Mar 12 2015

Philadelphia

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The drive there and back were good, each way consumed 1/4 of the tank of gas. Again,  I stayed at Renaissance Philadelphia Airport. The Magic Garden and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The street parking in Philadelphia is pretty expensive.

More pix


Mar 12 2015

Getting sick

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The first review was rejected by trip advisor, perhaps I used the quote. So here it is again:
As soon as I walked into the lobby at 8:15am on Wednesday 3/11, Ms. Blinking was at her desk. I asked if I could check in.
“We don’t have room,” she replied immediately, and said that I could check again at around 12 noon. And that I could leave my luggage with her.
I wasn’t expecting to be checked in that early so I didn’t have my overnight bag with me.
Because of what happened last December when I stayed there – I was a little mindful. After I retrieved my iPad from my car, returned to the lobby three minutes later, a young man gave me a big smile, “What can I do for you?”
Out of curiosity, I said, “may I check in?”
Without consulting his computer, he said, “of course.” And proceeded to check me in.
I asked him how could he be so sure that he has a room that early? He explained that he consulted the overnight report when he got to work and has a good idea on inventory.
It made me feeling %$#@&*.
Race thing again.

I had three buffet meals at the hotel. Got home Thursday night. Waking up feeling weak on Friday. I went to the pool, hoping to swim it off. But I almost fainted. I went to bed at 7pm that night. Saturday morning, a fellow attendee at the meeting posted on Facebook that she was sick during the meeting. Within 20 minutes, at lease ten attendees responded, reporting various degree of sickness. I would not considered myself violently ill but two attendees claimed so on FB.

On Friday I also called to see if the housekeeping has turned in my bath gloves which I left on the small rack over the tub. The lost/found unit said no.

All well.

Hotel’s reply; 161 reads as of 3/28; December 2014 stay

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Mar 7 2015

Good travel apps

Here are some good apps this travel recommends:

  1. google map: 在国外旅游你绝对会爱死他,,你需要的只是输入任何语言的目的地,它会帮你规划所有你去那里的路线并告知你如何到达,包括火车车次时间bus车站时间等所有!另外,也提供救急的离线地图服务!
  2. yelp和tripadvister: yelp 就是国外的大众点评,不用多说了吧,全球共享。tripadvister你需要的就是把你到达的目的地当地软件包下载,然后它会提供你当地吃住行所有的打点参考还有旅行服务。
  3. Airbnb: 我们的房子都是从这预定的,对方就是在当地有多套房子的私家住宅,他们把自己的家提供给你住宿,并且提供一切的咨询,我们在国王湖就住了一套大房子,在布拉格的四个夜晚也是住了一套足有200平以上够9人住宿的家庭大公寓,需要的东西应有尽有,价格5天4晚只需要2500人民币,房东还给我们提供了非常多当地的指引和帮助!
  4. maps.me: 应该是最值得信赖的离线地图软件,可以在没有任何网络情况下实施定位你的位置并引导你方向,我在出行时一直会使用它,尤其在国王湖没有任何信号的山里。
  5. Booking: 在国外订房,最简单直接的软件就是booking了,这是传统的订房工具,和Airbnb不同的就是Airbnb几乎都是有房的业主出租自用住宅,booking都是规范hotel,我们萨尔斯堡的一晚就是通过booking预定的酒店。
  6. Kayak和Agoda: 购买国际机票的app,你理解为国内携程吧,现在定机票,租车和住宿一条龙服务。
  7. imoney: 这是我们任性的查看汇率的首选app。
  8. youtube: 好吧,夜晚,看《我是歌手》咋看?优酷不让看,墙外的youtube随意看,姑娘们都是看着《running man》每晚入睡的。
  9. 百度: 度娘的作用还是很大的,我们去的任何地方不懂的任何东西都需要利用度娘来普及知识,随时随地长知识。
  10. flightboard: 进出机场看航班动态,掌握我们去机场的时间,基本全靠这个App。
  11. DB Nvigater: 德国铁路的App,欧洲铁路现在几乎已经是个整体,全欧洲已经有几万个站点在欧铁统一网络下,我先不说他们如何统一协调,单单是如何准确的排班就让我惊讶。
    DB主要是德国铁路网的订票app,我们还坐了QBB奥铁和JT捷铁,全欧洲的车站都能买到到任何欧洲地点的火车并详尽的给你路线和换乘参考,所以畅游欧洲真的铁路是最佳选择。
  12. Snapseed/Vscocam/Pixlr: 这三款是我的最爱,再烂的片子都能修成大师级作品。