[erepsysoulptnw]

No they're not the guilder is linked to the dollar, 1 dollar is roughly 1.80 in guilders, and multiply that by what 1 euro is in dollars and you get the currency rate.

So yeah the average currency rate of 1 euro to florins is 2,50 I live in the Netherlands and I know this very well since I either send my mother money or she sends me, and or due to traveling to Curacao xD

Edit: And atm I think 1 euro is about 2.47 guilders.

[VogsHoock]

I stand corrected, I was thinking about the dutch guilder, rip.

[LeviBrawn]

The guilder is short for the Netherlands Antillean Guilder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherl...lder#Banknotes ; just if anyone is curious as to how the bills look like, a lot of people think they're nice), people just say guilder since it's otherwise annoying, sorry for the confusion!

It's going to change to the Caribbean Guilder supposedly before 2013, and the other 3 islands will get the U.S. dollar.

I apologize for going off topic =)

[Khurlxgq]

Philippines

Good:

1. Beautiful tropical paradise especially outside the capital, Manila.

2. Friendly people that have some proficiency in English.

3. Relatively cheap, and the currency exchange is favorable for most countries.

Bad:

1. Most of the tourist areas are natural places like resort beaches, lakes, mountains, etc. The capital city of Manila has some good areas like Makati, but just like any large city, it has a lot of traffic and some poor sections.

2. Many non-tourist areas are not conveniently reachable for tourists such as the countrysides of many provinces which are abound with beautiful scenary.

[Qualarrizab]

I should point out three faut pas in Canada or in the company of Canadians that I often see foreigners commit:

Remarking similarities to the US is seen as distasteful and highly offensive.

Talking about Canadian politics is considered disrespectful. Michael Moore learned this the hard way. He bashed Stephen Harper and still got in trouble, even though most Canadians hate Stephen Harper.

English-Canadians dislike Americans more than French-Canadians do, but most of the world and especially Americans think its the other way around.

---------- Post added 2011-11-12 at 00:44 ----------

Oh three other etiquette things:

Bragging is frowned upon in Canada.

Always take off your shoes before entering a Canadian's home.

It's considered in bad taste to show up early for a social event. People will think you're anal retentive. It's best to show up on time or a few minutes late. Also if you show up more than 15 minutes early for work, people will think the same.

[Ngdyoysv]

My city:

Pros:
-very safe
-excellent and extremely varied dining options
-proximity to great beaches on the ocean and the southern reaches of the bay
-climate never gets freezing
-lots of parks and green spaces, with the most elm trees in the world
-most extensive tramway network in the world, very efficient
-people are always very friendly and helpful
-very active and varied night life
-close to national parks with magnifiscent rainforest and wildlife as well as the great ocean road
-within 3 hours of ski resorts
-vivid subcultures (talented graffiti art everywhere, hip bars and concert places)
-heaps of sporting facilities
-lots of art galleries
-voted most livable city in the world in 2011

Cons:
-windy, extremely changeable weather
-the beaches closest to the center (on the north side of the bay) suck.
-high Australian dollar makes everything expensive
-almost no historical building of interests, very boring architecture
-suburbs that spreadout endlessly (radiates 40km from the tiny cbd), of which the outer reaches are full of unfriendly bogans
-the river is very polluted

Edit: Didn't notice it's only three things, I highlighted the ones that I think are most important to a new tourist.

[YpciJQdo]

^According to a friend I have from New Zealand I shouldn't trust you guys one bit

[dwestemesse]

Three random facts about my locality:

Some years we rank just under Detroit for violent crimes per capita.

We are the fattest region of the USA.

If you like guns and BBQ, we got you covered.

[GutleNus]

London (I don't live there but I might as well)

Pros:
1) Cosmopolitan, you can find food, shopping and entertainment to suit literally any taste.
2) 24 hour city and it's tough to not have things to do
3) Historic attractions mixed with modern wonders.

Cons:
1) One of the world's most expensive cities, avoid if you're on a budget.
2) People are fucking rude.
3) Pickpockets found widely, crime is fairly common as well

[fedordzen]

If I was to plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Australia for someone who wants to see a bit bigger picture, I would recommend 3 places to visit: Sydney, The Centre and Cairns, sometime during September-October or March-April months when it is not too cold nor too hot to travel.

Sydney Harbour, The Opera House, The Rocks, Botanical Gardens, NSW Arts Gallery are all in the same area and from there the area towards Bondi Beach is imo the loveliest part of Sydney.
Sydney is a big city, but has an easy, friendly hometown feel about it and whilst in Sydney, one could take a trip to the Blue Mountains for some awesome scenery.


The Centre: Uluru (Ayers Rock), Katatjuta (The Olgas) and Kings Canyon are a must and it is a good idea to stay a while to soak up the unique desert atmosphere.


From Cairns one can take numerous trips to the Great Barrier Reef to do some snorkelling and diving and also to make trips into the rainforests like Daintree or Bloomfield or venture into the more inland, savannah areas.


One can fly or buy a bus pass which allows one to stop wherever one wants. There are plenty of hotels, motels and backpacker hostels available everywhere. Some travellers buy a used car, which they then resell at the end of their holiday. Camping in the National Parks is excellent, but one really needs a 4-wheel drive to get into some fabulous out of the way places.


Words of caution:
Some travellers seem to get a bit high on the easy-going Aussie atmosphere and the freedom of wide open spaces, therefore becoming a bit reckless.

Australia’s sun is so harsh and people do not seem to realize, - just how quickly one can become dehydrated in the desert.

Best to learn about the environment as you travel, about the animal and plant life, so that you won’t be stung by the stinging trees or by jelly fish and the thing to remember is that those salt water estuaries up north are full of crocodiles even if there are no signs.

Swim between the flags or inside a jelly fish netting on public beaches and don’t go picking just any pretty shells, as some cone shells are extremely poisonous and can kill in 10 mins.
http://www.avru.org/

If you want to learn about Aboriginal culture, (and to avoid any potential cultural conflicts), there are Aboriginal tour operators for that.

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

Philippines

Good:

1. Beautiful tropical paradise especially outside the capital, Manila.

2. Friendly people that have some proficiency in English.

3. Relatively cheap, and the currency exchange is favorable for most countries.

Bad:

1. Most of the tourist areas are natural places like resort beaches, lakes, mountains, etc. The capital city of Manila has some good areas like Makati, but just like any large city, it has a lot of traffic and some poor sections.

2. Many non-tourist areas are not conveniently reachable for tourists such as the countrysides of many provinces which are abound with beautiful scenary.

I'll add a few more things.

Good:

4. Lots of big malls. The largest in the Far East I believe.

5. Very diverse country in terms of culture and language, and even genetics.



Bad:

3. Lack of modern infrastructure in many parts of the country except for the cities or large towns.

4. The heat. Electricity is expensive, and therefore A/C is expensive.

5. Although fairly safe, it's best not to wear expensive watches, jewelry, bags, etc. around unless you're in a high-end area.

---------- Post added 2011-11-12 at 08:31 ----------

I should point out three faut pas in Canada or in the company of Canadians that I often see foreigners commit:

Remarking similarities to the US is seen as distasteful and highly offensive.

Talking about Canadian politics is considered disrespectful. Michael Moore learned this the hard way. He bashed Stephen Harper and still got in trouble, even though most Canadians hate Stephen Harper.

English-Canadians dislike Americans more than French-Canadians do, but most of the world and especially Americans think its the other way around.

---------- Post added 2011-11-12 at 00:44 ----------

Oh three other etiquette things:

Bragging is frowned upon in Canada.

Always take off your shoes before entering a Canadian's home.

It's considered in bad taste to show up early for a social event. People will think you're anal retentive. It's best to show up on time or a few minutes late. Also if you show up more than 15 minutes early for work, people will think the same.

Base upon my relatives up in Canada I would say that's true. They have a defensive complex against Americans. I wouldn't necessarily go far as to say it's anti-American, but they always feel the need to show how great Canada is, whether it's the salmon, the maple syrup, or the better hockey.

[tipokot]

SICILY

The Good:

• The food is amazing. Beyond amazing, even. Many legendary "Italian" dishes trace their origins to Sicily, and many non-Italian foods, such as couscous can be found in native Sicilian cooking. We have the best wine in Italy, and some of the best lemons and oranges in the world.

• The climate is also spectacular, as it is not too humid yet also not chilly.

• The diversity among natives is among the best in the world, and reflect the ethnic background of not just Sicily but the entire Mediterranean region.

• The views are breathtaking. You can walk from ancient ruins to a dry area fill with cacti, to a cold mountain, to a volcano, to the beach... all within the span of a few hours.

• Speaking of volcanoes, Mt. Etna is the largest, most active volcano in Europe.

• Palermo is the only large city in Italy where young adults outnumber pension-age people, and has a great night life.

• History. Every town in Sicily has hundreds, if not thousands of years of history, and if you speak Italian or Latin you can see it written proudly on churches, terraces, and all over the place. Otherwise, you can find a tour just about anywhere, or ask the locals. Everyone knows the gist of their hometown's history by heart.

The Bad:

• Mafia

• High unemployment / recent issues with the Italian economy

• The traffic/drivers

• There are many elements of Sicilian cooking that outsiders may not appreciate. Anchovies and eggplant, for example, are regular staples of Sicilian cuisine.

• Racism. That is to say, 99% of people in Sicily are Sicilians, and the majority of immigrants are of South Asian or African origin, and they are not particularly beloved by the community, so many locals are skeptical of outsiders.

• Many, but certainly not all Sicilians cannot speak English, French, German, or any other major international languages. They speak Sicilian at home and are forced to learn Italian in school. While they are supposed to take another language, most do not intend to ever leave Sicily and do not bother to take it seriously.

• Sicily is totally inaccessible unless by ship or by air. Many airlines do not travel directly to Sicily, and you may have to take a stopover in Rome or Milan.

The Ugly:

• Many old towns are poor and you may find yourself in a hotel that hasn't been renovated in decades. Some of the more backward villages only recently have added indoor plumbing.

• People are very blunt and will say what they think.

• The above also means that you may notice a random couple engaged in sexual relations in an alleyway, or worse, you may see a dead body laying in the street somewhere.

• There are a lot of stray animals, and a significant number of them are not well kept after.

[dayclaccikere]

Pros:

-good barbeque

-rent is relatively cheap

-big midwestern city but more friendly than chicago for instance.

Cons:

-the majority of the city is pretty run down and ghetto

-lots of crime (goes with the above con)

-there isn't much to do here as far as night life etc. except on the missouri side. this is mostly an industrial city.

the motto for my city should be "hey, atleast were not detroit" but i think cleveland already called dibs on that

Sounds like Kansas City to me...

[LkEHaduy]

The Ugly:

• Many old towns are poor and you may find yourself in a hotel that hasn't been renovated in decades. Some of the more backward villages only recently have added indoor plumbing.

• People are very blunt and will say what they think.

• The above also means that you may notice a random couple engaged in sexual relations in an alleyway, or worse, you may see a dead body laying in the street somewhere.

• There are a lot of stray animals, and a significant number of them are not well kept after.

I think I'll never be going to Sicily...

[neniajany]

I think I'll never be going to Sicily...

Don't be a p... You are a Nordic, you can handle it.

[Assungusa]

Don't be a p... You are a Nordic, you can handle it.

Im not accustomed to such barbarism. Nor is my family for that matter.

[corriffuniee]

Sounds like Kansas City to me...

yep... you from there?