tilman's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member tilman on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/tilman en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:29:58 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com SUPERLATIVES — Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, Germany http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/54/1254352512/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/54/1254352512/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/54/1254352512/tpod.html Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:29:58 -0500 Some superlatives.....
Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Some bad experiences, many many great experiences, there´s so much that happens to you when travelling. I found the site of a great traveller and he had a list with superlatives, I really loved that idea and asked him if it would be a problem for him to copy this idea. "No problem", so, here we go....and - hey - it´s just MY point of view.....(if you have more ideas, let me know):Countries visited: 62Best restaurant:                                   Seafood cellar restaurant, ReykjavikBest hotel:                                          Langham Palace, Hong KongWorst hotel:                                        Grand Hotel Praha, SlovakiaMost tourists:                                       PragueFewest tourists:                                   Mongolia, Transnistria, Belarus, Moldova, UkraineCheapest internet:                                China (0,25 € / h)Most expensive internet:                       Geneve, Switzerland, Hotel Interconti (18 € / h)Cheapest alcohol:                                 Transnistria (0,75 l Wodka = 0,40 €)most unreliable post:                              Nepal, Australia, Lebanon, Portugal (postcards arrived 2 weeks later)Fastest post:                                         Romania (2 days from Bukarest to Germany), Spain (1,5 days from Barcelona to Switzerland)Cheapest food:                                       NepalMost expensive dinner:                           "Bagatelle" in Oslo, Norway, 200 € (1 person), "El celler de Can Roca" in Girona, 350 € for two personsFavourite cities:                                       Sydney, Cape Town, Lisbon, Singapore, Meran (I guess Lisbon and Sydney are No 1)Cities I did not like:                                  Bukarest, Kuala LumpurBazaar where they cheat you:                   Istanbul, Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, MarrakeschBazaar where they do not cheat you:         DamaskusBest airport: SingaporeWorst airport: Dalangzabad (Mongolia), Kathmandu, ZagrebWorst delay:Neapel (6 h), Bukarest (5 h)Ugliest place in this world: Gara Auto Nord in Chisinau, Moldowa (it is the bus station)Most exchange offices in one city:Chisinau, MoldowaFewest exchange offices in one city:Damaskus, Syria (only one)Cheapest country: NepalWorst day-trip:Odessa - Tiraspol - Chisinau - OdessaMost expensive country:Norway, Denmark, Finland, SwedenCountry where the smallest banknotes have (nearly) no value: Belarus, Mongolia, NepalStrangest place:Minsk, Iceland, TiraspolBest food:Australia, South Africa, ChinaWorst food: Russia (Transsib Train) and SlovakiaLongest bus trip:Vilnius - Moscow (20 h)Longest train trip:Moscow - Ulan Baator (6 days)Longest flight:Frankfurt - Brisbane (with stop-over)Frankfurt - San Francisco (no stop-over)Best flight:First class Emirates Melbourne - SingaporeMost exhausting cities:New York, ShanghaiHighest mountain I climbed:Poon Hill, Nepal, 3802 mHighest mountain I´ve seen:Mount Everest, 8848 mMost surprising trip:Bosnia (didn´t expect it to be so nice)Most souvenirs I bought: NepalMost artificial city:DubaiMost exhausting trips:San Francisco, Paris Best language skills: People in Lebanon and NepalWorst language skills:ItaliansI felt very unsafe in:RUSSIACountry where I was cheated often:Slovakia, Italy, Turkey, MoroccoTrip I did not like:SlovakiaCrimes committed against me: Naples - theftBudapest - theftSt. Petersburg, Russia - RobberyNepal: blackmailMoscow: blackmailTransnistria: blackmailUlan Ude: theft (border officer stole things from our train department)Most crappy border officials:Russia / TransnistriaMost beautiful beaches: Seychelles / Maldives / Australia (Whiteheaven)Cheapest stamps and postcards:Nepal (ok, but they did not arrive), MoldovaMost expensive postcards and stampsScandinaviaMost beautiful underwater scenery:MaldivesMost beautiful winter landscape:Sils Maria, SwitzerlandMost interesting animals in free nature:penguins, koala, shark, crocodile, parrots, rhino, ostrichnicest bath:Rudas bath, BudapestCheapest flight: 0,01 € from Riga to Frankfurt and back for 0,01 €, too. With tax 34 € for the return flightMost disgusting tourists: Thailand, Domenican RepublicPlace I spent the most time: Vilnius (4 month), Shanghai (3 month)Where did I get sick:Lebanon, Italy, Shanghai, Singapore, Lithuania (ok, I guess everywhere)Most beautiful stewardess: Yeti Airlines, NepalMost expensive cars seen in:Moscow, Beirut, DubaiMost postcards I sent from one trip:Australia, 18 days, 106 postcardsMost beautiful forest: Val de mer, Praslin, SeychellesWorst weather I had abroad:Lithuania (- 22 degrees in winter), New York, Budapest and Nepal (rain)Cheapest metro:MinskWorst air (pollution)ShanghaiWorst car driver:Palermo, ItalyMost ridiculous sight I´ve ever seen:biggest plastic ananas, AustraliaMost beautiful view:Poon Hill, NepalMost beautiful starry sky:Mongolia Most disgusting animals:Leeches in NepalMost hospitable people:Nepal, SingaporeMost beautiful people:Bosnia, Lebanon, Portugal, Italymost accursed garment in my eyes:vest (wife-beater), seen everywhere in this world....LOLto be continued soon......
]]> Barcelona — Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain and Canary Islands http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/56/1258497865/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/56/1258497865/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/56/1258497865/tpod.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:26:07 -0500 Barcelona
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain and Canary Islands

3 Great days in Barcelona. Weather was amazing, blue sky and 22 - 26 degrees. Barcelona is a wonderful city, so much to see there, the houses created by Gaudi (and of course the Sagrada Familia), Ramblas, Park Güell, great restaurants (feel free to contact me before you travel to Barcelona), Transpordador Aeri (there was a long queue and we had to wait for 30 minutes, not sure if it was worth it), Montjuic, Arc de Triomf, Monumento a Colon (great view from there), Mercat de la Boqueria (Markthalle) - wow, I realize that I saw a lot in three days. Really funny: everywhere in Barcelona you can see parrots in the palm trees, these birds are so cute.....
]]> Lisbon - my favourite city worldwide — Lisbon, Estremadura, Portugal http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/55/1256250535/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/55/1256250535/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/55/1256250535/tpod.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:20:07 -0400 Lisbon again
Lisbon, Estremadura, Portugal

Until October 2009 I thought that Sydney and Cape Town were my favourite cities - after visiting Lisbon the second time I changed my mind.....The city is amazing - we had such a great weather (27 degrees), the sea, Tejo river, great food, I will go there again and again and again.....Went there with 10 colleagues and we had a great time together....Just see the pictures, hope they will convince you visiting this amazing city by yourself....
]]> Three great days — Oslo, Oslo, Norway http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/49/1250556045/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/49/1250556045/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/49/1250556045/tpod.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:08:56 -0400 Oslo
Oslo, Oslo, Norway

First day: rain, rain, rain. First went to the harbour, bought some shrimps, shelled and ate them, then went to the amazing opera house. In the evening I had a great 15 course dinner in the BAGATELLE restaurant, wow wow wow. It´s worth to spend a lot of money.Second day: great breakfast, then went to the opera house again, walked through the city and had sushi in the evening. Slept early.Weather was better. Third day: slept long, went to Vigelandpark to see all the sculptures. Weather was great. On the way back to the airport I saw an elk beside the motorway - in free nature, that was great...
]]> One day on the bazaar of Damascus — Damascus, Syria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/53/1251844818/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/53/1251844818/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/53/1251844818/tpod.html Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:52:16 -0400 Syria - one day in Damascus
Damascus, Syria

WOW.....From Beirut we went to Damascus for one day, most time we spent on the bazaar (which was canopied - great when it has 44 degrees). Damascus and Beirut, these cities couldn´t be more different. I visited bazaars in Turkey, in Egypt, in Morocco and so on, but the one in Damascus was different....the people there were NOT importunate, didn´t haunt, were VERY polite and kind, have good prices so I didn´t have to bargain....the reason for the difference is that Damascus is NOT full of tourists, so it was a great experience for me. Will come back for sure. Did a lot of shopping, shoes, a kaftan, a silver ring, many many spices and so on. Visit the botanical garden of Damascus, it is very small, but beautiful. The Omayad-mosque is amazing. Going from Beirut to Damascus and back in one day is no problem. But you need to get a visa before this trip.
]]> 5 days in Beirut — Beirut, Lebanon http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/52/1251842129/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/52/1251842129/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/52/1251842129/tpod.html Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:26:07 -0400 Lebanon
Beirut, Lebanon

5 great days in Lebanon....OK, it was a little bit exhausting, tuesday morning I came back from Sarajevo and tuesday night I departed to Beirut. With the hotel we didn´t have much luck ("well, I see your reservation was canceled" (???) and "of course you have a room with a great view" and it was a room with a view on an unfinished and abandoned construction of a building but.......no problem. We visited the cedar mountains (spectacular view), went to Tripoli (not very special but there´s a great (really great) pastry shop), Byblos (beautiful harbour) and Baalbeck (amazing). A small country with such a variety. Friendly people, great food (fresh and mostly organic food, you even can eat raw meat). Beirut is amazing, so many different people, open-minded, new houses beside ruins, the biggest and most expensive cars I´ve ever seen (Mercedes SLR and so on)...such a progress...walk along the corniche....Back to Frankfurt we flew business, was quite comfortable.... 
]]> just a daytrip from Sarajevo — Kotor, Serbia and Montenegro http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/51/1251759094/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/51/1251759094/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/51/1251759094/tpod.html Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:53:01 -0400 Montenegro
Kotor, Serbia and Montenegro

The streets in Bosnia are horrible, so the tour was quite exhausting, but I was rewarded, the bay of Kotor is a great place....
]]> Great city, didn´t expect that... — Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/50/1251756636/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/50/1251756636/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/50/1251756636/tpod.html Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:20:20 -0400 Sarajevo / Bosnia
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

To be honest, I didn´t expect anything of Sarajevo.....and was surprised. It´s a great city, VERY kind people there, a nice old town, great restaurants and prices, an interesting (and sad) history (you still can see a lot of signs of the war which took part from 1992 to 1995), a great landscape (great mountains around Sarajevo), I was thrilled. See the pics. Also went to Pale (isn´t worth a visit, just thought it could be interesting regarding the history, but it is definitely not, there´s nothing to see) and Mostar. The way from Sarajevo to Mostar is AMAZING, the street goes through a canyon along a beautiful green-blue river. It´s breathtaking. Mostar is very interesting, but there are many tourists (in Sarajevo not). Went to Montenegro, the streets in Bosnia are in a terrible condition (worst from Trebinje to Foca, horrible). The landscape in Bosnia changes every 50 kilometers, it is amazing. I am sorry for underestimating Bosnia so much......will surely go there again.
]]> Metzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany — Metzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/48/1247789344/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/48/1247789344/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/48/1247789344/tpod.html Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:09:02 -0400 First marathon of my life
Metzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany


]]> Denmark - country Nr. 57 in my "collection" — Copenhagen, Zealand, Denmark http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/47/1244692800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/47/1244692800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tilman/47/1244692800/tpod.html Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:32:42 -0400 Kopenhagen with my friend Malte
Copenhagen, Zealand, Denmark

Three days in Copenhagen with my friend Malte. Had a great time there, sleeping in the HILTON and a dinner in FORMEL B (PERFECT SERVICE, PERFECT FOOD, PERFECT RESTAURANT).Weather was great (perfect timing, it was only raining when we slept). Enjoyed the city including Nyhavn, Christiania, Amager beach and so on.Don´t know what to tell more, just see the pics. Thanks, Malte, for the great time with you!!!!
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