aliante1981's VirtualTourist Home Page

This is one ofthe cards from my collection -- showing Schwarzwald (or Black Forest) in Germany. A
wonderful place indeed, and definitely worth exploring in less hurry than the one I had in July 2002..

HELLO!

I have been away from VT for months now, and I have a lot of catching up to do: piecing together my pages, addind some new ones, etc. Will take some time, though....

What are my most complete pages ? (With more than 20 tips on each, that means)

-Paris: 37 tips, 35 pictures, and 1 travelogue
-Moscow: 34 tips, 36 pictures, 3 travelogue
-London: 33 tips, 22 pictures
-Dubna: 32 tips, 42 pictures, 4 travelogues
-Rome: 30 tips, 14 pictures
-Tunisia: 27 tips, 27 pictures, 2 travelogues
-Cairo: 26 tips, 5 pictures
-Venice: 24 tips, 13 pictures, and 1 travelogue
-Egypt: 23 tips, 32 pictures, 4 travelogues
-Munich: 23 tips, 1 picture
-Africa: 22 tips, 19 pictures

MY LIFE IN A NUTSHELL:

Few Facts:

My real name's Maria and I'm currently working in investment banking in London.

Still Myself, but a Bit More Personal, or My Hobbies:

TRAVELING: I bet you're not surprised! What else I'd be doing here, if it were not so?? Though I prefer going on my own, I sometimes join organized tours

GOLF: have become quite a fan recently, and hope to have some time to really work on my game

POSTCARD COLLECTION: I've started out along this road in 1999 (I believe), and I now have more than 1500 cards from 60+ countries. Wherever I go, I just seem to buy up any lovely postcard I see... It's strange my luggage never makes customs officials here in Russia question my profession. I though they's classify me as an importer of postcards :)) If you wish to see something of it, you can visit my pages here (I'll soon upload cards I have for that place).

PHOTOGRAPHY: I wish I were better at it! However, since I bought a decent camera (CANON 350D is really good!) things are improving on this front as well:)) I also like to redesign pictures with Adobe Photoshop. What you see here (unless it's postcards) are mostly the results of this work. Just can't yet make myself post the pictures I've taken, unless they are retouched :))

COMPUTERS: One of my two pcs (either a desktop or a laptop) always keeps me company:)) I also like web design... I know it can't (hoopefully yet) be noticed from this VT site.

LANGUAGES: Russian, English & Italian fluently -- so you can write me in these languages with confidence:) Also basic German & something of Spanish -- I can understand these as well, and speak some German.

My travels of 2007:

- Russia: Moscow
- France: Paris, Disneyland, Tours, Blois, Chenonceau, Chambord, Amboise, Cheverny, Azay-le-Rideau, Usse, Villandry, and Lille
- Belgium: Brussels
- Switzerland: Geneva
- Greece: Athens, Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Tyrinth, and Nafplio

My travel plans for remainder of 2007 - 2008:

- Iceland (May '07): Country tour
- United Kingdom (July '07): St. Andrews, Loch Lomond
- France (June '07): Paris, Monet Gardens
- China (July - August '07): Beijing, the Great Wall, Lhasa and Tibet tour
- Austria (New Year '08): Vienna - The New Year Concert

SOMETHING ABOUT MY LIKES & DISLIKES?

The Books I Love: Tolkien's Works, Bulgakov's 'Master & Margarita', M. Twain's 'Innocents Abroad', Jerome K. Jerome's 'Three Men in a Boat' & 'Three Men on a Bummel', all B. Shaw's & Agatha Christie's works, Rowling's Harry Potter, Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister by Jay & Lynn, P.G. Wodehouse & many many others.

My Fave Music: operas (though I quite hated them while in music school), country, Queen, Beatles, Blackmore's Night, Elton John, -- and others, I just can't name everything here.

My Fave Fashion:

Recently became quite a designer fashion freak - guess it happens to us, gals:))) Pucci, LVMH, Celine, and their likes are always welcome in my closet:))

WHAT TYPE OF TRAVELLER I AM

That is not my own view, but rather the results of a test I completed on one of the sites. I can not remember where that was (else I would certainly tell you!), I just saved the results in a .txt mode. I agree with it, for the most part…

For me a pleasure trip must be free from stress and responsibility as much as possible, hence I tend to choose either all-inclusive, or 4-5 star hotels. This (in the view of the test) does not mean I do not enjoy off the beaten track places, as long as I can find necessary comforts in place. If I hire a guide, he/she is better to know all the details about the place, for I am unlikely to be satisfied with general information only. I like the company of other travelers with whom I tend to become friendly quite soon, and this means I do not grumble about a lot of time spent with them. My ideal destination (once again, according to the test) is Vienna.

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My 'scorecard' for a destination:

- Sightseeing options: knowing myself, it's unlikely I will spend more than a couple of days in a location with very limited sightseeing attraction, or - at the very least - without chance to make some day trips;

- Scenery: an area of natural beauty will always rank highly on my 'must see' travel list;

- Quality accomodation: I've understood some time ago that if I weree to take part in 'Survivor' I would've failed miserably - I doubt I am cut out for huts and hostels. 4*-5* hotels is more like my piece of cake;

WHAT PLACES I'D LIKE TO VISIT?

Here's the short list of 40 countries (not real short, I guess) I've never been to but have on the top of my 'Must See' list - without commentaries:

Europe:

Iceland, Portugal, Ireland, Hungary, Croatia, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Malta

Asia:

Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, China, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia

Americas:

USA, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, Chile, Brazil, Peru

Africa:

South African Republic, Morocco, Kenya

Middle East:

Jordan, Syria, Iran, Lebanon

Australia & Oceania:

New Zealand, Australia