[Macros]

Going to Barca/Madrid for a few days in September.

Have booked a flight into Barca and a flight out of Madrid 5 days later.

What's the must go sees?

[Macros]

For anyone who uses Hostelworld reqularly. If you've made a booking for August/September this year be sure to check Hostelworld for their 3 epic trips competition, it's free to enter if you have made a booking and the first prize is 3 trips to any of the 30 options they give you (angkor wat, Cappadocia ballooning, etc) a few runner up prizes of one of the options

[Imperial Historian]

Any tips for Montreal/Quebec I'm here for the next two weeks. Any malazans in the area fancy a meet-up?

[Mentalist]

Imperial Historian, on 24 August 2018 - 12:55 PM, said:

Any tips for Montreal/Quebec I'm here for the next two weeks. Any malazans in the area fancy a meet-up?

Eat a different poutine every day you're here.

[Gintokian]

Imperial Historian, on 24 August 2018 - 12:55 PM, said:

Any tips for Montreal/Quebec I'm here for the next two weeks. Any malazans in the area fancy a meet-up?

Unless you speak french don't say "bonjour" to people, they will assume you speak french and start talking to you and you'll have no idea what the hell they're saying and have to awkwardly backpedal and tell them you don't speak french. They're usually not too pleased after that, especially fast food workers because not everyone speaks english and then they have to find someone who does.

[Tsundoku]

Gintokian, on 24 August 2018 - 05:22 PM, said:

Imperial Historian, on 24 August 2018 - 12:55 PM, said:

Any tips for Montreal/Quebec I'm here for the next two weeks. Any malazans in the area fancy a meet-up?

Unless you speak french don't say "bonjour" to people, they will assume you speak french and start talking to you and you'll have no idea what the hell they're saying and have to awkwardly backpedal and tell them you don't speak french. They're usually not too pleased after that, especially fast food workers because not everyone speaks english and then they have to find someone who does.

Why don't they speak the national language? OK I realise it's dual-language, but I thought Kweebeckers had to learn English?

[Mentalist]

Tsundoku, on 24 August 2018 - 06:15 PM, said:

Gintokian, on 24 August 2018 - 05:22 PM, said:

Imperial Historian, on 24 August 2018 - 12:55 PM, said:

Any tips for Montreal/Quebec I'm here for the next two weeks. Any malazans in the area fancy a meet-up?

Unless you speak french don't say "bonjour" to people, they will assume you speak french and start talking to you and you'll have no idea what the hell they're saying and have to awkwardly backpedal and tell them you don't speak french. They're usually not too pleased after that, especially fast food workers because not everyone speaks english and then they have to find someone who does.

Why don't they speak the national language? OK I realise it's dual-language, but I thought Kweebeckers had to learn English?

Nope. Especially not in Quebec City.

Of course, Quebecois isn't really French either. Manitobans have a more comprehensible French then the Quebecois.

[Gintokian]

Tsundoku, on 24 August 2018 - 06:15 PM, said:

Gintokian, on 24 August 2018 - 05:22 PM, said:

Imperial Historian, on 24 August 2018 - 12:55 PM, said:

Any tips for Montreal/Quebec I'm here for the next two weeks. Any malazans in the area fancy a meet-up?

Unless you speak french don't say "bonjour" to people, they will assume you speak french and start talking to you and you'll have no idea what the hell they're saying and have to awkwardly backpedal and tell them you don't speak french. They're usually not too pleased after that, especially fast food workers because not everyone speaks english and then they have to find someone who does.

Why don't they speak the national language? OK I realise it's dual-language, but I thought Kweebeckers had to learn English?

I'm not sure if they learn any in school or not, I know I took french until grade 10 but i remember essentially nothing of it now so if they had a similar thing it wouldn't really help unless they were super into it.
Although a lot of people in Montreal specifically can speak english, some don't speak french at all strangely enough. The actor Jay Baruchel is from Montreal and he doesn't know any french, it's kind of a weird city but for the most part Quebec likes to be separate and speak their own special version of french.

[Gintokian]

Probably something like that.
Fun fact, in mid nineties they had a vote in Quebec on whether to leave Canada and become their own country and they very nearly did, it was something like 50.5% against and 49.5% for. They still have a political party that pushes for independence.

[Mentalist]

Gintokian, on 24 August 2018 - 08:19 PM, said:

Probably something like that.
Fun fact, in mid nineties they had a vote in Quebec on whether to leave Canada and become their own country and they very nearly did, it was something like 50.5% against and 49.5% for. They still have a political party that pushes for independence.

After that a lot of big business started to relocate from Montreal. They picked a sleepy nearby city called Toronto. And so it became the biggest in Canada.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 24 August 2018 - 10:11 PM

[Gintokian]

Mentalist, on 24 August 2018 - 10:11 PM, said:

Gintokian, on 24 August 2018 - 08:19 PM, said:

Probably something like that.
Fun fact, in mid nineties they had a vote in Quebec on whether to leave Canada and become their own country and they very nearly did, it was something like 50.5% against and 49.5% for. They still have a political party that pushes for independence.

After that a lot of big business started to relocate from Montreal. They picked a sleepy nearby city called Toronto. And so it became the biggest in Canada.

That is true, although Toronto was still pretty big pre 1995 but that did help a lot. Although now businesses are moving out of Toronto cause living costs and rental costs are just way too high

[Abyss]

Gintokian, on 24 August 2018 - 10:26 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 24 August 2018 - 10:11 PM, said:

Gintokian, on 24 August 2018 - 08:19 PM, said:

Probably something like that.
Fun fact, in mid nineties they had a vote in Quebec on whether to leave Canada and become their own country and they very nearly did, it was something like 50.5% against and 49.5% for. They still have a political party that pushes for independence.

After that a lot of big business started to relocate from Montreal. They picked a sleepy nearby city called Toronto. And so it became the biggest in Canada.

That is true, although Toronto was still pretty big pre 1995 but that did help a lot. Although now businesses are moving out of Toronto cause living costs and rental costs are just way too high

The original exodus from Mtl to TO that boosted the city was after the first referendum in 1980.
Tho close, the 90s vote was barely an afterthought... probably why it was as close as it was. It didn't trigger the same flight... if anything it led to Mtl recovering quite a bit.

[Mezla PigDog]

Stockholm. Where can I go tomorrow evening during a flying visit for a little tourist wander? I just want a nice little walk and a pick of a few decent places for dinner on my own. Help!

[Aptorian]

If you jump on a train you can probably be in Denmark in 3-4 hours, rather than wasting your time in a shithole country.

[worry]

Lol.

[Abyss]

Mezla PigDog, on 16 July 2019 - 07:38 PM, said:

Stockholm. Where can I go tomorrow evening during a flying visit for a little tourist wander? I just want a nice little walk and a pick of a few decent places for dinner on my own. Help!

The ABBA museum is not to be missed.

[Macros]

Thread bump.

This is a long in advance one.

We have a wedding to attend in Spain next summer.

Current holiday plan is loosely, flying into Rome, working our way up, across the south of France and down into Spain.

How long in Rome? We also want to see Venice before it sinks, where else to stop along the way? Not sure Where in Spain, probably down south

[Tsundoku]

Well, acording to my Dad who is now a seasoned (older) traveller - use Rome for an airport but otherwise avoid avoid avoid. Apparently the best stuff is further north, but even then you'll be among the tourist throngs so good luck. Rome does have good stuff, but it's not worth the hassle.

He's glad Venice was part of a tour because he wouldn't make a separate trip to go there. It was nice, but overrated. And again throngs of tourists, which he was acutely aware that he was a part of.

How much time will you be having to play with?

[Macros]

I mean I'm doing Rome. It's been on my list since always.

We haven't firmed up any dates and times yet, trying to work out how much we will need, what's affordable, etc

[Gorefest]

Macros, on 04 October 2019 - 12:11 PM, said:

Thread bump.

This is a long in advance one.

We have a wedding to attend in Spain next summer.

Current holiday plan is loosely, flying into Rome, working our way up, across the south of France and down into Spain.

How long in Rome? We also want to see Venice before it sinks, where else to stop along the way? Not sure Where in Spain, probably down south

Blimey. You could easily spend a week in Rome, but a long weekend (give yourself two full days) should suffice to do the main touristy bits, I'd imagine. If you don't mind walking, you can do a nice walk that includes most of the famous landmarks (Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps, Pantheon, National Monument, etc) in half a day or so. If you plan to visit the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, add another day to that because just standing in the queue will probably take you half a day.

Venice I always find a bit overrated, I'd personally recommend Florence instead. Plus it is more on your planned route, because Venice would require you to cut all the way across before heading back to France. But you can view either of those in a day, I imagine.


For south of France: Nice is beautiful and basically partnered up with Monaco, so you can do those jointly for a couple of days. Really nice area.


Then for Spain, I'd advise sticking to the coastal areas when travelling south. Then you have a choice of Barcelona or Valencia on your way down. For southern destinations, Malaga is a great pick. Cartagena is lovely too, as is Granada.