Travel Clever » Tours

A quick tour of Sao Paolo

b-travel — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:00:08 +0000

Sao Paolo in Brazil is a very big city and enjoying everything there in just a day or two is almost impossible. There are too many places to visit, activities to be enjoyed and food that should be tasted. But you can still enjoy the best parts this city has to offer by knowing where to go and when.

Food is never scarce in Sao Paolo. Authentic Brazilian food with great family setting could be found in Vila Madalena. Rua Aspicuelta could also be an alternative especially if you’re looking for a restaurant with livelier setting as they feature large screen TVs showing football games. If you’re craving for something Asian, proceed to Praca da Liberdade.

Day trips should always be about the important places in Sao Paolo. The Belle Epoch (market place) is a great place to start as you can enjoy fresh fruits, coffee and tasty pastries popular in Sao Paolo.

The Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo should not be missed as well as the museum features original works by Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse and other significant artists of the past. Parks in Sao Paolo could almost be considered galleries because of the remarkable sculpture of local artists.

If you’re interested in discos and dancing, Rua Augusta is home to variety of clubs. Prepare yourself for an all-night dancing as many of these clubs tend be open until 4am.

Last but not the least: shopping. Rua Oscar Freire is a beautiful shopping district because of the individual boutiques. Malls are found in Iguatemi district. It’s the perfect place to find souvenirs without the hassle of running around the city.

The best place in Ecuador

b-travel — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:46:58 +0000

Quito is the capital of Ecuardor. It’s a narrow city that runs from north to south in about 40 kilometers and just 4 kilometers from west to east. What’s amazing about Quito is the picturesque view of the Guagua Pichincha volcano that is on the west side of the city.

The best time to go to Quito is during its festival which is held on the first week of December. The festival is called Fiestas de Quito of the Festival of Quito and you’ll enjoy their parade of dancers and great street music. It’s party everywhere during this time that you can’t help but dance with locals here. Drink and have a lot of fun and dance until dawn. You may also notice some stuffed dummies which the locals believe would bring them good luck if they burn it before the New Year and they do this custom every year.

On August they also celebrate another festival which is Mes de las Artes. Again, they celebrate by playing music all throughout and there is lots of dancing too. It’s also just as fun as the Fiestas de Quito but it’s really the December event that is a blast.

Another celebration is during Holy Week but it is quite solemn. They are religious people and they know the importance of the Holy Week which is why they always celebrate it.

It’s fun to come to Quito during festivals but just make sure that you keep your valuables safe as there are pickpocketers around especially on dark areas.

Visiting Paris: tips & tricks

b-travel — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:28:26 +0000

Every year, more and more people choose to travel to Paris, France. This is an easy choice to make. The area is pretty, the people are friendly and the food is great! However, is Paris like all the other places in the world? Are you suppose to leave a tip whenever you pay your a check? Well, yes and no. Today we are going to talk about tipping in Paris. Keep in mind these rules apply to all of France as well.

Unlike places in the United States and other areas of the world, tips for restaurants are actually figured right into your check. The percentage that is put right into your check is 15 percent of your meal.

Having your tip figured in is not a choice, it’s a law! The French law requires that all tips be figured into the check for taxation purposes. In fact, you will be able to see the 15 percent charged itemized very clearly on your check. This normally goes on top of the VAT tax, which is kind of like a French sales tax. Normally, besides this you will see the words, “service compris,” which stands for tip included.

Of course, you do not have to figure all of it up. To make it easy on you, French restaurants include all of these percentages right into the menu so you know how much you will be paying up front. There are no hidden charges or anything like that.

So, should you leave a tip for the person that was waiting on you. Well the truth is, you do not have to. However, it is a nice way of saying thank you. The tips that are added into the check are divided between everyone at the end of the night. The tip that you leave on the table is just for the waiter. So really, it’s your call, but if you want to say thank you, leave a 5 to 10 percent tip on the table anyway.

Figuring out the trains in Tokyo

b-travel — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:22:07 +0000

Tokyo is a very busy and large city but could be easily visited with the help of its trains. Unfortunately, figuring out the trains in Tokyo for the first time is a little bit challenging. The city’s subway after all, is considered as the most complicated in the world. In one city alone, there are already different railway companies that you have to deal with – both private and government owned.

The first thing that you need to know about the trains in Tokyo is their impeccable dedication to time. Their trains arrive and depart at the exact minute. Secondly, the trains in Tokyo don’t operate all day except on New Year but only by limited companies.

With regards to fare, always bring cash as credit cards may not be accepted by some train companies. The good thing about their rail system is that you can transfer from one train to another and pay per destination. Just make sure you pass by the orange gate so that you will not be charged as a whole.

Just like in most cities, tickets could be purchased in different stops – even prepaid tickets. However, make sure that you purchase the right tickets from the right company as some train companies, especially the private ones, doesn’t recognize other tickets. Instead of saving through train, you might be spending a lot in train tickets.

Last but not the least, check out the Tokyo Transfer Guide online which provides the information you need about the Tokyo rail. The website also comes in English for better understanding

A quick tour of Sao Paolo

The motorcycle diaries: travelling tips

b-travel — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:22:42 +0000

The motorcycle represents the ultimate vehicle for a road trip – travelling for hundreds of miles without being limited by road quality. You’ll get a better feel of things around and you and enjoy the tour more.

But success in a road trip in motorcycle is more than just getting in a motorcycle and drive. There are things you should do before you start packing for miles and miles of adventure.

Before anything else, make sure that your motorcycle is on top condition. Maintenance check up should be in place as you have to make sure that your tires, chains, brakes, lights, oil and fuel will be more than enough to get you through to the next stop over.

Also check your papers, specifically your licenses. Out of state travel might require you additional licenses. You don’t want to spend extra hundred dollars because you are travelling without enough papers. Your local licensing authority should give you enough information on what licenses to bring or take before the trip.

Since you’ll be travelling for hours sitting, make sure that your seat cushion is comfortable. As much as possible, change your seat into flat form. The body contoured seat will only limit your movements which increases discomfort.

While on the road, it is also important to rest before you get tired. Being tired for a road trip is not good as this will require you longer hours of rest. Stop before you completely lose your strength.

Last but not the least, plan your travel. You should be able to enjoy your traveling more if you know where to go and where to rest.

Visiting Paris: tips & tricks