Bad experience at Holiday Inn Almaty

It looks not like a Holiday Inn Hotel! The towels were probable 5 year old (they were clean, so no complain about this), the windows are not closing properly and the level of noise from street was a little disturbing, decoration pillows need cleaning, despite vacuuming carpet looks dirty (probable needs heavy cleaning for dust accumulated during years). At reception, there are no tourist information about Almaty and vicinity.

When I did the check out I had an "interesting" discussion as they asked for payment for one more night. Finally, after counting in calendar the number of nights, the reception guy look into a folder and without explanation he close the subject.

Despite the fact that I confirmed the transfer to airport in advance, I waited for 30 min. for taxi to come.

Due to flight schedule my stay was like from 1st 2:00AM to 2nd 2:00AM. I do not agree but , OK, I understand that, in this case, I have to pay for 2 nights.  But I paid also for 2 breakfasts, and the staff had no courtesy to ask if I want some snacks or coffee for travel.

Almaty

 Watched by the Trans-Ili Alatau Mountains, Almaty (Alma-Ata from the time the Soviet Union and a former capital) lives like any crowded big city. Cut by wide boulevards (that make up almost a perfect grid) the city has nothing spectacular. The noisy traffic (you hear horns almost at every step) fills the autumn air with a disturbing exhaust gas smell. As European, you make a discordant note with the Asian pedestrians hurrying to their destinations.

Top German superstitions

[from Top 10 German superstitions]

Toasting with water - Never, ever say "cheers," or "Prost," with water in Germany. Not even for a joke. Especially not for a joke. You are literally wishing death on all your drinking buddies. It means you really want your friends to die. Is that what you want? Because that's what it means.

Knocking on the Stammtisch - When greeting your German drinking buddies, instead of waving, you should knock on the table. According to legend, this is because the Stammtisch, the regulars' table in the tavern, was traditionally made of oak. Since the devil is unable to touch oak, considered a holy tree, knocking on it proved you weren't the devil. It always makes for a nicer evening if your friends don't consider you a disguised demon.

Gift knives - Giving knives as a gift means that you are wishing someone and everyone in their household injury and death. If they've already got plenty of forks and spoons, and you really can't think of any present that's not cutlery, you're supposed to give them a knife token. This superstition comes from an ancient deal that gone wrong a knife smith once made with the devil, which ended with the devil cursing all his work.

Lucky coin - If the cutlery shop has sold out, and you've seriously run out of gift ideas, why not give someone a nice, shiny new leather wallet? But don't forget to put a penny in! This ensures that the recipient will never be poor.

Bread and salt for a new home - The traditional gift at a housewarming party is bread and salt. It will make sure that your new hosts will never be hungry in their new home. Especially if they like salty bread.

But are all this pure German superstition? How many do you recognize for your country?

A quiet hotel in Wilhemshaven

On the North Sea coast, on Jade Bay, in Wilhemshaven, Beans Parc City Lodge is a nice and quiet 2 star family hotel (so expectation should not be so big). It is a good choice for a commuting stay. The room I had was small, with direct access to garden where you can easily relax after a busy day. As nothing special to remark, I initially rated the hotel as "OK, but next time can also look for alternatives". But the breakfast in the morning was EXCELLENT (as not expecting something like this). And at check-out I even was asked if I want a coffee or something else for the road. For the next short stay in Wilhemshaven mot probably I will choose the same hotel.

Münster – points of interest

Railway Central Station - coordinates: E7.635000228881836, N51.956668853759766
Domplatz: E7.627153, N51.962291
Botanical garden (Schlossgarten 3, Zentrum): E7.610528, N51.963117
Pinkus Müller - the only brewery left in Münster- (Kreuzstraße 10, 48143 Zentrum): E7.621128, N51.96571
Picasso Museum (Königsstr. 5): E7.626332163810736, N51.960222020532754
Zoo, Dolphinarium and Planetarium (Sentruper Straße 315): E7.586829, N51.948029

Almost in the heart of Berlin

Not so far from Brandenburger Tor (25 min. walking), very near to Anhalter Bahnhof S-Bahn station but not on a breathtaking surrounding (is this really matter if you are there to visit the town and not to stay all day long in the hotel?), Suite Novotel Berlin Potsdamer Platz Hotel is a good choice for relaxation. (Are all Suite Novotel hotels the same? In Hamburg the room has exactly the same layout.)

PS: One click on photo will open a whole album!

Photos from Münster

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Photos from Hamburg

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Düsseldorf – Some info

General info:

• http://www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/en/home/
• The Tourist Information Center is near Hauptbahnhof

If you travel by public transport, definitely buy a Dusseldorf Welcome Card before you set off. The card costs 9 euros for 24 hours and gives you unlimited public transport use plus free entry to many attractions. (For example, the entrance to Aquazoo is free; otherwise adult entry is 7euros.)

To visit:

• Rhein Promenade (3,1 km from Hauptbahnhof)
• Rhein Tower (TV Tower)
• Altstadt (Old Town)
• Japanese Garden (Kaiserswerther Strasse 390)
• Loebbecke-Museum und Aquazoo (in the same area with the Japanese Garden), with beautiful tanks of amazing fish and aquatic creatures (and not only).
• Film Museum
• Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (Grabbeplatz 5, http://www.kunstsammlung.de/): paintings, sculpture and an unique museum devoted entirely to glass works
• Düsseldorfer Senf (Berger Straße 29). Düsseldorf is not just the city of Alt beer - it is also a mustard city. The mustard museum was opened in 2004.

Dortmund - some info

Subway network: http://stadtbahnbauamt.dortmund.de
Dortmund Hbf. - Königswall 15, Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen 44137
Tourist Information Office - Königswall 18, 44137 Mitte
Dortmunder Brewery Museum - Steigerstraße 16, 44145 Nordmarkt
Westfalenpark Dortmund - An der Buschmühle 3, Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen 44139
Florian Tower - in Westfalenpark
Cookbook museum - An der Buschmühle, 44139 Ruhrallee
Rathaus - Friedensplatz, Mitte
Platz von Hiroshima - Schwarze-Brüder-Straße, 44137 Mitte
Westphalian Museum of Industry Dortmund - Grubenweg 5, 44388 Bövinghause

Bran Castle

Between Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Mountains, Bran Castle is landmark of the Romanian tourism, due not only to the beauty of the Castle and the landscape, but also to modern legend that place here, in this unknown land, strange creatures.

The first documentary attestation of the Bran Castle is the act issued on November 19, 1377, by Ludovic I D'Anjou giving to Brasov’s inhabitants, as recognition for building the castle "on their own work and expense", 13 localities in the area. The leadership of Bran Fortress was given to a lord of a castle who had also jurisdictional attributions. The permanent garrison was numerically restrained to 12-24 soldiers: archers and ballisters. Build initially as military fortress; the castle functioned mainly as a custom trading point on frontier between Transylvania and Wallachia.

Photos from Romania

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Interior

How is Romania today? You have two choices to know. Take a newspaper, read what is there and believe, or come to visit it, speak with peoples, see and think.

And if you'll visit the "interior", even on a common place, you'll have the surprise to find true treasure of history, art and life. Come inside, listen to people, admire their native smiles, learn history and understand!