Travel Archives – Page 19 of 27

Budapest: Exploring the Markets, Baths and Architecture

by Audrey Scott

Hungary stands distinct in Middle Europe: it doesn't resemble its Slavic, Germanic or Romanian neighbors in language or features. Even more rare for this region, Hungarians like heat – in their food, in their baths, and even in their relationships (Hungarians are known to take public displays of affection to a whole new level).

Budapest Markets — Spicy peppers all around the markets of Budapest.

Although we visited Budapest, Hungary's grand capital, several times in 2000 as we transited from Western to Eastern Europe, our visit this year proved more rewarding.

From the fresh markets to the grand open baths, here's why.

Estonia: Two Days, Two Perspectives

by Daniel Noll

Tallinn's Old Town in Fisheye — A fisheye view of Tallinn's Old Town.

Upon our second visit to Estonia since Audrey concluded her Peace Corps stint in 2000, we wondered what we would find.

Guizhou, China: Ethnic Markets and Villages

by Audrey Scott

A checklist: four days, three ethnic village markets, stacks of smoked dogs, and one testicle stand. Guizhou Province exuded tradition; it was China at its most authentic and at times its most eye-popping.

We paid a visit to the province, described in guidebooks as one of China's most underdeveloped, to experience a group of ethnic village markets clustered around the town of Kaili. Although the timing of our visit did not coincide with any ethnic festivals (the standard draw for the relatively few tourists that visit the region), there was no shortage of everyday market pageantry and visual stimulation.

Xishuangbanna: China’s Deep South

by Audrey Scott

Two days of roller-coaster travel on unpaved roads and in old buses. It was a long road to Xishuangbanna.

Terraced Rice Fields and Ethnic Markets of Yuanyang, China

by Audrey Scott

When a jovial, inebriated, shirtless man boarded our bus with a meter-long pipe (think Cheech and Chong go to China), we figured we were slipping even further off China’s organized tourist trail.

Why Pandas Need Air Conditioning

by Daniel Noll

In zoos all over the world, crowds battle to catch a peek of one of the world’s most recognizable and rarest animals, the giant panda. During our visit to the Chendgu Panda Breeding Research Center, tourists were so few that the pandas actually invited us to join them and granted us an interview. Here’s what Jing-Jing, their spokesperson, had to say:

Chendgu: China Begins Here

by Audrey Scott

Friendly people, delicious food, green parks, active temples – even pandas. Why Chendgu doesn’t get more coverage in the tourist press, we don’t know. It quickly became our favorite big city (population over 10 million) in China.

Although Chengdu is not stocked with high-profile tourist sights like Beijing and Xi’an, to quote another tourist: “There’s something that just feels right about the place.”

What a Great Wall It Was

by Daniel Noll

Like all things grand and iconic, the Great Wall of China runs the risk of disappointing eager visitors. For us, it was one of the few historic sights in China that actually lived up to the hype.

Factory 798: Beijing’s Breath of Uncensored Air

by Audrey Scott

If you are looking to escape the eyes of censorship and catch some edgy art exhibits in Beijing, go no further than a converted weapons factory on the outskirts of town.

The Wine Bends: A Detour in the Austrian Countryside

by Daniel Noll

Ah, Austria. We could wax artistic about Vienna’s museums, poke fun at the people in period outfits selling classical music concert tickets, tell stories about Euro 2008, or tempt you with impressions of Viennese coffee houses and flaky apple strudel.

Austrian Ticket Vendor — Decked out in period costume in Vienna, Austria.

But what fun would that be? You can read about that in the New York Times Travel Section, Conde Naste Traveler or any other travel magazine.

Instead we’ll share how, with the help of an Austrian friend and an unplanned turn of events, we discovered the real Austria in the country's Weinviertel (Wine Quarter) about an hour outside of Vienna.