Wikitravel - Changes related to "How to haggle" [en]

Yangshuo

2013-05-22T11:42:29Z

‎Language:

Turkey

2013-05-22T00:27:22Z

at least Constantinople deserves a mention

Turkey

2013-05-21T23:10:00Z

Superfluous in the country article, the ancient city names should be mentioned in each city article.

Travel topics

2013-05-20T05:37:56Z

‎Cope:

Turkey

2013-05-19T19:54:08Z

‎Cities: Adding Latinized Greek/Historic English Names. Many of these names are still well known in English, and not always recognizable as their Turkish counterparts

Egypt

2013-05-17T18:51:16Z

‎See:

China

2013-05-17T18:05:15Z

‎Visas:

Egypt

2013-05-16T17:58:20Z

‎Respect:

Yangshuo

2013-05-16T01:21:47Z

‎Budget:

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:42, 22 May 2013
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	* <listing name="Yangshuo Cultural Centre" alt="" address="Guihua Lu #69" directions="Behind Famous West Street" phone="13878374343" url="http://www.mandacentre.com/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Study Mandarin or join a two-week Chinese Painting Holiday.</listing>		* <listing name="Yangshuo Cultural Centre" alt="" address="Guihua Lu #69" directions="Behind Famous West Street" phone="13878374343" url="http://www.mandacentre.com/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Study Mandarin or join a two-week Chinese Painting Holiday.</listing>
		+
		+	* <listing name="The Chinese Language Institute" alt="中国语言研究所" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.studyCLI.org" hours="" price="">A branch of Guangxi Normal University (GXNU) that expands upon GXNU's program to provide all students with 5-20 weekly hours of one-on-one lessons, options of home-stays and immersed housing with Chinese graduate students, weekly activities and monthly travel excursions, 24-hour emergency assistance, pre-arrival assistance, and visa and housing assistance. CLI offers classes ranging from a few days, to a few weeks, to a semester, to an academic year. CLI benefits from being operated by an international staff.</listing>

	==Buy==		==Buy==

@@ Line 136: / Line 136: @@
 * [[Bursa]] — the first capital of the Ottoman Empire
 * [[Edirne]] — the second capital of the Ottoman Empire
-* [[Istanbul]] — Turkey's largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, and the only major city in the world to straddle two continents
+* [[Istanbul]] (Constantinople) — Turkey's largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, and the only major city in the world to straddle two continents
 * [[Izmir]] — Turkey's third largest city
 * [[Konya]] — a quite large city that is the heartland of mystic Sufi order, the site of Rumi's tomb, and with some elegant Seljuq architecture, all surrounded by vast steppes

@@ Line 131: / Line 131: @@
 ==Cities==
 <!-- This is meant to be a representative list of no more than NINE cities. If you feel that there should be a change of cities displayed in this list, please discuss your proposal first on this article's discussionpage.  -->
-* [[Ankara]] (Ancyra/Angora) — the capital of Turkey and its second largest city
+* [[Ankara]] — the capital of Turkey and its second largest city
-* [[Antalya]] (Attalea) — the fastest growing city, hub to an array of beach resorts
+* [[Antalya]] — the fastest growing city, hub to an array of beach resorts
-* [[Bodrum]] (Halicarnassus) — a trendy coastal town in the Southern Aegean which turns into a crowded city in season when it serves as a playground for Turkish and international holidaymakers alike, featuring a citadel, Roman ruins, trendy clubs and a number of villages surrounding the peninsula each with a different character from classy to rustic
+* [[Bodrum]] — a trendy coastal town in the Southern Aegean which turns into a crowded city in season when it serves as a playground for Turkish and international holidaymakers alike, featuring a citadel, Roman ruins, trendy clubs and a number of villages surrounding the peninsula each with a different character from classy to rustic
-* [[Bursa]] (Prousa) — the first capital of the Ottoman Empire
+* [[Bursa]] — the first capital of the Ottoman Empire
-* [[Edirne]] (Adrianople) — the second capital of the Ottoman Empire
+* [[Edirne]] — the second capital of the Ottoman Empire
-* [[Istanbul]] (Constantinople/Byzantium/Stamboul) — Turkey's largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, and the only major city in the world to straddle two continents
+* [[Istanbul]] — Turkey's largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, and the only major city in the world to straddle two continents
-* [[Izmir]] (Smyrna) — Turkey's third largest city
+* [[Izmir]] — Turkey's third largest city
-* [[Konya]] (Iconium) — a quite large city that is the heartland of mystic Sufi order, the site of Rumi's tomb, and with some elegant Seljuq architecture, all surrounded by vast steppes
+* [[Konya]] — a quite large city that is the heartland of mystic Sufi order, the site of Rumi's tomb, and with some elegant Seljuq architecture, all surrounded by vast steppes
-* [[Trabzon]] (Trebizond) — the wonderful Sümela Monastery is just outside the city and it is a great gateway to exploring the Turkish Northeast
+* [[Trabzon]] — the wonderful Sümela Monastery is just outside the city and it is a great gateway to exploring the Turkish Northeast
-* [[Urfa]] (Edessa)— magical city with beautiful architecture and extremely friendly locals at the gates of Eastern World; where Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, and Persian cultures mingle
+* [[Urfa]] — magical city with beautiful architecture and extremely friendly locals at the gates of Eastern World; where Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, and Persian cultures mingle
 ==Other destinations==

@@ Line 187: / Line 187: @@
 * [[Laundry]]
 * [[Naturism|Naturism/Nudism]]
 * [[Respect]]
 * [[Smoking]]

@@ Line 131: / Line 131: @@
 ==Cities==
 <!-- This is meant to be a representative list of no more than NINE cities. If you feel that there should be a change of cities displayed in this list, please discuss your proposal first on this article's discussionpage.  -->
-* [[Ankara]] — the capital of Turkey and its second largest city
+* [[Ankara]] (Ancyra/Angora) — the capital of Turkey and its second largest city
-* [[Antalya]] — the fastest growing city, hub to an array of beach resorts
+* [[Antalya]] (Attalea) — the fastest growing city, hub to an array of beach resorts
-* [[Bodrum]] — a trendy coastal town in the Southern Aegean which turns into a crowded city in season when it serves as a playground for Turkish and international holidaymakers alike, featuring a citadel, Roman ruins, trendy clubs and a number of villages surrounding the peninsula each with a different character from classy to rustic
+* [[Bodrum]] (Halicarnassus) — a trendy coastal town in the Southern Aegean which turns into a crowded city in season when it serves as a playground for Turkish and international holidaymakers alike, featuring a citadel, Roman ruins, trendy clubs and a number of villages surrounding the peninsula each with a different character from classy to rustic
-* [[Bursa]] — the first capital of the Ottoman Empire
+* [[Bursa]] (Prousa) — the first capital of the Ottoman Empire
-* [[Edirne]] — the second capital of the Ottoman Empire
+* [[Edirne]] (Adrianople) — the second capital of the Ottoman Empire
-* [[Istanbul]] — Turkey's largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, and the only major city in the world to straddle two continents
+* [[Istanbul]] (Constantinople/Byzantium/Stamboul) — Turkey's largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, and the only major city in the world to straddle two continents
-* [[Izmir]] — Turkey's third largest city
+* [[Izmir]] (Smyrna) — Turkey's third largest city
-* [[Konya]] — a quite large city that is the heartland of mystic Sufi order, the site of Rumi's tomb, and with some elegant Seljuq architecture, all surrounded by vast steppes
+* [[Konya]] (Iconium) — a quite large city that is the heartland of mystic Sufi order, the site of Rumi's tomb, and with some elegant Seljuq architecture, all surrounded by vast steppes
-* [[Trabzon]] — the wonderful Sümela Monastery is just outside the city and it is a great gateway to exploring the Turkish Northeast
+* [[Trabzon]] (Trebizond) — the wonderful Sümela Monastery is just outside the city and it is a great gateway to exploring the Turkish Northeast
-* [[Urfa]] — magical city with beautiful architecture and extremely friendly locals at the gates of Eastern World; where Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, and Persian cultures mingle
+* [[Urfa]] (Edessa)— magical city with beautiful architecture and extremely friendly locals at the gates of Eastern World; where Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, and Persian cultures mingle
 ==Other destinations==

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:51, 17 May 2013
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	[[Alexandria]], with several historical sights and the stunning new Bibliotheca Alexandrina, is the country's main summer attraction for Egyptians escaping the summer heat and looking for a place to spend the summer vacation. Tourist attractions include Roman and Greek monuments, Bibliotheca Alexandria, Qa'edbay's Castle, and Qasr El Montaza (El Montaza Palace).		[[Alexandria]], with several historical sights and the stunning new Bibliotheca Alexandrina, is the country's main summer attraction for Egyptians escaping the summer heat and looking for a place to spend the summer vacation. Tourist attractions include Roman and Greek monuments, Bibliotheca Alexandria, Qa'edbay's Castle, and Qasr El Montaza (El Montaza Palace).
		+
		+	'''North Coast'''
		+
		+	it's a very unknown beach to tourists that's close from Alexandria that very very few tourists visit simply because that's where all Egpytians actually go in the summer specially the younger generations and you can go if you have any friends in Egypt or make friends the coast is uslally refferred to as "sahel el shamally" it's pure white sands and you can be able to rent an apartment there, but strongly suggested that you go with Egyptian friends
		+	3 hours drive from Cairo
		+
		+	'''Ain Sokhna'''
		+
		+	a line of mountains and calm beautiful beaches for miles and a range of hotels to satisfy various budgets 90 min drive from Cairo for a relaxing exprience with a group of friends or couples to stay there is a must.

	'''Port Said''':		'''Port Said''':

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:05, 17 May 2013
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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:

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ==Understand==
 ===History===
 The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose around 3200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks, took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in agriculture and the ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to prepare the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.
@@ Line 381: / Line 383: @@
 *'''Spices''' - can be bought at colourful stalls in most Egyptian markets. Dried herbs and spices are generally of a higher quality than that available in Western supermarkets and are up to 4 or 5 times cheaper, though the final price will depend on bargaining and local conditions.
-When shopping in markets or dealing with street vendors, remember to [[How to haggle|haggle]].
+When shopping in markets or dealing with street vendors, remember to [[How to haggle|haggle]].  Because of the downturn in tourism since the 2011 revolution, tourism is very low and you'll find shopkeepers very open to haggling and prices lower than in the past - even in places like Luxor/Aswan and not just in Cairo.
 You will also find many western brands all around. There are many malls in Egypt, the most common being ''Citystars Mall'', which is the largest entertainment center in the Middle East and Africa. You will find all the fast food restaurants you want such as Mcdonald's, KFC, Hardees, Pizza Hut, etc. Clothing brands such as Morgan, Calvin Klein, Levi's, Facconable, Givenchy, Esprit, and more.
@@ Line 477: / Line 479: @@
 {{infobox|Scams and hassle|Travelers often complain about being hassled and attempts at scamming while in Egypt. While irritating, most of this is pretty harmless stuff, like attempting to lure you into a local papyrus or perfume shop.<br>
 Typically, you will be approached by a person speaking fluent English who will strike up a conversation under social pretenses. He (and it will always be a he) will then attempt to get you to come along for a cup of tea or similar at his favourite (most-paying) souvenir shop. This could also happen outside museums etc. where the scammer will try to make you believe the "museum is closed" or similar.<br>
-Hassling, while rarely dangerous, could be annoying, especially in the main tourist areas. There is no way to avoid this, but a polite ''la shukran'' (no thanks) helps a lot. Apart from that, try to take hassling with a smile. If you let yourself be bugged by everyone trying to sell you something, your holiday won't be a very happy one.<br>
+Hassling, while rarely dangerous, could be annoying, especially in the main tourist areas. There is no way to avoid this, but a polite ''la shukran'' (no thanks) or ''halass'' (enough) helps a lot. Apart from that, try to take hassling with a smile. If you let yourself be bugged by everyone trying to sell you something, your holiday won't be a very happy one.<br>
 Potentially more annoying are taxi drivers or others getting a commission fee to lead you to their hotel of choice, of course paying commission fees for each guest they receive. Firmly stand your ground on this. If they insist, just ask to be dropped off at a street or landmark close to the place you are heading to. This scam is especially common among taxi drivers from the airport.|print=fullpage}}
-Egypt is generally a safe and friendly country to travel. Egyptians on the whole are very friendly - if you are in need of assistance they will generally try to help you as much as they are able.
+Egypt is generally a safe and friendly country to travel. Egyptians on the whole are very friendly - if you are in need of assistance they will generally try to help you as much as they are able.  Since the 2011 revolution, tourism has taken a major hit making touts even more aggressive and persistent than ever before.  Safety is not an issue, but do get ready for a lot of annoying drivers/salesmen.  If after 3 or 4 times of saying "No thank you / laa shukran", just ignore them and eventually they will go away.
-Egyptian men will make compliments to women; do not take offense if they do this to you. Men shouldn't be worried, either; if they do this to your partner/daughter, it will be nothing more than a compliment, and hopefully won't go any further than that.
+Egyptian men will make compliments to women; do not take offense if they do this to you. Men shouldn't be worried, either; if they do this to your partner/daughter, it will be nothing more than a compliment, and hopefully won't go any further than that.  If it does, don't be afraid to confront them sternly with the look of death at having insulted your wife/daughter.  Most will giggle and walk away rather than get into a fight (penalty for injuring a tourist is pretty astounding).
-If you are a woman traveling alone or with another woman, be warned that some men will touch you or grab you anywhere on the body, whether you are negotiating with them or simply walking down the street.  Dressing modestly will not deter them.  Getting upset at them for touching you will be met with amusement by them and any onlookers, both male and female.  The best way to avoid this is wear a wedding band and don't be too friendly.
+If you are a woman traveling alone or with another woman, be warned that some men will touch you or grab you anywhere on the body, whether you are negotiating with them or simply walking down the street.  Dressing modestly will not deter them.  Getting upset at them for touching you will be met with amusement by them and any onlookers, both male and female.  The best way to avoid this is wear a wedding band and don't be too friendly.  If a man grabs you inappropriately, do not be afraid to slap him and yell at him for his indecency/lack of shame.  The penalty for harming a tourist is quite severe.
 ===Terrorism===
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 Pickpocketing is a problem in Egypt's bigger cities, particularly Cairo.  Many locals opt not to carry wallets at all, instead keeping their money in a clip in their pocket, and tourists would be wise to adopt this as well.  On the upside, violent crime is rare, and you are highly unlikely to physically mugged or robbed. If, however, you do find yourself the victim of crime, you may get the support of local pedestrians by shouting "Harami" (Criminal) while chasing the person who robbed you.
 Overall, scams are the main concern in Egypt. Be aware that many Egyptians who starts a conversation with you in Cairo and Luxor want your money. There is a very insidious tactic used where they will "befriend" you, take you around, show you things, even bring you back to their place for dinner, and then they will demand money for it. Basically, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Demand prices for absolutely everything, because if you say "I thought it was free!" after the fact you are in for a vicious argument.
 ==Stay healthy==
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 Take great care if you choose to drink, especially if you're from countries where heavy drinking is accepted. Even if you are used to it, you can't estimate the effects of the climate, even at night. The impact drunk people have on Egyptians is quite large and very negative. The best plan is just to abstain or limit yourself to one drink per meal while in Egypt; it will be cheaper too.
 ===Dress===

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 * <sleep name="Flowers Youth Hostel" alt="" address="90 Pantao Rd" directions="2 minutes from bus station, oppisite Yangshuo Park" phone="0773 8822538" email="yhayangshuo@hotmail.com" fax="" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Dorm ¥20 (members ¥15), twin ¥70-100, single/double ¥60-90. Free breakfast with twin, single and double rooms">Probably the busiest hostel in the off season. Internet, free wifi, bike rental and laundry service.</sleep>
-* <sleep name="Fun Sam's Bed and Breakfast" alt="阳朔山姆家庭客栈" address="No.27 Xiangshui Road，Yangshuo, Guilin, Guangxi Province, China" directions="When you are at the Way In of the bus station facing a couple hotels, and then turn right and keep going down the Pantao Rd for like ten minutes to a main street corner with an Agricultural Bank of China, at this corner, turn left and you will see a traffic light, and then walk down this street at the end you will see a Bank of China just right across the road to the left, so go to the other side of the road and continue up the hill for 300m. Turn right at the first main street corner onto the tree lined, winding road, and continue along about 400m, you will see some hotels on your left, and Fun Sam's B&B is a blue building and it is right next to Ward Hotel（沃德酒店）. You can't miss it. " phone="+86 13788438456" url="http://www.funsams.weebly.com" checkin="24 hrs" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="" email="hamster168@hotmail.com" fax="">An excellent value for money bed and breakfast run by Sam and his family. Facilities include Wi-fi, breakfast included, air-conditioned rooms, laundry, private tours, bikes, cooking classes, rooftop bar, large common area.  A great place to meet locals and other travellers people situated in a fantastic location. </sleep>
+* <sleep name="Fun Sam's Bed and Breakfast" alt="阳朔山姆家庭客栈" address="No.27 Xiangshui Road，Yangshuo, Guilin, Guangxi Province, China" directions="When you are at the Way In of the bus station facing a couple hotels, and then turn right and keep going down the Pantao Rd for like ten minutes to a main street corner with an Agricultural Bank of China, at this corner, turn left and you will see a traffic light, and then walk down this street at the end you will see a Bank of China just right across the road to the left, so go to the other side of the road and continue up the hill for 300m. Turn right at the first main street corner onto the tree lined, winding road, and continue along about 400m, you will see some hotels on your left, and Fun Sam's B&B is a blue building and it is right next to Ward Hotel（沃德酒店）. You can't miss it. " phone="+86 13788438456" url="http://www.funsams.weebly.com" checkin="24 hrs" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="" email="hamster168@hotmail.com" fax="">An excellent value for money bed and breakfast, run by Sam and his family. Facilities include Wi-fi, breakfast included, air-conditioned rooms, laundry, private tours, bikes, cooking classes, rooftop bar, large common area.  A great place to meet locals and other travellers situated in a fantastic location. </sleep>
 * <sleep name="Lisa's Cafe" alt="" address="West St" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Dorm beds from &yen;25">The original hostel in town, and one with a lot of character, though these days looks a little dilapidated.</sleep>