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Post by Brendan Anderson on Nov 2, 2007 10:35:31 GMT -8
This is why I love the international camaraderie of film music fans - we can tap each other for information about all parts of the world! My wife and I are planning a 6 week excursion to Europe. What I need from you guys is an idea of how much it will cost us (from your experience) to find decent lodging/hotel/etc. in the following cities. We don't need a big room or luxury....but we do want to make sure we have our own bathroom/shower in the room. A fairly safe neighborhood is also preferred as my ninja fighting skills are not what they once were. So here we go: give me some price ranges (per night in Euros) if you know them for these cities: - Paris
- Venice
- Milan
- Rome
- Athens
- Vienna
- Amsterdam
- Madrid
- Prague
Also, if you've driven in these places, how much of a nightmare is it? Here's why: a railpass for the two of us for the whole trip will cost us around $1200 - $1600 depending on configuration. But I can also get a short-term car lease of a new car for 60 days, unlimited milage, for about $1600. Thoughts? If anyone lives in or around these cities and wants to meet up for lunch, just say the word. My planned travel dates are September 15 - November 1. -Brendan p.s. Kuhni, notice I didn't list Freiburg for hotel requests....that's because you'd better have your guest room ready.
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Post by Jangles on Nov 3, 2007 12:53:48 GMT -8
How do you get 6 weeks off at a time from work?
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Post by Brendan Anderson on Nov 3, 2007 13:00:25 GMT -8
How do you get 6 weeks off at a time from work? Well, seeing as how I don't have just one full-time job, I have like 4 part-time jobs, I just make sure all the necessary projects are completed in advance, then send out a mass "I'll be gone for awhile" e-mail and take off! I won't get paid while I'm gone, but that's what saving is for. You're only young once Jangly. -Brendan
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Post by Christian K on Nov 3, 2007 13:53:22 GMT -8
Brendan Gene Anderson! OK, I'm not sure about being to helping you out with a short-term car lease. You might be able to get one within your financial frame, but keep in mind that gas prices over here are much different (i.e., higher) than the ones you're accustomed to. (Although there are differences between, say, Austria, Germany or the Czech Republic). Travelling by train, at least partly, would be recommendable, but I don't know enough about travelling especially in Southern Europe. Of course, Europe being only the size of Texas (roughly), you'll be able to get around rather quickly. I told you five years ago that you, and anybody coming with you, would be most welcome at my digs. That promise still stands. However, since I'll be finished with my studies by then, there's a degree of uncertainty regarding my plans for (late) 2008. I have been offered to apply for a PhD by a ex-teacher; if I pass the required tests, I'd be starting in September of next year. And it would be in the Big White North. But if I'm anywhere near Freiburg or Bavaria during your travelling time, then you can bet your autographed copy of ID4 that you can stay at my place and that I'll be offering Jenna and you a tour of some select places. And introduce you to German autobahns and German beer. Just one more thing: you're planning on coming late in the year. For Southern Europe, that might not be problem, but this year's autumn in central Europe has largely been cold and grey. On the other side, last year was beautiful. So there. If you have any questions, fire away. I'll try my best to answer them. Hugs, CK
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Post by pmrsim on Nov 3, 2007 15:00:28 GMT -8
Tell ya one thing... most of those cities (if not at all of them) are cheaper than London, so you did well chucking that one off your list. LOL.
In regards to travelling around... you KNOW you wanna drive, so just get a car. Even with soaring fuel prices, it's probably cheaper than public transport. However, keep in mind that these older european cities can be confusing to drive to/through, as you'll encounter many narrow, windy, one-way-traffic roads. Saying that... up north things are pretty well indicated, so shouldn't really get lost. And peeps drive pretty reasonably. I hear that in the South traffic may be more... frenetic.
(seriously, could you really go home without having taken a Merc for a spin on the Autobahn?)
As for hotels... I think you may easily be looking at anywhere between 50-100 Euros per night. I could recommend Ibis hotels. They're a very good chain with plenty of hotels (55 in paris alone). It'll be easier to arrange and book rooms with it being a large chain with a decent website. If you really read up on each city, you'll find better deals on local B&Bs, but will require a fair of homework.
Happy travels.
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Post by Brendan Anderson on Nov 3, 2007 15:23:09 GMT -8
Tell ya one thing... most of those cities (if not at all of them) are cheaper than London, so you did well chucking that one off your list. LOL. Indeed...I've been to London twice so it's not all that high on my list this trip. However, if we find some amazingly cheap airfare into London then we'll go for that and hit the Chunnel. I think stopping in Paris and purchasing a cheap European GPS navigation unit should solve many of our car-driving woes. I can try and unload it on eBay after we back to the states. That's kind of what I was guessing in my initial budget process: somewhere around $100 U.S. per night in the large cities. But thank you for the Ibis recommendation...I had not heard of that chain before. And Christian, I would much rather have cool grey skies than sweltering humidity. I get enough sunshine in my own state. -Brendan
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Post by Southall on Nov 4, 2007 11:43:03 GMT -8
I honestly wouldn't even consider driving in many of those cities (especially Paris and the Italian cities)... it's like hell on earth.
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jorgen
Scoring Assistant
Posts: 194
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Post by jorgen on Nov 4, 2007 12:11:57 GMT -8
I think prices in Madrid are around 70 € - 90 € night, though I´m not sure. Recently I´ve seen a TV program about Spanish Hostales (they´re not hotels. Usually were flats where the rooms were rented, and people shared showers....so, the general idea is that they were pretty bad), and my jaw dropped to the floor: some of them are so good that I wouldn´t mind going to one of those hostals instead of a hotel. They´re cheaper and normally are on the city centres (some of them still are pretty bad, but one of the owners said that most of his guests were foreigners that booked through internet, so I wouldn´t discard that option).
As far as I know, driving on South European Countries is nightmarish, and Madrid is no exception. I have friends who live in Madrid, have car and use public transport to move in the city. So I wouldn´t rent a car to move in there. The metro is pretty quick, clean and safe (if you keep your wallets in your front pockets and mind your ownings. Moreover: foreigners are easily spotted and are favourite pick-pocketting victims).
I´m sorry I´m not living in Madrid any longer, because I wouldn´t mind offering the other room of my flat to you....Anyway, if you decide to visit Barcelona (a more beautiful city than Madrid. Do you like "Modernism"?) don´t hesitate to contact me.
And before you go to Madrid, contact me: I still remember where the score-shops are (and which are the parts of the city you must visit).
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Post by pmrsim on Nov 4, 2007 12:17:59 GMT -8
Uhm ... yeah ... let's NOT go to a hostel, okay? Unless you like waking up one morning, tied to a chair in a factory hall somewhere in the middle of nowhere, with some guying swinging an axe at ya.... Oh, I know this really happens! I saw it in a movie!
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Post by Carlton the Barbarian on Nov 4, 2007 13:22:05 GMT -8
I honestly wouldn't even consider driving in many of those cities (especially Paris and the Italian cities)... it's like hell on earth. So, this is what Hell is like:
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Post by Jon Broxton on Nov 4, 2007 14:06:53 GMT -8
New York is full of Italians, remember
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Post by Southall on Nov 4, 2007 14:10:07 GMT -8
I honestly wouldn't even consider driving in many of those cities (especially Paris and the Italian cities)... it's like hell on earth. So, this is what Hell is like: Well, Paris and Milan and Rome make New York City seem like a deserted backwater as far as driving cars is concerned.
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Post by Brendan Anderson on Nov 4, 2007 19:30:31 GMT -8
Ah yes, the city-driving dilema. So, do these cities have a "rush hour" like many large U.S. cities but then they calm down during mid-day, or is it insane traffic all the time ala Los Angeles?
Jorgen, thanks for the Spain info....Barcelona is a definite possibility over Madrid as it would make for a shorter trip westward (and it's on the coast!). I'll keep you posted if we end up there.
Do you have a website I can check out the "nicer" hostels?
-Brendan
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jorgen
Scoring Assistant
Posts: 194
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Post by jorgen on Nov 5, 2007 1:41:31 GMT -8
Allrighty, then. www.google.es/search?sourceid=navclient&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GZAZ_esES226ES226&q=hostales+en+Madrid(Just searched in Google for "Hostales en Madrid". "Hospedaje Dolce Vita" has nice photos of its rooms. It´s web page is also in English. Though the "price page" has some kind of error - at least in Spanish - it seems that a double room with its own bathroom is 47 € night, which also includes taxes and breakfast. So these kind of places are worth-looking, I think) A more detailed list of the hostales is: maps.google.es/maps?sourceid=navclient&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GZAZ_esES226ES226&um=1&q=hostales&near=Madrid&fb=1&view=text&sa=X&oi=local_group&resnum=1&ct=more-results&cd=2Just out of curiosity, check some of them (they also have a star rating system). I must advice that most of them are in the old part of Madrid, so they´re located in ancient buildings which don´t have elevators, and could be a 3rd floor, for instance. Also, in the ancient part of the city is the "gay area", which is lively, full of people, shops.... Now that I think about it, maybe it´s a little noisy during nights, but I´m not sure. I´m also trying to find some of the hostales that were shown on the T.V programm I saw, which were really incredible. If I manage to find them, I´ll post it. Anyway, as you have time to prepare your trip, take this as a recommendation. Perhaps you´ll finally end up in a 5 star Hotel, but I thought it was a good idea to let you know there are also cheaper and very decent alternatives (more taking into consideration that when you´re abroad you spend more time in the streets than in the hotels). Usually Madrid has traffic jams during "rush hours", but also dense traffic, depending on the day. Before you decide to do nothing here, contact me. I could be of some help (if only to say "that part of the city is really far away from the centre", or "don´t book in a hostal in that area, because it´s ....") If you decide to come to Barcelona, keep in touch.
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jorgen
Scoring Assistant
Posts: 194
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Post by jorgen on Nov 6, 2007 2:48:05 GMT -8
I don´t manage to find the hostal I saw on the telly. Anyway, one more link: www.softdoc.es/guia_madrid/alojamiento/hostales.htmlI´d go for those hostals that are rated 4.0 and more. The area is also important (I´d probably choose: Madrid: Centro Ciudad: Paseo del Prado or Madrid: Centro Ciudad: Las Cortes). Also as I feared, most of them are described as "very noisy" (unless you choose an inner room). I´d try to read as many clients suggestions as possible, which also help. Enjoy!
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