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Post by kathryn on Mar 26, 2018 8:26:43 GMT
I think Oslo was 4th on a list of most expensive cities last week. Any tips on the best way to eat without blowing the bank? We’re in a hotel rather than an air bnb so we are going to be eating out for all meals. Take some pot noodles with you! I'm afraid eating out in Oslo just is incredibly expensive - I know people over there who come over to London whenever they get the chance as it's so much cheaper over here! |
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531 posts
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 26, 2018 10:52:09 GMT
Visiting Brussels for the first time for a few nights with a couple of friends end May. Anyone been before and have any recommendations?  Ta |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2018 12:38:38 GMT
Discovered the other week that there are now automatic kiosks you can use to convert foreign coins into £ (or vice versa) so you can actually do something with all those random bags of loose change. www.fourex.co.uk/Very handy. Probably not the greatest exchange rate but better than nothing! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2018 12:43:06 GMT
Good to know @xanderl, thanks!
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2,705 posts
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Post by viserys on Aug 27, 2018 8:09:40 GMT
Question for our American readers or international readers in the know: How many days should one plan for Philadelphia? I know about all the independence stuff (which I've pencilled one day sightseeing in for) but I don't know what else to do/see. No, I'm not striking a dumb Rocky pose on those stairs  and from all I've heard Atlantic City is not worth the bother of a side trip. Current plan is two and a half days, not sure what to do on the second full day. Interests are varied, mostly history, but open to any ideas. |
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Post by Mark on Aug 27, 2018 8:19:34 GMT
Question for our American readers or international readers in the know: How many days should one plan for Philadelphia? I know about all the independence stuff (which I've pencilled one day sightseeing in for) but I don't know what else to do/see. No, I'm not striking a dumb Rocky pose on those stairs and from all I've heard Atlantic City is not worth the bother of a side trip. Current plan is two and a half days, not sure what to do on the second full day. Interests are varied, mostly history, but open to any ideas. That should be enough to be honest. I'd highly recommend the Eastern State Penitentiary tour, a great few hours. And of course a visit to Reading Terminal Market is a must. |
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2,705 posts
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Post by viserys on Aug 27, 2018 8:45:43 GMT
Ah, the market looks great, thanks for that.
Not so keen on the jail tour, but it may please the male I have in tow - he already dragged me around Alcatraz in San Francisco.
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2,041 posts
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Post by 49thand8th on Aug 27, 2018 18:58:36 GMT
Question for our American readers or international readers in the know: How many days should one plan for Philadelphia? Reading Terminal Market and The Magic Gardens can both take up half a day — or a whole day if you like! I'm not a HUGE fan of Philly, but I do love both those spots. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2018 19:24:25 GMT
Discovered the other week that there are now automatic kiosks you can use to convert foreign coins into £ (or vice versa) so you can actually do something with all those random bags of loose change. www.fourex.co.uk/Very handy. Probably not the greatest exchange rate but better than nothing! Just curious, has anyone used these already? |
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4,810 posts
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Post by Mark on Aug 27, 2018 20:10:55 GMT
Ah, the market looks great, thanks for that. Not so keen on the jail tour, but it may please the male I have in tow - he already dragged me around Alcatraz in San Francisco. I found the Eastern state penitentiary better than Alcatraz tbh!! |
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Post by mallardo on Aug 28, 2018 0:01:20 GMT
Question for our American readers or international readers in the know: How many days should one plan for Philadelphia? I know about all the independence stuff (which I've pencilled one day sightseeing in for) but I don't know what else to do/see. No, I'm not striking a dumb Rocky pose on those stairs and from all I've heard Atlantic City is not worth the bother of a side trip. Current plan is two and a half days, not sure what to do on the second full day. Interests are varied, mostly history, but open to any ideas.
I've never been to Philadelphia as a tourist, just on business, and I find it hard to imagine what a tourist would do there. It's just a standard issue American city. Valley Forge, of Revolutionary War fame, is in one of the northern suburbs but it's a pretty bleak place. Definitely skip Atlantic City, there's nothing to it and what's there is is dreadful.
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5,068 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 28, 2018 0:38:06 GMT
Question for our American readers or international readers in the know: How many days should one plan for Philadelphia? I know about all the independence stuff (which I've pencilled one day sightseeing in for) but I don't know what else to do/see. No, I'm not striking a dumb Rocky pose on those stairs and from all I've heard Atlantic City is not worth the bother of a side trip. Current plan is two and a half days, not sure what to do on the second full day. Interests are varied, mostly history, but open to any ideas.
I've never been to Philadelphia as a tourist, just on business, and I find it hard to imagine what a tourist would do there. It's just a standard issue American city. Valley Forge, of Revolutionary War fame, is in one of the northern suburbs but it's a pretty bleak place. Definitely skip Atlantic City, there's nothing to it and what's there is is dreadful.
I have been but dying to go. If I can work a short visit with a couple of shows, especially at the Walnut Street theatre. I could easily spend all day in the art gallery there (floats my boat), it has one of Van Gogh’s Sunflower there and also Cezanne’s Bathers, which accompanies the one in the National Gallery, London. Also love to go the Philadelphia Zoo (member of London Zoo), so another passion ticked. Of course I would see the Liberty Bell. |
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Post by viserys on Aug 28, 2018 5:20:37 GMT
Thanks everyone! The Magic Gardens look terrific. Between that, the market and the Independence stuff it looks like I'll easily be able to fill two days. Will let the male decide if he wants to see the jail It's all still some way ahead but I will need to book flights soon, hence the decision how many days to spend there before going home. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2018 11:49:21 GMT
Discovered the other week that there are now automatic kiosks you can use to convert foreign coins into £ (or vice versa) so you can actually do something with all those random bags of loose change. www.fourex.co.uk/Very handy. Probably not the greatest exchange rate but better than nothing! Just curious, has anyone used these already? Yes, used one at Victoria to change a bag of US coins back into UK coins - very simple, I think you select the currency you want to convert to (£, € or $) on the screen, then chuck your change in, it automatically recognises it (I believe it will work with a mixed bag) and converts to your chosen currency. If it can't recognise a coin it spits it back out. There's a slot where you can donate any rejected coins to charity if you just want to get rid of them. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Aug 28, 2018 13:53:45 GMT
Thanks everyone! The Magic Gardens look terrific. Between that, the market and the Independence stuff it looks like I'll easily be able to fill two days. Will let the male decide if he wants to see the jail It's all still some way ahead but I will need to book flights soon, hence the decision how many days to spend there before going home. The Magic Gardens are really fun. As mallardo said, it's not a super interesting city — I really only go for shows and am glad it's so close to NYC. And even as an American, I saw the Liberty Bell up close and I didn't find it all that amazing (sorry, historians). I'm glad it's there, though! |
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Post by viserys on Aug 28, 2018 14:11:11 GMT
Thanks everyone! The Magic Gardens look terrific. Between that, the market and the Independence stuff it looks like I'll easily be able to fill two days. Will let the male decide if he wants to see the jail It's all still some way ahead but I will need to book flights soon, hence the decision how many days to spend there before going home. The Magic Gardens are really fun. As mallardo said, it's not a super interesting city — I really only go for shows and am glad it's so close to NYC. And even as an American, I saw the Liberty Bell up close and I didn't find it all that amazing (sorry, historians). I'm glad it's there, though! Yea, I wouldn't "just" choose Philly alone as an overseas destination. The main objective is to drag my American friend into the US Tour of Bat out of Hell after I spent the entire summer chewing his ear off about it. He lives in New York, so it's the nearest tour stop and I plan to also catch 2-3 shows on Broadway (although right now I have no idea what, I hope Moulin Rouge transfers in time). The other option had been Boston (tour stop before Philly), but I feel there's so much to see and do in THAT area, that I'd rather make it a proper holiday some day. I am quite the history geek, so I think Philly will be entertaining enough for me with all the history stuff. Last time I visited my friend we went to Hamilton Grange in Harlem and Fraunces Tavern downtown before seeing Hamilton which was fun and we also visited the Historic Triangle in Virginia together some years ago. Philly is also convenient because there's a direct flight "home" to Germany from there, so I don't have to go back to New York first. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Aug 28, 2018 14:38:06 GMT
Including Philly in an NYC trip is a great plan! Be sure to go to Wawa. It's a convenience store, like 7-11, but a very regional one. You can just say you went. |
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Post by viserys on Aug 28, 2018 16:55:56 GMT
Including Philly in an NYC trip is a great plan! Be sure to go to Wawa. It's a convenience store, like 7-11, but a very regional one. You can just say you went. Haha, will do! |
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Post by bimse on Aug 28, 2018 17:23:59 GMT
I’ll be visiting Japan for the first time in November. I’m always intrigued that the Japanese, and for example South Koreans seem to have a liking for musical theatre . I’ve seen clips of La Cage aux Folles on YouTube from South Korea etc. I wouldn’t mind trying to catch a show while I’m there . I know The ubiquitous Lion King is playing in Tokyo and there’s a production of My Fair Lady playing in repertory in (I think) Osaka . Does anyone know of any other shows in Tokyo or have any experience of seeing shows there? The websites are mainly in Japanese, therefore a bit confusing for me .
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Post by viserys on Aug 28, 2018 17:32:21 GMT
If you want to see something completely bizarre, go and see Takarazuka in Tokyo, it's an all-female company with a liking for overblown European historical musicals. They will be doing Vienna's "Elisabeth" (again!) this autumn until 18 November and their website is also in English: kageki.hankyu.co.jp/english/index.html You get the musical and then a glitzy revue tacked at the end of it. I had planned to visit Takarazuka no matter what during my own Tokyo trip at the end of October and laughed so much when I saw that they are doing Elisabeth again, a show I know inside out, so there's no language bareer for me. Sadly that's also the only thing I know of/I'm really interested in, as we'll only be in Tokyo for three days. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2018 17:52:16 GMT
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Post by bimse on Aug 29, 2018 17:17:38 GMT
Thank you both viserys and @xanderl, interesting and useful information , I’m tempted to try and see some theatre during my short visit to Tokyo . |
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Post by Mark on Aug 30, 2018 6:51:38 GMT
I’m off to New Orleans for two days next month with work. Any must sees?
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Post by Marwood on Aug 30, 2018 10:51:35 GMT
Going for a week in Hollywood in less than a fortnight - I'm seeing Phoenix at the Fonda Theatre on the first night I'm there but haven't seen anything theatre wise that captures the eye - anyone got any suggestions as to theatres to check out (in the central Los Angeles area)?. I'm staying on Hollywood Boulevard and as far as I can see, all that is along there is the Pantages, they've got Beautiful on while I'm there, which isn't really my cup of tea.
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4,810 posts
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Post by Mark on Aug 30, 2018 11:07:58 GMT
Going for a week in Hollywood in less than a fortnight - I'm seeing Phoenix at the Fonda Theatre on the first night I'm there but haven't seen anything theatre wise that captures the eye - anyone got any suggestions as to theatres to check out (in the central Los Angeles area)?. I'm staying on Hollywood Boulevard and as far as I can see, all that is along there is the Pantages, they've got Beautiful on while I'm there, which isn't really my cup of tea. The Pre-Broadway "Ain't Too Proud" will be playing at the Ahmanson. |
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and from all I've heard Atlantic City is not worth the bother of a side trip. 
