant Singapore narrative, the island has actually gone from 35% green cover to 50% since 1986. With this in mind, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Labrador Nature Reserve and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve all rank as supreme. The world class trio of Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park lure millions of visitors a year.
Affordable Hawker Hubs
The diverse culinary landscape of Singapore is a linchpin attraction that the city-state tourism bureau loves to play up and promote. In order to get the best street food bang for your buck however, you have to know where to look. Some hawker food courts have earned a notorious reputation for perpetrating two unforgivable sins: price-gouging and watering-down. Thus, beware of what look like manufactured, shiny-new, not-so spontaneous hawker hubs. Locals in the know (always the best guides) tend to score lunch at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Golden Mile Food Center or Lau Pa Sat.
Geylang
Singapore’s lone gentrification holdout is Geylang, a red-light district poster child east of Central Area. Though far from dangerous, the rough around the edges ‘hood is a stark and frankly, welcome contrast from the rest of the spotless city-state. Full of coarse atmosphere and spunk, the area has some incredible period architecture and perhaps the best collection of affordable and authentic restaurants on the island.