Archive for April, 2007

Indian delights

Distinguished by an array of nose-tingling spices & herbs, dining in India is a fiery affair, full of heat, exotic flavor, and (for some) perspiration. From savory fried food to tangy relishes, pickled treats, and thick curries, Indian cuisine conjures images of an enormous spice rack stretching from Bombay to Chennai to New Delhi. For travelers like me, a trip to India is worthwhile if only for the food, but don’t go there on a diet.

This is no place to skimp on calories or count carbs. India’s rich food and fried treats, bold curries and succulent sauces, and staples of rice and bread make this country a gastronomic paradise, full of carbohydrate delights. And if you’re like me and consider ‘messy’ food to be ‘good’ food, you’ll probably appreciate the fact that Indians eat with their hands, and so can you. So when I say the food is ‘finger licking good’, please pardon the pun.

Garlic naan

Let’s start with roti (Hindi for bread), which is prepared daily, cooked over the fire in a tava (skillet), and usually rubbed in oil. In the North, every meal is eaten with roti. On menus it’s not unusual to find a page-long listing of roti that includes chapatti, made with unleavened wheat flour; puri, which is flatbread deep fried in ghee (clarified butter); parantha, bread stuffed with fillings like mutton, potatoes and peas, or cauliflower; and, finally, naan, with a variety of preparations that alone seem infinite: plain naan, butter naan, peas naan, garlic naan, onion naan, and cheese naan, to name a few.

And then there’s the thali meal, comprised of several dishes served on a steel platter in compartments or small bowls. In the South, thali meals sometimes arrive on a banana leaf and are listed on menu boards as ‘the meal’. A thali usually consists of rice, daal, a few vegetable or meat curries, roti, yogurt, pickles, and a sweet. It’s a great (and cheap) way to sample a number of items, especially if dining solo. But here’s the thing: a thali meal is bottomless, meaning, once you finish an item, it’s replaced. The idea is not to stuff yourself, but to eat until you’re satisfied, which I find hard to do when my meal constantly regenerates as if by magic.

Are you hungry yet???

Finally, there are a few beverages I would be remiss not to mention: lassi and chai tea. Lassis are chilled, refreshing drinks made by blending yogurt and water with salt and other spices and flavors. Sometimes they’re prepared with milk and clotted cream – I’ve even had lassis that include lumps of butter. Tell me that doesn’t sound fattening. And while tea might not seem like a high-calorie drink, the Indian penchant for generous use of whole milk and heaps of sugar in chai, combined with the frequency of consumption, puts chai tea on my list of favorite things I’m willing to break a diet for - along with anything else Indian. Can you pass the roti?

–Cheryn Flanagan

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours in India and things to do in New Delhi.

Bridge guardian, Amsterdam

Amsterdam must be one of the few major cities in the world where you run significant risk of being run over by a bicycle. Helmets? Fugettaboudit. You could always play it safe and duck into one of the city’s many excellent museums, cafes, or shops.

Or browse the tables at a flea market.

Or hunker down in a canal boat.

Or just be brave and walk - this is a great place to see on foot. Just bring comfy, sturdy shoes - and look both ways before crossing. For more ideas on planning your trip, check out our Suggested Itineraries in Amsterdam. We’ve listed some of the highlights below. You can also browse more photos of Amsterdam over on the Viator Flickr page.

Day 1: The heart of Old Amsterdam

With so much to see and do in Amsterdam, it’s often best to just point yourself toward a couple of major areas and wander the laneways and canals. A perfect starting point is Dam Square, the heart of the city. From here you’re in spitting distance of the 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), the stately Royal Palace, and hundreds of shops and cafes. From here, walk up to Centraal Station, cross over to Oosterdok, and take in the exhibits at the temporary relocated Stedelijk Museum.

Then head back towards the 14th-century Oude Kerk - which just happens to be in the middle of the ‘Wallen’, or Red Light District - so, hey, why not have a gander? (Unless you’re with kids - definitely not for kids.) Further south-southeast is Waterlooplein Market, a big daily flea market with clothes, souvenirs, and other bargains. The Rembrandthuis Museum is just around the corner.

Along the way you’ll pass plenty of cafes and pubs, so refreshment is readily available. There are several ways to get an overview of the city: You’ll cover a lot of territory in a coach sightseeing tour; alternatively, make like a local and ride a bicycle - try a self-guided tour of some of the city’s impressive old mansions. Then treat yourself at the end of the day with a candlelight cruise along the canals. The ‘I Amsterdam’ card gets you a canal boat tour and free admission into 24 of the main museums.

‘Snert’ - a typical Dutch lunch in winter, mmmmm

Day 2: Culture Vulturism

Day 2 is ‘Museum Day’. Several of them are conveniently clustered together in or near the Museumplein (’Museum Square’), including the Rijksmuseum (which is showing a limited selection of its collection while undergoing renovations), and the Van Gogh Museum, which has an unparalleled collection of the Dutch painter’s work.

If that doesn’t wear you out, make your way to the Anne Frank House. And when you’re all walked out, grab a cold one at the Heineken Brewery.

Keukenhof Gardens

Day 3: Tiptoeing through the Tulips

If you happen to be in Amsterdam in the springtime, you might find yourself downwind from the flower fields at Keukenhof Gardens. The grounds here are stunning - you could easily spend the entire day here (note that the gardens are only open from March to May).

Other options farther afield include the fishing villages of Marken and Volendam, local cheese farms, windmills, and the famous blue pottery of Delft. Rotterdam, with its unique collection of modern architecture is another excellent day-trip option. So, too, is the miniature city of Madurodam.

This is just a sample of what we recommend; read our full-length Suggested Itineraries in Amsterdam, or check out our complete list of things to see and do in Amsterdam. Or go even farther afield, to neighbors Brussels and Germany.

–Bruce Melendy

Planning a trip? Browse all of Viator’s Amsterdam tours and things to do. Or read other Viator blog posts about Amsterdam.

Just because I work at Viator does not mean I get to travel all the time. I wish I was just sent on the road to try out every new experience we get, but alas, more often than not I have to satisfy myself with just reading about them until I can slot them into a vacation. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been on a healthy amount of our tours, but when you have over 5,000 things to do, it’s going to take you awhile to get through them all. When I run across something that especially catches my fancy, I put it in my wishlist for awhile, just for fun.

Today I decided to jot down the top ten things I wish I had time to go do right now. In no particular order:

1. Ghibli Museum in Tokyo - A whole building of the vibrant, colorful art from films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. I admit I turn into an 11-year-old Japanese girl when I see this stuff. Must… resist… urge to buy Totoro refrigerator magnets.
2. Tornado Chasing Tours - I could get over having to spend 7 days in Oklahoma for this, it’s probably the only thing that could get me into Oklahoma to begin with.
3. The Great Pyramid & Sphinx in Egypt - I have always wanted to see all the big Egypt sights, if its old and made of stone and in a desert, I want in.
4. Camel Tour of Uluru (Ayers Rock) - I know everyone says camels are sort of yucky and tempermental, but it just seems very cool to ride one in the Australian Outback. The traveler reviews are very persuasive as well (yay for well behaved camels!)
5. The Grand Canyon Skywalk - Newly opened, this is the talk of the Viator office. Rod says it’s super cool, and his pictures are pretty persuasive.
6. Trek on the Franz Josef Glacier - You know I love glaciers, and I haven’t been to this one. Curses that I only went to the North Island on my New Zealand trip!
7. Discount Couture Shopping in Paris - I don’t know when I’ll be in Paris again, but when I come back, I’m going to have a bag full of Chanel and a good run at being the most chic member of the Viator staff.
8. Easter Island Moai - I want to see the big heads! There, I said it.
9. Belize - Scott blogs about Belize, Liz blogs about Belize, I want to blog about Belize too. And I want one of those “You Better Belize It” t-shirts.
10. Grand Walking tour of Quebec City - Quebec City turns 400 next year, and I want to be on this tour to celebrate. I just love how French and Canadian Quebec is; it’s like a region with a multiple personality disorder (in a good way).

That’s what the list is for today, but it varies, I seem to recall a kick about getting scuba certified last month, and there were a lot of reef excursions on the wishlist then. And I crossed off shark diving, sometimes wishes come true.

What’s on your wishlist?

– Kelly G

The Petronas Twin Towers in KL

After two years of living in Malaysia, I am consistently surprised how few tourists visit this beautiful country. Lying between the famous beaches of Thailand and the cosmopolitan splendor of Singapore, Malaysia falls into the “overlooked” and “maybe next time” categories for most travelers.

And that’s OK. The fact that travelers tend to skip Malaysia makes the country that much more special.

One of Malaysia’s truly unique features is its cultural heritage. Malaysia is home to three diverse ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, Indian. And traveling in Malaysia is like visiting three countries in one. Visit a Hindu shrine, score a bargain in Chinatown, and experience a traditional Malay meal, all in one afternoon. This cultural blend makes it an ideal starting point for traveling in Southeast Asia.

West Malaysia (also known as Peninsular Malaysia) is home to the capital, Kuala Lumpur (universally abbreviated as ‘KL’). West Malaysia is a treasure trove of activities ranging from the more cosmopolitan life of KL, to the wild jungle of Malaysia’s oldest rain-forest at Taman Negara, to the laid-back atmosphere of Melacca, to the gorgeous east coast beaches. East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo (which is shared with Indonesia and Brunei) offers some of the top dive sites in the world, plenty of natural parks, and the chance to see the world’s largest flower while stopping off to visit the orangutans on the way.

Malaysia’s Highlights

Your first stop should be Kuala Lumpur, the economic, political and transit hub of Malaysia. It has a little of everything Malaysia offers but on a much grander scale. It also caters to foreigners with luxury shopping malls and fabulous restaurants. English is widely spoken and transportation is a breeze thanks to the local taxis (cheap and reliable). You can get your bearings on a Kuala Lumpur day tour, which covers KL’s main attractions.

Most travelers end up staying in the neighborhood of Bukit Bintang, home to five-star hotels as well as the budget hotels and hostels. Fancy some shopping? You’re in luck. The Berjaya Times Square mall, just behind Bukit Bintang, actually has both a roller coaster and an IMAX theater inside!

A plate of chicken fish, yum!

If shopping isn’t your thing, soak up Malaysia’s cultural diversity at the many roadside food stalls on Jalan Alor. Along with traditional favorites like Hokkien mee (stir-fried noodles), chicken satay and roti chennai (a flat-bread concoction), you can find unusual treats such as chicken fish, stingray and water snake. Eating at one of these casual, family-run shops is a treat. And eating like the locals is a cheap and easy to get a peek into the lifestyles of modern Malaysians.

From Bukit Bintang, you can easily make your way to the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers, which were once tallest in the world, and continue to be Malaysia’s claim to fame. The short elevator ride up to the Sky Bridge of the Twin Towers is free, but only a limited number of tourists may visit each day. You must obtain a pass from the counter on the ground floor. As they usually run out around 8am, get there early for your chance to see KL from a bird’s eye view. You can also book dinner in the Petronas Twin Towers.

In addition to providing a 360-degree view of the city, the Petronas Towers house the Malaysian Philharmonic and a luxury shopping mall. The concert hall is intimate, reasonably priced, and hosts a wide range of musicians. Tickets rarely sell out, so it’s worth a quick look to see if something interesting is showing.

Looking to learn a little more about Malaysian heritage? You may want to visit the National Museum (Museum Negara) or the Islamic Art Museum downtown. Both provide insights into Malaysian history and culture. The Islamic Art Museum is directly across the street from the National Mosque.

If you are more interested in spending time outside than in, you will enjoy the butterfly, deer or bird parks, all located within the sprawling Lake Gardens. A wonderful place to enjoy one of KL’s cooler days, the Lake Gardens have beautiful, paved walkways, jungle gyms to amuse the kids, and the aforementioned animal parks.

For a little taste of KL nightlife, head over to Bangsar, an expat neighborhood filled with trendy clubs, bars, and restaurants.

Day Trips from Kuala Lumpur

Just outside of KL, an easy half-day trip away, is the Batu Caves, the holiest Hindu shrine in Malaysia. The Caves are the destination site of the annual Hindu festival of Thaipussam, which features ritual body piercing as part of the pilgrimage to the Caves. Walking up the 287 stairs to the shrine also gives you a beautiful view of the city.

Another favorite half-day trip from KL is the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), where a short hike will take you to a stunning canopy walk at the top of rain forest. As it can be extremely hot and humid in KL, visitors are recommended to begin the hike no later than 9am. There is a small office offering basic information about the Malaysian rain forest for those that are interested in further information.

Last but not least, consider a visit to Kuala Selangor and its famous fireflies. Millions of them. It’s absolutely beautiful.

–Kim Cofino

Planning a trip to Malaysia? Browse all of Viator’s tours in Malaysia and things to do in Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, and Sabah & Sarawak.

Viator to Offset Company Travel and Educate Travelers in Minimizing Climate Footprint

San Francisco, CA (April 3, 2007) – Viator.com, the leading online resource for researching and booking activities in 75 countries worldwide, has formed a partnership with Carbonfund.org to offset its company-related carbon emissions and help educate travelers about minimizing their carbon footprint on the environment.

Through its partnership with Carbonfund, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting climate change education, carbon offsets and green power, Viator is targeting a 100 percent carbon-neutral corporate environment. As part of its roadmap to reach its goal, Viator will offset its corporate travel – estimated at 1.2 million miles in 2007 – with renewable energy credits, and minimize business-related CO2 emissions through conservation practices and more conscientious technology purchases. As an e-commerce business, Viator’s operations are virtually paper-free and involve limited shipping, often associated with high CO2 emissions.

Viator will also serve as an information source for travelers who want to learn more about carbon offsetting and environmental sustainability. As Viator’s customers research and book destination activities, they will also have the opportunity to link to Carbonfund.org to offset their travel-related emissions, and any CO2 emissions related to their annual household carbon footprint.

“At Viator we are passionate about travel, but also sensitive to the effects many types of travel can have on our environment,” said Rod Cuthbert, CEO and founder of Viator.com. “As a global travel company, we have an important responsibility to neutralize our impact on the environment while also helping our customers around the world minimize theirs. Carbonfund.org is an ideal partner and we’re excited to join with them to work toward a solution to this very complex problem.”

“Carbonfund.org is thrilled to partner with Viator in the fight against climate change,” said Carbonfund.org Executive Director Eric Carlson. “Climate change affects every one of us, we are all responsible for it and we all must be part of the solution. Viator’s leadership is further proof that protecting our climate is good for the environment and business.”

Many of the products in Viator’s range of more than 5,000 destination activities have low-to-no impact on the environment they explore. Walking and hiking tours, bicycle tours and Segway excursions (battery operated) are all increasingly popular (and aerobic) ways to explore a destination that help to minimize any environmental impact.

Central Park’s Bethesda Terrace

After a decidedly weird winter in New York, spring has arrived and there are a number of new things to do this year, sure to impress even the jaded seen-it /done-it traveler.

A lot of this season’s “new” events are actually old, in that they’re emerging from long restoration processes. Already open is the phenomenal restoration of the century-old Minton-tile ceiling at Central Park’s Bethesda Terrace, located mid-park at 72nd Street. This is the underground walkway facing the iconic angel fountain, and not far from the Central Park Boathouse. It’s been a 20-year, $7 million project to repair (and in some cases replace) the 15,876 pieces of tile. The arcade reopened to the public in March, but reconstruction is continuing on some of the non-tile portions of the project. You can walk through the arcade for free.

Another “new” space can also be found in Central Park – within the walls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. On April 20, the Met will finally open its big new Greek and Roman Galleries. The 30,000 square-foot new wing will house 5,300 objects. The Met is billing it as a “museum within a museum,” which will include a sky-lit court filled with treasures. Admission is included in the price of a regular museum ticket.

The “new” ferry building on Ellis Island

Ellis Island is also opening a new old space, the first time anything “new” has opened on there since the island was opened as an immigration museum in 1990. Most visitors don’t realize it, but more than half of the island’s buildings remain off-limits and until very recently were left rotting just to the south of the main tourist area.

But through the work of the non-profit Save Ellis Island (and other groups) those 30 other buildings are all undergoing restoration. The first fruits of their labors – the “new” ferry building — will open for limited public tours in April. Or May. Or June. It all depends on the capricious Park Service, stay tuned for details.

Built in 1936, the Art Deco ferry building was used by immigrants who successfully navigated the entry process and were waiting to board a ferry to take them to their new life in America. (Some were sent back to the Old Country, while others spent time on the island’s hospital on the south side.) The renovated ferry building includes some of its original furniture, and even an original – functioning! – fan.

Also new this year, the Empire State Building’s observation decks are now open every night until 2am. Until recently, the city’s highest perch closed to the public at midnight.

A few other new-old-things are still undergoing restoration in New York City, but are not likely to open to the public until the fall. Among them is a new apartment at the New York Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side – and at the complete opposite end of the spectrum: the reopening of The Plaza hotel.

–Amy Langfield

Planning a trip to NYC? Check out Viator’s list of things to do in New York City, from Broadway shows to Manhattan helicopter tours… and everything in between.

As Scott mentioned in a previous post, at Viator.com we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Earth Day, and about how we can make a difference. For a lot of us at Viator conservation is no new thing, we’ve been involved in our own personal efforts for years. It’s tempting to become complacent and think that if you recycle, or take the train to work, you’re doing your part and that’s good enough. Being environmentally responsible isn’t just about doing one or two simple things, it’s about doing a lot things, and there’s always more you can do to make a difference. Keep up the good work, but consider adding a little more effort this year by doing something new to help the Earth.

Need some ideas? I do too, so I turned to my co-workers at Viator and asked what they do to have an positive impact on the environment. Here’s a rundown of some of our personal efforts:

• Recycling - If you’re not recycling, that’s probably the number one thing you should start to do, pretty much everyone I talked to at Viator about this topic recycles. And to go a step further, a lot of our staff cut down on packaging, bags, and the like, to reduce the amount of resources they need to recycle to begin with.
• Composting - A cousin of recycling, all that food and garden waste can be put to good use. Luckily, for those of us in the San Francisco office, the city picks up our compost every week, but you can make your own compost for your garden.
• Drive less - Most of the staff at Viator take public transportation to work, but quite a few of us also bike (go Jeff, our new VP of Engineering!) or walk to work a few days a week. Special props to Dominique and the other Viator peeps who don’t own a car.
• Cut down on paper bills & mail - This one is even easier than recycling, and another popular favorite at Viator. Opt in for online billing and stop getting those statements by mail. This has an added security benefit, stolen mail is at the heart of a lot of identity theft and fraud. And I’m sure you’re no fan of junk mail, sign up to stop receiving credit card offers and other junk mail (I did two years ago, it’s awesome!).
• Increase Energy Efficiency - Several members of the product team are big fans of the energy saving light bulbs, and Suzann even went so far as to get LED Christmas lights. We run our washers only when they are full, and stick to Energy Star rated appliances. And probably the easiest thing you can do is to just remember to turn things off - our Sydney office recently participated in the 60 Earth Hour. Besides the warm, fuzzy feeling you’ll get from helping, all these things will lower costs on your energy bills.
• Rainwater Harvesting - Emma of the product team wins a prize on this one, at her house they have a water tank that catches and stores rainwater off the roof for use in gardening and it even connects to their toilets.

This list sounds impressive, but we’re not saints. I also asked folks at Viator what they couldn’t give up. Some people just love their cars, air conditioning (with Sydney summers, I’m not sure I can fault anyone there), their speedboat (Jeff does bike to work, so cut him some slack), and we all love to travel, which usually involves a plane. Some of us at Viator have been purchasing carbon credits to offset the emissions we just can’t give up, and we’re excited that Viator is now partnering with CarbonFund.org to offset all our corporate travel. And through Viator’s partnership with CarbonFund, you can also offset your emissions.

Talking to my co-workers about their efforts was really inspiring, and surprising (who would’ve guessed about Emma and the rainwater?), and I hope that you also draw some inspiration to add a bit more sustainability to your lifestyle this year and beyond.

– Kelly G, and the Staff at Viator

This is a quick reminder for travelers to and from Australia of the new cabin baggage restrictions which are now in effect. Anyone from the UK, Europe and the US will probably already be familiar with the restrictions, but for those to whom this is all new, here’s a run down:

• All liquids, gels, pastes, creams or aerosols in cabin baggage must be carried in containers of 100ml
• These items must be carried in a clear plastic bag, separate to other cabin luggage
• The maximum allowance is 1 liter per person
• Exception is made for baby food and prescription medicine, if proof of need can be shown

Any items in excess of the above most be packed in checked baggage, or be surrendered at security check points. Girls, don’t forget your make-up, I have been pulled up for liquid lip gloss, lip stick and hand lotion.

Now for the all important question - what about my duty free purchases?

Don’t panic, anything you purchase or collect from inside the security checkpoint is allowed as it has already been screened. Do NOT open any of your purchases until you have cleared customs at your destination (technically this is the existing rule, but these days it is actually enforced!) or you risk having your purchases confiscated on arrival.

If you are skeptical, trust me, I had an open bottle of Fanta taken from me when boarding a flight in Amsterdam! I had purchased inside the security zone, and had I not opened it for a sip it would have been fine, but alas, I was thirsty and it became a threat…

Still not sure? Check out the Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services website for more info - http://www.dotars.gov.au/transport/security/aviation/LAG/index.aspx

-Kerrie O’Mahony