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Hey there Happy Travelers! Today's post is all about spotlighting some of the most beautiful train stations in the world. Traveling by train is one my favorite ways to travel. It is so easy to miss how beautiful train travel can be as you quickly shuffle from platform to platform. That's why I'm so exited to bring you this post from Holidaylettings, a Trip Advisor company, who has selected 5 of the most beautiful stations in the world, along with some fun things you can do while you're there. ___ Train stations aren’t all about grey concourses and cancelled services. Holiday Lettings picks out some stunning stations from Stockholm to Naples that could make waiting for your train that bit easier to bear. Stockholm Metro, Sweden Stockholm Metro may just be the planet’s most extended art gallery. Rolling out over nearly 70 miles, it features everything from statues to mosaics installed at 90 stations. Highlights range from the ruins of the Makalös palace at Kungsträdgårde Station to the graffiti-like artwork on the wall of Östermalmstorg Station. While you’re in Stockholm, it’s well worth touring the City Hall; the lavish Blue Hall hosts the Nobel Prize banquets. Then take one of the boats outside to the magnificent Drottningholm Palace, where you can tour the Royal Family’s residence. It’s also an easy walk to Millesgården, a fascinating sculpture park and museum. Gare de Liège-Guillemins, Liège, Belgium Fans of cutting-edge design will love the Gare de Liège-Guillemins. Designed by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, it feels more like a football stadium than a transport hub. Its gleaming white lines and elegant curves give it a strong sense of light and space. You could head from the station to the top of the Coteaux de la Citadelle slope and take in the terrific views of the historic centre of Liège. Back in town, you can savour the tranquility of the St Jacques church or step back in time at the Château de Jehay, which boasts pretty gardens and a moat. Il Metro dell'Arte, Naples, Italy Naples’ arty metro line makes even the daily commute a pleasure - just check out the light and water themes of Toledo Station. It’s covered with glittering blue mosaics that make you feel like you’re in a spectacular underwater world. And there are over 180 other artworks across the network to spot. After you’ve surfaced, how about strolling the central Lungomare promenade and glimpsing the island of Capri? Or you could venture into the Bourbon Tunnel for fascinating insights into the city’s past, from its discarded vintage cars to an abandoned fascist monument. If you’re claustrophobic, though, you’ll probably prefer a night at the lavish San Carlo Theatre. Atocha Station, Madrid, Spain You could easily imagine that you’ve stepped into a tropical rainforest as you stroll through the colourful gardens along the concourse of Atocha Station. The steel and glass structure is a work of art in itself, plus there’s an impressive display of statues to admire. Once you’ve made it into the city centre, the picturesque Plaza Mayor is a lovely place to enjoy a glass of sangria. As night falls, you could take in one of the city’s vibrant flamenco shows. And it wouldn’t be a proper trip to Madrid without cheering on Real Madrid at the Bernabéu Stadium in the north of the city. Grand Central Terminal, New York, USA It’s no wonder that so many visitors add Grand Central to their New York must-see lists. You can admire the opulent Beaux-Arts building and gaze up at the world’s biggest Tiffany clock. Then if you can, find your way into the hidden Campbell Apartment bar for a delicious Manhattan.
When you’re hungry, browse the station’s famous food market for tasty treats. For more NYC architectural highlights, stroll down the road to the Art Deco Chrysler Building. Alternatively, visit the iconic New York Public Library and catch one of their exhibitions. ____ Wow! Sometimes train stations are a means to get you from point A to point B, but in these cases, the train stations look like the destination to me! Whatever your mode of transit, always make sure to travel happy! -Skeeter *Disclaimer: This was not a sponsored post. It was a topic chosen by me, and written by authors at Holidaylettings, a TripAdvisor.com company. We have partnered together to bring you fun and interesting content, and I hope you enjoyed it!
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I've been lucky enough to have traveled to quite a few places, but I'll admit, I was a little intimidated about going to Japan. Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world, I speak about 5 words of Japanese, and I just wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it. I have to say though, that I was so wrong about Japan. Not only did I love it, but it was much easier and enjoyable than I thought it would be. I decided that it might be helpful to lay out a few helpful tips that I was stressing about before I went...so here it goes! How to get around: Tokyo is a big place, but with just a little bit of prep, you can be set to explore this city with ease. If you are staying primarily in the Tokyo area, I would suggest getting a Suica card. It's a card that you load up with money to pay for JR Trains, the subway, and buses. I'll admit that the first two days I just walked everywhere because I was a little intimidated by the subway stations and figuring out the routes. That was silly. With a Suica card you can just zip through without having to buy a ticket for every trip and without having to figure out how much each fare is. When you swipe your card it will automatically calculate the fare for you. I'd also download the Tokyo Subway App. There were a few times when I found a station, but I wasn't sure which line to take or if I needed to make a transfer. With this app, all I had to know was the name of the station I was at, and the name of where I wanted to go. It then put in the line, the platform, the transfers and told me how long it would take. A note about Tokyo addresses* This was the most difficult part for me. The addresses look something like this: 1-22-14 Jinan, Shibuya-Ku. Shibuya-Ku is the ward or neighborhood. Jinan is the district within the ward. The next part is what gets confusing. One of the numbers represents the block, and one of them represents the order of when the building was built...so the numbers do not go in sequential order and most streets are not named. This can make finding an exact address challenging. Luckily many areas have maps posted on the sidewalks, so if you now a landmark near your address that is helpful. There's also often police officers posted on many street corners. If you have your address printed (which I would highly recommend) they are really nice about helping you find where you are going. This article was helpful to me when figuring this out. Google maps was somewhat helpful, but sometimes maddeningly unhelpful when navigating, so keep that in mind. If you are traveling elsewhere in Japan, I would look into getting a JR Pass. You have to buy this before you get to Japan. Wifi I was pretty much the envy of everyone in my group because I always had wifi even on the subway. Surprisingly, free wifi is a bit rare in Tokyo. So, I rented a pocket wifi hotspot from the airport. It was about $50 for the week and was so helpful! It meant I had wifi on the subway (which people who were using regular cellular data didn't have) which was super helpful when I was trying to figure out where I was going next. It was so easy to pick up and they provided a free prepaid envelope for me to just stick it in the mail when I was done. A Few Quick Tips: -Drive and walk on the left -Do not talk on your cell phone in public places (sidewalk, subway, restaurants), it's considered rude. -Be prepared to take your shoes off for temples, some restaurants and homes -7-11s are your best bet for an atm that accepts foreign cards -Do not tip, ever! -People do not walk and drink, even coffee or water. If you get a drink from a vending machine, drink it there. This is also helpful because there will be a garbage can there, which are hard to find elsewhere. -Bring an umbrella. I don't like using umbrellas, I prefer just a rain jacket with a hood. I'm just the right height to stab someone in the eye with an umbrella by accident. But everyone uses one, and in fact one person gave me there's despite me having a hood because they're just so nice. So, the next day I went right out and bought one because 1) I didn't want to continue to take advantage of their kindness and 2) I didn't want to look like the 1 weirdo in 15 million who was too unsophisticated to use an umbrella. -Wear comfortable but stylish shoes. The Japanese tend to be very fashionable. They generally dress conservatively, but well tailored and put together. I averaged 9 miles a day, so whatever shoes you decide to wear, they have to be comfortable. I literally walked the sole off one of my ballet flats. I also found that English wasn't as widely spoken as it is in other places, but many people know a few key words. They will also be very appreciative of you just trying to speak Japanesse, even if you fail miserably. So... A Few Helpful Key Phrases: Sumimasen- Means excuse me. In many restaurants, they will not come give you the check or even take your order until you let them know you are ready. They are not being rude, but letting you take your time. All you need to say when you are ready is Sumimasen and they'll know you are ready. Mizu- You should say oh-Mizu. It means water. Water is not typically served unless asked. I was getting seriously dehydrated because I wasn't drinking near as much water as I typically do. So, this was very helpful for me. Kon'nichiwa- Hello Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita- Thank you Ohayō- Good Morning Irasshaimase- This is not a word you need to learn to say, but it will be said to you several times in nearly every place you go. It means welcome. It might be shouted, but it's just a customary way to welcome you. Gomen'nasai- It means,"I'm sorry". As you stumble your way through a new city and an unfamiliar language, you'd be surprised how helpful this phrase is. People appreciate you trying, and that you realize that you might be fumbling. Me just being able to "I'm sorry" when I couldn't explain what I needed made people really sympathetic. Every single person I met, without exception where extraoridinarly nice and helpful, so I felt that this was an important phrase to know as I slowly but surely found my way. I would also learn 1-10 in Japanese. It's helpful when the nice police officer says it's "ni" blocks that way. With that said, I think every time I bought something, they displayed the amount of yen on a calculator or on a register screen, so that was super helpful. I'll have another post soon on some places to visit and things to do while in Tokyo. Overall, if you've ever thought about visiting Japan, I'd say you have to go. It's unlike any place I've ever been, and I wish I hadn't waited so long to go.
I'll also be posting soon about Key West. Pat and I are taking off in two weeks, and I can't wait! Wherever you are today, don't forget to travel happy! Skeeter Hey there Happy Travelers! We have another guest post today, and I'm so excited to share it with you! Petra and Shaun of The Global Couple are a mid-twenties New Zealand couple who love exploring at home and overseas. They search out amazing street food, scenic road trips, and have a passion for wandering with no destination in mind. They balance writing about the good times of travel with the reality of struggles they have been through while on the road - travel is not always easy! Check out their blog for New Zealand content as well as posts about North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Their post today is about why road tripping is the best way to travel. As you know, Pat and I spent some time road tripping in their neck of the woods and we totally agree with them! Without further ado, here's their story: Are you a fan of independent travel and not being locked into an itinerary? Do you like pulling over on the side of the road to take photos and to stop at random points of interest? If you've answered yes to both of these questions, chances are you like road trips. If you answered no, well, you're in for a treat - in this post we hope to convince you why road tripping is the best way to travel. We have been on road trips in New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, so we think we're pretty qualified to offer an opinion on this style of travel! 1. Your itinerary is up to you You can take as long as you want to get from A to B (and you can even go via X, Y, and Z to get there) or you can blast through as fast as possible. The choice is yours! You can tailor a road trip to suit your needs - do you want to go through cities or stay well away from them? Do you want to see quirky off the beaten track destinations? If you plan and execute your own road trip you avoid having to go along with the group on a tour, or missing out places altogether if you travel by train or plane. 2. You can save a lot of money Road tripping in a campervan is our favourite way to travel. Being in a campervan means that your accommodation and your vehicle are all-in-one, thus saving you precious dollars. In many countries you can park up on the side of the road for free (in New Zealand this is called freedom camping, and can only be done if you have a self-contained vehicle, i.e. a toilet and waste tank in your van – you don’t want to leave waste behind). Otherwise you can check into a cheap campsite rather than having to pay for an expensive hotel room. One of our most crazy road trip experiences was sleeping in our van in midtown Manhattan - it was quite noisy but we saved a couple of hundred dollars in accommodation andwe only had to pay $14 for parking! 3. You experience the 'real' destination you're visiting If you fly in and out of major cities on a trip, that's all well and good, but you are really only experiencing one portion of the country you're visiting. For example in the United States, the big, busy cities like New York are vastly different to the little towns and natural sights you'll pass by on your way to the next stop. We love cities and we love the countryside, so a road trip is an excellent way to mix the two. In New Zealand, if you only visit cities, you'll miss the best part of the country! The natural landscapes, often hours away from the nearest airport, are the major attraction in New Zealand. You'd be silly not to visit them! 4. You learn how to cope as a driver and navigator in a different country Chances are if you're road tripping around a foreign country, the road rules will be different, the language may be different, and pretty much everything will be unfamiliar. We've only been road tripping as a couple so one of us is the driver and the other is the navigator. We've had many spats while road tripping but it has also taught us to be more patient with each other - it can be mighty difficult trying to read a map in the dark, understand road signs in a foreign language, all while driving on the wrong side of the road in the wrong side of the car! It definitely tests any relationship. For those of you who travel solo, a GPS navigation system might be your best investment! Our favourite road trip destinations Some of our favourite travel memories have been from road trips. As a couple, road trips offer us a chance to chat, sing, laugh, and forget about rushing around and being so busy for a while. We love seeing places that are off the beaten track, that don't make it into the Lonely Planet guide - those are sometimes the places that you remember the most. Here are three of our favourite road trip pit stops that are difficult to get to by plane/train: 1. Oparara Basin, South Island, New Zealand This is one of our favourite places in New Zealand. We discovered it while on a road trip a few years back in our campervan Bessie, and we now recommend it to all travellers! The basin has a very access dodgy road, and is not recommended for campervans - if you have a camper then you can get a shuttle bus into the basin (it's a dead end road anyway so you have to come out the way you went in!). The basin is full of spectacular limestone caves, primeval New Zealand forest, and brown rivers stained by tannins. It's almost as untouched as you can get in New Zealand (perhaps the world?) and well worth the detour. 2. Northland, North Island, New Zealand The Northland region has the best beaches in New Zealand – there’s no contest! The fabulous white sand, turquoise water, lots of little islands, great surf, and undiscovered towns make this region worth visiting. We love Spirits Bay, at the northern tip of the North Island – there’s a cheap Department of Conservation campsite right next to the beach, and the Bay of Islands with its myriad of islands and gorgeous bays, although a little harder to access for road trippers. 3. White Mountains National Forest, New Hampshire, USA While on our road trip around the northeast USA we stayed a couple of nights in the White Mountains National Forest in New Hampshire. The Franconia Notch State Park has some lovely waterfalls, as does the pull-offs on the side of the Kancamagus Highway that goes from Lincoln to Conway. There are many cheap campsites along the way, as well as wonderful hikes – just watch out for bears! So, are you convinced to take a road trip now? -Thanks to Petra and Shaun for sharing their story! I don't know about you, but I'm ready to hop in the car and hit the road!
In addition to their site, you can also follow their adventures on twitter and Instagram @theglobalcouple, and on Facebook. Where are your favorite road trip destinations? Let us know in the comments. Wherever you are I hope you're having a great week and traveling happy! Skeeter |
Skeeter
Hi there! I'm Skeeter. I grew up moving a lot and that makes me a bit restless for travel and exploration. I started this blog with my husband Pat when we decided to backpack New Zealand for a year. We are always looking for the next adventure and are loving life. We're just your average couple with two sassy dogs and a love for travel. We're sharing our travels and the tips we pick up along the way. LIZHello! I'm Liz. Blogging is very new to me, but I'm so excited to finally write as much as I talk! Archives
December 2016
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