Difference between revisions of "User:DenisYurkin"

Revision as of 23:32, 2 April 2012

Contact

email/GTalk: yurkennis+wt@gmail.com

Jabber: yurkennis@jabber.org

ICQ: 24298337

Time online

Most of my contributions are made over weekends--so if you'd like to patrol them, checking the latest dozen in Recent Changes won't show my edits.

I normally contribute from GMT+3 (Moscow).

Background and motivation

I work for Yandex (leading Russian search engine) and basically have not too much spare time. I travel outside Russia 2 or 3 times a year.

The original reason I came to Wikitravel was to share very detailed pieces of my travel experiences. With time I turned to sharing the key findings and hidden gems from my travel. This experience helped me to find what's most important in my travel notes--and to share them with friends maximizing added value and minimizing useless infowaste.

Additionally, I take a printout of a Wikitravel destination guide wherever I travel, scan them immeditately before each destination to find the key things I need--and mark pieces where structure doesn't help with scanning. And I contribute to ToDo sections of that articles' Talk pages on what was missing from my experience (of course, if I have answers I contribute them directly to the article).

For professional life, I contribute to and edit Wikitravel to better understand how wiki sites and communities work and evolve. I use that experience in shaping our corporate wiki intranet, and in theory it can help in distant future to set up a wiki community for some niche topic, if/when my career urge me to.

Docent

I'm a Docent for Russia and Moscow where I live now, and for Altai where I was born and lived until age of 17. I can also help a bit on St. Petersburg as have many friends there, and being there myself several times.

I am also Docent for Morocco, Marrakech, Santorini and Oia where I've been recently, and made tons of notes out of which only few published yet here on Wikitravel. Similarly for Hungary, Budapest, Szentendre and Eger, although I published almost all I know about these regions.

I never offer services as a guide helping you visit sights for a fee. I can only answer some questions on the destinations I am quite knowledgeable about.

Feel free to leave your questions on my Talk Page. If I don't seem to contribute for a long time, feel free to drop email (see contacts at the top of this page). IM is also possible on weekends, but I can't promise to have time on weekdays.

Need your help

• Paper travel guides -- see talk page for details.
• separating Airline Passenger Rights out of Tips for flying and Europe#By plane--need help in finishing a draft: User:DenisYurkin/Airline Passenger Rights

Articles I started

• Renting a car (10 Nov 2006)
• Wikitravel:How to describe yourself (29 Nov 2006)
• New Year holidays in Hungary (3 Feb 2007)
• Canyoning (9 Sep 2007)
• Les Deux Alpes (21 Sep 2007)
• Mayrhofen (25 Oct 2009)
• Wikitravel:Celebrate a contribution (31 Oct 2010)

Deprecated

• Phrasebook International (19 Nov 2006): was reorganized to Talk

Templates I created

• Template:printDistricts

Deprecated

• Template:verify
• Template:QuestionOnYourEdit

Travel experience

2007:

• Sept: Spain (Barcelona, Cap de Creus, Cadaques, Girona, Figueres; canyoning in Alquezar and Aragon; San Sebastian, Bilbao, Hondarribia)

Personal templates

My own versions--before they become a general practice (or even set in stone in templates):

If you are from Russia, you may find ... less ... than you're accustomed to. (e.g. to compare prices for Massimo Dutti)

• Understand

• Travellers mix: For the case you'd like to follow your citizens (or alternatively to escape them while travelling), here's where travellers from different countries spend time on the holidays

• Get out:

• How to get out
• Where to go

• Get in:By plane

• Terminals
• Connections (airlines; destinations with direct flights)
• Airport transfer
• Duty Free Shopping at {Airport|Terminal X}
  • From the airport to the city
• Airport cafes

• Get around

• By foot: на каблуках; детская коляска; булыжная мостовая
• By tube:

Where To Alight

Foo Line westbound: the last door of the last carriage

Foo Line eastbound: the first door of the first carriage

Bar Line eastbound: the third door of the first carriage

Bar Line westbound: the second door of the last carriage

• See

  прогулочным шагом: It takes around an hour to walk up at a leisurely pace

• Buy

• Money (currencies + credit cards)
• Money exchange
• What to buy? Apart from classical tourist souvenirs like postcards and trinkets, here are some things from this region that are hard to find elsewhere, or even unique.
• Design (see Helsinki#Design)
• unconventional (designer goods; souvenirs etc)

• Eat

• Main courses generally around ... (price ranges)
• daily ..., Mon-Thu ...
• upscale and modern
• atmospheric place

• Chains
• Traditional (Region) cuisine
• Non-(Region) cuisines

(place) declares to be "(quote)"

India: infobox listing most frequent dishes

London: what you can get for what money

• Drink

• club full of good-looking people
• ambient bars
• chilled out lounge bar

• Sleep

• availability is tight and prices can be crazy
• for Santorini: it's not uncommon to be quoted over US$300/night for what would elsewhere be a distinctly ordinary business hotel going for a third of the price

Outstanding discussions

WF 2 weeks to plunge forward

(wait for 2 weeks since the date specified below)

• 2011-01-29 Wikitravel:Travellers' pub#how to organize extensive details on ClubMed: start the article
• 2011-01-04 create Airlines travel topic article [1]
• 2010-09-02 Template:Translate: simplify usage via arguments [2]
• 2010-08-19: Template talk:Translate#before or after article body?

Waiting for reply

• Wikitravel talk:Welcome, business owners#price ranges
• Wikitravel talk:Article templates/Sections#close to city: GetOut vs See/Do/Eat

Other actionable

• rework into a page or section in Wikitravel: namespace: Wikitravel_talk:Don't tout#listings: examples of de-touting and summarizing
• shopping and what things cost:
  • Talk:Travel_topics#Shopping_articles: encourage to expand Saint Thomas#Buy into worldwide-applicable
  • User:DenisYurkin/Shopping
  • User:DenisYurkin/Shopping around the world
  • User:DenisYurkin/What things cost

• Wikitravel talk:Don't tout#should superlatives be sourceable?
• WF: Talk:Discount airlines in Europe#group airlines by their base country?
• WF objections/more support/2weeks: Wikitravel talk:Using talk pages#avatars/userpics for easier scanning?
• WF interest: Wikitravel talk:Romanization#Russian
• WF: any previous discussions?: User talk:Bill-on-the-Hill#vfd's
• propose site-wide standards per cuisine / restaurant type, as there're too few contributors to discuss this with, for many megapolises (even countries): Wikitravel talk:Restaurant listings#price ranges
• propose checklist/what we do/n't want on info on restaurants: (was: my turn "as long as neither is reality yet, hence my proposal"): Wikitravel talk:Restaurant listings#encourage evolution of reviews
• WF comments; Jani for 2 weeks: Wikitravel talk:Accommodation listings#nearest attractions
  • stops: [3]
• WF ideas on making progress: Wikitravel talk:Restaurant listings#How to write multiple branches of restaurants?

Rome reverts

North Center: currently we list:

• Residence Frattina: #298 at TripAdvisor
• Hotel Claridge: #253
• Duke Hotel, $347: #64
• Lord Byron, $444: #38 (added later)
• Residenza Borghese: not at TA at all (added later)

But we don't:

• Villa Borghese Resort, $78: #357, but Top Value at TA
• Casa Montani, $267: #14 [4]
• Aldrovandi Palace Villa Borghese, $404: #60 [5]
• Villa Morgagni, $230: #76

(and more, although some are not from this district: [6])

Colloseo: we list:

• Hotel Ivanhoe: (unrated at TA--why?)
• Hotel Labelle: #687
• Torre Colonna: #28

Esquilno-San Giovanni: we list:

• La Casa di Amy B & B: #143, reviews mostly positive
• Mosaic Hostel: #65, Only 3 "very good"+1 "avg"

Nomentano: we list:

• Hotel Sonya: #96; mostly Excellent and VeryGood

Rankings of what looked like a Yellow Pages copy-paste

Esquilino-San_Giovanni [7]:

• Same-template address: (Cap: 00185, Rome, Italy)
  • Ariana B&B Rome: #807 (terrible prevailing)
  • Bella Beatrice B&B: not rated; only one mention in forums: [8]
  • La Casa di Amy B & B Rome: (34 exc, 37 very good--but the description was clearly flowery)
  • Panoramic Hostel Rome: not rated; no mention in forums
  • B&B Sergio Rome: #635; equal number of every ranking (but too view rankings after all)

• only Rome in the name:
  • Hotel Center Rome: #552 (30 very good, 50 avg, 25 poor, 18 terrible)
  • Hotel Taormina Rome: #288 (18 very good; 9 exc; 10 avg)

Colloseo [9] (always only Rome in name)

• Aenea Superior Inn Rome: #68
• Hotel Adas Rome: #808 (8 avg; 10 terrible)
• Hotel Ivanhoe Rome: #598 (5 very good, but quite few reviews)
• Hotel Labelle Rome: #690 (7 very good)
• YWCA Foyer di Roma: not rated
• Intown Luxury House Rome: #217; (10 excel, 4 very good)

Postponed

• new discussions on patrolling and cost of communication with other users: Wikitravel:Travellers' pub/December 2007#template for inviting to discussion

Edits/removals to challenge

Someday-maybe

• redirect of Atlas Mountain to North Africa per Talk:Morocco#Regions. My only contrib. --DenisYurkin 03:43, 14 June 2008 (EDT)

Places to avoid

• Pest: Cafe Pataya [10]

Personal Bookmarks

• for districtifying Barcelona, excellent pattern to ask for the "all together now" help: Mexico COTM
• Wikitravel:What is a dive guide? -- an example of a very detailed instruction for researcher and contributor (first of its kind here?)

• Rome/Trastevere -- a star district to consider for foodies, very restaurants-rich place

• Editing is always more fun if there are at least two of you working on an article. Here are a few articles I'm interested in working on. If you do to, tell me and we can work together! © User:Hrcolyer

• Wikitravel talk:Avoid negative reviews
• Wikitravel:Listings (esp. hidden attributes)
• http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Link#Section_linking_.28anchors.29

• Wikitravel:Using Mediawiki templates
• Wikitravel:How_to_handle_unwanted_edits

• Wikitravel:User_ban_nominations
• Wikitravel talk:Don't tout#De-touting vs Reversion

• Wikitravel:Expeditions
• Wikitravel:List of related projects
• User:Evan/Wikitravel hierarchy
• MediaWiki:Newarticletext

books for further reading

Wikitravel_talk:Where_you_can_stick_it#Recommended_.2F_further_reading_.2F_destination_travel_books_and_publications

sources for research

• http://11870.com
• http://www.boo.com

more users to attract for Barcelona districts

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Special:Contributions/80.36.227.30
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User_talk:217.43.204.220
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User_talk:Pstng
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Execute
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Tranquilinho
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Metju
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Annie
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Tinfoiled
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Nickpest
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Kbullett
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Bujatt
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Mairabc
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Keiranthomas
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Moondogg
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Snowman83
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Jezarnold
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Beraboo
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Zenogantner
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Remboman
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Matthewmayer
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Rgtanjuakio
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Alan1989
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Poppleton1
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Edward
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Monajoanna
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Sixzilly
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Skyduster
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Topazia
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Eitch
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Sr82
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Jamesbrownontheroad
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Fabz
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:Meltwaterfalls
• http://wikitravel.org/en/User:JossDude/Europe

Currently working on

Portugal

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Moscow&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Portugal&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Lisbon&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Cascais&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Alentejo&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Sintra&action=edit

(and more)

Montenegro

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Budva&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Montenegro&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Herceg_Novi&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Kotor&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Petrovac&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Podgorica&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Virpazar&action=edit

Spain

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Spain&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Barcelona&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Barcelona/Ciutat_Vella&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Barcelona/Eixample&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Barcelona/Gr%C3%A0cia&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Barcelona/Barceloneta&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=San_Sebastian&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Canyoning&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Renting_a_car&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Wikitravel_talk:Restaurant_listings&action=edit&section=1

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Wikitravel_talk:Restaurant_listings&action=edit&section=10

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Kiev&action=edit

Done

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Calella_de_Palafrugell&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Figueres&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Girona&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Pamplona&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Bilbao&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Hondarribia&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Vizcaya&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Zaragoza&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Basque_Country&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Cap_de_Creus&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Cadaques&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Aragon&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Alquezar&action=edit

things to work on

• User:DenisYurkin/List of Ferries
• Ferries in the Mediterranean

Reference for personal use

incubator

• User:DenisYurkin/Negative and substituted reviews
• User:DenisYurkin/Content showcase
• User:DenisYurkin/Researcher Toolbox
  • User:DenisYurkin/Research Checklists
• User:DenisYurkin/New Year Travel
• User:DenisYurkin/Tips on eating

• User:DenisYurkin/Listings usage tips

• User:DenisYurkin/Phrasebook International
• User:DenisYurkin/Detouting

sandboxes

• User:DenisYurkin/Travelling with a laptop notebook
• User:DenisYurkin/Budapest notes
• User:DenisYurkin/Sleep sandbox
• User:DenisYurkin/Fanari Villas

Sri Lanka

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Uva
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Kandy
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Anuradhapura
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Galle
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Colombo
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Badulla
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Ella
• http://krilov.net/article/srilanka/map.jpg
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Sri_Lanka
• http://wikitravel.org/en/India
• http://wikitravel.org/en/South_Asia
• http://wikitravel.org/en/First_trip_to_Asia
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Sacred_sites_of_the_Indian_sub-continent
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Rail_travel_in_India

Finished with most unique content I had

Austria

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Austria&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Vienna&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Mayrhofen&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Winter_sports_in_Austria&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Alpine_skiing&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Innsbruck&action=edit

http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=User:DenisYurkin/Vienna_COTM&action=edit

Welcoming users

• {{subst:User:DenisYurkin/QuestionOnYourEdit|article name|talk section name}} --~~~~:

Hi (username). I have a question about something you contributed to (article name) and I've started a discussion in Talk:(article name). If you can, please take a look at the Talk:(article name) page and leave your comments. Thanks!

• User talk:Oriolbcn#Welcome! -- business owner, don't add listings to huge city article
• User talk:Tsandell#splitting complex edits into several simple changes and User talk:Nammarci#splitting complex edits into several simple changes

Berlin

• http://www.friedrichstrasse.de/ -- decide if there's anything helpful
• http://www.lafayette.de -- use as a link for GL in listings
• http://www.vbbonline.de/ -- how to use for route planning / as a timetable?

which of these Katya recommended?

• http://www.berlin.de/english/visitors/index.html -- anything helpful?
• http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/ -- anything helpful?
• http://www.berlin-mitte.com -- anything helpful?

Unread

• Alpine skiing
• Wikitravel_talk:20_April_2006

• Arriving in a new city
• Tips for travel in developing countries

Archived

• User:DenisYurkin/Renting a car
• User:DenisYurkin/Barcelona -- a sandbox for merging my vacation-time edits into a meanwhile server changes
• User:DenisYurkin/World's most unusual hotels

Non-printable (web-only) experiment