Miscellaneous Forum

In November 2007, as many Vt-ers know I fell on the platform at Delhi Railway Station and broke my left leg just above the ankle.
On 29 June 2009, I had just arrived at Khartoum airport after 4 months in the UK. As I stepped out of the doorway of the plane and onto the platform of the movable steps, I landed flat on the platform and have now got a multicoloured , very painful and very swollen ankle- yes, the same one. The X-ray doesn't show a break, but this time the pain is terrible.
My husband says that I shouldn't be allowed to travel alone again. Mind you, he was with me in Delhi and his presence didn't prevent it happening.
Am I being warned by Higher Powers, or am I just unlucky?

My paternal grandmother's maiden name was Neuerburg. I have a relative that has traced the lineage back to the Neuerburg Castle. Any informaton concerning the history of the Castle or decendants would be appreciated.

I've just patronised a different takeaway Roast Spud Bar and they normally serve it with the skin cut up into the flesh with your selected toppings.
I haven't struck that mixing the skin in before.
Is it usual ??
Not to my liking.

I heard recetly that groups of mothers have been arrangig 'swine flue parties'. The idea is that if a couple of children get it then they can transmit to all in the group. The hope is that they then get the flu...recover..and thus build up a resistence before the swine flu mutates and comes back stronger in the winter.

Is this a pragmatic response or blind stupidity ?

...milk??
having black coffee (shudder) cos forgot to buy some

What is your favourite lunch time treat? I'm a full time worker and usually make simple sandwiches for work but when I feel like lashing out for a lunch time treat, I usually head down to the local Kabab shop and buy myself a chicken Kabab with hot chilli sauce and sour cream. So what's yours?...

came across a mid-size durian tree with low branches by the road side, and took pictures and video of the tree, plus stayed a while to enjoy the fragrance.

see my pp http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/ab623/#TL and enjoy...

Wishing all of our USA members a very happy 4th! Enjoy!

Hi All

I am looking to chat to and perhaps meet other gay folks during my next around the world trip which will happen in December/January
So far My itinerary looks like this:
Seattle,Jasper,Banff,Toronto,QuebecCity,Boston,Reykjavík,Tromso,Zurich,Berlin,Bucharest,Brasov,Istanbul and Hong Kong

If you live in any of those places or will be visiting around the same time please message me!

Also looking to chat to gay guys in general from anywhere around the world to build a nice network of friendship for when i travel

Tonight I switched day and night shifts so I could go to the memorial service of an old friend, I expected the usual clergy thing followed by a quiet reception. I am talking about mid 80's couple here, the memorial service was a catered food event with beer, wine, and gin and tonics. All of her friends who loved her together (she died 6 months ago so not alot of grieving going on)no "service" just a grand celebration of this wonderful womans life. That is the way I want to go..,a keg of guinness and happiness.

And...she swore to us she was right about it, but now has no recollection of this discussion. She looks at us as if we're crazy...Hmmm, me smells a skunk! Anywhooo...Hope all my American friends, wherever you reside, have a great "4th or North" and enjoy some good food, drinks and fireworks! ~

the last known franchise of over 500 Lum's restaurants, located in Dania Florida, has closed to become a diner. famed for hot dogs steamed in beer and the Ollie, a spiced hamburger, this family owned operation had over 500 venues when sold to Kentucky Fried Chicken in the early 70's, the beginning of the end. contents, including the cheap tiffany style lamps were auctioned. now the very last one is no more and the memories are flooding into my brain unbidden. do you all remember Lum's?

Are there any hotels in Costa Rica, Jaco beach or surrounding area that are clothing optional?

I have no idea what to ask, but I might be visiting Belfast some time in August. All I know is that I'll be setting sail from Bergen, and if the wind permits, I might make it all the way to Belfast. I won't ask about the beer since I know I'll enjoy anything the tap will give me. I also know I will enjoy any type of Irish whisky....oppps sorry, whiskEy as it's bound to be good. And I don't need to ask about the people as I already have met a few of them here and there. The nature and countryside will also guaranteed be welcoming to the eye. So what is there left to ask???

Here's one for Parisian photographers or street-walkers (no, no not those ones!!!)or anyone that has an idea.

Most of us have probably seen the famous photo by Brassai of an open gutter taken somewhere in Paris in 1933. I've searched high and low and cannot find out where it was taken . Does anybody know ?

Here's the pic.

http://www.masters-of-photography.com/B/brassai/brassai_gutter.html

Maybe my grandsons will be able to visit Mars?

NASA Phoenix Results Point to Martian Climate Cycles
07.02.09 -- Nutrients and episodes with thin films of water during long-term climate cycles may sometimes make arctic Mars a favorable environment for microbes.
NASA Phoenix Results Point to Martian Climate Cycles
07.02.09 -- Nutrients and episodes with thin films of water during long-term climate cycles may sometimes make arctic Mars a favorable environment for microbes.

And

NASA Phoenix Results Point To Martian Climate Cycles
http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/

We are Disney Vacation Club Members, loved taking our kids to Orlando every year for the past 10... we stay at Boardwalk or Wilderness...
Now thinking it would be good to swap it for a week of skiing, maybe
a week in Hawaii~

What has been your timeshare experience??

Are thee any self catering villas as such around Northern Spain?? My wife and I are thinking of taking the ferry to and Bilbao, taking the car with us.
We have looked in all the brochures but there seems nothing at all in the self catering area!!. A villa with a pool would be great. Thanks for anyone who could point us in the right direction. Any help would be great

I'm always on my daughter's case about using good table manners. (I think she's the only kid in America who puts a napkin on her lap at McDonald's.) And although she generally thinks I'm a pain, I think when she's older she'll appreciate it. Occasionally I get comments from friends, or others, that I'm too strict about it with her, or that in general table manners aren't that important anyway, so why put so much energy into it? But to me, manners are very, very important. (I'll never forget a date I went on once with this guy I thought was the bee's knees until he started eating salad with his hands and licking his fingers . . .) So how important are table manners, or other manners, to you? Do you think they're important?

rang my mobile from land-line (a too-often frequent ritual), and started the tour of duty around the house, when a familiar little tune started in the pocket of my shorts (wearing them)
lordy!
last week it was a search for sunglasses...
on my head!!
tell me. What comes next?

Many of us have them; unwritten tips!
Which tips did you intend to write, but never got around to doing?

Going to watch The Eagles in Manchester on the 11th July, can't wait. Anyone else going to see them?

Canon Powershot SX200

or

Panasonic DMC TZ5 ?

Any advice, views or experience with either would be very welcome.

Thanks.

Pls. enter a link the best one you have seen.

So, what's your favorite people-watching spot in the world? Mine would be either the Cafe de Flore in Paris or the "Garage" flea market in New York.

What's yours?

And yes, this may turn into a press project if we get great responses. ;)

C

Quite recently, a Japanese couple ate lunch at an upscale restaurant in the area of Piazza Navona...and were charged nearly 900 euro(!).

You can see the initial story in English at http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=7985050

In today's Il Messaggero (an Italian newspaper), there is a second story that the cooks and the waiters are ready to return the 115.50 euro tip, but that the owner of the restaurant is adamant about not returning any money. His attitude is that they ordered enough for 5 people, so they should have expected to pay a bill enough for 5 people.

Hmpf! The newspaper today quoted an account given by the management, "the couple was asked if they wanted to leave a tip to add the amount together with the bill on their credit card. The tourists asked how much was generally left, and the waiter replied between 15% and 20% of the bill. At this point, the Japanese nodded. That 115 euro tip, left with the consent of the two customers, was divided among the cooks and the waiters." [Note to those unfamiliar with Italy, this is NOT the normal tipping practice in Italy, but it is in the US, where the restaurant probably got the idea - in Italy, you might leave a few euro, and that's only if you liked the service]

Now, the restaurant has already been shut down for health code violations, and there has been a howling in the Italian press about how bad this makes the Roman tourism industry look. One Italian commenter on the article at Il Messggero had to say "Viva McDonalds".

Now, I have often stated here that the stories of rip-offs in Rome are overstated...but...this is just plain awful...off with their heads!

Bill

In order to have passengers pay attention to the flight safety video, Air New Zealand has created a safety video where all its presenters have no clothing on except shoes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31708964/ns/travel-news/

Are you, or are you not more likely to watch it?

Well, I watched it this time from my laptop ...

I love to eat soup and I don't care if it's hot or cold out. Does anyone else eat soup year round and if not why?

Hello, Everyone,

Yesterday in one of our weekly meetings, Stephanie came up with what we think is a great idea for a new feature on VT and we just wanted to get a sense of whether or not this is something members would both like and use.

Recently there's been a lot of discussion about forum posts in the travel forums that aren't really questions but recent travel news. The information is very helpful, but not really appropriate for the forums. Members can post the information as tips, but since these are issues of a timely nature, they can easily get lost there. (For example, a tip about an impending metro workers' strike in Paris would be too hidden in "Warnings and Dangers" for someone to find it in time to have it be of much use.)

If we were to add a sort of "Breaking Travel News" feature, do you think you would use it? If so, how would you like it to function and where you like it to "live?"

We're open to any and all ideas, so don't hesitate to post them here and feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks!
Courtney

This is from Travelers' Tales in the June issue of BudgetTravel:

____________________________________________________________________________

June's winner is Bob Ahders of Carmichael, Calif. His prize is a seven-night
trip to Turkey from Foreign Independent Tours.

Driving in the Sahara, our group was hailed by a Tuareg man who was guiding a
camel train. He asked if we had anything for his inflamed leg. I had some Aleve
in my backpack and started rummaging through the many Ziploc bags for it. I had
sunglasses on and took awhile finding the bag of blue pills. I gave him 12, and
our guide told him to take one every six hours. He thanked us and hobbled back
to his camels and his wives.

That night one of our group complained of a backache and asked for an Aleve. No
longer wearing sunglasses, I immediately found the full bag of pain reliever.
But if my bag of Aleve was full, what had I given the man? It was my other
little blue pill?Viagra.

His leg probably didn't improve, but maybe he was all right with that.
____________________________________________________________________________


Does anyone else see the danger in what happened here?