29 Burst results for "Chris Christensen"
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"Amateur traveler episode 833 today the amateur traveler talks about ferries, fortresses and feta, beaches and beehive tombs, Thermopylae and the Trojan war as we go to the peloponnese Peninsula in southern Greece. Hi, this is Chris Christensen from amateur traveler. Let's talk about the peloponnese. This is Chris again, and the show that you're going to hear was recorded as one large show, including a section from episode 8 32 on Athens, which I've taken out and put in a separate episode just for length. If you've already heard the Athens episode, you can skip over the first four and a half minutes of this one. It will be the same. I hope you enjoy this episode. I'd like to welcome to the show Sally Jane Smith, travel writer, who has come to talk to us about a region of Greece allergy and welcome to the show. Thank you, Chris. It feels quite surreal actually to be sitting here after all these years of listening to you on my walk to work. Well, I appreciate your listening. What region of Greece are we going to talk about today? So today I'm going to focus on an itinerary that starts in Athens because that's where most people will enter Greece. And then travels along the eastern half of the peloponnese and a couple of the saronic islands. So this is a collection of sites you can see quite comfortably in about 9 days, traveling by bus metro and ferry. Of course, you can stay longer, but with these 9 days, you can have a satisfying experience of what this region of Greece has to offer. Excellent. And when we see the peloponnese, we're talking about a Peninsula or an island depending on how one defines it these days, which is the southern third of Greece, starting in Corinth. Yeah, so if you're looking at a map of Greece there is a Peninsula that sort of looks like a hand that's stretching down towards the Mediterranean. It looks like it's a four fingered hand or a thumb and three fingers. And the area I'll be focusing on are the two fingers that are closest to the mainland, so that's laconia and our goal is
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"Amateur traveler episode 832 today the amateur traveler talks about marketplaces and ancient marketplaces or republic and a cheeky emperor really public bathrooms and skin eating fish as we go to Athens, Greece. Welcome to the amateur traveler. I'm your host, Chris Christensen, let's talk about Athens. This is Chris again, and rather than interrupt the guest, I got a story to tell you because a funny thing happened on the way to recording an episode about the peloponnese in Greece. And that is the episode got so long more than an hour and a half long that I've cut it into two pieces. And this is the first piece which is just about Athens and then next week we'll talk about the peloponnese Peninsula. I'd like to welcome to the show Sally Jane Smith, travel writer, who has come to talk to us about a region of Greece, Sally Jane, welcome to the show. Thank you, Chris. It feels quite surreal actually to be sitting here after all these years of listening to you on my walk to work. Well, I appreciate your listening. What region of Greece are we going to talk about today? So today I'm going to focus on an itinerary that starts in Athens because that's where most people will enter Greece. And then travels along the eastern half of the peloponnese and a couple of the saronic islands. So this is a collection of sites you can see quite comfortably in about 9 days traveling by bus metro and ferry. Of course you can stay longer, but with these 9 days, you can have a satisfying experience of what this region of Greece has to offer. Excellent. And when we say the peloponnese, we're talking about a Peninsula or an island depending on how one defines it these days, which is the southern third of Greece, starting in Corinth.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"Amateur traveler episode 830 today the amateur traveler talks about orcas will watching and wineries, kayaks, hikes, and a war about a pig as we go to the San Juan islands and would be island in Washington state. This is Chris Christensen from amateur traveler, let's talk about the islands in the puget sound. I'd like to welcome the show Alex schumann from the Seattle area who has come to talk to us about the San Juan islands, Alex, welcome to the show. Thank you, Chris. Happy to be here. Now I'm guessing the fact that I said you're from the Seattle area gave us a little clue where the San Juan islands are, but where are the sandwich islands? Great question. There are a chain of islands and about the most northwestern corner of the lower 48. So there are about a hundred miles northwest of Seattle. Excellent. And for those people who get really technical, I think you're going to talk to you about the San juans and then a couple other things that are in the puget sound, but are not technically the San Juan islands. Is that right? That's right. There's very technical geographical definition for what's the San Juan island? But generally, a lot of people will refer to all the islands in the puget sound as kind of sandwich islands, but a few of them are just islands of the puget sound, not technically San Juan islands. Okay, but all very beautiful. Why should someone go to the San Juan islands? I think when people think of the San Juan islands, the first thing they often think of is the wildlife. And so it's really world class destination for wildlife, the southern resident orcas, which will definitely talk about our group of workers that are in the San juans year round. So they've called the San juans, their homes. So I think the most famous attraction in the San juans. There's also quite a bit of great birding. I think highest concentration of bald eagles in the lower 48 as well. So the wildlife is pretty astounding and then it's a really beautiful natural setting that's a chain of islands in this inlet that is the puget sound and then to your west and your east you're surrounded by big snowy peaks and then the islands themselves are covered in Douglas fir forests. It's a beautiful setting for a vacation and then the part that people may not know about as much is the sensibility of the islands is a very relaxed and laid back.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"Amateur traveler episode 826. Today, the amateur traveler talks about beaches and bioluminescence and Boracay, history and hurricanes, rainforest, and rum. As we go to the island of Puerto Rico, this is Chris Christensen from amateur traveler, let's talk about Puerto Rico. I'd like to welcome the show Jessica from dining traveler dot com who's come to talk to us about Puerto Rico, Jessica, welcome to the show. Thank you for having me, Chris. I wanted to do a show on Puerto RICO and everybody kept asking me when the show was going to come out because many of the people who follow me on social media know that I was just in Puerto Rico because I thought it would be really good to go down for a hurricane, which wasn't my original plans. But I didn't get out of San Juan.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"Amateur traveler episode 8 and 21 today, the amateur traveler talks about salt flats and desert, silver mines and colonial cities, skyways, Llama fetuses, and bowler hats as we go to Bolivia. Welcome to the amateur travel arm, your host, Chris Christensen, let's talk about Bolivia. And I'd like to welcome to the show Jane Deere, who is a travel writer who is coming to us from the only way is not Essex dot com, and we're going to talk about that later for sure. Jane, welcome to the show. Thank you very much, Chris for having me. And you come to talk to us about Bolivia.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"If I got my bags back on the road I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go look at real good in my passport oh no amateur traveler episode 813 today the amateur traveler talks about museums and markets and parks and indoor graveyard William the Conqueror and William Shakespeare as we go back to London, England. But maybe not maybe not to the day welcome the amateur traveler I'm your host Chris Christensen, let's talk about London. I'd like to welcome to the show Julie from a lady in London dot com and you can probably guess what major city of the world we're talking about, we're going to talk about London again today. Julie, welcome to the show. Thank you. And what is your connection with London? I'm originally from California as my accent might reveal. See, I don't think you have an accent at all. Because I'm also from California. I have lived in London for 15 years, and I moved over there in 2007. After quitting my job in San Francisco and just getting a Visa and wanting to see where life took me and I started the blog right before I moved and it's been my full-time job since 2010 now and I obviously all about London and travel all over the world. Excellent. And why should someone go to London? That is a great question. And the answer is there's so many good reasons. I love London for the history.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"If I got my bags back on the road I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go look at real good in my passport oh no amateur traveler episode 812 to the amateur traveler talks about jagged peaks and Alpine Meadows, castles and mountain huts and a strong sense of deja vu as we go back to the south to roll and to the Dolomites. Welcome to the amateur traveler I'm your host Chris Christensen, let's talk about the south to roll of Italy. I'd like to welcome to the show Lin Neiman from the wonder your way podcast and wander your way dot com who's come to talk to us about south to roll, Lynn, welcome to the show. Thanks, Chris. I'm very
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"Episode 713 today the amateur traveler talks about walled towns and standing stones, beaches and folk festivals, pirates and U boats as we go to Brittany in France. But maybe not maybe not till the day welcome to the amateur traveler. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. Let's talk about Brittany. I'd like to welcome the show Kristen Montgomery from growing global citizens dot com who has come to talk to us about the region of France known as Brittany. Kristen, welcome to the show..
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"If I got my bags back on the road I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go looking real good in my passport oh no amateur traveler episode 802 today the amateur traveler talks about a waterfalls and glaciers and a geyser diamond beach, ice caves and an unpronounceable volcano as we go to southern Iceland. That's the day welcome to the amateur traveler. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. Let's talk about Iceland..
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"If I got my bags back on the road I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go look at real good in my passport oh no 15 amateur traveler episode 800 today the amateur traveler talks about snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dog sledding, flight scene, the aurora borealis and moose as we go to Alaska. In winter. The day welcome the amateur traveler, I'm your host, Chris Christensen, let's talk about Alaska. I'd like to welcome back to the show sherry art from art world dot com, who has come to talk to us again about Alaska, sherry has been on the.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"If I got my bags back on the road I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go look at real good in my passport oh no 15 amateur traveler episodes 792 today the amateur traveler talks about pine forests and palm trees carnival and a cable car beaches and a really big volcano as we go to the island of Tenerife. In the canaries. Welcome to the amateur traveler I'm your host Chris Christensen, let's talk about Tenerife. I like to welcome back to the show Justin Barnes from Justin and crystal dot com in Justin has been on the show before talking about Turkmenistan in Hawaii and today has come back to talk about teneriffe, Justin welcome back to amateur traveler..
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"And I got my bags back on the road. I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go look at real good in my passport oh no. 15 amateur traveler episode 791. Today the amateur traveler talks about castles and confetti. Hikes and sheep Mussolini and the trans Siberian train. Not that one. As we go to bruzzo, in Italy. Welcome to the amateur traveler. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. Let's talk about abruzzo. I'd like to welcome to the show Jackie Parsons from hedonistic hiking dot com and Jackie has come to talk to us about the region of abruzzo in Italy, welcome to the show..
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"And I got my bags back on the road. I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go looking real good in my passport. Amateur traveler episode 790 to the amateur traveler talks about whales and national parks, lighthouses and the other kind of national parks, a via ferrata and poutine. As we go to the Quebec, maritime. Welcome to the amateur traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen, let's talk about Quebec. I'd like to welcome to the show margarita ibit from down shifting pro dot com and margarita has come to talk to us about the Quebec, maritimes. Margarita welcome to.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"chris christensen" Discussed on The Amateur Traveler Podcast
"I got my backs back on the road I'm heading out there and I'm ready to go looking real good in my passport photo oh no. Amateur traveler episode 788 to the amateur traveler talks about canals and kayaking apple pies and bikes. Windmills and old masters as we go to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. But maybe not maybe not till the day welcome to the amateur traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen, let's talk about Amsterdam. I'd like to welcome to the show Jessica from a wonder lust for life dot com and Jessica has come to talk to us about Amsterdam Jessica as a travel blogger and YouTuber who puts out a lot of content about this beautiful city where she lives. Jessica, welcome to the show. Thank you, Chris. Thank you so much for having me. It's an amazing city and I'm so happy to be talking about it with you today. And what is your connection with Amsterdam? I mentioned you live there now. Yes. We moved here. My husband and I in 2014, we are from the United States from Virginia and one day we did the crazy thing of sold everything picked up and moved over here. And it was a very, very crazy thing to do that was very rewarding in the end. Excellent. And why should someone else come to Amsterdam in the Netherlands? I think a lot of people have a lot of preconceived notions about Amsterdam in regards to maybe sin city kind of things. And I think people should visit here because it is more than you can ever imagine. There's so much more to do from studying architecture, museums, to the food, to the parks, outdoor things to do and just so many ways be wowed. Excellent..
Daily Tech News Show
"chris christensen" Discussed on Daily Tech News Show
"Market <Speech_Male> <Silence> <SpeakerChange> <Speech_Music_Male> course <Speech_Male> tortoise isn't the only <Speech_Male> company doing this <Speech_Male> their star <Speech_Male> There's a few others <Speech_Male> out there all around <Speech_Male> the world. It does <Silence> feel like nate <Speech_Male> that <Speech_Male> sooner or later. <Speech_Male> Little robots <Speech_Male> trundling along <Speech_Male> with grocery delivers <Speech_Male> deliveries. Might just <Silence> become normal <SpeakerChange> <Speech_Male> absolutely. <Speech_Male> Yeah you <Speech_Male> really toll to saw <Speech_Male> a <SpeakerChange> lot about <Speech_Male> automation <Speech_Male> today. <Speech_Male> <SpeakerChange> <Speech_Male> Hey oh <Speech_Male> an yeah <Speech_Male> still not buying into the <Speech_Male> whole thing <Speech_Male> The <Speech_Male> the the astro <Speech_Male> but But <Speech_Male> the grocery stuff. <Speech_Male> I'm much more <Speech_Male> in favor. Of and i love <Speech_Male> the name <Speech_Male> toys. <Speech_Male> It such <Speech_Male> a great creature <Speech_Male> in the world <Speech_Male> and i love <Speech_Male> does a company <Speech_Male> named <SpeakerChange> after <Speech_Male> it <Speech_Male> really. <Speech_Male> I think it's descriptive <Speech_Male> right. Because it <Speech_Male> just kinda <Speech_Male> trundles along <Speech_Male> like a tortoise <Speech_Male> you <Speech_Male> know but <Speech_Male> it's fast enough <Speech_Male> for miles an hour <Speech_Male> over a couple of <Speech_Male> miles <Speech_Male> to get your your groceries <Speech_Male> in in a recent <Speech_Male> reasonable amount of <Speech_Male> time and of course <Speech_Male> even with <Speech_Male> lockdowns <Speech_Male> easing in certain places <Speech_Male> of the world <Speech_Male> People have <Speech_Male> this is what we're talking about <Speech_Male> earlier. People had <Speech_Male> to do online delivery <Speech_Male> for some things <Speech_Male> for a while and <Speech_Male> now they're used to it now <Speech_Male> they're like you know <Speech_Male> even if i don't have to <Speech_Male> kind of like it. <Speech_Male> So convenience <Speech_Male> stores are. You <Speech_Male> wouldn't have thought convenience <Speech_Male> stores would be <Speech_Male> a big market <Speech_Male> for this but but <Speech_Male> they are showing huge growth <Speech_Male> in deliveries <Speech_Male> and <Speech_Male> these are remote <Speech_Male> operated. These are not autonomous. <Speech_Male> But <Speech_Male> even so <Speech_Male> you can have a human <Speech_Male> do a lot more deliveries <Speech_Male> than you can. If <Speech_Male> you're trying to pay him you <Speech_Male> know twenty pounds and our <Speech_Male> to go <Speech_Male> out and drive from <Speech_Male> one place to the other because you <Silence> have the transit time back <Speech_Male> <Speech_Male> to show <Speech_Male> all right folks <Speech_Male> if you're a wine <Speech_Male> lover but you're not sure <Speech_Male> the jones type of <Speech_Male> wine you like is available <Speech_Male> in the location. <Speech_Male> You're traveling <Speech_Male> to if you're doing any <Speech_Male> traveling chris. <Speech_Male> Christopherson <Speech_Male> has an app for <Speech_Male> you. This is chris christensen <Speech_Male> from amateur <Speech_Male> traveler with another tech <Speech_Male> in travel <Speech_Male> minute last <Speech_Male> week. I recommended <Speech_Male> an app for beer <Speech_Male> lovers. But if you rewind <Speech_Male> lover instead. <Speech_Male> I'm going to recommend <Speech_Male> the vino app <Speech_Male> number different <Speech_Male> apps that help you <Speech_Male> keep track of what wine <Speech_Male> you like. It <Speech_Male> can be a little more tricky <Speech_Male> with wind because <Speech_Male> you might like <Speech_Male> that wind from that <Speech_Male> vineyard for <Speech_Male> two thousand sixteen <Speech_Male> but not for two thousand <Speech_Male> seventeen. <Speech_Male> It's not always simple. <Speech_Male> As i like that wine <Speech_Male> or i dealt <Speech_Male> vigneault bills <Speech_Male> itself as the <Speech_Male> zam app for wine. <Speech_Male> You take a picture <Speech_Male> of the label it can <Speech_Male> search it or you can search <Speech_Male> by name and if <Speech_Male> you don't have it in there you <Speech_Male> can add that wine <Speech_Male> just in case <Speech_Male> it's missing. <Speech_Male> I do find that even if <Speech_Male> there are some wines <Speech_Male> from a winery. <Speech_Male> That i met. They may not <Speech_Male> all be in the app <Speech_Male> so do find that <Speech_Male> i need to add some <Speech_Male> wines but i live <Speech_Male> in a state with over thirty <Speech_Male> six hundred vineyards. <Speech_Male> So that's not too <Speech_Male> surprising. <Speech_Male> But checkout vino. <Speech_Male> I'm chris <Speech_Male> christopherson from <Speech_Male> amateur traveler. <Speech_Male> Thank you <Speech_Male> chris. Although it <Speech_Male> is it's just strike <Speech_Male> me that calling <Speech_Male> it. The <Speech_Male> of wines makes it <Speech_Male> sound like you're listening <Silence> to the wine <Speech_Male> <SpeakerChange> <Speech_Male> somehow. <Speech_Male> Oh that will be <Speech_Male> as we. <Speech_Male> Yeah you could guarantee <Speech_Male> it <Speech_Male> doubted. I hear notes <Speech_Male> of cherry. <Speech_Music_Male> <SpeakerChange> Yeah <Speech_Male> <Speech_Male> i <Speech_Male> folks. We keep <Speech_Male> the emails coming. We love <Speech_Male> to hear from you. Gotta you gotta <Speech_Male> opinion on all this
Daily Tech News Show
"chris christensen" Discussed on Daily Tech News Show
"Store hours tortoise. Also recently made deals with logistics company. Axel hire a grocery chain called shoprite and another convenience store chain called choice. Market course tortoise isn't the only company doing this their star There's a few others out there all around the world. It does feel like nate that sooner or later. Little robots trundling along with grocery delivers deliveries. Might just become normal absolutely. Yeah you really toll to saw a lot about automation today. Hey oh an yeah still not buying into the whole thing The the the astro but But the grocery stuff. I'm much more in favor. Of and i love the name toys. It such a great creature in the world and i love does a company named after it really. I think it's descriptive right. Because it just kinda trundles along like a tortoise you know but it's fast enough for miles an hour over a couple of miles to get your your groceries in in a recent reasonable amount of time and of course even with lockdowns easing in certain places of the world People have this is what we're talking about earlier. People had to do online delivery for some things for a while and now they're used to it now they're like you know even if i don't have to kind of like it. So convenience stores are. You wouldn't have thought convenience stores would be a big market for this but but they are showing huge growth in deliveries and these are remote operated. These are not autonomous. But even so you can have a human do a lot more deliveries than you can. If you're trying to pay him you know twenty pounds and our to go out and drive from one place to the other because you have the transit time back to show all right folks if you're a wine lover but you're not sure the jones type of wine you like is available in the location. You're traveling to if you're doing any traveling chris. Christopherson has an app for you. This is chris christensen from amateur traveler with another tech in travel minute last week. I recommended an app for beer lovers. But if you rewind lover instead. I'm going to recommend the.
Daily Tech News Show
"chris christensen" Discussed on Daily Tech News Show
"It'll take a couple of days usually to complete depending on your library size. You can then see which tracks plex things are similar to any particular song in a related tracks feature. When you're looking at any particular song you'll need to pay for plex pass to get this feature you'll need to run plex media server version one point two four point. Oh in either mac. Os windows or lennox on an eighty six processor. No arm support yet. Well i'm i. I'm the big plex user. I don't really do a lot of Plex amp music listening. However i do find just with with the various algorithms that we have on on music services pandora being one of them but there are others that it's sometimes it's like. Wow they really know me. And sometimes it's kinda hit mess and that is just the way that it's always going to be when a bunch of humans or getting together trying to figure out what you wanna hear next. I would i. I'd be really interested to see how much something like this if i say like. Here's my genre. Here's my favorite artists. Give me other things. How how this might give me a different results. I'd love to test the selami library. My i'm apple music complex but my library is so weird. The apple music very difficult job of making any kind of recommendations to me. I mean i'm the guy that true story in the same week once or taylor swift and cradle of filth and i love them both equally now playing. That's the point of that story one day one day so making dreams difficult. Yeah yeah i. I know for sure that my musical taste is not as diverse as yours mate and yet i have problems with it going like here with this is stuff we think you'd like and i'm like now. Yeah not really so. I kind of like this idea of. We're not going to try to predict what you like. We're gonna try to say like. Hey if you want more of this kind of music. We know what fits that now. It'd be interesting to see how how good it is at that. But that's the pandora promise of like. Oh i know. I like this. Jonathan coulton song. Gimme more of that. Sometimes it works on pandora pretty well other times not so much kind of depends on the artist but being able to say like. Let's do some more complex stuff. Let's say your top ten most played songs stuff like that. I'd be interested to see how that worked. So you have to. You have to try to help out sara. Sorry you're you're one of us that has plex so i'm happy to do it. Yeah and happy to do it. I i. I don't really know why. I don't use plex for music. Because i use it to kind of watch everything else Yeah i'll i'll check it out and report back. Well if you interested in traveling to nate's part of the world this year or anywhere in europe really. Chris christianson has some handy websites that you might wanna check out. Chris christensen from amateur traveler with another tech in travel minute. You're planning on doing some traveling in europe in the near future which is getting more possible. There are two resources that you should know about one. Is rome theriault r. o. m. e. the number two rio dot com and the other one's only. Oh oh i oh dot com and both of them do a similar thing they let you put in two cities and.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Penang Malaysia
"Welcome to the amateur traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen. Let's talk about paying. I'd like to welcome the show ruth from Vancouver and that's not the one in Canada but the one in Washington and that's the state of Washington. DC. WHO's come to talk to us about Penang? Malaysia Ruth Welcome to the show. Thank you. Glad to be here and some of you met ruth. If you traveled a with me to Morocco ruth was one of the people on that trip and we're friends from long before that and you have spent the last. Three years up until the coronavirus down in southeast. Asia's that have I got. The timing writer was longer than Well, we had three years in Singapore. And then we were into our just pass our first year in Penang when the covert virus and I actually was here in the states and got stranded here as the movement control order went into effect inning and I wasn't able to get back into the country. So we're now home back in the state of Washington and Yeah. But Penang was our home for about a year. Will, and when we get to the point where we can, why should someone go to Penang? Penang is just a very interesting piece of as. You have three distinct people ethnicities who make up panning opening is one of the thirteen states of Malaysia. It's the second smallest. It's the only one that has a island plus mainland components, and the island is the part that we are familiar with. That's where we lived. We lived in Penang Island Penang. Island. Has Like I say three different distinct groups. There's the Chinese, which are about fifty percent, which is more than the most of Malaysia, your Chinese percentage, and then you have forty percent Malay- and about nine percent of the Indians who are mostly Tamil speakers so there from southern. Yup and then we have the expert groups and in particular, there's one large group of experts that now reside in Penang as a result of Malaysia's M. M.. Two H. Program, which is Malaysia my second home. So quite a few people have actually retired they've made it their permanent home. So it's a very eclectic group of different ethnicities and different cultures and they do not intermixed very much. So you really do have these distinct. And distinct foods and distinct ways of living and languages, and you can do it all in a very small space and people have been to Singapore Penang. It's about the third of the size of Singapore. And only has about fifteen percent of the population of Singapore's on the island about seven hundred thousand people that makes it much more spread out. You're not just in these big crowds of people and yet you're experiencing the same kind of cultural mixing and interaction that you might get in Singapore. I like to think of Penang sort of like Singapore before Lee Kuan Yew came in and modernized and sanitized. Everything, so Penang gives you that old feel I think of what Singapore would have been like. Before everything was cleaned up and so and not to say that it's dangerous or unhealthy to be there but you just get that kind of older. Feel you have people cook it on the streets for food and things like that. So the I highly recommend going just because it's different than a lot of other places you might go in Asia will in terms of Malaysia we're on or just off of the mainland portion of Malaysia in the. West Coast in the north. So we on cow before we're south of that which is way up by the border with Thailand and then we`re Two thirds the distance from Kuala Lumpur up to the type border. Yes yes. Like you say we're to the west of the mainland and very close actually up. I think there's only one one state may be two that are above pinning on the mainland before you get to. Thailand. So it is still pretty close to time. There is some influence of Thai Culture Thai food. In. What is in Penang Yeah I? Think you're forty miles from Thailand. yes. Yeah and what's interesting about pinning to is, and we'll talk about this a little bit more but you came and visited us when we were in Singapore and we went to the parental museum to remember that in singer. So Penang is one of three places in that Malaysian Singaporean area that has Parana Akin Chinese or also called the Straits Chinese also called the bubble Nokia's so they are located in Penang Malacca and in. Singapore. So I've actually been to all three places. I've been to the museums in each of those places and it's a fascinating culture. People from that culture came from China from mainland. China many years ago. treaters remember correctly yet and they came in and adopted many of the Malay Practices and cultures, and some of the foods and sort of turn them into their own. They were usually very very wealthy and their homes were extravagant and their furniture was lavish and carved, and they also incorporated some of the colonialism of the British. So they had fancy dinner ware and fancy glasses and mirrors and their homes were just beautiful and in Penang you can go onto Church Street, which is down in Georgetown and there is a Paranthan Museum there for Twenty Ringgit. which is almost nothing that's four ringgit to a dollar. So it's five dollars you can go in and get a tour of the product museum there, and it's fascinating. It was owned actually by a gangster. A Chinese gangster and his family I and It's now part of the state I believe as a museum and they do try to preserve this product can culture because it is only really in these three distinct places.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Brittany France
"Today, the amateur traveler talks about walled towns and standing stones, beaches, and folk festivals, pirates, and you boats as we go to Brittany in France. Welcome to the amateur traveler I'm your host Chris? Christensen. Let's talk about Britney. I'd like to welcome to the show Kristen Montgomery from growing global citizens dot com who come to talk to us about the region of France known as Brittany Kristin welcome to the show. Thanks Chris and I want to say the Duchy of Brittany, but that's really not the term anymore so. It's definitely part of France officially where we talking about. So Britney is located in north western France, and as you said, it used to be a duchy, but in the fifteen hundreds it was incorporated as part of France basically taken over a against their will, so there's still a very strong regional identity. There are some people that still identify as being brought tone before their French slump. And why should someone go to Britney? Britney is a place that is not usually on lots of travelers lists. Obviously, if you're going to head to France, you think of Peres you think of southern France provence or niece, but there are a lot of really great things to see in Britannia, Britney there are beautiful beaches first of all, and it's actually sand beaches, unlike the rocky beaches that you find down south. It's a great place for a multi generational trip. So if you're traveling with family, it would be an excellent place to visit because it's a little bit less touristy, less crowded. There are more things to do that are in small towns out in the country. And it has this Celtic identity like I said the the Britain identity that really is not found in any other place in France, and so you're going to be hearing things like bagpipes for music. You're going to be seeing traditional dancing, even some of the Breton, language. and. I found that people here were really very very friendly. which is something that I hate to say, but sometimes and other parts of France especially, you think of Paris. They don't really have the reputation of being very friendly, but people here really took the time to be able to chat. And if you're someone that likes history or is into myths and legend Brittany has a lot of that, too. Excellent. What Are you going to recommend for us? So I would recommend starting in Ren, ren is in the eastern part of Brittany. And you can fly in, or you can take the train. The TJ evade from Paris. It's about an hour and forty five minutes. There are international flights into rent from other places in Europe, but I don't think there are any from the US or from north. America directly. If you're looking for a place, that would have more connections. That would be a bigger city. You can also fly into note, which is farther south and not officially right now is no longer part of Brittany in the administrative region, but it was part of that she. And there is a quite a bit to see there, too. So I won't talk about that today, but that's another option if you want more connections. And, so for the itinerary like I said you're going to start in Rin and then most of the things to see our along the coast, so you're basically going to do a clockwise circle, and you can go all the way around following the coast and then get back to ren okay. Excellent we'll let's jump in a little more detail. What are we going to Iran before we head to the coast? Okay so. Is the cultural capital of Brittany to university town, and it's really easy to get around. I will mention that you're gonNA. WanNa rent a car to be able to do this. Because there are a lot of small towns that you're going to want to be able to go in and out of. But when you're in rent itself, you don't need a car. They actually have a great metro and it's the smallest city in France to have metro. And this one is driverless also so it goes both underground and above ground, and it was really clean and safe and efficient, so that was that was something that I didn't really expect, but it was a very pleasant surprise. So, Ren is known for its half timber houses, which is funny, because that really I think we're on the other end of France over and. Also as lorraine or something like that when I see the half timber houses, yes, exactly that part of France and then Germany to places where you usually think of those, but it's very much native to the architecture here and I believe it's done in a slightly different way, but I'm not positive about that, but the half timber houses are usually the first level is stone, and then on top of that they're usually three or four other levels that have these big pieces of wood, and then they're deaf clan of plaster or mud in between them. When they're all different colors, and so when you see them all together for example, plastic undone. It's a big square where you can see this architecture and Ren, and some of these are incredibly old. They're dating from the fifteenth to Seventeenth Century. All the way back in the Middle Ages incredibly old by American standards is an exactly. Yes, thank you. Yes. It's all relative actually in Renton. They're kind of pockets of these and the reason. There aren't more is because like many other places. There was a big fire in seventeen twenty, and so many of them were destroyed, and so part of the town has this much older architecture and part of the town has more modern architecture. And another thing you're want to see. Is the Britain parliament building and like I said Brennan kind of the. Of Brittany, and so this parliament building originally had a little bit more autonomy than it does now now. It's really part of France, but they still do some court cases here it's it's basically a court of Appeals. The architecture that's there is beautiful. Especially, the grown Sean Code they have paintings and tapestries in there. It's all Gold Leaf. I believe the
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Alabama
"Welcome traveler I'm your host Chris Christensen just see if we don't deliver on that word epic that I put in the intro. We've got lots to talk about as we talk about Alabama. I'd like to welcome the show. Larry Beiber who is a freelance travel, writer and editor also has his own website at Larry Bloomberg. Dot Com, and also at civil rights travel dot com, and he's come to talk to us about Alabama Larry Welcome to the show. Let's great to be here, Chris. This is a show that is about a year and a half in the making at least not with Larry. We just got him involved recently, but I've done three trips to Alabama last year and a half and had been really wanting to do a show about it. But I really wanted to do it with somebody who knew more about Alabama than I did and Larry. You've lived in Alabama for eleven years. I, think. We say that's right over a decade. And you came there to work a job in the travel magazine industry at. At coastal living, which was based here as is southern living in cooking, light and a lot of other magazines. Why should somebody go to Alabama? There's lots of reasons and I think the place to start is that most people don't know about Alabama? They they know. Their stereotypes there's. There's what they've heard over the years, but the truth is the south remains one of the most colorful and least understood parts of the country and the best way to learn about. It is to go there, and it's easy. It's easy to do and this I. Think will turn People's view under head. It's the center of Civil Rights History which I think. A lot of people know in the best way to understand that as visit the sites where these famed events happened. But it's also got incredible food. One of the most vibrant food scenes in the country right now mountains in some of the best beaches in the country, if not the world, which again does not fit that stereotype that people have the deep south well. I'm going to be one of those people that admits that I Alabama was something like my forty seventh state to go to or something like that, and it was kept to the last somewhat because I grew up in the sixties, and my picture of Alabama was what I saw on the nightly news. It was that troubled. Civil Rights history that we talk about which we can. Celebrate what happened now and and what went on, but it was kind of tough to watch it all going on at the time, and that colored my views of Alabama for pope. And I have fallen in love with the state here in the last trips that I've gone through and a little surprised to say that because I didn't really expect to. But what would you recommend for an itinerary for Alabama? Alabama literally goes from the mountains to the seas in I I would start just for simplicity's sake in the north. In Huntsville and in the Florence area where you will see incredible NASA rocket history because I was intrical part of the NASA system, the NASA development and then. Some a rock and roll shrine in the muscle shoals hall of fame, and then down to Birmingham where you do find that civil rights history where a lot of those disturbing images happen half a century ago. Frankly and now it's one of the most vibrant food scenes in the country and a place. That really has a buzz to it. There's a lot of new parks architecture. There's a lot of people they may be. Decades ago would have left to go off to find their fortune in New York or Los Angeles. And now they're staying there and creating some wonderful things and then I. go down to Montgomery with the state capital. Eight incredible new memorial is just open. I don't know if you've seen that. The equal justice just there. The Lynching Memorial, which I was told by an architecture critic, maybe the most important memorial in this country in the decade. Right up there with the Vietnam war memorial to the victims of lynching very sobering in your face, challenging kind of place, then go out to places I don't think are as much on the radar for people as far as Alabama mobile is a surprise mobile I call the little easy, because it's a lot like New Orleans, but it's tiny. It's much easier to navigate in. It's a lot of fun and then down to this beautiful beautiful Gulf. Shore beaches, the white sands, sugar sand beaches that I literally I been in Borussia of all places in the Indian Ocean on the beaches, and I came to the Gulf coast the next month. For some reason, it just worked out in the Gulf coast. Beaches were better than what I had seen in the Indian. Ocean Sept-. Beautiful I will back you up on that end in both a surprise part and the beautiful part. That will give you a good week from north the sound that
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Devon and Cornwall, England
"Welcome to amateur traveler I'm your host Chris Christensen. Let's talk about Devon and Cornwall. I'd like to welcome to the show. Ryan Duffield from Devon who has come to talk to us about the city of Plymouth in southern England and also the surrounding area, including Devon and Cornwall. Ryan welcome to the show. Thank you very much. Thank you for having me Howie. Good well, you know and it's funny because we just talked about the English coast, but we've moved a little further to the West and talk. Talk about a different region of the coast than we did on the show recently when we talked about Suffolk and the the downs. Why should someone go to Plymouth Plymouth? Actually it's a fantastic city. It's a city that goes amazing maritime history and tradition that dates right back to the medieval times, but actress quite often overloaded when people think of cities in England. They think oh of Lunden Bama again. Manchester Liverpool perhaps. I think Plymouth is just as much. Interest is end if those cities, but it's just north of us so much, and I think particular twenty American. Listeners interested is also the city where the pilgrim father set sail on the mayflower. Sixteen twenty associated with the traditional thanksgiving. S Pre interesting point. Is also surrounded by beautiful coastline. It's right on the border of the county's of Devon and Cornwall these are two of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK down in the South West of England, said Scott lost offer. Willing we're looking for dividend cornwall if we go down to the English map and you go far bottom left. That's where we are, and if you go further bottom further left from there, you end up in the ocean. So we're. Right on the south coast of Devon Oklahoma so are literally facing out to the Atlantic okay well and facing out towards the south. Yes, excellent well, what? Are. You GonNa. Recommend Fourth Festival is obviously starting in the city centre, so the city is actually pretty much based around the coast and its large harbours, so I would say starting day Sutton Haba, which is the main harbor in the city and that so where the city spreads out from I'm from around the. You've all sorts of things to say side. You've got things like the mayflower steps. Steps, which is where there's the pilgrim fathers actually set sail from and this museum dedicated to that you've also got what's the Barbican? which is this old coupled street state specs, medieval periods, which is full of these is correct, slim pubs and bars, restaurants shops things like that, and it's one of the few passes cities. The city was actually bombed June. Sacramento War by the Nazis and the. The city was destroyed, and this is one of the well preserved areas of that city out, also recommend site just basically following the coastline of the city's known as Britain's Ocean City for good reason, because it will revolve around that and overlooking the area. What looks like is huge, fool trust, but what actually is actively operating? Royal Marines and Royal Navy base. That's right in the heart of. Of the city and they still have people that you can save people, training and things, and they actually do tours of that interestingly and I'm not sure how many military basis you can know many Abitur tour during the middle of the day. You can't do that well and it seems like one of the reasons they do that, too. Is You mentioned? This is not a new military base. Quite historical, so this is where the ships sailed out to fight the Spanish Armada for absolutely, and the city is very synonymous with Francis Drake. Who is the man who led the defeating of the Spanish the? He was from Plymouth. Things like the main shopping center in the city named optimus could drake circus, and you'll find lots of other places around the city named after him. You also have along. Along the Bob sell them this coupled medieval street. You have the Plymouth Gin distillery, which is actually the oldest gin distillery in the country, and of course you can go in then you can have tools that you can find out how the GIN is made. You can find out the botanic WHO's they use? Jin's at the end of that. So if you're GIN, Fan Pathak place to go we'll. Get into more detail on all these things. So in terms of the BARBICAN. For instance you mentioned the Plymouth Gin distillery. There are different pubs and things. Do you have a favorite pub? Is there someplace that we ought to check out? There is a place I feel bad commending it, but there's a web spins now Weber spins is a national chain across the country. If you live in the UK, you know about web of Spain's. They've actually got really nice bar that down on the Babacan. Babacan, which is right by the Plymouth Gin Distiller Selfish Nickel Jin from that, but they've got huge selection of our genes of a drinks there, but all the buildings there because they're all medieval style buildings that is then become ingrained within the actual itself garnered sovereignty. Highly recommend that this is places down the thyroid record. Think of any off the top of my head. Okay mix over a new kind of places and very traditional old pubs as well which great.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Bosnia
"Welcome to the amateur traveler I'm your host Chris Christensen? Let's talk about Bosnia. I like to welcome to the show. Canaan Charter, which who is coming from Bosnia and his coming to us from highlander adventures dot, be and has come to talk to us about Bosnia Herzegovina. Canaan welcome to the show. Thank you very much happy to be here excellent and for people who can't find Bosnia and Herzegovina on a map. Where are we talking about? Well. Everyone knows how to find Italy. It's a big shoe ships country. You have a boot-shaped country, so just go to the right side across the Atlantic Sea and we are right there. Well and your neighbor of Croatia. Bosnia you know goes around like little crescent moon. knoll on the West and south, and then these we have Serbia and southeast Montenegro. I to address. You're interested in making sure that people understand that. If they remember news about Bosnia, they may be remembering news from twenty thirty years ago when Bosnia was going through. A, war that's done, and that's been done now for quite a long time there there are people who are out in the working world who don't remember that and it's a wonderful place to go I. Want to say that I was anxious to do this show because we haven't done a show on Bosnia for a long time. And since then I have been to the country and loved it. So why should someone go to Bosnia Herzegovina? Well, there is a lot of reasons depending what you're interested in now. Bosnia is very complex country, but extremely small size of Pennsylvania, but inside. You have so much for the adventure seekers. There are so many adventure opportunities from Whitewater. Rafting canyoning to paragliding hiking is spectacular, and then if you're into history, we say that we have much more history than we can handle. Different Than Empires were here. We like to say where the crossroads or that where the meeting between the East and the West. Culturally very complex country, and also religiously we have Muslims, we have the Orthodox Christians, and we have Catholics with three big groups. Of course there's the Jewish community here which has been here since they were thrown out of Spain after Kista, so for five hundred years, all of these make this crazy, crazy and beautiful mix that very interesting for foreigners to see because inside I will for example and. And in many other cities in Bosnia, you can pined mosque Docs Church Catholic, Church and a synagogue literally in two hundred meter radius, and it's been like that for five hundred years while inside I will because that's how will the city is? And all of a Bosnia and we're very proud of that architecturally very different from anything else you can find in Europe you're GonNa, find this mix of. Of European styles as well as the optimum styles and a lot of course, local Bosnian styles in all of that mixed together will like to say that we are a Bosnian pots. That's one dish that we have. It's cooked in a big pot with a lot of things, mixed sight, and that's Bosnia a lot of things mixed, and it works perfectly. An Indian taste is fantastic why you should. Should visit Bosnian well. Whatever you choose. You're GONNA love it. If you're into history too much of it, you're into nature. It's absolutely stunning. It's fantastic, magic Pennsylvania, and then put inside the Rockies Grand Canyon Inca trail at a lot of other things as well a bit of New Zealand as well. We just like seaside. We have twenty four kilometers of seaside, so that's one thing with them have. And then, of course, for actually learning history or getting certain messages, let's say about life about history. How people live together or how they don't like each other, because while we had a lot of wars, let's especially in the last two hundred years. There's a lot of lessons that you can learn in Boston. Let's say war tourism doctors is now very big part of tourism in in Bosnia so if you want to learn about that, we are definitely to come to see what happens. If you don't defeat fascism, like most of Europe defeated off the Second World War and it actually shows how life can be both good and the bat also if you want to visit a place. which is completely different than rest of the Europe and very relaxed very laid back with fantastic food, most at a lot of reasons I think.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
South Dakota National Parks
"Welcome the amateur traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen. Let's talk about South Dakota. I'd like to welcome back to the show Gary Art from everything. Dash EVERYWHERE DOT com. Who's come to talk to us? Surprise surprise about national parks. This time about the National Parks of South Dakota Gary. Welcome back to the show. It has been so long. Yeah and we never get to talk so it's always a pleasure. It has been a very short period of time since I talked to carry but we have talked about doing this show since we ran into each other. Probably at Mount Rushmore last October September September. I think yeah. Maybe it's October. But yeah we're going to t backs and and this was totally unplanned. You just happen to be a remote rushmore exact same time. It's one of those odd coincidences that happen. And it doesn't happen to meet all that often but there are some national parks in South Dakota. That are not Mount Rushmore. So where are we going if we go to the National Parks of South Dakota? They're six national park. Service sites in South Dakota and five of them are in the West located in or near the Black Hills. And then there's one all by its lonesome in the east so we might as well talk about that one. I and that is the Missouri River National Recreation area. It lies on the Missouri River as you might guess given the name it is in the charming little town of yanked him. South Dakota believe it or not. I was actually rather curious to visit yanked and because I had read a list several years ago that had the cheapest place to live in America was yanked in South Dakota so it was kind of curious to see I was kind of curious. What kind of community is this? And it's very nice and it's not rundown or anything now it's cheap. It just happens to be in the middle of nowhere and that's why the site is right on the border with Missouri arm starting Nebraska and it's fifty nine mile stretch of the Missouri River. Very nice some very large bluffs that are overlooking the river and a national recreation area. So it's not a park if you go to the visitor center and look to get your National Park Stamp. It is not a visitor center per se. It is the office. So that's where the maintenance vehicles and the office staff and they're all there and in that building there's a very small lobby and they just sort of stick the stamp out there for people that want it but unlike pretty much every other national parks that you go to. There's no movie there's no displays none of that. It's very straightforward. It's just something that you can visit. There's a bridge which goes from South Dakota to Nebraska that crosses the river and that's probably some of the best views you're going to get of the river if you WANNA take some photos. There's a place you can pull out just before the bridge. You can't really stop on the bridge nor can you really walk across the bridge. So that's kind of difficult so you just have to keep those things in mind. It's far enough east for. I think you could easily do day-trip if you happen to be in Sioux falls or if you're driving across the state I mean if you wanted to dip down interstate ninety s the interstate. The kind of runs across South Dakota East West. You could do that if you're a serious national parks. Yeah other than that. There's not a lot there. Well I should say for the listeners. The show who are either not from the US or possibly geographically challenged the Missouri River may not stick out in your mind but Missouri River is the longest river in North America. If you include the merchant into the Mississippi River in Saint Louis even if you don't include the Mississippi part I believe North think it's the Missouri Mississippi Slash Missouri. So if you took if you went from New Orleans and then just kind of banked left at Saint Louis rather than right that would take you further. 'cause THE MISSISSIPPI goes up into northern Minnesota whereas the Missouri goes much further will the I? I'm looking it up in the Missouri River just until it gets to the mouth Where it enters into the Mississippi is well for our European listers who I was mentioning this forest. Thirty seven hundred thirty seven sixty seven kilometers or two thousand three hundred forty one miles. So there's really quite an amazing amount of the length of this river not to mention the fact that it empties into the Mississippi River. The river at this point and yanked is pretty good sized. It's not a rapid river. Anything like that. It's far too big for it if anything else. It kind of gives you an appreciation for the river. Think if you go up to North Dakota there are some sites that are close to the as well and you with Lewis and Clark and these the Missouri kind of as their highway to get to the West speaking of the river. I in South Dakota many times live in Minnesota and I think South Dakota is kind of. There's two half's to the state the east and the West in the dividing line is the Missouri River it kind of goes along Nebraska and then it hooks up in when you're on interstate ninety that goes East West when you cross the river. The geography changes pretty dramatically so on the eastern side of the river. It's really flat. Is Your stereotypical great plains. Corn for miles. Once you cross it then you start to see hills instantly like instantly instantly. And that's a function of the river the meandering of the river in the flood plain and everything has basically scour out everything to the east of it and literally. When you cross the bridge you start to see some hills and that's not the black hills yet but it's kind of building up to that. I think you're still well over one hundred miles away at that point and all of the rest of the parks are in this. Western part of the state in the western part of the state is by far the most interesting. It gets the most tourists. You've heard of pretty much anything. In South Dakota it is to the west of the Missouri River in that Black Hills area. So we're talking deadwood Mount Rushmore while drug everything except the Mitchell Corn Palace.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Walking the South Downs Way in England
"Welcome amateur traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen. Let's talk about the south downs way. I'd like to welcome to the show. Aaron Miller from the Armchair Explorer podcast at Armchair Dash Explorer Dot Com. Who's come to talk to us about hiking? The south downs way in England Aaron. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much Chris. Pleasure to be here well Erin. Why are we talking about the south downs way? And can you put it on a map? I first of all I come from this area so I'm passionate about it. The South downs way is I think. One of the most beautiful but lesser-known hikes in England in the south of England. It's a hundred mile pot that stretches from east which is south of London right on the coast and it goes a hundred miles west to winchester and it's a beautiful route because it follows the spine of the south downs. The entire way on the south downs being a series of hills mountains hills. We're talking the south. Downs is beautiful gentle rolling hills that stretch of this way and into central English landscape. When you picture that quintessential Englishness that gentle rolling hills in arable farmland and old pubs little tiny villages and sheep and cows. Because you're on the spine of these down. This incredible view to one side to the south of you is the English Channel Sparkling Blue Sea in and then the other side is this wheeled. Which is this valley. That seems to stretch on forever. And IT'S COOKIE CUTTER. English field far as the I could say. And what makes this really special is? It's the national trail for south downs. National Park which is England's National Park. I think turns ten this year. So it's really a working landscape for like for your listeners. That come from the states or other places. I love the national parks in the states. I'm a huge fan right about them. A lot and most of them are obviously protecting. He's wild spaces. But the town's national park is a little different is actually a UNESCO biosphere reserve which is an award. That's not been given out to that many places and it's to do with the relationship between a land and its people and the sustainable relationship harmonious assistance between the ecosystem and the people that live there and have lived there and work that land for centuries thousands of years in fact. So what you get. Is this real sense of living landscape. It's not a national park which is devoid of people cut off from civilization It's a national park where people have existed for thousands of years the south downs way. In fact it's been walked for at least eight thousand years. Have records of that so when you in this room you really? Following in the footsteps of people that have worked for thousands of years. There's age hill forts. There's Bronze Age burial mounds. There's Roman history so you get a real sense of that as you will through an feel like that history and culture can imbue a place with debt when you're there you get the sense of this living landscape that is very typical of England's and very friendly in welcoming you're passing through these little villages and it's a little off the tortoiseshell because I don't think many international tourists do so when you coming off the trail to stay in these tubs or these different places overnight. You really stay in local One a drop down to this pub called the five bells and the local cricket teams in having their Green Tea and Gossiping About Pu. Bakes the best scones and all that sort of stuff. So it's really you're eavesdropping on this. Little World of the south of England and I think a lot of people when they think giving they think of the south of England to landscape inspired love artists over the years for everyone from Virginia Woolf in the blooms regroup to painters and musicians. So you really feel like you're walking through a landscape that has a lot of depth battle texture to it and there's a lot of great beer too so that was helps o'clock and one thing to know is when you talk about this being a national park in UK the UK Veasley being a smaller country than the US. Where I live doesn't have as many national parks. That only has fifteen so when you say. It's a national park. It's one of just over a dozen national parks in both England. Scotland and Wales altogether. So obviously fifteen are the fifteen best sites that were worthy of being named National Park. So where are we starting? So there's two options I started in Eastbourne which is on the south coast and made my way west from there and I did that for a special reason because when you do it that way there's a really great finish to the hike which I'll I'll keep his as a surprise for example a Lotta people choose to do it the other way round. It's the same elevation same difficulty. I think a lot of people choose to do it the other way round because when you begin winchester you slowly make your way closer and closer to the finish. This really dramatic finish walking towards east born in this place called the seven sisters. Which are these beautiful chalky cliffs that the White Cliffs of Dover the famous cliffs on the South Coast and these be bit as beautiful? I did it the other way and I also did it in a very fun way. I did it as a one hundred mile. Pub CRAWL
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Tbilisi and Eastern Georgia
"The traveler. I'm your host Chris. Christensen let's talk about Georgia. I like to welcome back to the show. Tomo and Mexi from food FUN TRAVEL DOT COM who've come to talk to us about the Republic of Georgia's we're gonNA start with intimacy and head east. Tomo it makes me welcome back to the show. Hey thanks as always glad to be on the shore tomorrow makes me Williams. I didn't say your last name. Yes that's not married since we love to see you thank you. I didn't mention that I think because I not used to referring you'd as the same last name and someone makes me. We're on the show once previously in Philippines wherever the Yucatan Mexico you could join. That's right that's right. The more recent episode we have on the Yucatan merita excellent will. Why are we talking about the Republic of Georgia well? We actually moved to Tbilisi about a year ago. It's our third time living here the second time where here. We got married here a few months after that we decided we actually wanted to live here permanently and now we do so. We used to live in Merida Mexico for a while. That's why we talked to you about that a couple of years ago and now we live Tbilisi so when you say permanently. This is permanently from the context of a travel blogger which means more than a couple of months. I think this is more permanent than decisions. Cassia already almost a year and we've got no intention of leaving at this point. And why should someone else come to the Republic of Georgia? I would say the main draw here is firstly. It's quite undiscovered. It's a little bit out of the way for most travelers but it's beginning a huge amount of press internationally recently especially because of the food and the wine. It is the birthplace of wine according to the most recent archaeological evidence. And but yeah and that's eight thousand years old eight thousand years ago. They found pottery stained with wine from eight thousand years ago so at a definitive evidence that it was actually going on. People were making wine and drinking wine interesting. And what kind of itenerary are you going to recommend for US? So obviously there will be some wine to try but there's also a lot of history here because we're right in the e east-meets-west sort of area. We are nestled between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea with Russia to the north and Turkey to the South West and on Mesnier and Azerbaijan to the south and the east. So there's been a huge influence of all these different coaches for the itinerary. We're GONNA start off in the capital Tiblisi and it is quite a big city with a lot of history so this was founded in the fifth century. Ad. So it has been around for a long time. There's lots of different things to see when you fly in on the first day the flights that come in from the US and via Turkey or quite early. Morning arrivals cold yes. So we'd say the first day that you'RE GONNA be here. It's probably going to be a solid half day of recovering and sleeping and then you have like a half day in the afternoon to go out and see some things and then enjoy the evening and then have a secondary Tiblisi. It's quite a fun city and there's a lot to do here day. Three we'd be heading east towards Kakheti. Which is the primary Wine Region? But of course it's also a very historic region that changed hands between different cultures the Persians Arabs. And of course the Jordan's at the moment firstly we'd be heading to the hill town. Well it's a mountain town of Cigna guy the city of La City of love actually a town. But it's very beautiful nestled on a little hilltop with views down the valley and towards the Caucasus Mountains in the distance the next day staying in the wine region and moving too quickly which is right down in the valley. It's like a very central part of the wine region down there where the river valley runs through where the river runs through the Amazon Valley is the name of the valley and then day five heading north through the valley towards to Lavi which is the capital of Kakheti region. Kakheti actually used to be an independent state for a while as well with separate from Georgia. Now it's integrated with Georgia Day six. We'll be heading back towards Tiblisi through Tiblisi. And then there's a number of important historic sites just north of Tiblisi which include the ancient capital before Tiblisi. Which is called mosquito and also hopeless. Which is an ancient cave town slightly to the west of mosquito and also towards. Gori which was the birthplace of Stalin. And this will wind in that area for people who are real wine lovers. You can have some different wine region. They different groups in different regions. Definitely thinks to explore and then heading back on the seventh day towards Tbilisi so that people can catch they're flying out or if people flying out of Kutaisi. Which is the other main airport then heading from gory towards Kutaisi. Which is about a three hour drive so this couple of flexible options bad us the refinery excellent and we'll go back through that in more detail so before we get into that we should say that although it may be undiscovered it's not undiscovered on amateur travellers to other episodes of the first one at least ten years ago and the second one more recently and so we'll put links to those in the show notes and Tillman makes me have listened to the most recent one of those two so some of the things that are mentioned in there they may skip over. We'll see how that works for time but you started us in Tiblisi. Yeah so let's talk about. Maybe doing a walking tour covers some of the attractions. A few of these mentioned in the previous episode. But it's definitely worth mentioning a few of them again just briefly so that people get a general feel for it. Yes I mean generally in Tiblisi. It's this really vibrant city to visit. You can go out almost any time of day or night. And they'll be people out and about doing stuff in a good wholesome way. There's like restaurants that are our opinion as Baas. The repin sort of dining really is a little bit anytime. A food and wine is exceptionally important. Culturally he'll and as I mentioned earlier. It is surrounded by all of these really strong cultures. But when you actually come to Georgia and come to Tbilisi you'll realize just how unique the culture is here as well so there are definitely influences from those other places but it is very very strongly George into the core. They have their own alphabet one of the unique alphabets of the world. Always done that. Okay so some people say that has some similarity to Amin but when you look at it really doesn't lie. The symbols of very very different says a completely unique alphabet and lots of unique words and the way people pronounce stuff tight is one of the hardest languages to learn. For sure will. In one of the things I've always had trouble with with Georgia in on the amateur travellers site is I take every country and I- lump it into a continent and Georgia. I have placed in Europe. But you look at a map and it looks like I don't know what I'm talking about. Yeah exactly I think Georgia in particular would consider themselves Europe and I think visiting. Here's a country. I also would just architecturally and culturally. I would consider it Europe as well definitely like Eastern Europe. But as you said if you look on a map would probably consider it to be Asia. I sometimes have a hard time putting my time zones in I can never find Tiblisi in a time when I'm changing from different countries. It's because it's always like nestled in Asia. But I think I would definitely say Europe and if we head straight south would get to Armenia Iran and Iraq and so Armenia. I would also be one of those that I would put in Europe culturally but Iran Iraq. I was certainly not Oshawa. John is just to the east and Turkeys just to the West. But it's the usual part of Turkey's eight is one of those as you say regions where cultures meet. Yes and I think at least from that perspective. It's because of the Orthodox religion right the Docs Christianity. I founded in Armenia in the fourth century or late third century century earlier than that. Armenia was the first Christian nation the first nation where Christianity became the main religion so it predates Rome becoming Christian in the three hundreds in Georgia was the second country they took on not too long after that. The estimate is somewhere between three nine three twenty six. Ad Different people have different opinions. And that was when Georgia took on the Orthodox religion poorly Al mentioned a little bit about that when we talk about some of the important attractions that relate to that a bit later on.
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Senegal and The Gambia
"Welcome the image traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen. Let's talk about West Africa. I like to welcome to the show. Brian Asher from the world hiker DOT COM. Who has come to talk to us about Senegal and the Gambia in West Africa? Brian Welcome to the show. Thank you thank you for having me. I know you were surprised that we had not previously done in episode of Amateur Traveler on this region and as we were talking about before we started recording. We don't get as many pitches but also there aren't as many travelers who tend to go to west Africa East Africa. Southern Africa tend to get a little more tourists in general. Why should someone go to that region before we focus in on Senegal? Gambia I think. West Africa's really vibrance several my friends. Who have been there for years in the Peace Corps? Said it's about the People? It's about the markets it's about the color it's about the way they treat you just the life that's on the streets of West Africa. I think we hear of animals. Safaris maybe eastern Southern Africa West. Africa's is really the beating hearts of the continents with some of the most populous countries in the fascinating region with lots of smaller countries grouped. In that you can visit In the whole region there will. We've chosen to talk about Senegal and the Gambia one. Because you've been there recently and we always try and focus on someplace. That wasn't a ten years ago trip. The you've been to all the countries in Africa. Yes four fifty four nations and Africa hats off to you. Thank you and people may be wondering why we're talking about the two of them. This is one of those very odd places where one country actually completely surrounds. The exactly the Gambia's inside of Senegal. So the Gumby has no other neighbors have Senegal to the North East. The South and the West is the ocean. So it's completely involved excellent. And why should someone go to Senegal Gambia? I think Senegal and the Gambia great introduction to Africa and especially to West Africa. They're safe countries. They're countries that are kind of a soft introduction. They're not quite as hard hitting some the other countries in west Africa. Very safe to visit for me. The the weather was very nice after coming from kind of more tropical and intense heat in the Sahara for example movement way across and the people. The people are very friendly. There's not vowed kind of lively music in the streets that you can listen to all the time and there is a decent number of Europeans between but a large French population. There's quite a few Lebanese. That live there a special indy car in the capital of Senegal. And it's it's very soft welcoming place that would not intimidate so I think most people when they think of Africa that would be a great place to start and by contrast. Then what you're saying is there's some of their neighbors. We're them might be a little more. You think twice about going because of poverty terrorism Civil war or disease. Yeah those those are the only reasons I can think of not to go to some of the areas over the last ten years at least in western Africa and I think the Transportation as well kind of infrastructure with having made my way of public transportation there are a lot of Africa can be extremely slow and the Senegal Gambia. Our little breath of fresh air to be able to get around quite a bit easier than the light of the countries in the region and I'm fascinated to hear about this. I have technically been indycar but really only in the airport. And they didn't let me off the plane so I really knew very little about the area. So what kind of itinerary would you recommend? I think that Senegal be the one that you'd want to spend more time in. The car has quite a bit to see in there quite a few beaches right there. Outside of the city I stayed in a neighborhood called walk. Tom Which is nicely placed next to the African Renaissance Monument which is the largest statue and all of Africa. That kind of looks down on the whole region there and Indycar and you can take a couple of really nice day trip south from the car so if you stayed there for two three or four days I think that would be an ideal amount of time to spend their most people like I went to a place called Goree Island which is very famous for being one of the biggest places that had slaves that were coming out to the Americas and you can learn a lot but the history. They're easy to walk around. There's a ferry that goes every couple hours to get there and place it almost everyone. The cousin Senegal visits during the first couple days sides stay for the car to three days with the city and the surrounding area and then a couple of days up to St Louis which is about four hours for five hours north by bus. Okay and you could spend a day or two. They're known for its famous. Saint Louis Arch known. Not that Saint. Louis Okay the other Saint Louis in Senegal. It takes a good six to eight hours going by bus. You could take a private car if you want. Or if you're on a tour to get down to the Gambia assume that's GONNA take up half or two thirds of a day and then I'd be down in Bonn Jewel and area right below it whether it's nice speeches and a monkey parking things for two to three days so I think you could easily piece together somewhere between eight and ten days which would be kind of a nice length of a visit between Senegal Gambia. Excellent so you started us into car and you mentioned going out to the island whose name I've already forgotten it's gory island heart ee. Eileen with just one of the biggest hubs for the slave trade and they have fairies that go out every couple hours and that's definitely Come a must do if you're in Dakar. I think almost anyone I've talked to has done not visit for half day or two thirds of the day and real easy to walk arounds. Thinks about a kilometre too long. And that's locals there with colorful art kids playing soccer in slave museums. That are there that you can visit as well and so I assume there's a fourth year which is where they keep the slaves locked up. Yes and what else are we going to do the two or three days in the car? How are we gonNA spend that you mentioned the monument and there's a couple of monuments there the country it's about ninety six percent Muslim and so there's several nice mosques to visit as well in the lot of fishermen that go out and I love think West Africa? One of the images of the coastal areas. Are these colorful fishing boats that you can see like dozens of guys sliding off into the water and then sliding back up with their catch from the day and there's a lot of seafood that they bring in so these real colorfully painted. Boats is one of the images that you'll see on the coast there in Indycar and their fishing from the there than rather than from okay and is there a place you would go to see that. There is a mosque called the mosque of the divinity which had a bunch of these colorful boats right next to it and it's right there in the car about five or ten minutes from where I was staying in the neighborhood of calm and I stayed AIRBNB. There's lots of airbnb options there for budget travelers and there's all different ranges of accommodation but there are inexpensive options for those looking for him as well and I stayed with a local man there and enjoyed always like state local people to give you all flavor of what it's like will what I usually find when we're talking about. Travelling in lesser developed areas of Africa is that we're talking about not an inexpensive flight to get in relatively expensive for the distance intra country flights inside of Africa. Compare for instance or a US but then really cheap food and really cheap housing. Is that right? Yeah that's true. And so that's the Pros and cons. I always way between local transport and the flights I think the flights between the Gambian cars forty minutes so in say but I just checked in it's still upwards of one hundred forty to one hundred eighty dollars for a forty minute one slight. It's not too bad for Africa standards. It can be a lot worse a lot worse or west African flights but bus. I WanNa say it was about eighteen dollars that took me there so you just have to pick and choose. What's worth more your your time or your money. Well and that is going to be an individual choice. Yeah another thing. A lot of people like to do is there's a pink lake there several of these in the world. There's one in Mexico unless Jerry I believe and there's one about Sarah outside of Dakar. That is is another kind of one of them. Must do things on the visit. That would take you maybe about a half day and so that is really really pick. Yeah if you look at pictures online. There's one called Rainbow Mountain in Peru or I don't know how much instagram or things put filters on it and this one depending on who's pictured is it's pink. It was quite pink but sometimes the pictures make it. Look even more amazingly think depend on. The season tends to be kind of lighter darker shades of pink. That has the salt miners. That are out there. And kind of local people selling artwork in tourist items. So and so this is Lake Ripa. Yes my GRANDPA Loch rose. I think in French shore the lake what it can go by. I would say gory. Islands and Pink Lake would be to half day trips. That would make sense to have with your day or so exploring around the car so to make it two or three days for the car and it strives. You might say
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Travel to Costa Rica
"To the amateur traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen before we get into this week's episode. I do want to say something about the corona virus epidemic. Which is what's going on as I record this. I also put this in the amateur traveler facebook group but I know that. Not all of your in there. I want you to know what my plan is. So many of you I am sheltering in place and I am not traveling because it's the right thing to do these days but I won't be blogging and podcasting about coveted Nineteen Ama- traveler. I'm not a medical expert. You don't need my opinion. We did do one episode of this week and travel. Because it's news but that's really all I'm going to do about this and I'm really of the opinion that this will get better. I don't know how long but sometime we will get back to work. And things will return to normal and travel will return to normal whatever normal looks like and so. I'm going to be looking ahead. I'm going to be helping you dream of better days. I know for some of you. That's not what you're looking for now. If you unsubscribe because this isn't the right time for you to be thinking about travel no problem. I understand but that's what we're going to be doing here and I just didn't want to catch you by surprise it's not that I'm totally clueless about what's going on that being said. Let's talk about Costa Rica. I'd like to welcome the show. Sam and Jason. From my ten feet dot com who've come talk to us about Costa Rica Salmon and Jason. Welcome to the show. Hello Chris Thank you for having us and Salmon Jason our friends. I think we met in Philippines on a press trip. I WANNA say ten years ago so I don't remember exactly when we met the first time but someone actually pitched me doing Costa Rica but two of the bloggers that I know. Who are the experts on? Costa Rica Are Salmon? Jason and they make a living basically from this and from helping people figure out what to do in Costa Rica's so let's start with the obvious. Why should someone go to Costa Rica? Costa Rica offers a lot of things to do for people who want to experience nature because Costa Rica's known as a very ECO friendly sustainable destination. It's very green country in every sense of that word yes exactly. They protect over twenty five percent of their land actually in so for anyone who wants to experience nature whether they love I watching or hiking or even a beach vacation to see a volcano experienced rainforest particularly has got it all in that sense and when it comes to countries in Central America Latin America is very safe. It's very popular for travelers in the US in now more in Europe and they're very friendly people in they're very welcoming so Costa Rica's even a destination for people who have never been outside traveled internationally because of the excellent. And what kind of are you going to recommend for someone who let's say it's their first time in Costa Rica? I most people they land in San Jose. International Airport in this is because this is the biggest international airport so they have more flights schedules. And then for the first time itinerary something I would really recommend is and then you go to Fortuna I in La. Fortuna is a city what they call northern lowlands and it is home to the. Arina volcano very close to lake are now which is the biggest man-made Lake in Costa Rica and also a lot of rainforest around and so a lot for tonight is known as the adventure capital of Costa. And you can do pretty much all the adventures you could once. They're so whitewater rafting canyoning zip-lining very popular hiking because of the rainforest is nature. There's a lot of wildlife can see a lot of birds monkeys and floss and it's a very good destination for families or for Solo travelers. Because you find everything from ten dollars. Abed a night till eight hundred dollars a night so you have super budget to the super luxury. We'll I in. This is what we did when we were in Costa Rica. The first time you didn't stop us in San Jose to do anything and that is pretty typical for Costa Rican itineraries. Well craze the reason why well Waco streak is. We don't do that well. Actually the government is trying to make the capital Prettier Bad the truth is that the traffic is terrible. Whenever you work the tourism industry you don't one on a generic going through San Jose because traffic jams are getting very bad. I believe that every single city on the world is having this problem so ideas or packages that you find like San Jose jewel probably stay one or two nights and then you might see one or two activities on the whole day and I will say the main reason is the traffic well and I was not surprised that you did not suggest that but I did want to point it out because somebody may be looking at an itinerary that somebody else creates for them and I wanted them to know the difference. Well now that you mentioned that this is actually something that I have noticed. Recently especially with people from Mexico. We got a lot of direct flights from Mexico in a notice that a lot of Mexicans in some sense they liked to stay in San Jose and they do a lot of one day. Trips is a lot of time on the buzz things that I don't actually recommend by opinion is a waste of time. I mean if you WANNA go to a game is not fun to spend four hours in the boss three hours and then go back for our sped. Believe it or not. This is a new thing we saw last year so meant that I was with a lot of people asking in. Actually we work with companies that do one day tours and many people they liked to be in bosses nowadays. I don't know whoever's listening to this podcast if you love to stay in a positive things house in one day trips but we don't recommend you to do that. The only things that I can think of that are close enough that I would do that. As there's a couple of the coffee plantations that I think are close and the river rafting in that area is fairly close to center. Say but I can't think of anything else that I really would want to see in Costa Rica. That San Jose would be where I would base myself. I think it's a lot of people they come to Experienced two major because it doesn't really sell itself it city city life economic in the city. They do have some nice cultural sites. They have a national theatre. They have a few really nice museums. But it's so small. It's not a big city so honestly see the city in a day and you can go to the neighborhood. That has a lot of good restaurants. You can get really good feel for in just one day and you don't need more than that really as if you were in New York City Madrid or not as much to do which I think is part of the reason why a lot of Timorese. Un in San Jose many sleeve. Right away yeah. I don't think I've been in San Jose. Costa Rica twice. So yeah so unless if you are dying like really really keen on experiencing city life you really don't have much time and something to mention Kristie. You mentioned the Quad River. Which is the most popular Whitewater rafting? The we have here in Costa Rica. A lot of people what they do is they take that tour as a way of transportation so for example. If you're planning to go to La Fortuna or you're planning to three Korean site so he's very very very common people book the Touri- Apple say but they ask to be drop off either for tuna or decree inside or they can bring you back to say but that will save you now your dad with many other attractions if you go to well. In this case the EPA quad as is closer Korean site. So from that location you can go through two different locations so the Costa Rican tourism industry. They know that so. What they do is is that it's transferred tour with four or five hours activities. Very bubbler any works very well here. Sure can do. The two are from laugher tuna or the Caribbean works. Both ways so very much like you can take a whole day for instead of traveling traveling in rafting
The Amateur Traveler Podcast
Your Guide to Chennai, India
"Welcome to the immature traveler. I'm your host Chris Christensen. Let's talk about tonigh- I'd I'd like to welcome the show. Amanda from millennial traveler that's traveler with two l's the UK way. Amanda welcome the show whilst thank you so much for having me I I guess in Amanda has come on to talk about southern India tonight. Hi Amanda what's your connection with tonight. Well I must say that I got introduced. I used to southern India specifically because they actually had studied abroad with friends that came from China and years thereafter. They were continuously inviting me to go India. So when I found myself in Southeast Asia I decided to take a detour and reconnect with old friends and get a local point of view about Saddam City of Chennai in. Why should someone tonight India? First of all it does break a lot of the stereotypes regarding India. It it is much more of a spacious city than you would find other cities like Delhi and Mumbai. So I would say it's much less chaotic of an atmosphere. Secondly it also also been ranked one of the most safest cities within India as well as Southeast Asia and also in regards to safer steady for woman so I think that should be appealing feeling initially because I know some people have a lot of hesitation about traveling to India in general good least solo travel especially for some people that's a real barrier. Yes indefinitely so I would say if you want to start traveling in India I definitely go to China as your starters because it has been ranked for its quality of living. I'm safety nece as mentioned well I should say this is not our first show on India and so people can go listen to those what we do actually have one on solo travel for women. I'm Andy if you go way way. Way Way. Back in the archives put a link to that in the show notes. And what kind of do you recommend. I think China is the city. It's not too overwhelming. So you can literally explore the city with about four days and I would say there could be actually left for travelling to the outer parts. I definitely want to get into now for the actual days in the city. First and foremost you need to go to Marina beach which is really a world famous beach because it is indeed the second largest urban beach in the world which is pretty amazing and has such character and charm. There you can find a lot of carnival style L. activities going on as well as it's really awesome being a coastal city that I is you got to witness the fishermen if you wake up earlier of getting their catch of the day and honestly if you can do that and you get to the mark sometime. You'll have some of the freshest seafood you have ever tasted on earth. What thing I should have said before we got into the it is? There's going to be some confusion for some people who are more my age than yours who may not have heard of tonigh- but may have heard of the city of Madrid us and this is the same city. Change the names in one thousand nine hundred eighty six icy so some people don't realize that we're talking about a place they have heard of but that the beam has changed since they had it in elementary school geography or wherever. Yes exactly yeah. The excellent point to make and so the money will generation ration- May know it as tonight but yes. It was formerly known as Mantras that is true so everything has changed. Of course airport name would have changed. The railway station had been Chennai central railway but now has a very complicated name as of this year so can't pronounce that one but that's worth visiting as well. The railway station is amazing. Amazing okay so this old colonial style railway station. I'm guessing then neo Gothic architecture. Quite amazing I believe is built by a European European architects. If I'm not mistaken as one of the most fantastic rarely structured life seen so. You're a fan of that style of architecture or railway stations. The people were passionate about that. It's great and it's the main connecting hub to other cities edge. The train station which I actually took to go to Banglore India which is in a different state China itself being in Tamil Nadu and in addition to that I would also highly recommend going to the Saint Thomas Cathedral Fedral also known as the Sand Tom Cathedral it has a lot of biblical history. Actually being that in fact Thomas one of Jesus's disciples both his last ministry in India China specifically so they built that Cathedral shrine dedicated to him so I thought that was also very amazing and a great historical account of one of these disciples. Let's go back up into this a little more details so when you talk about going to the beach we're going to the beach for usual. Usual beach activities. Are we swimming in. The water is clean enough safe enough to swim in our their water sports. Are we sunbathing. What are we doing when we go to the beach? Besides you mentioned some festivals or other things that are going other one appeal again especially for seafood. Lovers is to come early in the morning anywhere between three or six. Am Ems you can actually wash the fishermen at work. They don't go too far out and then they'll bring their catch. The back sell it out the stalls in the marketplace so it's quite bustling there in terms of the food stalls and that's where you can get some of the finest seafood in India and might be one of the greatest in the world. I personally tasted so. That's something exciting to see their the fishermen activity that takes place as well as the carnival activities. That are there SPO- boot fishermen pulling the Rotunda. The short oh come all borough fishermen and that's what makes it so amazing so these people are obviously doing it for a living and you can see the whole marketplace action. There offers everything from actually getting the catch the day I just selling it directly to the Marquis. Sol's to having your food freshly prepared right in front of you might early. Indication here is that we're GONNA talk about food more than once in this episode guests and quite a few restaurants as well as city is very centered on food and seafood. I of course in particular being nut. It's a coastal city of India. Okay well in food in southern India being different food in northern India. But I think we'll save that for just a a little bit so you took us to the railway station. You took us to the Cathedral. Anything specific we want to say in terms of the railway station were an instagram opportunity. Is there anything else we want to do. Were there well the side that I was thinking of course instagram opportunity. I guess I what structure isn't nowadays. But that's where if you want to find yourself taking a day trip and not having to drive directly out of state. That's a great link to the popular route between Bangor and Bangalore is a very popular steady. My friends friends constantly go on weekend trip from China by car or by train. So that's the thing definitely. Is this worth noting. If you WANNA go beyond Chan I definitely make use of that rally station. The next one and then we'll get back to Bangalore just a little bit in terms of your side trip and then again in terms of the cathedral anything else you WanNa say in terms of things. Should we do a tour the cathedral or just go. Is there anything specific sites. You WanNA point four probably be necessary. It's quite small. Typically if you arrive during the daytime I would say it's fairly empty but it takes you back to your up. I mean whoever has been to the European cathedrals it's definitely that a European style and stained glass asked windows transported on this. They didn't realize I was in India anymore. And then the lower level if you want to make sure you go and check out the strike and like I said of Thomas. The disciple which I thought was pretty incredible. Somebody read about in the Bible and now we're actually standing in the last place. He was next four. We completely clearly leave Marina beach because Saint Thomas Visuals. Not Too far from there musty as well actually the lighthouse and you'll get a spectacular view of the entire beat this aerial view. And what's great about this. Lighthouse is one of the few in the world that actually have an elevator. So you have a fear of heights. It's not not a problem. Furthermore if you WANNA see one of the most famous Hindu temples within the city make sure you go to I hope I don't butcher this name but the capillaries swatter Campbell. Now I have to say I did expect it to be more. Grandiose incised According to local friends and Torres is definitely the most most a frequent did tumble and most famous temple within the city of Nine however I just WanNa make note for tourists as we are indeed foreigners. You won't get to. You have entry into this Ryan side. Just make sure people know that when they go in you can enter the temple. Few move your shoes. And if you're dressed appropriately be won't be able to get astrid entry but if you're curious about that and you want to see where the local people go. This is the most wickets in temple and the outside of it is fairly intricate. An an interesting is probably the right word in terms of all the different figures on this temple. If I've got the right one that I'm thinking of Yes. It is fairly detailed so definitely you can and make a pitstop there. I think that isn't a mile of Hor. Neighborhood was also a great neighborhood to explore the temple in a great neighborhood to explore. What particularly Eh would you recommend that we look for or do or in that neighborhood so in this particular neighborhood there are some great food stall can go to you so again? Taste the local food. They're selling their which will definitely vary from what you'd get in northern India cities like Delhi for example. So that's really great for their in the morning you can check out the south Indian breakfast and have dosa which is this is very flat. Thin layered pancake would remind you of a crepe but but a different texture. So that's something really great to try for their as well as looking for any kind of souvenirs related to the Hindu temple related to you. The dress buying stories for example. It's a perfect place to go from Bulle. Shopping food is do so for breakfast. Eaten with anything else. This is like a pancake so is fresh off the griddle the food stall or do you have it with something. I don't know well even have it either way. Actually but typically I guess it can be served with Chutney. So in my case thing I was introduced in two by the southern Indians is the coconut Chutney. I don't know how common it is in the north but I quite around coconut with other types of herbs and spices attitude so that was really delicious and surprisingly filling breakfasts to have anything else. We should grab from a food stall while we're into definitely you want to check out the Beer Yanni which is classic Indian dish one of my other favorites. I've found was the mango curry. And now this might be unheard of to a lot of people. Because I'll about. How great will curry taste? But through a monster. Ah Skeptical about this dish but it turned out to be really delicious and not very sweet at all. But Savory when we should say Brioni funded all over the country not really a northern dish. Basically coming from the Muslims who came in and very similar to dishes that you would find in Afghanistan for instance her for Pakistan although spicier. It usually probably down here in southern India. Yes you got like. The seafood versions is really well known own for seafood so then that will kind of make it more southern in styles than like seafood phobe more dominant in this
Daily Tech News Show
United and ARC test blockchain technology
"Isn't they've just done an experiment with blockchain with a company called AR testing, the use of blockchain to potentially provide equate as secure distributed and immutable transaction records that will improve their business process over that exist today their claim is that. This should simplify the booking process for corporate travelers and improve receipt collection for expense reports. One of the reasons I'm skeptical as somebody who's known to fly over one hundred thousand miles a year is I'm not sure that that's a problem. But we shall see. I'm Chris Christensen from amateur traveler,