STG:Feedback

"Herewith I enclose some comments on your web-page of reference. I prefered to write them in Spanish (I'm sure an independent traveler on Cuba as you are can read perfectly Spanish), in order to avoid you could have any mistake into a later re-translating. Why I do it? Just because I'm a teacher of Cuban Culture in the local School for Hospitality and Tourism in Camaguey, and a lover of my city and its history, places and traditions. So, whenever I read something that is wrong, then I prefer to communicate it to the author, who has the option of making the necessary corrections and, so, to mantain his credibility amongst the readers. It's not necessary that you answer me but if you want, do it. This message isn't aimed to any criticism. Yours very truly," Héctor Juárez Figueredo

Thanks for your comments, I'll be updating the Camaguey page when I get the time. I think it's rather too late to be worrying about maintaining my credibility though....

"Steve, Just read your guides to Cuba, Lithuania and Prague. Obviously there is a hell of a lot of work gone into these and they make interesting reading but they would be easier to go through if the text was broken up more. I was starting to get screen blindness - why not stick some of the photos in with the text or draw a picture of your dong in a kebab to break up the screens a bit?"MT

Mike, try operating the mouse with your other hand, the monitor won't shake around as much and your eyes will be fine. Actually Mike's comments refer to a previous version of this site where I had the great idea of using blue text on a blue background. D'oh!

"I am not worthy!V impressed with the Camaguey section. I'm going off to Paris for 5 days on Saturday and I might just do the same thing as you. If you are looking for contributors let me know. Otherwise I will just continue on my lonely 'Kung Fu' like quest to drink in every Irish Pub in every major city in the world (6 so far!)."AC

What about the Hard Rock Cafes?

pig eyed sack of shit
"Where is the joke? I haven't time to read through it all looking for it! You promised me jokes!!! More photos instead!!!"EW

Keep taking the pills

"Update your site you lazy fat bastard"DC

Why, so you can keep ripping it off?

wolfbagger
"Words almost fail me." HR (R.I.P.)

"Just wanted to contribute some feedback! Am impressed with the new home page and the up to date version of Prague!!! All I ever needed to know when I finally get round to visiting it! Bye for now An avid reader of your website (feel free to quote me!) " EW

"I found the "hidden" link to the beach photos! Who are Burt and Viola? The other two thirds of a sordid menage a trois in a Vilnius knocking shop?" DC

That's right. Guess who got to be Lucky Pierre? You really don't know who Burt Viola is?!? Philistine.

" I just wanted to thank you for this website because im doing a project on cuban tourism for school and your site provided me with so much information!! Keep up the good work.thanks again!" JA

School children reading my site? Whatever next? I'd save your thanks until your project has been marked....

"My name is David, I am writing to you to say I love your web site it has been really useful to me." DS

"Hi, Just wanted to pass on a thanks for your website...I think the info will come in useful when I visit Slovenia for the first time in October. I'm especially looking forward to the stop in the Trieste airport as I'll be doin' this on the cheap (Ryanair) as well. I also look forward to drinking untold amounts of alcohol while my girlfriend scouts the city for the "perfect" photograph of flowers or a building or somethin'." DW

Feedback from the USA!! Whatever next.......?

"I read with interest your experience in visiting Koper and Ljublijana . It is very informative and warm expression of your great time you and your friend had."VB

.....Feedback from Malta!!!

"i just tried to search "perfectly preserved saint nun glass coffin" your site came up. good work! bully for you! ayee!" jb

Err... right....

"Hey - your Cuba section has a Puerto Rican flag in the header. Better learn your flags better!" OG

If that chimp-faced twat George W. Bush stays in office they'll probably both be flying the stars & stripes before too long anyway...

"Cinque Terra is our primary destination but we will be in Venice. I feel sure you won't think that is so cool but we are trying to branch out and get cooler.Seeing how close Trieste is made us curious since it is also right there on the border of Slavonia. Also heard good things about the train ride from Venice to Trieste. How far from Trieste to Koper by train? What about Piran, Izola and Portoroz? Just names on a map to us but thought you might have more information or links. Thanks, JB

Actually I like Venice a lot. Room for one more? Then again, Venice is sinking enough as it is....

"Hi, I wanted to thank you for the great Prague page. I'm travelling there soon for the first time so I'll be able to make good use of some of the information you've provided. I've actually printed the whole Prague section out and plan on bringing it with me so I can use it as a convenient reference.
I was also hoping you'd be willing to contact me when you have some time so that you might explain that "Yank twat" comment. If I'm not mistaken there were a few other derogatory comments made about Americans in the Prague sections of your electronic travel guide. I guess I just don't understand them,. I'm an American of course and took a great deal of exception to those comments. They made me angry. My first inclination was to e-mail you and tell you what an obnoxious fuck I thought you were, good info or not. But then I realized that would just make me as ignorant as I was assuming you were. I decided then to contact you instead and inquire as to why you hold Americans in such low regard. I'd really like to know! Have you been mistreated by Americans in your past? Even if you have, surely you realize that bumping into a few rude American tourists is hardly justification for calling all of us "obnoxious Yank twats" or whatever it was you called us. There are millions of Americans, just as there are millions of Brits. I've been lucky enough to travel to Great Britain and have encountered all kinds of people there. Some absolutely wonderful people and some real shit heads (which category do you think you fall into?).The point is that until I've met every single Brit that draws breath, shaken his/her hand and had a chance to share a beer with them, I'll hold off on lumping them all into one category, say "fat greasy ignorant soccer hoodlum" for example.
Thanks again for the great information and photos but not the ignorance" E. James
PS, should you choose to post may comments on your page, I request that you post them in their entirety and not a chopped or edited version. Also, you can use my full name, e-mail addressand/or initials in whatever fashion you see fit.

Hi Eric, Thanks for your email.
In reply to your comments, I don't have any problems with Americans, in fact I've enjoyed the company of the majority of the many that I've met. If you've read my whole site (and a few people have been stupid enough to try!) I hope that you'll realise that I try and adopt an irreverent tone. I'm quite happy to take the piss out of everyone, Americans, Germans, Welsh and, most particularly, myself. It just so happened that for the Prague page Americans presented a particularly easy target; I'm sure that you'd admit that going to Prague and drinking US Budweiser at 5 or 6 times the cost of the vastly superior Czech version is a crime worthy of ridicule!
That said, it was not my intention to cause offence, and I'm truly sorry that in your case I have. I guess it's a case of my strange Lancastrian humour not travelling too well. I'll be posting your message, and this reply, in full on my feedback page. In addition, I've just got back from a trip to Poland so when I start writing the pages for that I promise to lay off Americans!(I hope you're not of German ancestry though because they'll be getting some stick!) I hope you have an excellent time in Prague but, please, please drink the Czech Budweiser.
Regards, Steve.

"Hi Steve, Thanks for taking the time to reply to my email. I actually very glad to hear that you don't hate all Americans. In retrospect, I can see that your comments were meant more to be funny then to be mean and I shouldn't have taken them so seriously. I guess I'm just tired of feeling like everyone hates Americans and therefore, by association, me. The world is such a cool place with so many fascinating things to see and interesting people to meet. I want to be able to go and explore it with out having to worry about someone bashing my head in because of my nationality. I hope you'll forgive me for being un-necessarily touchy. Sorry about that soccer hoodlum crack too.
Now that we've (hopefully) kissed and made up, can you tell me, do the Czech's make a version of what the Germans call hefeweizen (unfiltered wheat beer)? I know they're famous for their pilsners but I'm not a big pilsner fan. I like hefeweizens and belgian trappist style ales. Can you recommend anything I should ask for while in Prague? Despite the fact that I'm an American, I will admit that most Americans are idiots when it comes to beer. I was in the Marine Corps back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and had an opportunity to go on what we call a Med Float. That's where we'd tour the Mediterranean Sea for 6 straight months on a Navy ship and occasionally hit what we call liberty ports. We'd go someplace incredibly beautiful like Venice, Italy or Barcelona, Spain and the majority of the knuckle heads on ship would spend their time looking for American fast food joints and bars that sold Budweiser. It never ceased to amaze me.
Well, that's it for now. Have a great time on your various trips. Make sure you always get home safe". Eric.

All's well that ends well. Astute readers (should I have any) may have noticed that one or two minor changes have been made throughout the site. This is in case I manage to annoy a US Marine who isn't quite as undertanding as Eric!

Hi Steve! I've just come back from Slovenia and stayed, like yourself, in Ljubljana and Koper and found the information on your website extremely useful. In Ljubljana, I enjoyed the city and would also recommend the Gostilna Sokol as an excellent place to eat at, indeed I ate there on three out of five nights. Koper I found a little quiet nightlife wise, but your food recommendations were good. I actually stayed in a private room right in the centre of town, found for me by the tourist office, at about £10 a night excluding breakfast. A real bargain and right next to a bar too, although the adjacent church tower clock chiming at 6am didn't make for the best of sleep after a heavy night. I also used Ryanair and found Trieste airport fairly chaotic (that was mainly due to the plane being an hour late), as well as the bus station where they directed me to the wrong place to catch the airport bus - I ended up missing it and waiting one-and-a-half hours till the next one. But I only flew back from there, having decided to fly into Klagenfurt in Austria which was a completely hassle-free airport, only 10 minutes from the centre of town and a two-and-a-half hour train ride from Ljubljana, and a pleasant city to visit in itself. Might be a better bet for a return visit... TM

An Austrian airport is more efficient than an Italian one! Who'd have thought that?!? Thanks for the tip.

Hello Steve...when are you going to 'do-over' Sydney? I loved your Slovenian tour...particularly your opinion of the Italians. It's a pity Italy is populated with them.....:) Actually, in regard to your comments re the odd hits that your site is getting.....my initial search was for Koper, and I kept getting the 'World News .com' site.....with the Persian Gulf being highlighted! I don't understand how this happens....but anyway, I eventually found your site of Koper with the pics I wanted.. ...many thanks. Cheers..... MS..a grateful Aussie.

Search engines are a mystery to me too. Usually, no matter what I end up searching for they end up directing me to a porn site. Of course, once there I have to spend 10 or 15 minutes checking to make sure that what I was really looking for isn't hidden on there somewhere.....

Hello Steve, just a few words to tell you my impressions about your visit to my home town Camaguey, Cuba.
I left Camaguey in 1971 and made Los Angeles, California my new home. It was refreshing reading your adventures and misadventures in the city of Tinajones (not to be confused with Tina Jones). I really enjoyed your recount. I believe you are a fun person with a big sensitivity. Your descriptions stick to reality.
Even when I never returned, I know first hand how the situation is overthere. My people is suffering a cruel system they do not deserve. You made me remember all those narrow streets that I used to walk when young. The Plazas and churches.
Also I thank you for the pictures. They came to enhance my collection of them. Some are very good. I will share your article with some fellow camagueyanos, that I am sure will like as much as I did.
It has been a great pleasure. AF

That's the nicest thing that anyone has ever said about me! It goes without saying that this lady has never actually met me,....

Hello, my name is Mario Almerigogna have you some pictures from "palazzo almerigogna" in koper (capo d'istria) i will finding any information about my family : almerigogna best regards Mario

If anybody has any photos of the Palazzo Almerigogna in Koper email them to me and I'll forward them to Mario. Thanks.

Hi Steve,
Thank you for a very entertaining and down-to-earth view of Slovenia. I'm glad that you enjoyed your stay and am most impressed with the efforts you have taken to ensure correct facts and spelling of place names. As someone of Slovenian parentage, born (& living) in the UK, I can honestly say that your review is very accurate and unbiased. I wish I could write something like it myself.

Just one tiny little grammatical error, The Slovenian for two beers please is "dve pivi prosim" and not as mentioned under the Various Useful Facts section. "Dva piva prosim" just doesn't sound right. It's all to do with genders (not yours) The word for beer also changes according to the number, so for one you would say "eno pivo prosim" and for 3 (or more) you would say "tri pive prosim", etc. It all gets very complicated, but I think they'd still understand you :) I reckon you should stick to the 'three or more' sentence, but as long as you get served...who cares!

Apparently, the McDonalds in Slovenia have a far better taste than UK ones because they use proper, local meat and not mechanically recovered (or whatever) stuff. I was told this several years ago by someone who visited me from Ljubljana, so next time you're there, check it out. You may also be disheartened to hear that Slovenian Railways are all set to be partially privatised, starting this year. Apart from the cut in workforce from 9000 to about 7000, I just hope it doesn't end up like here..

OK, I promise this is the last bit. Travel by road to Slovenia is not just theoretically possible, but can be done (avoiding Italy altogether). I've done it about 10 times now over the past 20 years. Belgium has a beautiful motorway all the way, taking about 3 hours. Germany's road system is also very good, but the most tiring part as it takes ages to get through, but at least you can bomb along if you want to :) Austria has the best scenery during the trip, but works out the most expensive as you have to pay for several tunnels (if you want the easier route) and there's an environment charge, without which you drive at your own risk of being caught & fined. If you're not too fussy, you can take a break in the car and sleep quite safely in one of Germany's many service stations. As so few Brits venture out so far with their cars, it's quite a rarity for them to see a right-hand drive car. You get some very odd looks from people (particularly out in the rural areas) when you're driving the car without someone in the passenger seat! At least it would stump someone breaking in and stealing it because they'd wonder where the stearing wheel's gone :)

Talking of break-ins, this is unfortunately the big downside of 'democracy'. It was virually unheard of under communism, together with unemployment. How times change. A great many people would want to return to those days because, as you know, their form of communism wasn't that bad, and there was much more security.
Bye for now,Tony.

Well, thanks for all that information. I never had any problems getting beers in Slovenia, despite using the wrong language to ask for them, which suggests that either every barman who served me in Slovenia was either too polite to point out my mistake, or they were all Czech. As for McDonalds in Slovenia using real meat, I'm sure that must be against the Trades Descriptions Act. Potentially bad news about the Slovenian railways, but as long as they don't let that beardy buck-toothed bastard Branson get involved things shouldn't get too bad. As for driving down through Belgium, Germany and Austria, the thought of driving past all that lovely beer.... There's no way I could manage it.

Hmmm, the majority of your guides are pretty accurate,which is rare for amateur online travelogues. Well done. However, I'm not writing to praise you, of course, I'm writing to moan about the one thing I disagreed with. It's the law, you know. Unless the Rough Guide has improved radically in the past year,
it's noticeably inferior to the Lonely Planet for Poland. I've been travelling fairly extensively in Poland for the past four years and the Rough Guide just gets things wrong. Again and again. About transport, about opening hours, about facts. Plus it's bloody snobby about anywhere the writer didn't like or just happened to visit on a day his piles were hurting him.I know the Rough Guide is better in other parts of the world, but certainly in Poland (and in my more limited experience (a dozen trips) of the Czech Republic and Slovakia) it's mostly bias and backtalk. Don't really understand the 'political correctness'stuff about the Lonely Planet - but then I've never quite got the hang of the term. It usually seems to mean "more left-wing than me and so I feel obliged to insult it", which I suppose is fair enough except that there's not really an equivalent for the right. Christ, how did I get onto that? Anyway, get up to Riga sometime if you can - fantastic city. Shane

An associate of mine claimed that reading a Lonely Planet guide is like being lectured by an Australian Sociology lecturer. Then again, I'm pretty sure he's never been to Australia, I'm certain he's never attended a sociology lecture, and I have my doubts as to whether he can actually read. AND HE'S A FLUFFER!!

I was in Riga a few years ago and I agree that it's a wonderful city, so wonderful that for various reasons I don't have enough memories of the place to write anything about it. I've got some nice photos though...

heh, your "report" about slovenia made me laugh ;) you have an enourmous sence of humor ;> ok there are some mistakes, mostlly spelling, but hey, nobody is perfect ;P anyway... i'm coming from piran... slovenia ;) hm, this town is like the old part of koper... you can read more about it on the link bellow ;) hm, and, you probably crossed the border an ©kofije... am, there is near (1 km away) also another alternative internetional border, and isn't so much people there... you just go towards Muggia, and then you go to Lazaret. ;) hm, and i agree with you with all the things you told about italians ;P ehm and its normal to pass the border here without any bothering... skofije border (that you probably passed) had an award for this ;) (for the border with less complications or something)...

hm, anyway here u have some links... here u have pictures, VR (180°,360°) pictures about Koper, and other coastal cities. www.burger.si/Koper/ENGKoper.htm you have more on the coastal cities at, www.slo-istra.com, www.portoroz.si, www.koper.si, www.piran.si also here, www.slovenia-tourism.si/, is the official page of the slovene turstical organisation. Sebastian

Thanks for the links and tips on border crossings. Hopefully it won't be too long before the no-frills airlines fly direct to Slovenia and Croatia so Italy can be avoided altogether. By the way, does anyone have a dictionary of those emoticon things?

Steve, best guide book i've ever read thank you. jeff

Is that you, Mum?

Had gone through your dairy (travel guide) in Salzburg, very interesting & quite detailed.I'm going to Salzburg next week and wonder if you could help me in German language. I need basic writing in german of some english words translated, incase I need to check anything with the locals, at least I know how to write to them (sort of communication). Pls let me know if you could help me on that? Thanks & best regards. amy

Feedback from Singapore! This page is getting more and more cosmopolitan. The following was the only phrase of German we needed:

"drei bieres und der banane für den affen, bitte"

I don't know what it means though...

cool site, too bad i discovered it only a few hours before i leave tonite (i'll be visiting warsaw/auschwitz/krakow) but i'll definitely surf it again. thanx for all the fish, err i mean work (in case you don't know hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy) eh

What is the weather like in June? What to pack? Thanks, bootsy

Whatever you pack, don't pack this:

Or this

And for God's sake not this:

Myself and 14 other mates will be visiting Prague in a couple of weeks on an end of season football tour so could you please advise me on the best night clubs to go to for ages ranging from 28 to 45 and the best bars and how much an average pint is in the bars as I was wondering how much money to bring out with me. Thankyou. PS Liked the guide on the best places to get drunk. HL

15 Brits on the piss in Prague?!? Oh, Lordy! This request caused me to spend 15 minutes on Google with a street map of Prague and some very vague and drunken memories. The result is that I've now been able to add a couple of nightclubs to the "Where to Get Drunk" section of Prague.

I have traveled through Italy and Trieste several times and given your difficulty I would suggest that your (sic) the one who is “terminally stupid”…. Your constant use of the “terminal” suggests lack of imagination. Your American “terminally stupid” reader. Laura Hansen

There are over 100,00 words on this site. Not including your feedback, the word “terminally” appears 3 times. The word “terminal” is used 9 times. I won’t be rushing out to buy that Thesaurus just yet.

I am a 56 year old full blooded bohemian from Chicago, and was in the process of researching my heritage, whereby I came across your tour site of Prague. My wife and I were married on 9th September 2001 and of course had to cancel our expected honeymoon to Prague due to 9/11. I must say that reading your site (yes I read it all) not only gave me a great mental tour of Prague, and strangely somehow with a person I don't even know but who has been one "funny son-of-a-bitch" tour guide. Well, thanks for the wonderful tour, and let me know what else you write as I and my wife have become your greatest fans. Meanwhile I discovered my grandmother owned a spa in Luhacovice, a hotel in Prague, and my great uncle was the architect for the Bata store built in 1928. Go figure. RB

We're all staying in Robert's auntie's hotel next time we go to Prague, no charge for all readers of this site! Not really.... Still reading, Laura Hansen? No complaints about lack of imagination here!

Crackin site. Myself and a bud are off to Prague and Krakow for ten days next week and your site has given me loads of tips (even though I've been to Prague before). Good on ya man. Just purely because it is an Irish persons job to add to any section entitled "Where to Get Drunk" I have to direct you to possibly one of the best little juicers in the world. It's opposite the James Joyce pub in Prague (which thankfully I had no occasion to go into), down a cellar and there seemed to be an enormous handlebar moustache man named Karel in residence. Have fond and fuzzy memories of falling out of there a couple of occasions. Happy travels, BP

A pissed up Irishman, eh? We'll have no national stereotyping on this site, oh no! Was this bar with handle bar moustache man the one that was playing "YMCA"? If so an acquaintance of mine is familiar with it. Notice any more complaints yet, Laura Hansen?

We have just seen your info on a trip to Poland and like your sense of humor. Just a quick question when did you do the trip and how upto date is the info? Thanks. J&B

Well, unless the German Army has paid another surprise trip to Poland in the last 12 months, Warsaw Old Town should be pretty much how I left it.... They like my sense of humour (sorry, humor), Laura Hansen!

Hi, Please give me information and address of brothels in Wroclaw. Ahmet Zeki

So now I know who's responsible for all those hits on the home page.... Unfortunately Mr Zeki didn't specify whether he was searching for straight or gay brothels so I am unable to assist.

Stevie, Great website man, except for the part about Americans being "terminally stupid" as you put it. That's just ignorant. Anyway, I went to Slovenia once (back in '96).... very fun town. I was only 20. If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have had a much better time. I'll be living in Italy for the next three years abd I plan to make the trip there as soon as possible. I hope to be able to drive into the country, rather than hassle with the buses and taxis. Enjoyed viewing your website! Well, most of it.... Ciao and Tally-ho, Amigo, Dan

My New Years Resolutions, 1 Stop annoying Americans, 2 Stop using the word "terminally". Dan also has his own website.

Hi,I'm currently orgaising a trip over new year to both Prague and Krakow. I've got a good deal on flights to Prague and I wanted to know your opinion on the best way to get to Krakow from Prague. I was wanting to catch a train but I don't know how much? or how often they run to and from? Your site has been very helpful. Stuart

Rather than my usual pathetic attempts at humour or sarcasm in reply to feedback, allow me to reply with something constructive. This link for Austrian national railway service and allows you to do timetable searches (in English) on railways throughout Eastern Europe.

Great site! I'm going to Prague and Krakow in October and you have great info here.How are the women in these countries? RC

Unfortunately it would appear that all the women In Krakow and Prague are lesbians. This is the only possible reason I can think of why they had no interest in me or the Scotsman.

I am from Canada, and about to take my first trip to Cuba In September. I found your site on a Yahoo search today, and I have to tell you, I LOVED it. You've got all kinds of really practical info, which I appreciate, and I adore your writing style (especially thankful for the tips related to drinking while in Havana...heh heh). Thanks so much!! Angela

Hello Steve, Looks like I found your site just in time.. I'm off to Salzburg in the morning with my girlfriend and had next to no idea what to expect (apart from the Sound of Music tour that I am apparently going on!). So, just a quick thanks for the info, I should have a good weekend now! All the best in Bratislava too, I was there a couple of weekends ago - it's a great place.. well to get pissed anyhow! Small but perfectly formed.. the town ain't too bad either! good luck, Graham

Well, that's good news about Bratislava. Perhaps we'll take time out from our cultural activities to try the odd pint or two... A quick note for any Scousers who might be reading, by the time I post this Graham should be back from Salzburg so forget about any plans you might have had about "visiting" his flat while he's away.

Hi Steve, Somehow I ended up on your web site. We're three crazy Americans heading over to Prague, Salzburg, Berlin, Munich (Oktoberfest). I've printed off pages from your travel site, we'll see how it goes. I'm sure we'll try to look up a few of the drinking establishments you mention. Have you been to Oktoberfest? Lynne

Oktoberfest is on my list of things to do. Then again, so are a lot of other things, and I doubt get round to them all, although one of them has just become marginally more likely now that Jennifer Lopez has split up with Ben Afleck.... Anyway, everybody I know who has been to Oktoberfest can't remember a thing about it, which is surely a good sign.

Just wanted to thank you for your very funny, informative and irreverent "Steve's Travel Guides" to Prague. I actually (gasp!) read the whole thing. I'm planning a two week visit in May '04 and you've given me some good ideas. The pics are very good as well. OK so now I'm going to read about some of the other cities you wrote about. I'm hooked! (and here it is, a warm sunny California afternoon..... I should be basking.) Keep it up. PG

Now that's the kind of feedback I've been looking for. Hard to believe you're from the same country that produced Laura Hansen!

"before buying keep in mind that the Slovenians keep all the good stuff for domestic consumption and only export the rat's piss". What is up with this? Being Slovenian I can agree that the wine sold in Canada and elsewhere may not be tasty in any way, but this is not a nice way of putting it. I strongly agree that this should be reworded to better express the way you feel so it may not insult others. Thank you. MF

For those not already aware "rat's piss" is a British slang expression for an inferior quality wine (or beer, or any other alcoholic beverage). No insult was intended, and none has been taken by anybody else. None the less, to Slovenians, viniculturalists and rodents everywhere I'd just like to say "I'm so, so sorry".

Thanks for writing that [Koper] page. I thought it was excellent. My boyfriend is out there at the moment with the Royal Navy and I wanted to find out what that place was like. Your commentary and photos was just what I was looking for. Thanks again, Jo

Had reason to travel thru Europe on business in 2001-2002 and spent a few days in Milan and Ljubljana - two places I'd never seen before (drove thru Milan in rush hour about 30 years ago - as quickly as I could!). Even tho my last name is Koper (no, we never owned the castle!) I never got to Koper... only 200 km! Damn!
We thoroughly enjoyed Milan (some of the best food I've ever eaten!) and I particularly liked Ljubljana! It was like a trip back in time - it reminded me SO much of Germany (West Germany) in the 1960s. The people were friendly, th beer was cold (and good!), and the plum brandy was absolutely delicious! I didn't have time to climb up to the castle, but I could see it from my hotel window every night - they illuminate it with the national colors at night!
I wasn't that thrilled with the food - the mushroom soup in a bread bowl was delicious, but the steak that came after was tough enough to resole army boots!... two of us tried to eat parts of it... NO WAY! It dulled the knife!
That said, I'm ready to go back at the first opportunity!
I really enjoyed the picks, they brought back memories. BK

Somehow I can't see the Ljubljana tourist board using the slogan "Come to Ljubljana, it's like Germany in the 1960s", but I think I know what you mean! And I tend to find that once you've had enough beer you give up caring about how tough your steak is....

My wife and I are going to Prague and Krakow in May of 2004. Your website answered a LOT of questions for us and we have printed out most of it. We can't thank you enough. Best wishes from the "Yanks". L&RW

Has anybody else noticed the marked improvement in the quality of feedback I've been getting recently? Keep it coming!

Hi Steve, Nice website, couple of points. KGB stands for Kircma (PUB) Gourmet Bratislava. Hotel Kijev gets cheaper if you take out the TV and breakfast, neither of them are of interest to me, I'm out on the town not watching TV and never up in time for breakfast, can get it down to 1600 ks per night (£28).
No mention of Cirkus Baroke on the river next to Hotel Danube, a disco boat, open to 6 in the morning. A few other good places are Bar 39, open to 5, good beer and music, next to the hotdog shop opposite Tescos is an underground club with a SLIDE onto the dance floor, good fun. Smirnoff pub near the Danube is also good, as is Gremium. Worth finding MAMOT near Tescos, can't remember how we got there in a drunken state, it is believed to be the biggest pour in Europe. Lots of famous Slovaks go there. Film Cafe in the main shopping area is very good, opposite the KGB pub.
The two new shopping centres are both good, they have a cinema, bowling alleys, etc, one is called AU PARK near the New Bridge (Novy Most) and the other is called POLUS CITY CENTRE.
Found a new restaurant called Ricardos near Koliba. They are an Arabian style restaurant and night club, all the staff speak good english and the food is superb. Regards, JL

All excellent information, thanks John. I can't believe that we missed a nightclub with a slide...

Steve, What a great site! We have friends in Koper and want to visit them in Feb 2004!!! The idea of £44 each from Stansted sounds great!!! Will follow it up straight away, thanks again. NM

Hi Steve, Have just by accident come across and read your excellent account of your visit to Wroclaw, and the history of Wroclaw. RH

Hi Steve, I'm visiting Ljubljana in a couple of weeks time. I think your website is very good, especially for serious drinkers. DC

Serious drinkers are reading this site?!? And me being practically a tee-totaller! The horror, the horror....

I love Bratislava too. Just a note about getting there. The flights on SkyEurope leave Stansted at 0850, too early for northerners to get there without sleeping on the airport floor the night before or booking in to an expensive hotel. If you check a site like opodo.co.uk early enough you can get some reasonable fairs via CSA from Manchester changing at Prague - about £180 return. Apparently they fly to Edinburgh too, which might help your fish-loving Scottish friend.
One good reason to go south of the Danube is to get a train from Petrjalka station to Vienna for a day out. The trains are better timed than from Hlavna Stanice, and a taxi costs around £4 from the centre of the Old Town.
Loved your description, much better than the usual tourist bumf.
However, the dumplings - they looked and tasted like thick, stodgy bread to me. Not impressed, though I suppose they do soak up the beer. JC

A fellow Northerner who doesn't like dumplings? The shame of it! And Stansted Airport is definitely inconveniently located. They should move it, preferably closer to Hounslow....

meet The Scotsman, my "fish-loving Scottish friend"

I would like to go to Poland this year but my partner does not like flying. My father was born in krakow which is where I am going to go. I have read your site and it has made me want to go even more. I was considering trying to drive there. How long would the journey time be roughly, from the ferry port in Calais? I am still trying to persuade him he really does need to fly. Thank you for a very interesting and quite funny guide. Sue

Have you considered drugging your partner and sneaking him onto the plane before he regains consciousness? That's what they used to do to Mr T on the A Team all the time, worked a treat.

Hi Steve, I appreciate your travel website! Good show! Having had only three or four beers tonight (I think), I am certainly not fooled by the flippant style of your narrative - your information appears to be rather solid and sound. I have been reading your Havana article with interest as I am planning to go there for a longish holiday next year; the same applies to the Ljubljana article - the place is not too far away from where I live right now, and I have heard from other people that the town is full of young people and somewhat trendy, too. Your Salzburg article was a chunk of nostalgia to me - I used to live there for a period of ten years - fortunately with breaks to the Mid East and other regions. On the surface, Salzburg is a wonderful and "beautiful" town, if you get my barely hidden meaning, but it is terribly provincial there, and after a while you just want to go away. The description of your quest for a place to take a drink (or eight or fourteen) sounds exceedingly familiar. By the way, In Steingasse there used to be a very fashionable brothel, with clients popping down there (sorry about the attempted pun) as far as from Munich.... Again, it was a good thing to come across your website - thanks! Henry

Ljubljana is generally full of the young and trendy. Luckily they were also quite happy to put up with the old and scruffy, in the rotund shapes of my ginger friend and I. The brothel on Steingasse is still there. Isn't it, Dave???

Hello, Just wanted to send a big kiss your way for writing your site. I'm about to go on a sudden visit to Budapest and maybe Krakow and Oswiecim, alone, and yours is the first site I found that doesn't make it sound bloody scary. Cheers! A kiwi girl who has never left Middle Earth. Liv.

There's absolutely nothing to be scared of out there, other than the occasional wandering, pissed-up Brit.... If anybody else wants to send me a kiss, or anything else, please feel free!

Hello. Really enjoyed your pictures of Prague. Did you use a digital camera? Your commentary was also great. Thought you might like the feedback. Thanks, Therese

For anyone interested, the recent Prague pictures were taken using a Nikon CoolPix2100, small enough to fit in your pocket when you're out on the piss. Before my head gets too big I should point out at that for every half decent photo that appears on this site there are another 50 crap one lingering on my hard disk. If there are enough requests for it I might post the one of Seedy Rob (the chap with all the hats, pictured above) being chased down the street by a couple of gypsy prostitutes...

Really enjoyed reading your guide to Bratislava. having downloaded your guide we shall be buzzing around merrily and being CAMRA members we are looking forward to sampling the local brews. Many thanks. P&GW

CAMRA, for the uninitiated (i.e. non-Brits) is the Campaign for Real Ale. CAMRA members will be disappointed to hear that most beers in Slovakia are lagers, rather than the pints of Old Landlord's Scrotum or whatever they're used to knocking back in the UK, although Slovakian lager has more taste and alcohol and less chemicals pumped into it than the effluent that passes for lager in most UK pubs. And that said, I'm starting to develop quite a taste for real ales myself. Nothing to do with them being cheaper than Stella...

Hello Steve. I found your travel website on the internet and saw that you travelled a lot in Eastern Europe. I'm currently doing a project where I collect photographs of a certain type of kiosk (newspaper stands, etc.), designed in Slovenia during the 60ies. See the project website for more information. If you have occasionally a photograph of one of these kiosks in your travel documentation I would be glad if you would like to contribute to the K67 online collection. Best regards HK

Unfortunately my travel documentation is lacking in photos of these kiosks. So, dear readers, may I appeal to any of you who might have photos of these kiosks to contribute them. The website is here. Thank you.

Hello, Really liked your web site & the place sounds brilliant. I've booked a long weekend to Ljubljana at the end of May for my best mates stag bash- 10 lads who like a beer, a bit of food, some more beer etc... Are the local / police likely to be too bothered about a group of lads after a few beers? No trouble, just a bit of stumbling around etc... Cheers, Andrew

As long as you're not caught pissing in the fountains you should be fine. They didn't catch us doing it...

Isn't it about time you featured the 'gay' scene in a better light. I found those lovely gay pubs in Salzburg thrilling - the best I've been to, and I'm sure you'd have an appreciative audience. You don't know how embarrassing it is to stumble into straight pubs abroad by mistake - the consequences are positively enough to set one's heart aquiver. Dave Matchett

I've never "stumbled" into a straight pub, although I have staggered out of more than a few...

I loved your article, it was informative and gave me an insight to what is happening in Lithuania today. I am of Lithuanian descent, and I would love any information that you have on my native country. DC

Where can I find top quality lap dancing in Sofia on Thursday nights? "T"

Just check my credit card statement....

As I'm from Slovakia was quite good to read that part of your website. Shame that most of the guys visiting Slovakia just end up in Bratislava when there's heaps of gorgeous places and things to see all over the place really. After nearly 5 yrs in London, nearly forgot that. Your website is fab and pretty useful. Also had a great laugh so ta. :) Zuzana

After 5 years in London you've probably forgotten lots of things, including how you once summoned the will to live....

Hi Steve! Greetings from an ex-patriot yank living in Salzburg. Your info was right on the money, including the fact that the bartender at Daimler's is the campest. Everyone knows Berti. My two nephews are visiting me this summer and I will advise them to check out your page before they fly across the pond. Take care and come back and see us in summer when the weather is decent. Tim

A big "hellooo" to Berti! As a Brit I'm intrigued by this concept of "decent weather". What does it mean, exactly?!?

Hello Steve, Thanks to you I have had a lot of fun reading your report about Slovakia ....nice to read and all the facts are true. I wish you to enjoy Slovakia again..... Best wishes, Jana

Hi Steve, Just thought I'd drop you a line as I've now come across your website several times - I think mainly when looking for info on train times...I actually live in Krakow - moved here from Birmingham almost exactly one year ago. Fell in love with the town and its inhabitants when inter-railing with mates from school on a post-university 6 week trip in summer 2001. Set up a business selling property to foreigners (as I didn't think too much of the majority of the local estate agents when I was looking for a place for myself last summer) and jave since converted my apartment into a 4 bedroom Bed & Breakfast. I also have to admit to searching for nuns on the internet... but probably not for 'nun fetish'. Nothing dodgy.... A friend of mine was out and we were doing a count of fit Polish girls but this proved very tiring with astronomical numbers involved. Eventually we reverted to nun and monk spotting.... Sad I know but perhaps not as sad as this guy. Kind regards, TL

Thanks for that link, absolutely magnificent!

Great site fella - keep up the good work. 7 of us have just booked a weekend in Krakow in place of our usual annual trip to the Munich Beer Fest. Heard it was very much like Prague, but not as good as Prague has become? Thanks for your tips, anything else we should know? Does Krakow have a Gold Fingers type equivalent etc??!! Regards, NB

I believe that Gold Fingers is the type of establishment that some would refer to as a "titty-bar". Naturally, I have no familiarity with this type of establishment, and am not aware of there being one in Krakow. If anyone knows differently, could you let me know and I'll post its location on this site, so all my decent-minded readers will know to avoid it. Thank you.

Hello, Greetings from New Zealand. Recently I started preparing a trip to Europe for the end of July. Looking in the internet I found your travel guides, they are really good congratulations. AR

This page is getting more and more cosmopolitan. I think what I'd like next is more feedback from the USA...

Hi Steve, I am a Bulgarian who lives in New Hampshire, USA. I read the "Bulgaria page" and I was very impressed. Thank you for writing about my home country. Roumiana

What a coincidence!

We are planning a trip to Prague and I have also been considering Slovakia. Your guide is excellent - especially information about flying and trains and buses to get there. You have details about travels and destinations and eating that is far better than any of the name band travel books or their web sites. Thank you for your work to share your experiences with us. Wes

Are you reading this, Lonely Planet? Eh? Eh? And Rough Guides? Your boys took one hell of a beating...

Hello, I am Ana from Croatia and I would like to congratulate you on a wonderful site about Bratislava on internet. I am a tourist guide and I love Bratislava very much. We usually stay there when going to Prague or Wienn. Your information are valuable for me! Have you ever been to Croatia?.... I have also seen the other sites you made and found them really good. There are few such nice sites about destinations on the internet... maybe because you give lots of valuable information and your comments make the whole thing easy and relaxing. I am glad you like Croatia... welcome! Ana

Steve 2, Lonely Planet 0! I've been to Croatia, but it was a long time ago. Definitely somewhere I'm planning on going back to though, hopefully once more low-budget airlines start flying there.

Hi Steve, Liked your take on Slovenia. My wife and I are thinking about going. she keeps mentioning Prague but I read that Slovenia has a lot of what Prague has for a lesser price / less crowded, etc. I know there aren't too many undiscovered places left in the world, but being from the US we've got a lot of Europe we have not covered. Thanks again for sharing! Scott

I don't make this feeback up, you know...

Thanks for a great read! Definitely the best travel website on the net. Far more entertaining than the bores over at virtual tourist. One thing.... you do seem to do a lot of eating when you're on holiday! Cheers! Connor Gubbins

So now I'm thrashing Virtual Tourist too! Who's next?!? Bring it on, I'll take you all! I have to eat a lot on holiday to maintain my particular physique. And it helps soak up the booze...

I saw your pictures of Cuba. They were very interesting. Thanks for putting it on your site. Sincerely, JER

I think I'll have to go back to Cuba so I can take some photos with my digital camera. Well, it's as good an excuse as any...

Steve, Just a short note to tell how much I enjoyed the review on your site about Koper, Slovenia. My fiance and I are considering a trip to that area so the detailed information and pictures you posted were most welcomed. Thanks again, BW

Your Prague pages are great. I've printed them out to take along with me on my trip next month. My brother and I take a beer tour every couple of years, and CZ is next. Posted some pics from our previous beer tours.[here and here]. In deference to our protestant Mom, and others, we sort of soft-pedalled the beer side of the trip. However, it was the real reason we went in the first place. Much of our days (and nights) were spent in search of the perfect brew. Both of us brew our own different beers.RF

Beer tourists, superb, that's exactly the kind of audience I'm aiming for! More please! But nobody tell his mum....

Hi Mate, I got to Slovenia and it was great. Went to capital Ljubljana and also to Koper and Isole. Stayed at that hotel you mentioned [Hotel Koper] for 40 euros and was like complete luxury. Koper seemed a bit more developed than when you went there last but still there wasn't much to do in respect of clubs and pubs. Went to a few of the city centre pubs in Ljubljana. It's true what you say about the EasyJet flights starting there, the tribes of English stag and hen parties are arriving, but apparently the Slovs. are happy about more tourism coming in but will not allow it to become another Prague. All the best mate, Alan

Hi Steve, Accidently got to your pages and can say that they are quite nice. Good job! Since the last 1-2 years the situation with the taxis at the airport has improved - now there is one major taxi company operating there (if I remember rightly "OK Trans") and they charge perfectly normal rates - didn't see any bandits charging 20-30 USD these days. Boris

Excellent idea, so now one company has a monopoly on ripping off tourists instead of letting all of them do it. Actually, the taxi drivers of Sofia are a pretty decent bunch, with the exception of the fucker who took me for a ride (in more ways than one) in August and who pretended not to know where one of the largest hotels in the city was located, taking advantage of my tired and emotional condition to charge me at least 5 times the actual fare when I'd had to give him all the directions myself. Bastard.

Steve, My name is John and I'm a tour guide here in Krakow. I was searching the net trying to get info about stag parties in Krakow because I'm setting up a company that will organise them for Brits. Anyway, I happened upon your site and just wanted to say that I'm very impressed that you took the time and trouble to learn - and write down - so much about our fair city. Good job and good luck, if you ever find yourself here again let me know and we'll get drunk together. JA

Good luck yourself, setting up a company organising stag parties in a city bereft of titty bars!

Nice write up about Klaipeda, but there have a been a few changes since. San Marco's is closed for having the worst waiter in the world, a trendy ex-pat type pub called Black Cat II occupies the place, and a very upmarket hotel "Europa". Skandlas is no longer Skandalas but Called West-side - pretty much the same, but suffers from a lot of competition: Black Cat I and II, Memel, Boogie-Woogie, Sisksnosparnis, too name but a few. Luja is also no more, and Indigo is called something else DaDa, I think. Unfortunately, McDonalds remains exactly as it was and always will be, but shadowed by a supermarket / shopping centre called Maxima, where you can waste time pretending you're in any European shopping Mall. The old castle site is slowly opening up and now you can visit the remaining ruins and excavated foundations. Regards Mark

Looks like I really need to get myself back to Klaipeda. I can feel the beach calling me already...

Hello Steve, I really enjoyed your guide of Sofia, it was very amsuing. I am a Bulgarian and I just wanted to thank you for the good review on our country. Keep it up the good work. Jordan

You're welcome. You're not a taxi driver, are you?

Just got back from a tour of Austria and especially enjoyed Salzburg. Anxious to read more on your website. BY

You want to read my site after coming back? Even though having now been there you'll have realised what a load of crap I wrote?

I am researching travel to Slovenia in May & found your excellent website. Thanks. IG

Short but sweet.

I found this page by pure coincidence, but I'm so impressed, it is the best tour guide I've ever seen. I'm from Camaguey I came to the U.S. when I was 11 years old, I went back for a visit in 1979, I don't remember much but you have brought me back so many memories and you described everything so perfect. If I ever go again I'm going to follow your directions more than I would follow my own family members, I think their couldn't top yours. I'm going to recommend this website to a lot of people that they will be thrilled to see it and who ever is planning on going there. Congratulations!! It's great, and thanks for the good time I had reading it. EM

My new most favouritist feedback!! Thank you! For anyone interested I've started to upload some more photos I took in Camaguey, you can find them here.

Hi, I have found your website [Bratislava page] very helpful. I wanted to go somewhere with similar attractions to Prague and needed inspiration. Many thanks, DB.

Do Lonely Planet get emails like this? I think not!!

What a great site. My wife and I are off to Prague next week. We now know where to go. Many thanks, YS

Probably not the best idea to take the wife into Bar Jaguar, or a similar establishment..

Hey Steve! Love your site! Was searching on Google and just found it. " dudes from Memphis, Tennessee here travelling to Europe in late April, early May 2005. Flying into London for a couple of days and then on to Northern Italy... Venice, Trieste. Your site made it look way cool. Dano

Dude!

Hi, I just thought to thank you for this site. My friends and me went to Prague, Bratislava and Krakow last August. We chose the restaurants from your guide and weren't dissapointed once. Especially U Vejvodu in Prague was amazing. JK

I know my food!!

Great site, enjoyed the read on Sofia. Want to go there this summer, stag weekend. Any suggestions of any Bulgarian firms that organise stag activities? RS

Can anyone help? I sense a business opportunity here...

Steve, Me and my buddy are off to Slovakia in April so your site was really useful for letting us know what the Craich is when we hit the suds, Shaun.

Nice to see I'm still attracting my target audience!

I wish you a lot of visitors at your beer travels page. Richard.

I have just been reading some of your stuff about Prague and wondered if you could tell me the best place for a group of girls to stay near to all the sights - whilst drinking will be on the agenda we don't really want to be stuck in the red light area (where is this located) Hope you can help - thought your site was ace! GE

What's a red light area? Something like this, maybe?

He really was trying to run away when this picture was taken!

Hi Steve, Fell into your site by default (was actually sick of waiting for Sky Europe's site to wake up) and am I glad I did. Have noted your web address and will consult it before embarking on future travels. Will also highly recommend it to others. All the best, MM.

Brilliant article on Camaguey! I'll keep your site bookmarked for future trip information! Cheerio :-) Dawn (from the "we have an idiot president country - that would be the US).

Unfortunately us Brits are hardly in a position to smug when it comes to the calibre of our leader...

Just read your site info. Going there [Bratislava] on Thursday for the first time, for 5 nights, well helpful, and same intelligence level, get drunk, see the sites & culture, and do some blues and rock bands and get drunk some more. Four of us, all in our 50s, going on 18!!! Thanks so much for the info! PR

That pretty much sums up this site in a nutshell! Great stuff!

I have just been on your site re Krakow which I found through the Google link. I think the site is excellent with so much useful information. Some guide books ramble on so much that my attention is lost. Heather

Not been there yet (Bratislava). Was looking forward to to the trip before I found your guide. Now I can't wait. Hope it is all you made it out to be. Cheers. Mal (would share some of my travels with others if foreign beers weren't far superior to the british dishwater).

Most foreign dish-water is far superior to British lager. Probably has less chemicals too...

Hello Steve, I stumbled across your website tonight and I have read through most of your travel destinations. You've written about some the places I've been to myself (like Ljubljana, Bratislava, Warsaw). I really enjoy your detailed descriptions and insights, the nice photos, as well as your sneaky sense of humour. I worry though you may have a drinking problem...although even for a teetotaler like myself, it's fun to read about what I miss :-) The strongest drink I'll have us a Coke with ice (not easy to get other that at mcDonalds in non-American locales). Yes, I am ab American, but a bearable one. Singly we're fine - it's when two or more travel together abroad taht the ugly stereotypes seem to inevitably be proven true. I recently came home from Albania, and perhaps you should consider a visit there. For one thing it's beautiful, plus their beer is excellent (I even sipped one). Albania has good wine too, or so I heard - and lots and lots of places to drink for next to nothing. Actually everything costs next to nothing...And the people are very nice and very friendly. Also I wonder, who is your (long-suffering) travel companion Dave, who you refer to variously in passing as a fat, pedophile, brothel-lover with an ape-face? I think I have a lot in common with him...at least as far as liking to visit communist-era housing estates like Petrzalka in Bratislava. My own travel pages are here. Thanks again and look forward to reading about your further travels, such as Brno. All the best, Tony Skaggs, New York, NY

I don't have a drinking problem, in fact I'm rather good at it. I have several travelling companions, two of whom are called Dave. The abuse that is directed towards them on this site is divided between them, entirely justified, and pales into insignificance when compared to the abuse that they hurl in my direction. Bastards. Tony's own website (link above) is interesting and well worth a read.

We recently came back from Bratislava. The info that your site provided came in handy. I noticed you've not been to Budapest yet - Go!! You'll love it. Lots of cheap beer, wonderful food and some fantastic scenery! We'll be using your info on Ljubljana in September. Keep up the good work fella, The Potter Tourists.

I've been to Budapest, Harry, but it was a couple of years before I started writing this site, and for reasons that may be connected to cheap red wine my recollections of the place are a little hazy...Great city though, and I do plan to return there at some point.

Hello,I just finished reading your on-line article detailing your visit to Slovenia. Great job, super pictures as well. My family lives in Koper and I will be retiring there soon. I am always eager to read of people's experiences when visiting my home town. Regards, ESK

Hi there, Id just like to say that your web page on krakow above being very humourous and interesting has been very informative for myself and a few others who were pondering on the idea of having a 21st birthday celebration there. MW

A 21st birthday in Krakow? What's wrong with just getting pissed at the local Weatherspoons, like when I was a lad?

Dude - Funny as piss and much more enjoyable than the "official" guides. Have been to Poland before (the old man is a Polack now living in South Africa; I emigrated to the States, having been born in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)), but we're taking our first trip to Prague and Vienna this July. Anyway, my chubby brother (who also still lives in SA) will enjoy reading your comments, which I've taken the liberty of printing. Like you guys, we'll drink lots of beer and forget much of what we see. Unfortunately, we have the women coming along with us. Thanks, and nice job! Bruce

Great idea, get someone else to take care of the sightseeing, it'd probably make the site a bit shorter though...

Hi Steve, First of all nice to look at your website, it's very good, I'll be visiting regularly. Keep up the travelling and the website, it's good to see the genuine "how it really is" article out there. DS

Let me tell you. I was born there [Camaguey] and came to the US on FIVE years ago. I know exactly what you're saying and when I read this I just couldn't stop laughing. I've been laughing for like an hour thanks to your way of putting things up. Next time you go I could give you names of some friends of mine that would definitely make your days in the island! AG

Is it just me, or does that last sentence sound a little sinister?

I note that you and your pet chimp take a perverse pleasure in touring former communist-bloc countries. Is this really the example to set to vulnerable readers of your esteemed rag? Why not visit seedy British resorts like Blackpool that have a tower to rival any gallic upstart and much more besides. There is a zoo where your simian companion can meet new friends and pubs aplenty where you can fight with transient scousers. A chip shop on every corner testifies to the robustness of the local fauna and voluptious ladies spill out of scant dresses and local pubs. A local (Dave Matchett).

You've sold the place to me! 2 reservations on Virgin trains to Blackpool and a weekend and Daves Value B&B please!

Interesting view of Brno! You certainly saw most of it. There are a couple of other places worth a look, if you are technically minded. There is an excellent Technical museum with everything from Tractors to Aircraft in it. Plus the national tram museum which is very good but a little cramped. Both are a tram ride out of town. You missed the best restaurant in Brno "U Staryho Billa" which specializes in Steaks (done Texas style) fantastic steak Mendoza. Also well worth the trip (Tram & bus) is Velka Klajdovka which is up on a hill overlooking the city. In the evening watching the sun go down and the city light up it is magical. Difficult to get to though, it is a hotel with a good restaurant and well used by the locals. Cheers AM

Having visited Krakow last year, I was very pleased to come across your very interesting and amusing article on Wroclaw. I hope to go there later this year. Kind regards, JB

People are coming across my site now?!? I didn't think it was that good....

Hi Steve, I just wanted to let you know that I have been looking around your website for the past hour and it is quite informative (and funny too!). I am hoping to go to Prague and other surrounding areas next year and I'm sure a lot of your information will come in handy. Keep up the great work! Karyn

Hi, A few 30 somethings are going to Wroclaw in Nov. 05, some of the lads are wanting to know a few things such as, what currency we take (zloty or US dollars), how much does a beer cost and do you know much about the seedier side of the city. We are really a good bunch of lads who are all well behaved but while away from home we might like to visit a few gents clubs. Regards "G".

I don't know why people always assume I know about the seedy sides of cities. Very strange... By "gent's clubs" I guess you must mean sitting in comfy armchairs, drinking brandy and smoking cigars while discussing the issues of the day...As long as you don't all wear matching rugby tops and singing "Is This the Way to Amarillo" you'll be fine (the police will shoot you on sight if you try that).

When will you be updating your site fella? CC

Now.

Very entertaining website Steve.... if not a tad alarming since we go through Trieste airport and town on Saturday! Think we'll do the Koper thing like you and I might even copy your train journey to Ljubljana which sounds superb. Thanks, Ian

Hi there, Just gone through your Cuba website. I've been there (more than once) as late as Juanuary 2005. I must say that you seem to have encapsulated my experiences on it & brought back many memories. Thanks, BS

Just thought Id drop you a line to say what an absolutely splendid site you have, not only very informative but also very very funny, I was going to go and buy a guide to Prague today but I dont need to bother now as I have all the info I need. Well Done!! CF

Ha ha, up yours Lonely Planet!

Dear Steve, Just back from a 4 days trip to Krakow made so much better for taking a copy of your guide with me (along with the DK, In Your Pocket, and Marek Strzala ones to Krakow and the Rough Guide to Poland). Many thanks for the effort you put into it, even a middle aged married couple found your comments so useful. I completely agree about the Restauracja Cechowa.CO

Middle-aged couples, single young pissheads, lonely old perverts, you're all welcome here!

As an Austrian with a strong link to Prague but living in London I must say your travel guides are excellent, in fact really time saving and convenient for me too, whenever people ask me about these places and I am toolazy to translate I just sit them in front of this machine and let them browse your site - thanks for doing all the hard work for me :-) All the best, heaps of fun too, Claudine.

You like me, you really like me.

Hi, I'll be travelling to Scottsdale, Arizona, over the New Year and am curious what your recommendation for lodging might be. GJ

Errr.... have you found a hidden "Scottsdale" page on this site that I'm not aware of...

Looking for a good site for the best cuba food recipes TM

Thanks for letting me know that, best of luck.

Steve, Many thanks for the guide to Brno, I'm going there for a mate's stag do, 4 of us in total. I cannot wait to try out the restaurants and pubs, it sounds great. Regards, AT

Congratulations for this travel guide! I was looking for information about Brno and found it only here!!! I am George, dentist from Transylvania. IG

A Transylvanian dentist? I'll let you insert your own Dracula joke here...

Hi, Hoping to travel to Salzburg and Brno in the near future so I've found your website really interesting. Thanks. JU

I should be on some sort of commission from the Brno tourist board...

Dear Sir, I travelled around the world for years.I always respected a place and its people.... and today I read your review on Trieste's airport... I agree with you when you talk about disorganisation, but I don't approve your prejudice about Italy and the Italians. Before travelling you should open your mind and try to understand the culture and rules of a foreign Nation.... I find your conclusions rather racist and a little bit stupid. Best wishes, AdM

I'm not sure how much of the site you read, but if you've read through all of it then I hope you'd have realised that not everything I write is meant to be taken seriously. Where ever I go, I try to make to some kind of joke, and in the case of Trieste airport the target of that joke was Italian bureaucracy. OK, maybe it wasn't a very funny joke, but I'm sure that you'd have to admit that bureaucracy in Italy is a worthy target of ridicule! If you read more of your site you'll see that my observations/failed attempts at humour are directed against just about everybody (Americans, Germans, and especially my fellow Britons), but the person at whom I direct most of my abuse is myself!

Absolute quality. One of the best cities I've been to (Krakow). We're off to Kaunas & Vilnius later in the year so I'll be scouting the site for more tips.Cheers, The Potter Tourists

Are you the same Potter Tourists?!? Could there be more than one lot? Weird...

Congratulations on a very funny and informative web site. We've just come back after spending 6 days in Krakow and had a great time. I found your web site a few days before we left but unfortunately I had already shelled out on a couple of guide books. I took the liberty of printing your info out, we managed to visit most of the bars and a few of the restaurants you recommend, I particularly enjoyed the tin mug full of lard at Chopskie Jadlo on Jana. We also been lucky enough to visit Havana & Prague in the last couple of years and reading your web site brought back happy memories, mind you Jose Marti Airport must feature high up in the top ten of most confusing airports.Keep up the the good work, SR

Last week, me and a couple of mates booked a trip to Cuba next year. Then I found your travel guide - and it's great! Informative, interesting and funny. Thanks man, I'll be printing a copy and taking it with me (kept far from customs eyes though, naturally).LJ

It's not Custom's eyes you want to keep far from, it's their rubber-clad, vaseline-smeared fists...

Hi Steve, just been reading your travel guide to Cuba... very informative and like your sense of humour.. I have already been there 3 times but not been arround Cuba as much as you. How did you find the time to do all those things (including getting drunk) since, I find it difficult to get anything done there, realising that the pace of life in cuba is not at warp speed. I note that you have also travelled to many of the eastern block countries and I will get arround to reading about your exploits when I return from Cuba. Dave

I didn't have to find time to do all those things. I just did everything while drunk.

Hello Steve, We, accidentally, found your site whilst trying to find details of travel between Trieste and Ljubljana. We're planning to visit Ljubljana next near and had planned to take in Trieste. I shall give the latter a miss now but you've sparked my interest in Koper. Your site is fantastic. You provide all the important details that normally take us ages to locate. We find the bus/train details particularly useful and the fact you show the fares. The detailed info on restaurants, and price guides, is also wonderfully helpful and highly amusing. We're off to Krakow, in 3 weeks, so we will certainly be reading up on that. Please keep up the good work as we plan to do a lot more travelling ( we have Salzburg, Budapest and Prague under our belts).Your time, effort and great sense of humour are certainly appreciated by us.L&R

Looks like I'm not going to be very popular in Trieste again, so before anyone else writes in, DON'T AVOID TRIESTE ON MY ACCOUNT! Just because the airport is a bit of a shit-hole the rest of the city looks lovely and well worth a visit.

Hi Steve, This site absolutley rocks. You need an agent to set you up a travel book deal. Thanks for your guides and believe me your selling your knowledge for free.BTW Bratislava .... Fantastic place shame about the buisness men. Martin

Before I get an agent I need to get a lawyer to take care of one or two little misunderstandings...

Dear Alecan, I have just scanned through your website providing information to the people interested in visiting my country which is the Slovak Republic. I would like to use thi occasion to set you right about certain things on our political scene. As far as Vladimir Meciar is concerned I would not dare state he was a disaster for our country. As a public writer you had better weigh your words prior to letting them out. Compared to the current Government directed by USA we have lost our identity and strategic industries. btw, the biggest expansion of economics we experienced under communism regime.My country was given the green light to joining the EU but nobody cared what requirements we've had to meet. I truly believe that the idea of the unified Europe is becoming less intensive, specially the UK prooves it by ignoring all the measures. As you may know from your own experiences the laws are made to be obeyed by poor. It has always been like this and nothing is gonna change it. The truth is that our ex-premier Vladimir Meciar, renowned for his controversial philosophy, did a lot to damage Slovakia's reputation and encouraged the EU to reject our entry. Why? He stated "let's join the EU but not with the naked ass", we insist on them to recognise our conditions improving our standard of living. Because of this they bore him ill will and compromised him. Now we are in, being treated as slaves, condemned to low-paid jobs despite being well-educated. That is what we are fighting for::)) Not me! I have always been opposed to this dictatorship conducted by Brusel, the city of "masons". Anyway, I appreciate your aim of advertising the best visual delights of my country. It sometimes pays off to seek advice from those having a clear mind and an ability to avoid being deceived by our "great system". Maros Takac

For those with a clear mind who want to know more about Vladimir Meciar.

Dear Steve, This is just to say a big THANKYOU for your most amusing and well-written website. I came across it about a year ago and I've revisited from time to time. One of the best travel sites I've come across, and written exactly as I would have written it if I were witty and amusing and had actually travelled to any of those places. If I were a publisher I'd offer you a book contract, as the way you write is much better than a lot of the tat that's out there. Unfortunately, I'm an out-of-work software developer, so I can't actually be of any help.Anyway, that's it -- keep up the good work, etc - RM

What a nice chap! Anyone looking to employ a software developer drop me a line and I'll pass your message on.

Hello Steve, Wwill have to write in stages as I've too much say in one go. Suffice to say we adored Krakow. It has an endearing genteel feel to the place. So much so that I was made to feel slightly uncomfortable about wearing shorts ( although the weather certainly dictated their necessity). I'm not talking hot pants and stilletoes here but Millets zip up shorts/trousers and sensible walking sandals. After noticing a smartly dressed couple ' whispering' I realised I was the only female over 18 years of age to be wearing them. My embarressment aside I loved the way it's so family orientated and non-threatening. The main square was filled, in the evenings, by happy peaceful folk just enjoying themselves. The atmosphere was wonderful with the flower strewn pavement cafes, horses and carriages, and entertaining buskers. There were no screaming children either, chasing the numerous pigeons. We found the people courteous and very friendly ( I wholeheartedly agreed with your comments about the surly service in the Two Black Cats in Prague). It helped that English was spoken far more widely than in Prague. It was certainly useful that all menus were also written in English. I enjoy local cusine but I do like to know what I'm ordering. We took on board your restaurant tips and ate in 3 of them. The Balaton produced the best goulash we've ever had, shame the music was dire though ( don't remember being submitted to that when we visited Budapest). Without your helpful advice we wouldn't have found the fabulous Cechowa. You were spot on about the upmarket feel ( good job I'd abandoned the shorts for trousers by then) although it doesn't appear anything special from the outside. I had the pork parcel and cooked pear just as you did ( not that I was copying you but I like those foods too). We also dined in the Gespoda which was exactly as you described. The waitress beamed with pleasure that we had returned a second night. It really makes a difference to your holiday when you are made to feel so welcome. Thank you for finding these restaurants and sharing the information. L&R

Our party of red-blooded gentlemen of a certain age were surprised by your claim that females in shorts are a rare sight in Krakow. Maybe we were looking harder than you were...

Steve, Paul here in L.A. I just came upon your most interesting and helpful resource. I have visited Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, ex-Yugoslavia, ex-USSR but quite some time ago but am now interested in traveling to Germany and Poland and perhaps the Baltic States for research on my current book.This could take place in the next few weeks if I get it together. I had some hesitation until I "chanced" upon your site. Thanks for that bit of positive catalyst. PG

Not only are people telling me I should write my own book, I'm now acting as encouragement for others to write theirs! I'd never considered myself a muse before....

Hi Steve, Just a note to thank you for your Brno webpage- I've just moved here and appreciate the tips on bars that I've not found (didn't realise that Zelena Kocka was a club also; too fuddled by the Dalesicky beer, sweet and malty, all too morey).Only thing that I would comment on is the comment in Hernas- you are bang on in that they are generally not the best for atmosphere but all that I've been to do do beer on draft (the Czech's still haven't fell for the bottle or cans in bars thankfully). Glad you share the sentiment that there's no point in drinking imported beer in this country also.Good work. Owen

Bugger, all those 24 hour bars I could have taken advantage of and I just ignored them. Then again I'm not sure how I could possibly have fitted any more drinking into our trip to Brno...

Hi Steve..... Mate, a quick word to say thanks for your travel guides. I discovered them earlier in the year when I travelled to Cuba (for which they came in handy). However, I just spent a week in Bulgaria and your Sofia guide was a great help. By the way, when you next have a few spare weeks, I reckon you should spend some time travelling around the rest of Bulgaria. We did a trip from Sofia, down to Melnik across to Shiroka Luka, back up to Plovdiv, then on to Troyan and Veliko Tarnovo and finally across to Varna. It was one of the best trips I hae ever done. Such a friendly race of people - we met some great characters. And only 60p for 500ml of beer!Cheers Steve

That's a different Steve, obviously. Unlike the letters page in Razzle I don't write these things myself! Which isn't to suggest that I write the letters page in Razzle either. Here are the links to Steve's photos of Bulgaria and Cuba, which are much better than mine.

Just wanted to say I had a good laugh reading your 'stuff', pretty informative too. Cheers, KW

Hi, if you think Trieste is bad, try Petropovlask (sorry about the spelling) Kamchatka. In a drizzle, at 4 in the morning, the guests and crew of the Clipper Osyssey ( about 170 people) spent 3 hours waiting for the heroically outfitted (heroically as in lots of medals!) customs officials to read every detail of each passport and visa. A few dim lights, one or two chairs, a john, and that was about it. It was so bad, the Clipper captain changed our itinerary so we could sleep in until 8.NK

Ah, but did this Customs man have stripey trousers and a feathered hat?!? If not, Trieste airport is still in the lead!

Steve, I found your site from my lovely friend Google and I have to say it is hugely impressive. Very big kudos to you for that. 7 of us from work (we're all 20) are off to Prague and your guide is extremely exhaustive, detailed and insightful. I was apprehensive and nervous about going before I read your guide thinking it was just going to be all drinking and prostitutes. I am currently on page 3 having read through the last two pages (have printed it all out for reference while we are there) so you're going to be our virtual tour guide! How do you feel about that? Mike

Just because I'm your tour guide doesn't mean I have to wear the matching t-shirt, does it? And how many more acres of rain forest are going to be destroyed by people printing off my site?

Hi Steve, I just came across your informative (and very witty) report on Koper, which I found delightful after having just spent some time there.How I got there is a bit of a roundabout story, so I hope you'll bear with me...For four or five evenings a week I drive a taxi in Bristol (to keep me out of the pub!) Back in April, I was making usual last stop at Bristol Parkway station to meet the last train from Paddington, but on this occasion I was late and the station was in darkness, except for a young girl and (as it later transpired) her mother, who were having an animated discussion with a 'City' cab driver, who shortly departed. It turned out that the girl was a Slovenian student at Cardiff University, who had been to meet her mother at Bristol Airport, who was over for a surprise birthday visit. They'd caught the 'Flyer' bus into the city then asked this s*d of a taxi driver to take them to Parkway to catch the last train to Cardiff. He then drove them the slowest possible way to the station, ensuring they missed the train, before offering to take them to Cardiff for £100 (meter fare, about £60). Discovering they only had £40 between them, he then cleared off, leaving them helpless at a closed suburban station at 1.00 a.m., with little money and even less English.What would you do? [Am I the only one who thought that this was heading into Razzle letters page territory at this point?] I radioed my dispatcher, asking if we would do a 'charity' fare to Cardiff for £40. To my surprise, the answer was positive... and so began a lovely relationship which took me ultimately to Koper a couple of weeks ago. By the time I'd dropped Urska and her mum at the Uni tower in Cardiff, and I insisted on taking her mum back to Bristol airport a few days later (in my own car) rather than risk another unpleasant experience with public transport! Urska and I kept in touch by email throughout the summer, and I was pleased to help her with the English language side of her exam work. It was a sad day when I took her to Luton Airport to catch the WizzAir flight back to Ljubljana, where her parents live (Urska shares an apartment in Koper). When Urska heard I was going to northern Italy on business a few weeks ago, she insisted I visit. As it happened, the business didn't transpire, but I went anyway, catching the same WizzAir flight [I strongly recommend Wizzair, by the way] and was greeted at LJU with the friendliest welcome I've ever received.I can only say that if Urska and her family are typical of Slovenijan hospitality, then the rest of the world has a lot to learn. Nothing was too much trouble; even though Urska was in the middle of several tight academic deadlines, she'd make time to show me around during the day before burning the midnight oil. And she took me to some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen - Bled, Lipica, Piran, Portoroz, Skocjan, Socerb (have you seen the view from there?), culminating in an umbrella-wielding tour of old Ljubljana in pouring rain with her charming mother on the night before I was due to depart. Although we all got wet (Urska more than the others of us), it was nevertheless one of the warmest experiences I've had...I'm now learning Sloveijan (slowly!) and looking forward to going back again; I'm also hoping to sponsor Urska in the next stage of her studies - but she doesn't know about that yet - I suspect it will be difficult to accept the help she desperately needs.Well, sorry to have burdened you with all that! Funny thing is that among one's own circle of 'friends' you suddenly find that actually there isn't anyone particularly interested in what you consider very important....Thanks for your report, and for taking the time to read this...DGL

An inspiring story, and a nice reminder that most taxi drivers are decent, honest people (apart from the bastard who tried charging me 1500 crowns last time I took a taxi to Prague airport, obviously). And three cheers for the kind disptacher at Eurotaxis in Bristol, next time you're there and want a taxi you know who to call.

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed reading your page on Prague. The tips are excellent - I'm going to Prague for New Years (staying at an awesome apartment on Little Quarter), and I'll be sure to relay some of your info to my friends. Just wanted to give you a "heads-up" on all the negative American feedback you're getting. I enjoyed your site so much i've read through all the feedbacks (boring day at work Friday before Christmas) and I must say, the cry-baby Americans pissed me off! What a bunch of prudish, close-minded bores! I am an American, although a native of Russia, and all I can do is just laugh at people who take offense at innocent, funny as heck joke. So keep up the good work, and I'd love to read about your travels to Moscow or St. Petersburg sometime!O

Ha, even your fellow Americans are disowning you, Laura Hansen!

Hi Steve, I've just been on your Geocities site. Some great stuff there - it seems that you've managed to gleam much more info out of your visits than the average tourist. Just wondering if you're still keeping the site up-to-date? DR

Well, that depends on your definition of up-to-date... I update more oftern than the bible...

Hi,I just read your interesting story about your journey in Salzburg. Its fabulous and exciting. Thank you. AA

Sharing a room with Dave was most emphatically not fabulous and exciting.

Hello, Complement of the weekend, I am Miss C******* a very good looking kind and honest tall and have nice legs and charming, eyes, very sexy and cool, beautiful and sincere, please I will like to know you, and I also have something very important to tell you, Here is my email address [deleted for reasons of National Security] [oh, what the hell - carodesmond9999@yahoo.com] send an email to me as soon as possible. Thanks, yours C

Mum, can't you just phone like everyone else?

Howdy. With a Prague trip planned from North Carolina a few years ago, your site became a primary planning tool, particularly in finding the incredibly convenient Charles Bridge Residence. The pubs, as promised, were close by, all serving great frosty adult beverages at alcoholism inducing prices. More than one toast was in your honor for the humor & information your web site provided. Another trip is being planned for an area known for, among other things, good beverages, so I sought out your site knowing you could help with a good pub crawl. Unfortunately, you've don't have anything other than that you're doing the same thing. We, too, are doing the easy cruise through The Netherlands & Belgium. Apparently, the Dutch have done a good job in convincing everyone that now is the time to float up some of their creeks & streams. After many years of overseas travel, this trip is to be the swan song of the group with which I do most of my adventures. So, lame or not, I'm going one last time to be with what has become over the years to be a fun travel group. If you're there on the same dates & you see the Switzerland II floating around, seek us out. I owe you a pint or three. Cheers TW

I'll take 3 pints please, I always drink my pints in threes... And if you're reading this, Stelios bring back easycruise2!

Hello,We are going to Salzburg in May of 2008 and I have to tell you how much I really enjoyed all the info on the things to see (not to mention places to get drunk) and not only wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it, but to thank you as well. Did you ever find your other glove? :) Thanks again for putting this together! Michele

Nope, never saw that glove again. It was probably sold to some glove fetishist on eBay...

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