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Since we were about to embark on a Canadian rail journey, a visit to the Drake Street Roundhouse, in Yaletown, Vancouver, was almost inevitable. Yaletown used to be a huge railway complex, and was where the trains to Vancouver used to terminate. But all that remains nowadays is the Roundhouse. This is a really ingenious arrangement, consisting of a railway turntable, with tracks radiating from it like spokes on a wheel.

The locomotive could be turned on the turntable to a selected track, then

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In these trying times, we can all use a laugh. And when it comes to travel, the general public can usually be relied upon for prime material. I just recently again came across a clipping that came out several years ago, in which a survey by the Association of British Travel Agents revealed 20 of the most ridiculous complaints by holidaymakers. So check out the following - some are merely ill informed, while others are silly, and still others downright jawdroppingly stupid. To whit:

1. “I

The capital of Austria boasts an extraordinarily rich history and plenty of attractions, thanks mostly to its legacy as the centre of the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the late 19th and early 20th century, but of course going back much further. So whether you're a Mozart maven or cutting-edge architecture aficionado, Wien has enough to keep you occupied for days on end. But if you happen to be here for only a day or two

For day trips outside town, you'll want to rent a car. But worry not, as there

We first glimpsed the atolls from five miles high: Turquoise patches stitched onto a green sheet, and the even darker green of the rain forest and mangrove swamps.

Cairns is a thriving city with a population of about 145 000, spread out without congestion across a strip of plain between dense tropical forest and the Pacific Coast of Australia's Queensland state. It boasts an international airport, and so is ideal as the first or last port-of-call for the visitor to Australia. And though it does

Lee Howard

by Lee Howard


The foothills of the world’s highest coastal mountain range, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, meet the Caribbean at Tayrona National Natural Park, Colombia’s second most visited national reserve. The promise of dramatic scenery where the jungle slopes down to the sea lures a mix of visitors (especially from Barranquilla, just over two hours’ drive west or Cartagena, some four hours away) fanning out along sandy coves enjoying a break from the city.

Beach life is the

LeeMNichols

Home to 10,000 eateries from humble to haute, the Lone Star State's biggest city has in recent years been evolving into a foodie powerhouse, fueled by the addition of multicultural cuisines from 70 countries to its traditional base of good old Southern cooking (with lots of things drenched in gravy and cheese) and mucho Tex-Mex. So when in Houston, here are the top seven most iconic dishes to look for in 2020:

Barbecued Brisket

Arguably, when it comes to chowing down, brisket is king

If it’s your first time hiking and, not knowing what to expect, you find yourself packing everything you can think of, and that's understandable - preparation is in fact key, and as a beginner you’ll have lots to prepare for before reaching the peak. On the other hand, overpacking can weigh you down and even become a liability, especially on a long trek. So read on to know what things are of the utmost importance and what things are less so, so you can start reducing the load of your rucksack.

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Located in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Agra is one of our country's most popular tourist destinations for good reason - its lovely monuments and legacy of the Mughal Empire - especially during its 17th-century golden age - the most legendary of which of course is the Taj Mahal.

On a recent visit here, I checked into the fine, low-cost Bhawna Palace, one of the best low-cost hotels in Agra, in the northwestern Sikandra district - one of its busiest and poshest. I then beguil

Did you known that Jacksonville (population around 904,000) is the Sunshine State's most populous city? It also happens to be one of the state's most attractive. This clean, progressive, and modern metropolis on northeastern Florida's St. John's River is a great place to visit, and a great place to live, from its amenities to its surprisingly low cost of living and excellent job availability. However, beyond beyond its lifestyle, a city with little to keep you occupied during your free time sti

nedomacki

 by Felice Hardy

In the delicious blend of old and new that are Central Europe and Eastern Europe, many amazing destinations once locked away behind the "Iron Curtain" of the 1940s through 1980s have of course become favourites of international travelers - particularly the likes of Prague and Budapest. But others have definitely remained a bit more under the proverbial radar both in terms of tourism and general world presence, and the Czech Republic's immediate neighbour to the south

Kaippally

When you think Dubai and the UAE, it's mostly manmade marvels that spring to mind - the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, Palm Islands, and the like. But there is a more "eco" side to the Emirates, as well - and not just parks and gardens like Dubai's Zabeel and Mushrif Parks. Outside the shiny canyons of glass and steel, the desert awaits - some of which has been set aside as nature reserve and beyond desert safaris by camel, jeep, and ATV, there's also a significant amount of ecotourism

Arpan Kalita is a spirited drifter. Having wandered from engineering assignments to account tables to graphics, he finally found solace in nature. His journey with traveling and photography started in 2011. Fresh from a stint in Delhi, the wanderer in him awakened to a new life. He made his camera an integral part of his life. Travelling is his food and mountains, his first love. Perhaps the love for the mountains has brought out the best in him when it comes to landscape photography. Mountains

Harry D.

You've of course heard of Tikal, Antigua, and Guatemala City. But 2,330 metres (7,644 feet) up in the western highlands just two or so hours from the capital, this country’s second largest city (pop. around 225,000) is a dynamic, untouristy trove that not only has a lot to offer on its own terms but is also a great jumping off point for other attractions, including Lake Atitlán and several of Guatemala's awesome ecotourism wonders.

Elijah-Lovkoff

Originally the pre-Columbian Ma

The currency of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as many of its overseas territories, for example Gibraltar and a number of islands such as the Falklands. Subdivided into 100 pence, the pound sterling (ala GBP) is the oldest currency still in continuous use.

How Did the Pound Originate?

There are three main hypotheses. Perhaps the most obvious connects the name "pound sterling" to the weight of one pound of coins called sterlings, which were minted by Britain's e

poike

For better or worse, for many travelers these days it's not an ideal vacation if they don't post about it on Instagram. All those fascinating, picturesque locations, all of your pictures in those beautiful outfits and doing cool, exotic things, deserve to be seen by your Instagram followers. And for that, of course, you need an internet connection wherever you go. But if you're traveling abroad how are you possibly going to do that with international roaming charges so exorbitant?


WiFi,

Sergey Pesterev



Especially since the 1936 publication of Ernest Hemingway's short story The Snows of Kilimanjaro and its 1958 movie adaptation, many people around the world have heard of Africa's highest peak. But there are also a number of other remarkable mountains around the continent - most of volcanic origin - which you may not have heard of but which also provide adventure travelers with scenic challenges. Here are a half dozen of the most prominent of Africa''s ten highest mountains,

Sumit_Kumar_99

Whether for relaxing or for exploring, India have always been a delightful treat. But it's true that summers here can be challenging to deal with; in some places, sunburns, bolstering sun rays and sweat bathing can be extreme. So naturally, many holidaymakers tend to head for the hills and mountains, especially the "hill stations" founded during the British Raj in the 19th century as escapes from the sweltering lowlands. So here are 25 rewarding destinations especially for beating

Il DeCameron Hotel



Eastern European tourism has of course been booming in the past decade, and will no doubt recover much of its popularity as the world emerges from coronavirus/COVID-19 lockdown and people begin traveling more again. But the country of Ukraine - Europe's biggest after Russia - has remained more under the tourism radar, attracting a relatively modest 10 million or so visitors in recent years, a good chunk of those business rather than leisure travelers. Part of this is down prob

Francis Seura

Especially when traveling for ecotourism and/or adventure (or also for attending events), a good set of binoculars is a boon - an not infrequently even a necessity. Gеnеrаllу ѕреаkіng, there are five categories that any nеwсоmеr to орtісѕ ѕhоuld bе аwаrе оf. They оvеrlар but аlѕо dіffеr in vаrіоuѕ wауѕ bесаuѕе they're designed fоr a vаrіеtу оf рurроѕеѕ. In this post I will highlight three саtеgоrіеѕ and whаt thе kеу features are that уоu ѕhоuld bе looking fоr whеn buying thе best

Dieter Mueller


When I started visiting one of  Cuba´s earliest settlements (founded in 1514), down in the central south coast some five or so hours from Havana. in the late 1990s, Trinidad was a sleepy little colonial gem in the rough – as in, fairly shabby like most other Cuban towns, seemingly trapped in amber, even smaller feeling than its population of a little over 70,000.

The colonial quarter was all about cobblestone streets lined with those retro old U.S. cars parked in front of low-s