Wikitravel - Changes related to "Assam" [en]

Mandalay

2013-05-24T09:58:16Z

First person pronouns and not relevant information thus undid revision

Mandalay

2013-05-24T07:19:52Z

updated listing Mann Restaurant

Bangkok

2013-05-23T22:10:58Z

updated listing Songkran Festival

Myanmar

2013-05-23T17:18:05Z

‎Get in: Duplication and commercial.

Bangalore

2013-05-23T11:00:38Z

Siliguri

2013-05-23T10:33:15Z

Delhi

2013-05-22T17:10:52Z

Please adhere to- http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Activity_listings#Tour_listings

Delhi

2013-05-22T12:29:36Z

‎By taxi:

Delhi

2013-05-22T05:58:21Z

‎Do:

Delhi

2013-05-22T04:28:43Z

‎By auto rickshaws:

Darjeeling

2013-05-20T20:19:36Z

Reverted edits by 14.97.184.11 (Talk) to last version by 49.244.105.28

Darjeeling

2013-05-19T14:57:03Z

updated listing dinesh

Europe

2013-05-18T22:14:31Z

‎By ship:

Europe

2013-05-18T22:10:26Z

‎Regions: Not every country has its own language, eg, Switzerland; rm link to disamb pg

Europe

2013-05-18T18:20:01Z

‎Music:

Europe

2013-05-18T16:55:37Z

Mumbai

2013-05-18T12:48:39Z

updated listing LifeIsOutside

Mandalay

2013-05-17T19:30:43Z

‎Mid-range:

China

2013-05-17T18:05:15Z

‎Visas:

Darjeeling

2013-05-17T11:56:57Z

‎Eat:

Mumbai

2013-05-17T11:25:27Z

‎Suburban rail network:

Kolkata

2013-05-17T11:24:08Z

‎By train:

Bhutan

2013-05-17T06:26:57Z

‎Understand:

Mandalay

2013-05-17T05:58:21Z

‎Sleep:

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 Mandalay, both due to its history as a former capital of Myanmar, and its position as a major trading centre between Myanmar and it's neighbours in China, India and Bangladesh has a notable array of specialties both from various regions within Myanmar as well as from other countries. Cuisine from the Shan State (usually including fermented pastes, vegetables, and meats) is popular in Mandalay which has a notable Shan minority. Muslim Chinese noodles, pronounced ''pan-THEI-kao-sweh'' (flat thin noodles mixed with an array of spices, chili, and chicken), are also famous in Mandalay and the surrounding hills. Regardless of where you eat, try and leave space for '''Htou moun'''(''to-moh''), a traditional Burmese dessert sold only in Mandalay. Beware, it contains a lot of oil and is extremely sweet.
-* <eat name="Mann Restaurant" alt="" address="83rd Street" directions="Between 25th &amp; 26th Streets" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">A Chinese restaurant, frequented by locals, but not so much by foreigners. Has a number of basic Chinese meals, at around 2000k a plate. Easily recognised from the street by the abundant yellow and black advertising for a local whisky brand. (They do sell beer and alcohol here too, Myanmar Beer at 1500k a bottle compared to 2000k in Yangon.) UPDATE: Visiting in May 2013 this restaurant appeared to us to be ONLY white people, no locals at all! </eat>
+* <eat name="Mann Restaurant" alt="" address="83rd Street" directions="Between 25th & 26th Streets" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">A Chinese restaurant, frequented by locals, but not so much by foreigners. Has a number of basic Chinese meals, at around 2000k a plate. Easily recognised from the street by the abundant yellow and black advertising for a local whisky brand. (They do sell beer and alcohol here too, Myanmar Beer at 1500k a bottle compared to 2000k in Yangon.)</eat>
 * <eat name="Too Too Myanmar Cuisine" alt="" address="28th Street" directions="Between 74th & 75th Streets" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">Supposedly has the best Burmese food in whole Mandalay. Standard Burmese fare, with a curry dish of your choice and 3 vegetable side dishes (bamboo shoots, okra, and something minced vegetable). Slightly overpriced, with the mutton curry going for 3000 kyats; generally have found the curry + side dishes meal to be no more than 1500-2000 kyats elsewhere. Good food (for Burmese cuisine = oily and fried), but nothing special and the price is questionable.</eat>
 *<eat name="Golden Lion" alt="" address="66th street between 12th & 13th street="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">About the only restaurant nearby the Mandalay Hill area.  A bit pricier than others for this reason (5000kyat per dish) but good with mostly Chinese options.</eat>

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 Mandalay, both due to its history as a former capital of Myanmar, and its position as a major trading centre between Myanmar and it's neighbours in China, India and Bangladesh has a notable array of specialties both from various regions within Myanmar as well as from other countries. Cuisine from the Shan State (usually including fermented pastes, vegetables, and meats) is popular in Mandalay which has a notable Shan minority. Muslim Chinese noodles, pronounced ''pan-THEI-kao-sweh'' (flat thin noodles mixed with an array of spices, chili, and chicken), are also famous in Mandalay and the surrounding hills. Regardless of where you eat, try and leave space for '''Htou moun'''(''to-moh''), a traditional Burmese dessert sold only in Mandalay. Beware, it contains a lot of oil and is extremely sweet.
-* <eat name="Mann Restaurant" alt="" address="83rd Street" directions="Between 25th & 26th Streets" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">A Chinese restaurant, frequented by locals, but not so much by foreigners. Has a number of basic Chinese meals, at around 2000k a plate. Easily recognised from the street by the abundant yellow and black advertising for a local whisky brand. (They do sell beer and alcohol here too, Myanmar Beer at 1500k a bottle compared to 2000k in Yangon.)</eat>
+* <eat name="Mann Restaurant" alt="" address="83rd Street" directions="Between 25th &amp; 26th Streets" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">A Chinese restaurant, frequented by locals, but not so much by foreigners. Has a number of basic Chinese meals, at around 2000k a plate. Easily recognised from the street by the abundant yellow and black advertising for a local whisky brand. (They do sell beer and alcohol here too, Myanmar Beer at 1500k a bottle compared to 2000k in Yangon.) UPDATE: Visiting in May 2013 this restaurant appeared to us to be ONLY white people, no locals at all! </eat>
 * <eat name="Too Too Myanmar Cuisine" alt="" address="28th Street" directions="Between 74th & 75th Streets" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">Supposedly has the best Burmese food in whole Mandalay. Standard Burmese fare, with a curry dish of your choice and 3 vegetable side dishes (bamboo shoots, okra, and something minced vegetable). Slightly overpriced, with the mutton curry going for 3000 kyats; generally have found the curry + side dishes meal to be no more than 1500-2000 kyats elsewhere. Good food (for Burmese cuisine = oily and fried), but nothing special and the price is questionable.</eat>
 *<eat name="Golden Lion" alt="" address="66th street between 12th & 13th street="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">About the only restaurant nearby the Mandalay Hill area.  A bit pricier than others for this reason (5000kyat per dish) but good with mostly Chinese options.</eat>

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 * <do name="Chinese New Year Festival" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">January or February. The obvious place to visit is [[Bangkok/Yaowarat and Phahurat|Yaowarat]], the Chinese district of Bangkok. Yaowarat Road is closed to cars and many stores and food stands crowd the road, with grandiose and colourful Chinese lion and dragon processions.</do>
-* <do name="Songkran Festival" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Mid-April. The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for merriment all over the city, but most notably at Sanam Luang, near the Grand Palace, where the revered Phra Phuttha Sihing image is displayed and bathed by devotees. In the Wisut Kasat area, a Miss Songkran beauty contest is held and accompanied by merit-making and entertainment. Don't think it is particularly peaceful festival though; [[Bangkok/Khao San Road|Khao San Road]] degenerates into a war zone as farangs and locals duke it out with super soakers.</do>
+* <do name="Songkran Festival" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">April 14-16. The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for merriment all over the city, but most notably at Sanam Luang, near the Grand Palace, where the revered Phra Phuttha Sihing image is displayed and bathed by devotees. In the Wisut Kasat area, a Miss Songkran beauty contest is held and accompanied by merit-making and entertainment. Don't think it is particularly peaceful festival though; [[Bangkok/Khao San Road|Khao San Road]] degenerates into a war zone as farangs and locals duke it out with super soakers.</do>
 * <do name="Royal Ploughing Ceremony" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">May. Farmers believe that an ancient Brahman ritual, conducted at Sanam Luang, is able to forecast whether the coming growing season will be bountiful or not.The event dates back to the Sukhothai Kingdom. This ceremony was re-introduced in 1960 by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is considered the official commencement of the rice-growing season (and the rainy season). Nowadays, the ceremony is conducted by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.</do>

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:18, 23 May 2013
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	If you can not find a embassy near you, you can still apply for an approval letter. No trip to embassy is required. Simply upload your photo and a scanned copy of your passport to get the approval letter [http://www.evisaasia.com/myanmar-visa]. The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has made a special arrangement with Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow the approval letter to be applied online. The process may take up to two weeks. You must enter Myanmar through international airports and not through the border. Visa sticker will be stamped on your passport on arrival.		If you can not find a embassy near you, you can still apply for an approval letter. No trip to embassy is required. Simply upload your photo and a scanned copy of your passport to get the approval letter [http://www.evisaasia.com/myanmar-visa]. The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has made a special arrangement with Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow the approval letter to be applied online. The process may take up to two weeks. You must enter Myanmar through international airports and not through the border. Visa sticker will be stamped on your passport on arrival.
−
−	If you cannot get a visa in advance through the traditional means, many web sites offer services for visa-on-arrival. This is an expensive service (SGD 89, approximately $78 USD) but a very convenient one. [www.MyMyanmarVisa.com] is a good reputable option; they will provide you with visa-on-arrival confirmation, notices to show to the airline, and even a visa-on-arrival name list for you to print out in case you get hassled, but these are typically not necessary. After paying for the service, you'll typically find your visa waiting for you hassle-free upon arrival to Yangon International Airport.

	=== By plane ===		=== By plane ===

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 <!--PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE NAME FROM BANGALORE TO BENGALURU SINCE  PROCESS HAS STALLED DUE TO DELAYS IN GETTING CLEARANCES FROM MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (INDIA) .-->
-'''Bangalore''' [http://kstdc.nic.in/frames3.htm] (Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು), also known as '''Bengaluru''', is the capital of the Indian state of [[Karnataka]]. It is India's third-largest city with an estimated population of 8,425,970 million (2011).
+'''Bangalore''' [http://kstdc.nic.in/frames3.htm] (Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು), also known as '''Bengaluru''', is the capital of the Indian state of [[Karnataka]]. It is India's third-largest city with an estimated population of 8,474,970 (2011).
 In a recent survey, conducted by the global HR consultancy Mercer, Bangalore was voted the most liveable city in India, beating [[Mumbai]] , [[Chennai]] , [[New Delhi]] and [[Kolkata]].[http://mobilepaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=37&sectid=edid=&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=07-12-2012&pubname=Times+of+India+-+Bangalore&edname=&articleid=Ar03701&publabel=TOI].In terms of cleanliness, Bangalore ranks 12th in India.[http://im.rediff.com/news/2010/may/rank-of-cities-on-sanitation-2009-2010.pdf]

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:33, 23 May 2013
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	'''Siliguri''' [http://www.siligurismc.com/] is a city in [[Darjeeling (district)\|Darjeeling district]] in the northern part of [[West Bengal]], [[India]].		'''Siliguri''' [http://www.siligurismc.com/] is a city in [[Darjeeling (district)\|Darjeeling district]] in the northern part of [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
		+
		+	[[File:NishithTigerBridge.jpg\|thumbnail\|On the way to Darjeeling, crossing Coronation Bridge (Tiger Bridge)]]

	==Understand==		==Understand==

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:10, 22 May 2013
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	*<do name="Delhi Food Tour" alt="Private Sight seeing and Indian Street Food Tour in Delhi" address="199-A, Lane 10, East Azad Nagar" directions="Use website http://DelhiFoodTour.com for details" phone="+91-9810645418" url="http://DelhiFoodTour.com" hours="6 am to 11:50 pm" price="Rs 3300" lat="" long="">Delhi Food Tour offers private sight-seeing and authentic Indian street food tours in Delhi region. The tours cover not only the cuisine of Delhi, but also some offbeat attractions which most people don't know about. The tours are customized according to visitor's preferences and offer pickup and drop facilities via air-conditioned vehicles. Average duration of the tour is 4-5 hours and includes at least 8 to 18 different varieties of food from different places, some worth seeing places and explanation of history and culture of the places as well as food.</do>		*<do name="Delhi Food Tour" alt="Private Sight seeing and Indian Street Food Tour in Delhi" address="199-A, Lane 10, East Azad Nagar" directions="Use website http://DelhiFoodTour.com for details" phone="+91-9810645418" url="http://DelhiFoodTour.com" hours="6 am to 11:50 pm" price="Rs 3300" lat="" long="">Delhi Food Tour offers private sight-seeing and authentic Indian street food tours in Delhi region. The tours cover not only the cuisine of Delhi, but also some offbeat attractions which most people don't know about. The tours are customized according to visitor's preferences and offer pickup and drop facilities via air-conditioned vehicles. Average duration of the tour is 4-5 hours and includes at least 8 to 18 different varieties of food from different places, some worth seeing places and explanation of history and culture of the places as well as food.</do>
−
−	*Go for a '''Flow India tour''' - customised '''group tours of museums and galleries in Delhi-''' for children and adults - ''A 298, New Friends Colony'' ''visit www.flowindia.com for details call them at +918800754921 http://flowindia.wordpress.com'' - Flow India offers private customised tours of all the museums and galleries of Delhi. Walk through the National Gallery of Modern Art - experiencing the rich art history of India, from Mughal Miniatures to Modern and Contemporary Art, or enjoy a day as a family in the National Museum - filled with treasure hunts amongst ancient sculptures. Suitable for all age groups, and flexible with timings, Flow India offers a unique way to experience the city of Delhi.

	==Learn==		==Learn==

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:29, 22 May 2013
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	The death knell of the Ambassador was rung in December 2006, when modern '''radio taxi''' services were launched. At Rs 20/km, they're more the list price of the competition, but they use modern vehicles with air-conditioning and GPS and can be dialed 24 hr/day. The flag fare is Rs 20, and the fare increases by Rs 5 for every 250 m after the first km. If you need an SUV, you need to inform the company in advance, but the fare remains the same. Night charges (25% extra) apply between 11pm to 5am. Book up to a few hours in advance. Many corporates rely on these cabs for their daily commute and they may be booked during office hours. Tipping is not expected. After booking, you will receive an SMS with the car license plate number, and the driver's name and mobile number. Usually the driver will call you and inform you that he's arrived. Most drivers speak English, but at a very basic level, so use short phrases.		The death knell of the Ambassador was rung in December 2006, when modern '''radio taxi''' services were launched. At Rs 20/km, they're more the list price of the competition, but they use modern vehicles with air-conditioning and GPS and can be dialed 24 hr/day. The flag fare is Rs 20, and the fare increases by Rs 5 for every 250 m after the first km. If you need an SUV, you need to inform the company in advance, but the fare remains the same. Night charges (25% extra) apply between 11pm to 5am. Book up to a few hours in advance. Many corporates rely on these cabs for their daily commute and they may be booked during office hours. Tipping is not expected. After booking, you will receive an SMS with the car license plate number, and the driver's name and mobile number. Usually the driver will call you and inform you that he's arrived. Most drivers speak English, but at a very basic level, so use short phrases.
		+
		+	Best Tourist Vehicle Are:
		+	Indica , Indigo, Swift Desire, Toyota Etios, Toyota Corolla and Innova

	'''Car Rentals:'''		'''Car Rentals:'''

@@ Line 452: / Line 452: @@
 * <do name="National Zoological Park" alt="NZP" address="Mathura Road" directions="" phone="+91 11 2435 8500" url="" hours="9:30AM-4PM (Closed Friday)" price="Foreigner: Rs 100, Indian: Rs 20" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">The Delhi Zoo is a very large and sprawling park dedicated to preserving the rich biodiversity of the country. This park may be the only chance of seeing a tiger or elephant for some travellers. Be prepared to do a lot of walking [http://www.d2i.in/visit/Delhi-National-Zoological-Park_Pragati-Maidan_Delhi-NCR_Zoo-Aquarium/3166].</do>
 *<do name="Delhi Food Tour" alt="Private Sight seeing and Indian Street Food Tour in Delhi" address="199-A, Lane 10, East Azad Nagar" directions="Use website http://DelhiFoodTour.com for details" phone="+91-9810645418" url="http://DelhiFoodTour.com" hours="6 am to 11:50 pm" price="Rs 3300" lat="" long="">Delhi Food Tour offers private sight-seeing and authentic Indian street food tours in Delhi region. The tours cover not only the cuisine of Delhi, but also some offbeat attractions which most people don't know about. The tours are customized according to visitor's preferences and offer pickup and drop facilities via air-conditioned vehicles.  Average duration of the tour is 4-5 hours and includes at least 8 to 18 different varieties of food from different places, some worth seeing places and explanation of history and culture of the places as well as food.</do>
 ==Learn==

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 [[Image:Auto-rickshaw.JPG|thumb|250px|Auto-rickshaws - no doors]]
-'''Auto rickshaws''' (also called '''three-wheeled scooters''', '''tuk-tuks''' or simply '''autos''') are good for shorter trips. Always in a distinctive '''yellow-and-green''' livery, auto rickshaws are three-wheeled partially enclosed contraptions (no doors!) that run on CNG and can seat three people in the back.  In general, they are much cheaper than taxis and can be hailed from the street.  Although by law the rickshaw drivers should charge according to the meter in their vehicle (Rs 19 for the first two kms, Rs 6.50/km after), this rate is unrealistically low and they will almost always try to [[haggle]] for price. As rules of thumb, even the shortest journey costs Rs 30, but you should not need to pay over Rs 150 for any trip within the city. If you're overquoted, don't be afraid to walk away. It's usually easy to find another one soon, usually with a driver who won't rip you off.
+'''Auto rickshaws''' (also called '''three-wheeled scooters''', '''tuk-tuks''' or simply '''autos''') are good for shorter trips. Always in a distinctive '''yellow-and-green''' livery, auto rickshaws are three-wheeled partially enclosed contraptions (no doors!) that run on CNG and can seat three people in the back.  In general, they are much cheaper than taxis and can be hailed from the street.  Although by law the rickshaw drivers should charge according to the meter in their vehicle (Rs 25 for the first two kms, Rs 8/km after), this rate is unrealistically low and they will almost always try to [[haggle]] for price. In May 2013, base rates increased from 19 to 25 Rs and from 6.5 Rs to 8 Rs/km thereafter. Many drivers have not updated their electronic meters and will use this as a way to haggle for vastly more money - "This is old rate, new rate Rs 80!" If their meter says 19 Rs when you get in, they aren't lying about not having updated, but are likely exaggerating the new rate, which should only be roughly 25% higher than the displayed rate, not double or triple as some will claim. As rules of thumb, expect even the shortest journey to cost Rs 30-40 regardless of the meter, but you should never need to pay over Rs 150 for any trip within the city. If you're overquoted, don't be afraid to walk away. It's usually easy to find another one soon, usually with a driver who won't rip you off.
 If you have any trouble with them, go to any of the numerous tourist police stations in the city center and they will give you a complaint slip which will result in a Rs 500 fine for the auto driver.  There should also be a telephone number written on the vehicle to call in case of any complaint.

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 *<sleep name="Hotel Roma" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="09339424307" url="" checkin="12 noon" checkout="11AM" price="Rs 1300-2000" lat="" long="">Located near the mall , the views are nice, but the 3 min walk to mall. ,  There is also a restaurant,</sleep>
-*<sleep name="dinesh" alt="ghate" address="pune" directions="on the left, south of Chowrasta" phone="" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rs 300 / 400" lat="" long="">This place has an amazing hostel owner and worker. They make you feel at home. They don't try to overcharge you, the rate is fixed. They only have double beds, but you may be able to get it cheaper if you are alone and it's not busy. The rooms are clean, have a TV, squat bathroom, shower, a great view, and hot buckets costs 20 rupees. The location is great, on the quiet street below Chowrasta, away from the noisy main road. My only gripe is that moths can get in and are attracted to the tube lighting.</sleep>
+*<sleep name="Abhi Satya" alt="" address="" directions="on the left, south of Chowrasta" phone="" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rs 300 / 400" lat="" long="">This place has an amazing hostel owner and worker. They make you feel at home. They don't try to overcharge you, the rate is fixed. They only have double beds, but you may be able to get it cheaper if you are alone and it's not busy. The rooms are clean, have a TV, squat bathroom, shower, a great view, and hot buckets costs 20 rupees. The location is great, on the quiet street below Chowrasta, away from the noisy main road. My only gripe is that moths can get in and are attracted to the tube lighting.</sleep>
 *<sleep name="Birds Eye View" alt="" address="Dr. Zakir Hussain Rd" directions="near the top of the hill on the south end of Darjeeling. From the jeep drop off and train station it is up to the very top and then keep going right" phone="9832321037, " url="" checkin="" checkout="noon" price="Rs 300+" lat="" long="">Opened in October 2008. </sleep>

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 ===By ship===
-It is still possible, but expensive, to do the classic transatlantic voyage between the United Kingdom and the United States. The easiest option is by the historic, and only remaining Ocean Liner operator, [http://www.cunard.com/ Cunard Line], but expect to pay US$1000-2000 for the cheapest tickets on the 6 day voyage between Southampton and New York done around 10 times per year in each direction. If your pockets are not deep enough for this price range, your only other options of crossing the North Atlantic are pretty much limited to [[Freighter travel]].
+It is still possible, but expensive, to do the classic transatlantic voyage between the United Kingdom and the United States. The easiest option is by the historic, and only remaining Ocean Liner operator, [http://www.cunard.com/ Cunard Line], but expect to pay US$1,000-2,000 for the cheapest tickets on the 6 day voyage between Southampton and New York done around 10 times per year in each direction. If your pockets are not deep enough for this price range, your only other options of crossing the North Atlantic are pretty much limited to [[Freighter travel]].
-Most major cruise ships that ply the waters of Europe during summer (June - September) also do cruises in [[Latin America]] and [[Southeast Asia]] for the rest of the year. That means those ships have a transatlantic journey twice per year, at low prices when you consider the length of the trip (at least a week). These are often called ''positioning cruises''. [http://www.cruisenetwork.com/msc-transatlantic-cruise.jsp MSC has several ships from the [[Caribbean]] to Europe at April and May].
+Most major cruise ships that ply the waters of Europe during summer (June - September) also do cruises in [[Latin America]] and [[Southeast Asia]] for the rest of the year. That means those ships have a transatlantic journey twice per year, at low prices when you consider the length of the trip (at least a week). These are often called ''positioning cruises''. [http://www.cruisenetwork.com/msc-transatlantic-cruise.jsp MSC] has several ships from the [[Caribbean]] to Europe in April and May.
 There are several lines crossing the Mediterranean, the main ports of call in North Africa is [[Tangier]] in [[Morocco]] and [[Tunis]] in [[Tunisia]] (See [[Ferries in  the Mediterranean]] for more details), but there is also a little known option of going via [[Cyprus]] where you can use [http://www.louiscruises.com Louis Cruises] crossings to [[Port Said]] in [[Egypt]] and [[Haifa]] in [[Israel]] as a regular ferry service. Keep in mind though, that you can only do this on routes out of Cyprus, and it requires special arrangements - [http://www.varianostravel.com/Cruises/ferry_service.htm Varianos Travel] in [[Nicosia]] seem to be the only tour agency offering this option.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ==Regions==
-Europe consists of a diverse set of countries that each have their own identity, language and culture. Below is a rough grouping of these countries into regions:
+Europe consists of a diverse set of countries that each have their own identity and culture.
 {{Regionlist
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 |region12description=Spectacular scenery of mountains, lakes, glaciers, geysers, waterfalls and volcanoes. Finland is culturally distinct as it has a language unlike the Scandinavian languages.
 }}
 Politically, some countries are a member of the [[European Union]], a supranational and intergovernmental union that aims to integrate the states of Europe in a common political framework.

@@ Line 448: / Line 448: @@
 === Music ===
-Despite an ever growing competition from the United States and nations with new found wealth, Europe is still the spiritual home of classical music and Opera, and the various European capitals are home to some amazing 'old world' opera houses, where the hundreds of years of history, often enhances the experience into something otherworldly. But if opera singers give you a headache, and you would much rather head-bang, fear not, Europe has more music festivals than your liver will ever hold up to; the '''Roskilde Festival''' [http://www.roskilde-festival.dk] in [[Roskilde]], '''Sziget fesztivál''' [http://www.sziget.hu/fesztival/?language=en] in [[Budapest/Buda|Budapest]] and finally reigning champion '''Glastonbury''' [http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/] weighing in at 195.000 drunk souls, are widely considered the 3 big ones, but many other ones are not the slightest bit small. Alternatively, there is the revival '''Woodstock''' festival in Poland, [http://www.en.wosp.org.pl/] while it doesn't boast the star-studded line-up of some commercial festivals, is great for those who want to do it on the cheap (there is no ticket to buy) and attracted 700,000 music fans in 2011.
+Despite an ever growing competition from the United States and nations with new found wealth, Europe is still the spiritual home of classical music and Opera, and the various European capitals are home to some amazing 'old world' opera houses, where the hundreds of years of history, often enhances the experience into something otherworldly. But if opera singers give you a headache, and you would much rather head-bang, fear not, Europe has more music festivals than your liver will ever hold up to; the[http://www.roskilde-festival.dk Roskilde Festival] in [[Roskilde]], the  [http://www.sziget.hu/fesztival/?language=en Sziget fesztivál] in [[Budapest/Buda|Budapest]] and, finally, the reigning champion [http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/ Glastonbury] in [[England]] weighing in at 195,000 drunk souls, are widely considered the 3 big ones, but many other ones are not the slightest bit small. Alternatively, there is the revival festival in Poland, [http://www.en.wosp.org.pl/ Woodstock] while it doesn't boast the star-studded line-up of some commercial festivals, is great for those who want to do it on the cheap (there is no ticket to buy) and attracted 700,000 music fans in 2011.
 === Sports ===

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 __TOC__
-[[File:Tour Eiffel Wikimedia Commons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Eiffel Tower in [[Berlin]]]]
+[[File:Tour Eiffel Wikimedia Commons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Eiffel Tower in [[Paris]]]]
 [http://www.visiteurope.com '''Europe''']  encompasses an area of 10,180,000 km² (3,930,000 mi²), stretching from Asia to the Atlantic, and from Africa to the Arctic. European countries welcome more than 480 million international visitors per year, more than half of the global market, and 7 of the 10 most visited countries are European nations.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:30, 17 May 2013
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	* <sleep name="Mandalay City Hotel" alt="" address="26th Street" directions="Between 82nd and 83rd Street" phone="+95-2-61700, 61701, 61702, 61703, 61704," url="http://www.mandalaycityhotel.com" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="" email="revmdycity@myanmar.com.mm" fax="+95-2-61705">Warm Staff, Low Price and Clean Guestrooms are the three qualities most often cited by guests </sleep>		* <sleep name="Mandalay City Hotel" alt="" address="26th Street" directions="Between 82nd and 83rd Street" phone="+95-2-61700, 61701, 61702, 61703, 61704," url="http://www.mandalaycityhotel.com" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="" email="revmdycity@myanmar.com.mm" fax="+95-2-61705">Warm Staff, Low Price and Clean Guestrooms are the three qualities most often cited by guests </sleep>
		+
		+	* <sleep name="Hotel Mandalay" alt="" address="78th Street" directions="Between 37th and 38th Streets" url="http://www.hotel-mandalay.com/" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Next to shopping center with a large and modern supermarket on the ground floor. Hotel rooms are extra large however rooms are old and run down. Bed is hard and internet connection is poor and very slow. The room is decorated fully by wooden furniture and has nice views of Mandalay city from the top floor. The capsule shower is interest but water pressure is okay. Price at May 2013 with breakfast is $95 USD. No credit card facilities. </sleep>

	===Splurge===		===Splurge===

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	Obtaining a Visa on Arrival is possible usually only for the [[Shenzhen]] or [[Zhuhai]] Special Economic Zones, and such visas are limited to those areas. When crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen at Lo Wu railway station, and notably not at Lok Ma Chau, a five day Shenzhen-only visa can be obtained during extended office hours on the spot for ¥160 (Oct 2007 price) for passport holders of many nationalities, for example Irish or New Zealand or Canadian. Americans are ''not'' eligible, while British nationals have to pay ¥450. The office now accepts only Chinese yuan as payment, so be sure to bring sufficient cash.		Obtaining a Visa on Arrival is possible usually only for the [[Shenzhen]] or [[Zhuhai]] Special Economic Zones, and such visas are limited to those areas. When crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen at Lo Wu railway station, and notably not at Lok Ma Chau, a five day Shenzhen-only visa can be obtained during extended office hours on the spot for ¥160 (Oct 2007 price) for passport holders of many nationalities, for example Irish or New Zealand or Canadian. Americans are ''not'' eligible, while British nationals have to pay ¥450. The office now accepts only Chinese yuan as payment, so be sure to bring sufficient cash.
		+
		+	As of Jan2013, transit passengers from most countries are now able to receive a 72hr visa-on-arrival for stays within Beijing or Shanghai [http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/visa-free.htm]

	There may be restrictions on visas for political reasons and these vary over time. For example:		There may be restrictions on visas for political reasons and these vary over time. For example:

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:25, 17 May 2013
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	There are special coaches for women on both classes. These are designated by green and yellow slant stripes, spot these stripes on the station walls and you'll know where the ladies compartment is. These are generally less crowded and safer. But very late at night, it might actually be safer to travel by the general coach than the first-class women's coach, as the latter may be absolutely empty except for you. From 11.15pm - 6:30am the ladies compartment towards the northern end is open to general public. Sometimes they have a cop guarding the coaches, but sometimes they won't. Use your judgment.		There are special coaches for women on both classes. These are designated by green and yellow slant stripes, spot these stripes on the station walls and you'll know where the ladies compartment is. These are generally less crowded and safer. But very late at night, it might actually be safer to travel by the general coach than the first-class women's coach, as the latter may be absolutely empty except for you. From 11.15pm - 6:30am the ladies compartment towards the northern end is open to general public. Sometimes they have a cop guarding the coaches, but sometimes they won't. Use your judgment.
		+	Find all Trains to Mumbai- http://trainspy.com/static/station/(CSTM)MUMBAI-CST

	====Mumbai Metro====		====Mumbai Metro====

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 Mumbai is in close proximity to hill stations, beaches and jungles. Places like Matheran, Lonavala, Alibaug, Khandala   Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar are some of the destinations which can be done over a weekend. There are several companies that connect all of these places with individual travelers and corporate travelers from Mumbai.
-* <do name="LifeIsOutside" alt=" " phone="+91 88800 36677" email="bookings@lifeisoutside.com" fax="" hours=" url="http://www.lifeisoutside.com/mumbai-weekend-getaways/"> LifeIsOutside is one of India's leading short break and weekend getaway portal with a pan India coverage. LifeIsOutside provides an end to end solution for corporate getaways and outings. [http://www.lifeisoutside.com/corporate-team-outings-mumbai/] </do>
+* <do name="LifeIsOutside" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="+91 88800 36677" url="http://www.lifeisoutside.com/mumbai-weekend-getaways/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="bookings@lifeisoutside.com" fax="">LifeIsOutside has a good collection of short breaks and weekend getaways within driving distance from Mumbai. It also has a decent selection of group outing options [http://www.lifeisoutside.com/corporate-team-outings-mumbai/] </do>
 ==Do==

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 *<eat name="Cake Lady" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="00919547457734" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">Cake Lady makes cakes, muffins and brownies to order and even delivers them free of charge to your hotel or home in Darjeeling town. The cakes are a taste of home using quality ingredients (sourced locally and organic wherever possible) and are known to be the best in town! Just call 0091 9547457734 and order the day before. She does not have a retail outlet.</eat>
 *<eat name="Boney's Snack Bar" alt="" address="(30 meters from the clock tower)" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">Located in the market building near the clock tower, it is very easy to miss the place. They have a mind boggling variety of sandwiches, out of which one must try the Grilled Chicken Salad Sandwich. Portion size is massive. Also of note are their Chinese recipes and French Fries</eat>
-*<eat name="food stands south of Chowrasta" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">There' a bunch of food stands that sell momos, steamed buns, chowmein, oily deep fried stuffs (chicken legs, meat stuffed puris) and more. 30 rupees for 5 chicken momos and 5 rupees for chai at the two northmost stalls. Not the greatest quality food, but it's fresh and cheap. Except the fried things; They're terrible.</eat>
+*<eat name="food stands south of Chowrasta" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">There' a bunch of food stands that sell momos, egg rolls (a flour tortilla with an egg fried over it, then stuffed with vegetables. It's possible to add extra eggs and cheese), steamed buns, chowmein, oily deep fried stuffs (chicken legs, meat stuffed puris) and more. 30 rupees for 5 chicken momos and 5 rupees for chai at the two northmost stalls. Not the greatest quality food, but it's fresh and cheap. Except the fried things; They're terrible.</eat>
 *<eat name="a Tibetan family-run joint" alt="" address="" directions="Across from the food stands south of Chowrasta there are three restaurants, this one has no curtains, no signs, and some incense stocked in front of the store window" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">They begin making and selling meat momos at around 12pm. It comes with some broth. They sell thukpa and large pork baozi too.</eat>
 *<eat name="Kalden Cafe" alt="" address="" directions="nestled between the food stands below Chowrasta" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">The soup (Gyanthup?) is delicious. There's a choice of vegetable, chicken, or beef. It might be possible to mix them. They also sell a hot ginger lemon tea, which is fun to drink.</eat>
 ==Drink==

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 Directly facing Howrah are ferries that can get you to the other side of the river to either Babu Ghat or Fairlie Place from where you can arrange onward transportation with anything from taxis to public buses to human rickshaws. With Kolkata's traffic situation this might actually save you time as well as money.
 If you are coming to Kolkata by trains using Sealdah station, you may prefer taking a pre-paid taxi to enter the city. The pre-paid taxi stand is just outside the station's main entrance. The counter is under a tin shade.
 ===By bus===

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 Culturally, Bhutan is predominantly Buddhist with [[Dzongkha phrasebook|Dzongkha]] as a national language (although there are regional variations - such as [[Sharchopkha phrasebook|Sharchopkha]], the predominant language in [[Eastern Bhutan]]), and a common dress code and architectural style. Bhutanese people primarily consist of the Ngalops and Sharchops, called the Western Bhutanese and Eastern Bhutanese, and Lhotshamphas (Southern Bhutanese), a people of Nepalese Gurkha Origin, respectively. The Ngalops primarily consist of Bhutanese living in the western part of the country. Their culture is closely related to that of their neighbor to the north, Tibet.
-The kingdom became a parliamentary democracy in March 2008 at the initiation of the Fourth King.
+The kingdom became a parliamentary democracy in March 2008 at the initiation of the Fourth King. Despite that, many steps still need to be done towards a real democracy, as up to today Bhutanese people and foreigners are not allowed to marry, and even international marriages are not recognized from the Bhutanese government, resulting impossible for a Bhutanese to marry a foreigner and to live there with the family as any rights are given.
 ===Gross National Happiness===

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 *<eat name="Koffee Korner" alt="" address="70st St and 27th" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">A posh and modernly decorated spot where the young and hip middle class of Mandalay come to hang out.  More than just a cafe, they have a wide arrangement of Thai/Chinese/Italian food and great drinks.  Easily walkable on a dark and poorly lit street, this place will stand out to you by the noticeable decor.  More expensive than many of the local spots, but good food and ambiance with air conditioning.</eat>
 *<eat name="Nylon Ice Cream Bar" alt="" address="The corner of 83 and 25" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">Serves a variety of ice creams from chocolate to durian - delicious and surprisingly cheap (300 kyat and up). As of March 2013, lowest price on the menu is 600 kyats. Ice cream is interesting but not particularly creamy or rich. Kind of balances between ice cream and sorbet.</eat>
 ==Drink==
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 Mandalay has several tourist-friendly accommodations. Many hotels face the Royal Palace.
 ===Budget===