On my first flight working to Japan, I was struck by two things about Japanese people. They are incredibly polite and their hotel service is unbelievable.
The manners I witnessed on the airplane were impeccable. As a flight attendant, you come across a variety of people from nasty to polite. Up until that flight, I had never experienced a flight in which every single passenger was well behaved and polite. Whether they received their first or last food choice, they were gracious and never complained. I was most impressed though with the way they neatly organized the food trays when they were finished eating. It looked like the original tray without the food, the dirty napkins folded, the silver ware placed back in the packaging, and the trays clean as a whistle. I later found out it is customary for Japanese to do this.
I was further amazed when I got to my layover hotel, the Marriott . The customer service was out of this world. You would have thought it was the Ritz Carlton for the service they provided. Walking into this hotel, they made you feel like a queen walking into a palace. All of the employees near the entrance bow down to you. As you continue walking through the hotel, the bowing of every employee continues. At one point during my stay, I asked a question to the concierge, in which she did not know the answer. I was stunned however, when she ran and I mean literally, to find someone that did. This was something I saw numerous times over my two day stay. I have never seen anything like this.
Visiting Japan and their culture is an amazing experience. I must warn you though, if you plan on traveling there be prepared to come home to Americans that may seem rude in comparison.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Top Five Reasons to Visit Italy
Italy is my favorite country in Europe to visit. If your going to Europe, Italy is a must. Here are my top five reasons to travel there.
1.) Rome
A trip to Italy is not complete until you have visited Rome. When you go to Rome, it feels like you have traveled back in time. Visiting the Coliseum is a perfect example. You can almost see the gladiators fighting in the enormous arena, like they had many years ago. The forums are another attraction to see that is historical. There you can see the forum of Caesar, as well as other forums that are fascinating. The pantheon is equally as impressive with beautiful architecture, sculptures, and statues. One of the things I love about Rome is all the beautiful fountains. The Trevi fountain is very popular and gorgeous at night. You do not need to be Catholic to enjoy the Vatican where the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica is. The art work is unbelievable, and it is also the largest catholic church in the world.
2.) The Food
Food in Italy is delicious. I have never had a bad meal there. When you go to a restaurant for dinner I can guarantee you will not leave hungry, they will feed you until you pop. Pizza, pasta, tomatoes and mozzarella, it is all excellent. Do not get me started on their gelato ice cream. You could eat that the whole time and be satisfied.
3) The Beverages
Save room after meals for a famous Italian coffee or cappuccino with some tiramisu and you will be in heaven. Wine is also excellent. The best and cheapest wine is their house wine at restaurants. Don't waste your money on something fancy because the house wine truly tastes great. The beer, Italian sodas and mineral waters are excellent as well.
4.) The People
Italians are fun, loving people who are passionate about everything they do. You can have a great time just people watching in Italy. They like to dress nice, always seem to be eating or drinking something (and still look thin), and watching them talk in Italian is a kick. The way they speak is very dramatic.
5.) Venice
A fabulous, unique city surrounded by water. Where else can you get serenaded on a gondola ride down the grand canal. It is the most romantic city in the world. They say the city is slowly sinking. You do not want to miss this one of a kind place.
1.) Rome
A trip to Italy is not complete until you have visited Rome. When you go to Rome, it feels like you have traveled back in time. Visiting the Coliseum is a perfect example. You can almost see the gladiators fighting in the enormous arena, like they had many years ago. The forums are another attraction to see that is historical. There you can see the forum of Caesar, as well as other forums that are fascinating. The pantheon is equally as impressive with beautiful architecture, sculptures, and statues. One of the things I love about Rome is all the beautiful fountains. The Trevi fountain is very popular and gorgeous at night. You do not need to be Catholic to enjoy the Vatican where the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica is. The art work is unbelievable, and it is also the largest catholic church in the world.
2.) The Food
Food in Italy is delicious. I have never had a bad meal there. When you go to a restaurant for dinner I can guarantee you will not leave hungry, they will feed you until you pop. Pizza, pasta, tomatoes and mozzarella, it is all excellent. Do not get me started on their gelato ice cream. You could eat that the whole time and be satisfied.
3) The Beverages
Save room after meals for a famous Italian coffee or cappuccino with some tiramisu and you will be in heaven. Wine is also excellent. The best and cheapest wine is their house wine at restaurants. Don't waste your money on something fancy because the house wine truly tastes great. The beer, Italian sodas and mineral waters are excellent as well.
4.) The People
Italians are fun, loving people who are passionate about everything they do. You can have a great time just people watching in Italy. They like to dress nice, always seem to be eating or drinking something (and still look thin), and watching them talk in Italian is a kick. The way they speak is very dramatic.
5.) Venice
A fabulous, unique city surrounded by water. Where else can you get serenaded on a gondola ride down the grand canal. It is the most romantic city in the world. They say the city is slowly sinking. You do not want to miss this one of a kind place.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Why I do not recommend London.
Planning a trip to London? You might want to reconsider. I went to London this past summer and wished I had not. People warned me that the city was expensive but I did not listen. I convinced myself I could do it on a budget and it would be worth it. The three reasons I would not go back are price, food, and weather.
Most cities in Europe are expensive but London takes the cake. I stayed in a small budget hotel that was a supposed steal by Londons standard, $200.00 a night. I know hotel rooms are small in Europe but this one was microscopic. You walked into the room, maybe two feet and hit the bed. Within the two feet was your area for your suit case. The bathroom was an exact replica of an R.V. bathroom, including the smell. In addition, you will spend a pretty penny on tourist activities. For example, the double decker city bus tour charges twice as much as the same bus tour in Paris. Also, if you need to catch an early flight out of Heathrow you will have to take a taxi, as I did, at close to $100.00. The reason being, the underground does not run early in the morning.
Besides the food being outrageous, it ranks bottom on my list for taste. Even the fish and chips which they are known for, was awful. It could be due to the fact that I was trying to save money, but I did not have one good meal there. I gave up and decided one night to try McDonald's. I was tired of spending money on terrible food. Of course, that was worse.
The weather in London is often dreary and wet. The whole time I was there, it rained. If you are lucky enough to have blue skies, the city will look beautiful. I still thought the city was amazing looking through the rain, but nice weather would have helped. The problem is there are few fair weather days in London.
Think carefully before going to London because you can travel to better places in Europe for less money. I spent four days there and figured later that I could have spent eight days in Italy for the same price. Only in Italy the food and weather would have been better.
Most cities in Europe are expensive but London takes the cake. I stayed in a small budget hotel that was a supposed steal by Londons standard, $200.00 a night. I know hotel rooms are small in Europe but this one was microscopic. You walked into the room, maybe two feet and hit the bed. Within the two feet was your area for your suit case. The bathroom was an exact replica of an R.V. bathroom, including the smell. In addition, you will spend a pretty penny on tourist activities. For example, the double decker city bus tour charges twice as much as the same bus tour in Paris. Also, if you need to catch an early flight out of Heathrow you will have to take a taxi, as I did, at close to $100.00. The reason being, the underground does not run early in the morning.
Besides the food being outrageous, it ranks bottom on my list for taste. Even the fish and chips which they are known for, was awful. It could be due to the fact that I was trying to save money, but I did not have one good meal there. I gave up and decided one night to try McDonald's. I was tired of spending money on terrible food. Of course, that was worse.
The weather in London is often dreary and wet. The whole time I was there, it rained. If you are lucky enough to have blue skies, the city will look beautiful. I still thought the city was amazing looking through the rain, but nice weather would have helped. The problem is there are few fair weather days in London.
Think carefully before going to London because you can travel to better places in Europe for less money. I spent four days there and figured later that I could have spent eight days in Italy for the same price. Only in Italy the food and weather would have been better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)