Hafiz Friendly Fireflies Watch

Mr. Hafiz is a very informative and knowledgeable person. Before the tour, he briefed us on the species and how this non-synchronous species of firefly (contrary to the Kuala Selangor firefly in which male and female light up at same time and also at same frequency) communicate with the help of some chemical in their body, and how badly light pollution can disturb their population. During the tour we were totally amazed to see how the fireflies come from the mangrove onto the boat when Hafiz was mimicking their communication signaling with his torches and hand motions. Again he sent back them off the boat with some emergency signal. It was really once in a life time experience when some mangrove trees suddenly lit up under his command, and the blinking lights came directly towards us. Well, you can not use your camera during this tour (even without the camera flash) because that would distract the fireflies, and also affect their natural mating behavior. So just sit back, relax and capture the moment in your memory. While returning, it was high tide and we had to literally lie down in the boat to save our head from crashing in the small bridge.

Travel Penang

When you think of heritage in Malaysia or if you want to get the real feel of Malaysia, two places come in mind; Penang and Malacca. Both are famous historical states of Malaysia.

Penang is one of the artistic places I have ever been. We (8 friends) booked a car for 3 days tour to Penang. Must say the journey was very tiring because it took 9 hours for us to reach there including few stops we made while driving. That was a long weekend and for that reason we faced terrible traffic till IPOH. So, while returning back we took toll free road which was indeed very nice and no traffic at all. In fact, the whole road was full of greenery.

We booked Hutton Lodge in Georgetown. It was a tough decision to decide where to stay in Penang, Batu Feringhi vs Georgetown. Then at last we finalised on Georgetown. You must be careful if you go by car because there are many one ways in Georgetown. The lodge was really better-quality than what we expected in such a budget hotel. The rooms were very well maintained and the shared toilets were very clean and every necessary things were available. Free Wifi was accessible from lobby and even from the room. Complimentary breakfast was also provided by them and unlimited times of tea or coffee.

Next morning, after breakfast, we went to one of the famous attractions in Penang, the Penang Hill. The train ride to reach there was very amazing and you will get the best view if you sit at last while going up. That day, fog covered the place entirely. The view was very beautiful from top.

From there we went to the famous Buddhist temple, Kek Lok Si in Air Itam which has the very impressive Pagoda of Rama VI (opened in 1930). The Pagoda is one of the largest of its kind in whole Malaysia. It also contains attractive garden and a sacred turtle pond. We stayed there for some time and enjoyed the peaceful environment.

Then while coming down from the temple we found a good Chinese restaurant to have lunch. I tried Penang Asam Laksa for the first time and it’s good. After lunch, we roamed around the place and all of us shopped a lot. You can buy the Penang’s well-known Tambun biscuit from there. You can also get the handicrafts at cheaper price than KL Central Market. The shopkeepers are very well behaved and one can negotiate a lot on the items. The best buy was the street art magnets (10RM for 10).

After that, we went back to Georgetown and parked our car. Our next target was to walk and view all the street arts. While we started walking we found beautiful rickshaws. So, we booked rickshaw (1hr 40 RM) and I must say it was worth the value. You can take a walk also. I personally experienced the best street arts ever and all the arts were so very beautiful and alive. Then the rickshaw driver took us to the watch tower and then the town hall.  We had some snacks near the sea side area and then headed to find the best sea food restaurant in Penang. Finally, we found the Restaurant Teluk Kumber but a huge crowd was there. It was around 7pm. We waited for around 15-20 minutes and then we had lovely fishes (Tilapia, Pomfret, Shells) with rice and Chinese Tea. After food, we spent some time in the beach and then came back to the hotel.

We did not feel too sleepy and decided to go for a long drive. So, we went to Batu Feringgi and it was 10pm almost, very dark. We did not get down in the beach there and just drove. We were passing by a hill area and forest on a side. It was very exciting and adventurous. We thought we could find some animals but didn’t find any. After around 30km we found that we reached Georgetown. We didn’t have to take a u-turn and come back. We all liked the trip very much. We said enough for today and went to sleep.

Next day morning we again had our wonderful breakfast and started our journey to Gurney drive. The beach was good. Then we went to view the largest Sleeping Buddha nearby. There was also a very nice temple on the other side. We went to Batu Firinggi again and relaxed for some time in the beach. We found many monitor lizards of different sizes in one place. We had our lunch there.

Cherating Beach, a Beautiful Beach in the East Coast of Malaysia

Long time we did not visit any beach in Malaysia and we noticed that every time we travelled, we always neglected the beautiful East coast of Malaysia, where lies the most popular beaches in Malaysia. So this time we planned for the beaches around Kuantan. Due to monsoon, the exotic Redang and Perhentian Island were out of the league. We did a quick research on the popular beaches around Kuantan and Cherating beach seemed to be the nicest choice.

We started very early, around 4am and after a hundred kms on the boring expressway, decided to make a detour from Cherating towards lake Chini. Tasik Chini, as it is known locally, is a manmade lake in the heart of a rainforest and the narrow road to the lake passes through several Malay villages, Kampung as they say. So you can see some traditional Malay style wooden buildings, and also the lovely Sungai Chini flowing side by side. There is only one accommodation in Chini lake, Tasik Chini Resort just overlooking the lake. Advance booking is necessary as the two times I visited the place, I found it was full house. You can opt for a boat ride on the lake and there is a small restaurant serving food to outside guests as well.

After breakfast in the Chini lake resort, we drove towards Kuantan and crossing the town proceeded towards Cherating beach. We heard good review about MataHari Hut opposite to Little Bali, Cherating and decided to stay there.  

There are few other budget accommodations in Cherating, like Payung Guest House, coconut inn,Tanjung Inn, Ranting Beach Resort etc and you can choose any from these as all are mostly same. On average, the accommodations at the opposite side of the road are cheaper than the ones located by the beachside. In most chalets you have options for attached and shared washrooms and aircon or fan. There are options for four bedded and double or single bedded rooms as well. In MataHari Hut, Cherating we had the provision to use the kitchen and along with free tea coffee anytime, we can also cook simple meals if wish to. There is a minimarket few meters away. There was also a refrigerator to use for.

The Cherating Point Surfing training center is run by the same family and for your information, Cherating is pretty popular among beginner surfers. After checked in, we went for a swim. The South China Sea looked to be calm despite the monsoon season, and the water was comparatively clear. You can swim, but look out for jellyfishes because people were stung by jellyfish on this beach earlier. Well, we did not find any during our stay. There were like millions of hermit crabs throughout the beach and we also noticed plenty of shrimps and glass goby and crabs.

Popular Beaches around Kuantan

There are three main beaches around Kuantan. Teluk Chempedak, the nearest one, boasts a long stretch of casuarina and palm trees along the shore. There is also a jungle trek route nearby. The main hotel near the beach is the Hyatt Regency Kuantan Hotel.

The Batu Hitam beach (in Malay means “Black Stones”), 10 km from Kuantan, is having a stretch of black stones on white sandy beach and is famous among the locals. One must try food here is the Ikan Bakar or grilled fish with a little soury sauce locally called asam pedas. They usually grill the whole fish with skin wrapped in some leaf. Once done, you have to remove the burnt skin and inside lies a fantastic juicy fish meat.

Cherating beach, about 50 kms of Kuantan, is famous for the location of Asia’s first Club Med resort. The nearby Kampung Cherating offers an opportunity to learn batik print on clothes by skilled locals, the mangrove river tour in Cherating and the nighttime firefly tour in Cherating are two not to be missed things. There is a turtle sanctuary in Cherating near the Club Med Resort and a 3.5kms stretch of beach is protected for them to lay eggs. Olive Ridley, Green, Leatherback and Hawksbill turtles are usual visitors of the beach. You can see tiny baby turtles and few adult ones in the turtle center. There is also baby turtle release program during June-September and you may also get a chance to see adult turtles laying eggs on the Cherating beach during night accompanied by the rangers.

There are some basic Chalet accommodations in Cherating village for tourists. There are also few resorts in Cherating, like Suria Cherating, Legend Resort Cherating etc. For breakfast you can opt for the small café on the beach selling western foods along with nasi lemak and other local breakfasts and for lunch you have to depend on the local Malay foods mostly. Dinner time you have more options, from fresh seafoods in Cherating to various types of fried rice and noodles and lots more. One restaurant, Paksu Seafood, is very popular there, but usually crowded with tourists throughout.

Chilapata Travel

Last week we, a group of four nature enthusiasts, planned for a trip to Dooars. This time we wanted to explore the Chilapata Reserve forest area. We booked the Mendabari Nature Camp for two nights. This camp was at a pleasant 40 minutes drive from Hasimara railway station through a dense elephant infested forest. We did not book for the third night and planned for homestay in tribal village. I had been to Chilapata few times before and each time it mesmerized me with a different beauty.

We boarded Kanchankanya Express and it departed on time.  Next morning we woke up and found the train was running few hours late. Now if someone does not know, the Kanchankanya Express is the only train to reach Hasimara, Malbazar and Alipurduar. The train passes through a forest and through couple of tunnels after it crosses Siliguri junction. 

Our driver and old friend Rabi was waiting for us at Hasimara. We quickly started off for Chilapata. When we reached Mendabari, we met a family there who who sighted a couple of rhino in the adjacent grassland. 

Arunachal Pradesh from Kolkata Travel Itenarary

Day 1: Reach Guawahati and transfer to Bhalukpong, night stay at Bhalukpong, Rs. 600-1200 per rooms at lower Bhalukpong just after the checkpost of Assam Arunachal border.

Day 2: Start early enough and reach Dirang. Pemaling and Awoo are the two best hotels there. But more hotels are available in the market area. Take a walk to the Kameng river.

Day 3: Start for Tawang, again start early enough to cross Sella before noon, after 1-2pm the weather goes crazy there, snow falls and rains are usual in the afternoon. In road watch Jashwant Gar. 

Hotel Tawang is very good and cheap, and the the tourist lodge is even better. We stayed in the VIP suits there @1050 per night during 2011. The food is good too.

Day 4: Local sightseeing of Tawang, Tawang Monastery, War memorial are very good. Apply for permit to Bumla, the Indo-China LOC from DC office. If it is Sunday, then also you can get it from the office. Usually someone is there at the office to help the tourists, even you can get the signed form from the DC bunglow. Collect it before 5pm and submit in the BRIGADE beside War memorial as soon as possibe, usually before 6pm. At around 7pm they will give you the permit.

Day 5: Start for Madhuri (Or, Sungetsar) lake and Bumla. Use the whole day. The roads are pretty bad but not dangerous. Only SUV can reach to Bumla. The LOC at Bumla looks amazing. You can even see the Chinese soldiers through binoculars. The Indian Army welcomes you with hot tea and snacks.

Day 6: Start for Tenga. Many suggests Bomdila, but it is almost same as Tawang, with lesser cold. On the other hand Tenga is beside the river and is a military camp, very clean and very beautiful with the sound of flowing river all day through. Night halt at Hotel Aphet with Rs. 1100 per night. But the food is of real bad taste.

Day 7: Reach Guwahati, visit Kamakhya temple. It will take almost 10-11 hours from Tenga to Guwahati.

Travel Japan: Akihabara Electric Town

Akihabara is a famous shopping area  in Japan for electronic, computer, anime, and otakuchōme. New parts for PC-building are readily available from a variety of stores. Tools, electrical parts, wires, microsized cameras and similar items are found in the cramped passageways of Soto Kanda 1-chōme (near the station). Foreign tourists tend to visit the big name shops like Laox or other speciality shops near the station, though there is more variety and lower prices at locales a little further away. Akihabara gained some fame through being home to one of the first stores devoted to personal robots and robotics.

The area was just out of Sujikai-gomon city gate (present Mansei bridge) which was one of the city gates (Mitsuke) of old Edo (Tokyo). It was the gateway from inner Edo to northern and northwestern Japan and Kan’ei-ji temple in Ueno. You can read "HOW TO REACH AKIHABARA" for more details.

Many dealers, craftsmen and relatively lower class samurai lived there. Hundreds of electronics shops, ranging from tiny one man stalls specializing in a particular electronic component to large electronics retailers, line the main Chuo Dori street and the crowded side streets around Akihabara. They offer everything from the newest computers, cameras, televisions, mobile phones, electronics parts and home appliances to second-hand goods and electronic junk.

A few chain stores, such as Sofmap, Ishimaru and Laox, each operate multiple specialized branches along the main roads, while small independent shops can be found in the side streets. The only mega sized store is the Yodobashi Camera

Note that some of the electronics on sale are only intended for use in Japan due to voltage and other technical differences, Japanese language documentation and limited warranties. However, several stores also feature a selection of international models intended for overseas use, and most also offer duty free shopping to foreign tourists on purchases of over 10,000 yen (passport required). goods, including new and used items. New items are mostly to be found on the main street, Chūōdōri, with many kinds of used items found in the back streets of Soto Kanda 3- complex on the east side of the station. 

After shopping is completed, there are many restaurants and street side food stalls to hang out, like the below one.

Best Honeymoon Spot in Spain

Spain is a wonderful destination for honeymoons with its captivating coastlines, romantic wine country and fascinating cities. Customize honeymoon tours in Spain can be arranged in a variety of locations including: Gourmet Basque Country (San Sebastian, Bilbao, Hondarribia, etc); Barcelona and the Penedès winelands; Green Spain (Cantabria, Asturias, Basquelands and Galicia); Andalusia (Granada, Sevilla, Ronda, Córdoba, Jerez, etc); and the Balearic islands (wonderful Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera).

 

What To See in Spain

Art and gardens: No Spanish vacation is complete without a stroll through the renowned Museo del Prado. Commissioned in 1785 by King Carlos III, it houses the works of the nation's three great masters: Fransisco Goya, Diego Velazquez and El Greco -- not to mention a couple of famous and frightening works by Hieronymous Bosch. Next door to the Prado is the Jardin Botanico, a beautiful garden in the center of the bustling city. Spend an afternoon in the shade of this centuries-old garden that holds plants, trees, flowers, and cacti from around the world.

People-watch: You can see plenty of sights while simply lounging in Madrid's town squares, where Spaniards of all ages congregate for delicious coffee and churros (the Spanish version of a donut) in the morning, and sangria and tapas in the late afternoon. One of the most popular places to people-watch is the Plaza Mayor, which has seen everything from bullfights to royal marriages and public executions in its centuries-long existence. (That's quite a combo!)

Tapas and copas: You certainly won't go hungry (or thirsty!) on the streets of Madrid. The city is packed with bars, “cafeterias” (bars with meals), pubs, and terrazas (fancy outdoor cafés) -- and the bartenders aren't stingy. Be prepared for an array of tapas (Spanish snacks), and a hearty dash of liquor in your copa (a mixed drink in a tall glass). You'll find bars and discotecas (dance clubs) open at all hours, so feel free to party 'til dawn.

 

When to Visit Spain: September to November; April to June (Summers can reach highs of 104 degrees Fahrenheit and winters dip below freezing, so plan a trip in spring or fall for averages around 70.) 

The image is collected from net.

Singling, the Best Place in West Sikkim

Singling in Sikkim is a historical place which joined Bhutan to India in the ancient times. There were regular business of these two countries through this route. Now the lost route is a favourite trek from Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary to Singling or vice versa. A couple of days at this serene place and you will feel to be in the lap of nature. There is one ancient monastery, a lake and breathtaking mountain peaks to look out for. It is also a birder's paradise. 

Presently there is only one accommodation available at this spot, Dhusan Rai's Bunglow. The hospitality in the Homestay in Sikkim is fabulous with Dhusan's family taking care of your minute need. You can never again forget the evening with active participation in local dance, song. The barbecue in the chilly night will taste like anything, not to mention the generous 'tchhang' and the flavored Indian tea prepared in his home. 

And then if it is a full moon night, you must become romantic with the view of Darjeeling town in the backdrop of mountains. The morning Sunrise is very beautiful, so is the Sunset color on the Bunglow. You can go for nature walks or birding with Dhusan or his companions. The forest reminded me of Amazon rainforest. I am sure anyone adventurous in nature will enjoy the dark, damp forest.

To reach Singling in Sikkim, you need to take a share jeep to Jorethang from Siliguri (WB). From Jorethang hire a vehicle for Soreng. Alternately, you can ask Dhusan to arrange car for you. Once at Soreng, Dushan will take care of you. You can even stay one night in his small basic but clean hill side inn. Early next morning you'll reach upper Singling by trekking trough one of the most pristine and unblemished mountain folliage. A 3 Km trek will bring you to a most fascinating cradle of homestay with all the glory of Himalayan experience thrown in. The Trek is very easy and can be completed within 1-2 hours. Alternately Dhusan can arrange car to take you directly to Upper Singling from Soreng in another way. 

Singling is located in an important place to do number of treks in Sikkim, like Hiley- Barsey trek, Dzongri- Goche La trek etc. Also in close vicinity there are monastery, lake, Sherpa village etc. Popular destinations in West Sikkim like Peling, Ringchenpong, Kaluk etc are also nearby.  

Car Rental Hire in South Africa

Are you planning a trip to South Africa? Driving to the various tourist destinations in South Africa at your own pace allows you time to leisurely take in your surroundings as you pass through beautiful regions such as the renowned Garden Route, coastal roads passing the Atlantic Seaboard beaches and steep mountain passes that lead to the iconic Table Mountain. Renting a car in South Africa and touring the country independently is an excellent vacation option, especially for families with children. But before rent a car in South Africa you have to find information on car rental companies, self-drive tours, tips on driving in South Africa, distances between major towns etc.

Why Rent a Car in South Africa?

Renting a car means you can be more flexible with your travel plans. You can stop at places you didn't know the name even and you can also make a quick exit if a destination isn't quite what you expected. It'll also save you money. Renting a small car with full insurance will cost around 35 USD per day. South Africa is one of the few African countries where the roads are well maintained and you don't require a 4WD vehicle. Gas (petrol) is readily available at reasonable intervals along the roads and many gas stations are open 24hrs. A variety of excellent accommodation can be found throughout the country and there's plenty of opportunity to camp at well maintained sites. You'll find car rental companies represented in every major town, so you don't have to backtrack if you don't want to. With affordable domestic flights you can easily fly in to Cape Town for example, drive to Durban and then fly out from Durban.

Travelling to the vast distances between attractions and tourist hot spots in South Africa, using a low-cost South Africa car hire company is convenient for travellers exploring the country. Many popular tourist destinations in South Africa aren't easily accessible by public transport, and therefore opting to rent a vehicle  is an ideal solution.

In internet you can search for the leading vehicle rental company in South Africa. Most of the major car rental company have branches in all major provinces and cities, who offer one of the largest selections of vehicles to choose from. Ranging from compact economy cars that are fitting for couples and small families, to large luxury SUVs that will come in handy when conquering the dirt roads on the outskirts of South Africa, the best car rental company in South Africa stock vehicles that will match your travel needs precisely.

It is often cheaper to book your rental car through a broker, than directly with a car company. Shop around for rates online and check rates through a tour operator. 

photo is collected from net.

Romantic Europe River Cruise Destinations

Find below some of the popular European river cruises 2011: 

Danube River 
Discover the vast history and culture along the banks of the beautiful blue Danube River. The second longest river in Europe, the Danube flows through ten countries with numerous historical sites, Gothic cathedrals, exquisite vineards, and medival towns.
Cities include: Passau, Grein, Melk, Durnstien, Vienna, Bratislava, Esztergom, Budapest, Bezdan, Mohacs, Belgrade, Orsova, Turnu Severin, Giugiu, Ruse, Olteniza, Constanta, Tulcea and more.

 

Elbe River 
Discover days of a bygone era as you cruise down the Elbe River. Historic cities and quaint villages mingle with nature along its picturesque banks.
Cities include: Berlin, Dresden, Magdeburg, Meissen, Potsdam, Prague, Oderberg, Wittenberg, Stettin, Stralsund, and Eberswalde, just to name a few.
Gironde, Garonne and Dordogne Rivers Discover Bordeaux, an exceptional region as you cruise along the mighty rivers of the Gironde, the Garonne and Dordogne.
Cities include: Pauillac, The Medoc, Libourne, Saint Emilion, Blaye, Cadillac.

Holland Waterways
As you cruise down the waterways of Holland you'll discover charming towns vibrant with colors from gardens overflowing with tulips and other fragrant flowers.
Cities include: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hoorn, Volendam, Utrecht, Kampen, Drodrecht, Middleberg, Enkuizen and many more.




Mekong River
Discover the diversity of the most exciting river in South East Asia and the cities, towns and temples along its shores.
Cities include: Hanoi, Siem Reap, Angkor, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Cham, Phnom Penh, Sa Dec, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)


Portugal - Douro River 

Cruises A cruise along the Douro offers the best views of the terraced vineards that surround cities rich in culture and history. You will quickly discover why so many of the cities it have become world herritage sites as you explore their palaces, marvel at their medival monuments and sample their world famous Port wine.
Cities include: Porto, Regua, Pinhao, Guimares, Braga, Vila Real, Lamego, Barca D'Alva & Bitetos.


Rhine River
You will become enchanted by the many exquisite castles that line the banks of this majestic river. Flowing through the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland, the Rhine River has alot to offer with surprises at every turn.
Cities include: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Arnheim, Basel, Cologne, Mainz, Strasbourg, Cochem, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Ghent, Koblenz, Mannheim, Regensburg, Rotterdam, Speyer, Trier, and these are just the beginning.

 





Rhone River

Discover the romance of France while criusing down the Rhone River, past fields of sunflowers, sunny vineards and intoxicating of lavender. The Burgundy and Provence regions of Southern France host traquil towns, grand cities and the gastronomic capital of France: Lyon.
Cities include: Arles, Avignon, Chalon-sur-Saone, Lyon, Macon, Trevoux, Vienne, The Ardeche, Beune, The Camargue, Perouges, Turon and many more.


 

Best Nude Beaches in Europe

Always wondering what is a nude beach. It is now your chance to travel to the best nude beaches of Europe. The naked body amazes most of us. Seen as a source of visual evil by puritans, the human nude form has inspired artists and writers everywhere. Europeans are less likely than Americans to view the human body as evil. You'll see nudity at most any beach along the Mediterranean, or at least toplessness. That's the reason when Forbes released their Top Topless Beaches, 3 of ten are found in Europe. Find below some of the Best Nude Beaches in Europe:

Plage de Tahiti - Tahiti Beach in Saint Tropez, France

Saint Tropez is known for its beaches, and there are plenty of options for folks with families who wish to keep their modesty intact. The Côte d'Azur town is packed in summer. Avoid arriving on weekends, especially if you don't have hotel reservations.

Brigitte Bardot and Ursula Andress started the craze in itty bitty bikinis that shocked even the Europeans in the 50s. By the 60s, the trend toward toplessness became a steamroller, and now just about any beach along the Riviera is topless tolerant.

Plage de Tahiti is noted for its clothing-optional policy and risqué atmosphere, its name a tip of the hat to laid back (French) Polynesian culture. Go in Summer to see celebrity tanners.

Paradise Beach - Mykonos Greece

Mykonos is the most popular island destination in Greece. In the summer it's crowded and a bit expensive. You reach it by plane or ferry from Athens. Mykonos is also the name of the port city, where you'll want to stay if you're a partying beach-goer.

Paradise Beach can be reached from Mykonos town by bus, taxi, water taxi, or rented car or moto. One observant and math-savvy reader pointing out that it's "50% topless and 30% nude. All ages...teen to 70." This isn't your star gazing, relaxing bit of sandy shore, especially after 4pm when the beer and music turn Paradise Beach into the ultimate party beach. There are two bars at the beach, the Sunrise Bar and the Tropicana. Once a month in the summer they hold a full moon party at Paradise beach, so check your moon calendar if you like to party.

Playa d’en Bossa - Ibiza, Spain

Nudism is part of your rights in Spain. Ibiza is the third largest of the Balearic Islands. Spanish company Trasmediterranea has a regular ferry service between Ibiza and the ports of Barcelona, Palma de Majorca and Valencia. Ibiza has a long history -it was founded by the Carthaginians in 654 bce. Its walls were built in the 16th century.

Playa d'en Bossa (Platja d’en Bossa) is the longest beach on Ibiza, a place know for hedonism and beaches, 3 km outside of the capital. Its popularity has caused it growing pains recently, but that means there's plenty of bars and cafes on the beach, which is very popular with partygoers heading over to the Bora Bora beach bar as well as families.

Best Travel City Destinations in Europe

There are lots of debate around this question "What are the best travel destinations in Europe" and none can answer with an exact list of the so called best tourist destinations in Europe. Below what we tried is to list some travel destinations in Europe in a random order:

Florence, Italy

Who Should Go Florence, Italy:

Art Lovers, Renaissance historians and pretenders with an eye for style, Leather Handbag Shoppers with high credit limits. 

Best Time to Visit Florence, Italy: Spring or fall is the best time to visit Florence. Sane wanderers avoid summer in Florence (and the thundering herds) like the plague.

What to See in Florence, Italy: Florence's most famous square is Piazza della Signoria, the heart of the historic center and a free open-air sculpture exhibit. Florence's most popular site is its Duomo (cathedral), the Cattedrale de Santa Maria del Fiore. The huge Gothic duomo was begun in 1296, consecrated in 1436, and holds 20,000 people. The Baptistery of John the Baptist, from the 11th century, is one of Florence's oldest buildings. The Ponte Vecchio (old bridge), built in 1345, was Florence's first bridge across the Arno River and is the only surviving bridge from Florence's medieval days (others were destroyed in World War II). The Galleria degli Uffizi holds the world's most important collection of Renaissance art but it's also Italy's most crowded museum so it's a good idea to buy tickets ahead to avoid long ticket line. Florence has some of the finest shopping in Europe. In Florence you'll find leather goods, paper goods, and jewellry as well as nice souvenirs and art productions. Florence has a number of open air markets selling food, clothing, and antiques. The most famous is around Piazza San Lorenzo where you'll find leather goods, too. Another good place is Mercato Nuovo (Porcellino) on Via Porta Rossa. Mercato Centrale is a great place for food shopping.

Venice, Italy

Who Should Go Venice, Italy:

The Romantic dreamers who like strolling through automobile-free streets.
 

Best Time to Visit Venice, Italy: February is when the famous Venice Carnevale or Carnival is held and the weather is usually cold and foggy, perfect weather for Venice. Venice should be viewed through a shroud that blurs the tourists and the neon so that the jewel of the ancient city shows through. But then, the curmudgeon is warm blooded enough not to mind the cold. Summer? Hefty tourists in shorts and whiny children ruin the atmosphere in the grand campos, but there are plenty of dark alleys for hopeless romantics to get lost in. Of course, you'll be perfectly thrilled in spring or early fall, too. 

What to See in Venice, Italy: Take note of the contrast between the opulent Doge's Palace and the nasty prison on the other side of the canal. Then again, anything touristy can be magic in Venice--it's just a crazy anachronism in a precarious environment. You need to see it. No one can explain it, not even Italo Calvino.

Rome, Italy

Who Should Go Rome, Italy:

Lovers of conspicuous consumption (plenty of ATMs and three streets Via Condotti, Via Borgognona and Via Frattina). History and archaeology buffs - anyone who's lent an ear. Youthful music-clubbers. 

Best Time to Visit Rome, Italy: Rome is a carnival all year long. Italians avoid Rome in August because it's hot and muggy and everybody is away at the beach, so August isn't even high season. You'll find lodging bargains in late July and August, but demand air conditioning and thick windows.

What to See in Rome, Italy: Rome, like Venice is a walking city. Lots of things you've always wanted to see are free or cheap, so don't sweat the entertainment budget if you're reasonably mobile.You must not miss the Amphitheater in Rome. An area in the south of the Eternal City called Testaccio is becoming a booming center of the Rome music scene in clubs dug out of a hill made up of old, busted up Roman amphoras. 

Amsterdam, Holland

Who Should Visit Amsterdam:

Bicyclists as it's a bike city in a flat land, those who need chemical assistance to accomplish the dream of free spiritage because they've exhausted all other possibilities and Unfree spirits; those who believe that allowing folks the slightest personal freedom leads only to despair and the eventual downfall of society.

Best Time to Visit Amsterdam: It can rain at any time in Amsterdam, but that's not a reason not to visit this fascinating city. Off season tourists will be rewarded with enough decent weather to stick around. April-May is tulip season in Amsterdam. Summer is good for sun worshippers--July and August is the peak tourist season in Amsterdam, but there is nothing like brooding off-season clouds for the photographers. 

What to See in Amsterdam: Munching at an Indonesian rijsttafel, wandering along the canals and through the Royal Palace, Rijksmuseum, and Van Gogh Museum. Heading off to the red light district and cafes may suit the free spirits and self-proclaimed, um, sex anthropologists (who should visit the Amsterdam Prostitution Information Center for the down-to-earth scoop) . And of course, Anne Frank's house to end it all on a thoughtful note.