Re: Catch-all travel thread

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jfv wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 10:56 am
TylerDeadPine wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 1:53 am Hong Kong
I love and really miss that place but haven't been there for seven years or so (before the most recent crackdown occurred). Am a little afraid of how much it has changed since then. If you haven't been there before, Kowloon and Mong Kok in particular are awesome. I don't have a suggestion on noodles other than just about everywhere I went for them was awesome. I'd guess that every hole-in-the-wall noodle place without a recognizable name is probably better than one with a name.
OrthodoxEaster wrote: Not an incredibly popular destination, but Querétaro, Mexico, for a week around Thanksgiving. Have been there once before.
Never been there but the company I work for just built a lab there and I will probably end up visiting there soon enough. Definitely am interested in your thoughts afterwards or thoughts of any others that have been there.
Beautiful thank you!!

Re: Catch-all travel thread

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jfv wrote:Never been there but the company I work for just built a lab there and I will probably end up visiting there soon enough. Definitely am interested in your thoughts afterwards or thoughts of any others that have been there.
Oh, cool. There's quite a lot of international business, tech, and investment out in the suburbs. (Especially from Korea.)

Was in Querétaro once before, four years ago. So if and when you end up going, I can share some experiences based on that visit and this next one. Just ask.

It's an enjoyable, if somewhat typical, under-the-radar (to Americans, anyway) city in the Mexican heartland. It doesn't necessarily merit a special trip, but if you happen to be down there for a reason or traveling nearby, I'd call the historic center an extremely pleasant surprise. It's picturesque, but not in a contrived way. Doesn't really pander to anyone except maybe weekenders from Mexico City. Refreshing that way.

Re: Catch-all travel thread

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TylerDeadPine wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 7:28 pm I’m in Baja every other week, I can recommend wine, seafood and vegan spots, that’s all I offer the general catch all travel.
When you go to Hong Kong & Ningbo, will you be meeting up with locals (work colleagues?).. or traveling by yourself? Hong Kong wouldn't be so bad if you're going alone, but just about anywhere on mainland (except maybe Shanghai or Beijing) is challenging if you don't have someone to guide you around.
jason (he/him/his) from volo (illinois)

Re: Catch-all travel thread

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jfv wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 7:37 pm
TylerDeadPine wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 7:28 pm I’m in Baja every other week, I can recommend wine, seafood and vegan spots, that’s all I offer the general catch all travel.
When you go to Hong Kong & Ningbo, will you be meeting up with locals (work colleagues?).. or traveling by yourself? Hong Kong wouldn't be so bad if you're going alone, but just about anywhere on mainland (except maybe Shanghai or Beijing) is challenging if you don't have someone to guide you around.
Yeah I’m with a guy who has been many times - we are into… very different things, but he can get around and speaks tourist mandarin

Re: Catch-all travel thread

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TylerDeadPine wrote: Mon Nov 13, 2023 7:01 am
jfv wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 7:37 pm
TylerDeadPine wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 7:28 pm I’m in Baja every other week, I can recommend wine, seafood and vegan spots, that’s all I offer the general catch all travel.
When you go to Hong Kong & Ningbo, will you be meeting up with locals (work colleagues?).. or traveling by yourself? Hong Kong wouldn't be so bad if you're going alone, but just about anywhere on mainland (except maybe Shanghai or Beijing) is challenging if you don't have someone to guide you around.
Yeah I’m with a guy who has been many times - we are into… very different things, but he can get around and speaks tourist mandarin
Cool. Probably much better than going there by yourself. There were a few times I traveled to mainland and didn't do anything except business meeting, restaurant, hotel room. Have a good time!
jason (he/him/his) from volo (illinois)

Re: Catch-all travel thread

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OrthodoxEaster wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 10:46 am Not an incredibly popular destination, but Querétaro, Mexico, for a week around Thanksgiving. Have been there once before.

Would love recommendations for an excellent barbacoa place. And good regional Mexican restaurants, post-pandemic, in general. Plus any day trips that are less crowded than Bernal or San Miguel, but still worthwhile. Thanks.
We went to both San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato last November. I don’t remember San Miguel being very crowded at all with the exception of the night there was a big jazz festival. Maybe it was the time of year though. We stayed in an amazing small hotel (Casa Blanca 7) there and would recommend that place 100% without hesitation. It’s true that most of the tourists were European and American though (mostly Santa Fe retirees). Guanajuato seemed more like where Mexicans went for vacation.

I’ll dig up and add specific Guanajuato recos if you think you might end up there at any point.
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Re: Catch-all travel thread

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tommy wrote:
OrthodoxEaster wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 10:46 am Not an incredibly popular destination, but Querétaro, Mexico, for a week around Thanksgiving. Have been there once before.

Would love recommendations for an excellent barbacoa place. And good regional Mexican restaurants, post-pandemic, in general. Plus any day trips that are less crowded than Bernal or San Miguel, but still worthwhile. Thanks.
We went to both San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato last November. I don’t remember San Miguel being very crowded at all with the exception of the night there was a big jazz festival. Maybe it was the time of year though. We stayed in an amazing small hotel (Casa Blanca 7) there and would recommend that place 100% without hesitation. It’s true that most of the tourists were European and American though (mostly Santa Fe retirees). Guanajuato seemed more like where Mexicans went for vacation.

I’ll dig up and add specific Guanajuato recos if you think you might end up there at any point.
Supposedly San Miguel can get pretty mobbed on weekends in nice weather. And yeah, it does boast a fair number of American retirees. Although I've never actually been there, I'm just basing this on what people from Querétaro have remarked. It possibly only seems "crowded" by comparison.

Speaking of which, I'd fucking love to get to Guanajuato. But we won't be driving and we're visiting family, so there likely won't be any time to go that far via bus and come back the same day. Appreciate the offer, though.

You haven't been to Mineral de Pozos, though, have you? I'm curious.

Re: Catch-all travel thread

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Dave N. wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2024 3:36 pm My lady and I will be flying into Barcelona next month and puttering around the Iberian Peninsula for a couple of weeks, along with 3 or 4 days in Morocco. We have no itinerary whatsoever. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I've been to Barcelona, though it was some 18 years ago now and for a business trip, so I didn't get to see much. Just have the obvious suggestions: drink lots of wine (if you indulge), eat lots of paella, and definitely take time to walk around and check out the architecture (La Sagrada Familia in particular).

If you have time, try to make it up to the Pyrenees, perhaps even up as far as Andorra, and hang out in some of the smaller cities. I was in Ripoll for two days. Very beautiful.

For a long time, I've wanted to see Gibraltar and it's still high on my list. Not sure if that's in your agenda but I implied it might be since it's a convenient place to head over to Morocco (or so I've heard).
jason (he/him/his) from volo (illinois)

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