Swamp Travel Guide

[sancarlos]

We are leaving in a couple weeks on a two-week trip to Bilbao/St. Sebastian, Bordeaux, and the Loire valley. Given recent geopolitical events, one of the key components of my wardrobe will be this cap:

[Steve of phpBB]

We are leaving in a couple weeks on a two-week trip to Bilbao/St. Sebastian, Bordeaux, and the Loire valley. Given recent geopolitical events, one of the key components of my wardrobe will be this cap:

Are you going to bother bringing your US passport? I don't think I would.

[DaveInSeattle]

We are leaving in a couple weeks on a two-week trip to Bilbao/St. Sebastian, Bordeaux, and the Loire valley. Given recent geopolitical events, one of the key components of my wardrobe will be this cap:

Sounds like a great trip!

We're going to Mexico (a resort outside of Playa Del Carmen) in 3 weeks. As long as our money spends, I don't think we'll have much issue dealing with the fine Mexican community.

[sancarlos]

Are you going to bother bringing your US passport? I don't think I would.

When we booked the trip last year (it’s a Viking small ship river cruise), I gave them my US passport info. So, I think I’ll bring both of them along.

[brian]

We're going to Mexico (a resort outside of Playa Del Carmen) in 3 weeks. As long as our money spends, I don't think we'll have much issue dealing with the fine Mexican community.

Mexicans are vastly more realistic than Canadians and Europeans about the fact that at least half the population abhors Trump, probably because your average hardcore Trumper is scared to death to travel to Mexico.

[Steve of phpBB]

Are you going to bother bringing your US passport? I don't think I would.

When we booked the trip last year (it’s a Viking small ship river cruise), I gave them my US passport info. So, I think I’ll bring both of them along.

A little unfortunate. Then again, a Viking cruise like that sounds glorious. I’m very jealous.

[wlu_lax6]

We are leaving in a couple weeks on a two-week trip to Bilbao/St. Sebastian, Bordeaux, and the Loire valley. Given recent geopolitical events, one of the key components of my wardrobe will be this cap:

Not sewing a flag on your backpack like a college graduate?

[garyclark]

If there's a Savannah coffee shop/restaurant I should hit up, please let me know.

Quick trip, so not much time for anything else.

[govmentchedda]

Can't seem to find the one I went to with my Savannah friend. There was a courtyard out back. Not sure I'd call it a destination spot, but it was good. Had a courtyard in the back, and I think it was near a park. Give me a minute.

ETA - I want to say it had an animal in either the title or logo, which leads me to think it was Coffee Fox, but all of the photos online of that place do not look like the spot where we went.

[Giff]

Did it have a courtyard out back?

[govmentchedda]

I could use an editor...or maybe that courtyard was really something.

[The Sybian]

If there's a Savannah coffee shop/restaurant I should hit up, please let me know.

Quick trip, so not much time for anything else.

I remember going to a pirate themed restaurant in Savannah about 40 years ago… [checks Google] and The Pirate House is still open!!!! Building was built in 1754 restaurant opened in 1953. I remember the staff was in pirate costumes and there may have been a show element. I thought it was awesome, but I was somewhere around 6-9 years old. Your taste may vary.

[elflaco2]

favorite spot in Pune (Maharashtra)?? spending next saturday through Wednesday before flying elsewhere in the country

[Giff]

I could use an editor...or maybe that courtyard was really something.

I jinxed myself. Just sent an e-mail with this "but the vast majority of those come directly from the
law firms directly. " and i want to die.

[mister d]

25+ years later a college friend and I will still reference the time we walked past a girl saying "my sister's getting married and she's engaged to be married".

[The Sybian]

I could use an editor...or maybe that courtyard was really something.

I jinxed myself. Just sent an e-mail with this "but the vast majority of those come directly from the
law firms directly. " and i want to die.

I know a coffee shop with a courtyard where you can hide.

[govmentchedda]

I could use an editor...or maybe that courtyard was really something.

I jinxed myself. Just sent an e-mail with this "but the vast majority of those come directly from the
law firms directly. " and i want to die.

I know a coffee shop with a courtyard where you can hide.

I sure don't

[garyclark]

These responses have been phenomenal, especially in their uselessness.

[govmentchedda]

Missed the restaurant part of that question first time around. If you can get in, I hear The Grey is great. There's a really great Chef's Table episode about it. It's in an old Greyhound station.

Starland Yard is a food truck type place, a decent way out of the main part of town (i.e. not really walkable) but it's a lot of fun.

Husk is supposed to be fantastic.

We had a really nice meal at Rhett.

[garyclark]

Missed the restaurant part of that question first time around. If you can get in, I hear The Grey is great. There's a really great Chef's Table episode about it. It's in an old Greyhound station.

Starland Yard is a food truck type place, a decent way out of the main part of town (i.e. not really walkable) but it's a lot of fun.

Husk is supposed to be fantastic.

We had a really nice meal at Rhett.

Thanks. This is great.

Also, I was being sincere in my prior post. The back and forth had me rolling.

[The Sybian]

Missed the restaurant part of that question first time around. If you can get in, I hear The Grey is great. There's a really great Chef's Table episode about it. It's in an old Greyhound station.

Starland Yard is a food truck type place, a decent way out of the main part of town (i.e. not really walkable) but it's a lot of fun.

Husk is supposed to be fantastic.

We had a really nice meal at Rhett.

Or if you want a real adventure, eat at the current Greyhound station.

[garyclark]

Made reservations at Husk.

[mister d]

We had brunch at the one in Charleston and it was really good despite me dying of undiagnosed covid at the time.

[Sabo]

favorite spot in Pune (Maharashtra)?? spending next saturday through Wednesday before flying elsewhere in the country

A friend of mine spent about a month in Pune about five years ago. Let me ask him if he has any recommendations.

ETA: My friend wants to know if you've been to India before because that would steer him toward or away from any "first-time visitors'" stuff.

[Sabo]

My friend sent me the following. He works with a lot of Indians and will ask his co-workers for additional recommendations this coming Monday.

- Pune airport is pretty basic and is a shared civilian/military airport; very serviceable though.

- Taxi to the city proper takes about 20-40 mins depending on time of day; arranging in advance with your hotel makes things easier.

- If you don't have Indian Rupees you can exchange at most hotels for a relatively decent rate; I recommend carrying at least $100 equivalent in small bills as many smaller businesses don't take credit cards and many won't want to take large bills. Hotels, most restaurants, larger stores will generally accept Visa/MC.

- Most Indians speak English well enough for basic communication; depends on education but I never had trouble dealing in English exclusively; Google Translate to the rescue if needed!

- Recommend making sure you have an international cell phone plan for your time in India - I also downloaded local copies of the maps of the cities I'd be in so I could use them offline; came in very handy when Wifi was not available and I didn't want to use a lot of data.

- In the city auto-rickshaws are the way to go; easy to find, thrilling and cheap; carry cash for these rides as almost none take CC's.

- Traffic is insane as in all Indian cities; the sooner you realize that drivers and motorcycle riders are very skilled the sooner you'll relax and realize you'll survive the chaos!

- Weather varies but is usually quite warm (80s-90s) a lot of the year but a bit cooler than some cities in India due to its topography; if you happen to be travelling during monsoon season (July-October) the temps will be down a bit but it's still very wet and humid. It seems that January-March and the late fall/winter months are the prime weather months.

- I enjoyed the street markets around town; I think there are two and they operate on particular evenings; fun to go and haggle for trinkets, clothing and such; check Google for the nights/location/specialties of the various markets.

- A lot of the fun shopping/dining was near MG Road or Laxmi Road - interesting areas to wander around.

- I enjoyed visiting Aga Khan Palace - a very beautiful and historic location tied to India's independence movement; Gandhi was actually imprisoned here.

- I love craft beer and visitied Independence Brewing Co. when I was there; a very cool brewpub with good food; an IPA hits different when you're actually in India!

- There are some very popular bakeries around who sell excellent sweets and baked goods; Kayani Bakery sells the well-known Shrewsberry biscuits (cookies) that are really good; expect lines but it's worth a visit.

- Trekking/hiking in the hills near Pune is very popular; there are tours that will assist with setting that up; some beautiful hill stations nearby.

- I never did this but there are organized tours of Pune that might be fun (check Viator); if you have a local contact/friend that might be even better.

- The Western-branded hotels are usually very nice and typically have rooftop bars/dining and are a hotspot for wealthier locals too; my company books the JW Marriott for our employees and it's a very nice hotel with great amenities.

- I love Indian cuisine and am not afraid of trying street food but I recommend starting a regimen of gut-boosting probiotics at least a week before traveling; don't drink tap water and try to avoid ice outside of the very nice hotels (who filter their own water) but coffee/tea is fine. Bottled water is plentiful and available most everywhere. Bring some meds for 'Delhi Belly' as even with precautions you might have a short bout of GI distress - even Indians who moved to the US experience some mild issues as their gut gets reacclimated upon their return.

- I have many coworkers who have become friends over the years and will ask them for any additional tips. Have fun! I loved Pune though it was a constant sensory overload!

[A_B]

Maybe next time you can be more comprehensive.

[The Sybian]

Maybe next time you can be more comprehensive.

That was fantastic, I feel like I’ve been there!

[phxgators]

Just booked a trip to Madrid/Barcelona for a few days each this summer. We connect through Montreal, maybe we can pick up a couple of those hats on the way out.

[A_B]

Just booked a trip to Madrid/Barcelona for a few days each this summer. We connect through Montreal, maybe we can pick up a couple of those hats on the way out.

Are you sure you have an adequate amount of info?

[phxgators]

Just booked a trip to Madrid/Barcelona for a few days each this summer. We connect through Montreal, maybe we can pick up a couple of those hats on the way out.

Are you sure you have an adequate amount of info?

Heh. Not at all!

[elflaco2]

favorite spot in Pune (Maharashtra)?? spending next saturday through Wednesday before flying elsewhere in the country

A friend of mine spent about a month in Pune about five years ago. Let me ask him if he has any recommendations.

ETA: My friend wants to know if you've been to India before because that would steer him toward or away from any "first-time visitors'" stuff.

i did a similar visit in 2019 -- that time however we had someone taking us all over the place - we aren't doing that this time around - we'll have a driver but non-work stuff is on our own.
this time around... fly into mumbai friday night- drive to pune saturday, work even sunday afternoon, work monday and tuesday fly out wednesday to go visit tcs, then delhi on thursday, back to mumbai friday --
in 19 we did the Taj and India gates and other such stuff.

[elflaco2]

My friend sent me the following. He works with a lot of Indians and will ask his co-workers for additional recommendations this coming Monday.

- Pune airport is pretty basic and is a shared civilian/military airport; very serviceable though.

- Taxi to the city proper takes about 20-40 mins depending on time of day; arranging in advance with your hotel makes things easier.

- If you don't have Indian Rupees you can exchange at most hotels for a relatively decent rate; I recommend carrying at least $100 equivalent in small bills as many smaller businesses don't take credit cards and many won't want to take large bills. Hotels, most restaurants, larger stores will generally accept Visa/MC.

- Most Indians speak English well enough for basic communication; depends on education but I never had trouble dealing in English exclusively; Google Translate to the rescue if needed!

- Recommend making sure you have an international cell phone plan for your time in India - I also downloaded local copies of the maps of the cities I'd be in so I could use them offline; came in very handy when Wifi was not available and I didn't want to use a lot of data.

- In the city auto-rickshaws are the way to go; easy to find, thrilling and cheap; carry cash for these rides as almost none take CC's.

- Traffic is insane as in all Indian cities; the sooner you realize that drivers and motorcycle riders are very skilled the sooner you'll relax and realize you'll survive the chaos!

- Weather varies but is usually quite warm (80s-90s) a lot of the year but a bit cooler than some cities in India due to its topography; if you happen to be travelling during monsoon season (July-October) the temps will be down a bit but it's still very wet and humid. It seems that January-March and the late fall/winter months are the prime weather months.

- I enjoyed the street markets around town; I think there are two and they operate on particular evenings; fun to go and haggle for trinkets, clothing and such; check Google for the nights/location/specialties of the various markets.

- A lot of the fun shopping/dining was near MG Road or Laxmi Road - interesting areas to wander around.

- I enjoyed visiting Aga Khan Palace - a very beautiful and historic location tied to India's independence movement; Gandhi was actually imprisoned here.

- I love craft beer and visitied Independence Brewing Co. when I was there; a very cool brewpub with good food; an IPA hits different when you're actually in India!

- There are some very popular bakeries around who sell excellent sweets and baked goods; Kayani Bakery sells the well-known Shrewsberry biscuits (cookies) that are really good; expect lines but it's worth a visit.

- Trekking/hiking in the hills near Pune is very popular; there are tours that will assist with setting that up; some beautiful hill stations nearby.

- I never did this but there are organized tours of Pune that might be fun (check Viator); if you have a local contact/friend that might be even better.

- The Western-branded hotels are usually very nice and typically have rooftop bars/dining and are a hotspot for wealthier locals too; my company books the JW Marriott for our employees and it's a very nice hotel with great amenities.

- I love Indian cuisine and am not afraid of trying street food but I recommend starting a regimen of gut-boosting probiotics at least a week before traveling; don't drink tap water and try to avoid ice outside of the very nice hotels (who filter their own water) but coffee/tea is fine. Bottled water is plentiful and available most everywhere. Bring some meds for 'Delhi Belly' as even with precautions you might have a short bout of GI distress - even Indians who moved to the US experience some mild issues as their gut gets reacclimated upon their return.

- I have many coworkers who have become friends over the years and will ask them for any additional tips. Have fun! I loved Pune though it was a constant sensory overload!

very cool! thank you!

i did visit the Aga Kahn last time
in 19 stayed at local hotel, this time we're at the Ritz
will look to check out street markets and the brew pub.. and the bakeries! did none of that in Pune last time around.

love the food, had no issues before -- whisky! (although its been a decade or so do have some experience traveling and lving in the third world)

[cerranoredux]

What do we gotta see/eat/experience in Montreal this summer? I know about bagels and smoked meat, what other reccos you fools got?

[govmentchedda]

Highly recommend Joe Beef and Liverpool House.

Get rezzies ahead of time.

[cerranoredux]

Highly recommend Joe Beef and Liverpool House.

Get rezzies ahead of time.

With the wife being a Toffee, the latter is gonna be a tough sell, but I’ll see what I can do. Thanks!

[govmentchedda]

Remind her that Everton is in Liverpool.

[A_B]

Goodson park and anfield are complete shitholes, so I would recommend a Beatles tour. Even in fucking Montreal.

[Rush2112]

What do we gotta see/eat/experience in Montreal this summer? I know about bagels and smoked meat, what other reccos you fools got?

I know you mentioned smoked meat, but Schwartz's is pretty much a must. Also, gotta hit a poutinary. If you're going end of June, the Jazz Festival is world-class. The botanical gardens are a great way to walk around and work off the bagels and smoked meat.

[govmentchedda]

Walking/climbing Le Mont Royal was fun.

[cerranoredux]

Remind her that Everton is in Liverpool.

Fair point.