Travel Place game

Here's a game for ya...

I'll start my naming a place I've been to...take the last letter of that place (city/place), and name a place that begins with that last letter. Make sense? I'm horrible with explaining things!

And tell us how you are connected to that place, and tell us a little bit about it. That way, we can all learn about places we have yet to explore.

I'll start...
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Zacatecas
It was the last place I visited.

Zacatecas is a colonial town north-centralish Mexico. It's not too overtouristed yet..most people seem to go to Guanjuato when it comes to that region. I spoke to a few locals, and they said that soon, within 10 years, Zacatecas will get that way. Visit it now, and enjoy it while it's not overrun. It is quite a decent sized area with the suburbs and all, though (100,000ish?). Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed when I went to Guadalupe (a suburb) and passed by a McDonald's and WalMart...ugh. The people there are amazingly friendly...by far the most friendly people I have met so far...anyone from the guy off the street I asked for directions, to the taxi driver who he asked the directions for me, to my host family - a friend of a friend of a friend. It seemed like a place where Mexicans went to vacation, because there were a lot of tourists...just not many foreign tourists.
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Okay, who's next? Your place must start with an "S"

Sydney is where I stayed Oct 03 - Feb 04.

I must say, this large Australian city has a fabulous gay nightlife. The rest of the nightlife is great too, but most of my time was spent in gay bars because all the friends I made in my apartment building were gay/bi. Even if you're straight, you've got to check out some of the drag shows on Oxford Street - or, if you can't handle a gay bar per se at least check out the drag queen karaoke at backpacker trap #2, good ol' Scruffy Murphy's.

My biggest recommendation for Sydney - meet locals. I saw some fabulous beaches, restaurants, and bars that most backpackers don't get to see. Sydney is a huge place, you really need someone with inside knowledge (and a car!) to see some of the best spots!

Now... who's been to somewhere that starts with a "Y"...

Sydney
Was there in October 2004 and heading there for a week in May.

Sydney is the most well-known and probably popular destination in Australia thanks to it international hub status and Sydney Harbor.
Sydney to me feels like a town that wanted to be a second London originally, but which has gorwn into something with less character.

Yikes - who has one with 'Y'?

Go there, but spend only a few days is my advice.

Hahahahhaha! We have a connection going T&A...

quote:

Originally posted by borderland:
Hahahahhaha! We have a connection going T&A...

You know... I knew other people would jump on this thread so I was typed fast and I hit "refresh" to check if anyone beat me after I posted, lol.

Oh well, the question remains - who's got Y covered!?

Yucatan Peninsula

In 2003 I took a 3 day cruise to Cozumel, Mexico with my brother and some friends. This was my first and only time going to Mexico. Snorkling and scuba diving are the 2 most popular attractions along with taking as many shots of tequila as you can before reboarding your ship. Honestly, if you asked me, Cozumel is probably pretty typical and nothing special as far as a vacation spot goes. I mean, it was amazingly relaxing and a lovely place but I couldn't possibly say it is any better than another destination in the area.

Youngstown, Ohio

I thought I'd take away the "Y" even though it's nothing special...

it's about 70 miles southeast of Cleveland, near the Pennsylvania border...nothing special there, don't go...I think I had a gymnastics meet there awhile ago (yes, I was a gymnast for almost 8 years)


DAMNIT someone beat me...oh well, it's still "N" if you go by Youngstown or Yucatan

Newport Beach, CA

My great aunt lives there, and I visited before I was a teenager. I remember Balboa Island and the little carnival place where you need to take a ferry in order to visit it from the island. Let's see, what else do I remember? Sun and beaches...yup, that's what you pay attention to as a midwesterner at that age.

"H" is next.

De Haan, Belgium (De being an article, it counts as H)

Seaside resort. My father grew up there (or at least in a nearby village). I spent at least 1 months there every summer until I was about 11, and had some fun summers with my friends there as a teenager as well. It's touristy in high season, but not quite as bad as some other seaside resorts, and at least it's pretty, not too many high-rise hotels.

Noosa

Yes, you Aussies should know this one! Noosa was a weekend trip I took from Brisbane. And it was a bit crazy...drunken fun, practical jokes, and skinny dipping in the ocean at night.

Noosa is a cute beachy area. Beautiful blue water. A bit of hiking around the area. Great kayaking!

Argentina

My country, I didnt do many trips here but I've been in Rosario (one of my favorites), Cordoba, Bahia Blanca (where I was born), and Buenos Aires (where I live)



Gabriela

Amsterdam

If you don't know about this place, where have you been? Well, I went to Amsterdam about 5 years ago. A city well known for coffeeshops, canals, museums, city parks, and flowers. Quite a fun place!

Maui, Hawaii

Was there twice. (For work! For free! On the Man's dime!) Haleakala volcano, road to Hana, expense account.....weeeee!

quote:

Originally posted by Marisa:
Amsterdam

what a silly girl am I!!
how did I forget Amsterdam!!

I LOVE THAT PLACE!!

Gabriela

Indio, Ca

My bus broke down there for like five hours last New Years Day on the way from LA to Phoenix. As I walked around town I noticed that it was completely empty, like a creepy ghost town from a low budget made for TV post apocolyptic survivor movie. I managed to find an open taco shop, where I enjoyed a can of budwieser and two chicken tacos. I then made my way back to the bus station and sat across the street for the next couple hours playing guitar on an old palm tree stump, as all of the small town gangstas rolled by in there cadilacs and oldsmobiles.