OT Vacation Plans?

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Sand to a beach. Could be worse you could have been married in your 20s and took her. I thought you had been there? It's always been known for an epic party spot.

I brought a gf to Rio when I was 30. Regretted most of it and split shortly after.

I did a Barcelona/Madrid/Valencia trip where we went to the big Tomato fight.

At the time, the logistics of taking a plane and figuring out the hotels, etc was too daunting. People that I met in those cities did say it was really really expensive in Ibiza, I guess I'm not travelling in peak season so things may seem cheaper. (stuff is really expensive still, the famous Cafe Mambo to catch the sunset has a minimum food and beverage spend of 100 euros per person).

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I'm looking for a good gift for my wife since she couldn't come this trip. I was thinking something leather but might go for a unique scent or something there instead. No matter what I get I will probably screw it up so might as well make it unique

yeah, watch out for the "leather factory tour" scams lolz

 

[donkiez]

yeah, watch out for the "leather factory tour" scams lolz

That's my problem with leather, I feel like most of what I see is a scam or outrageously expensive. I have no idea what is good and my fashion sense is terrible for those type of things.

 

[donkiez]

Hit up the Pizzale Michelangelo today and the view was stunning! Got some wall hanger photos for sure from there. Doing the Florence walking tour tomorrow with skip the lines for the Academia and Uffizi. Then a Tuscany Day tour on Wednesday. Probably try and get into the Duomo on Thursday or Friday when the weather turns and the holiday crowds are hopefully better. Not sure about this weekend, might train to somewhere for a day trip.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Hit up the Pizzale Michelangelo today and the view was stunning! Got some wall hanger photos for sure from there. Doing the Florence walking tour tomorrow with skip the lines for the Academia and Uffizi. Then a Tuscany Day tour on Wednesday. Probably try and get into the Duomo on Thursday or Friday when the weather turns and the holiday crowds are hopefully better. Not sure about this weekend, might train to somewhere for a day trip.

Are you going to check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa? It was better than I thought, just watching people pose with it was funny. I thought Sienna was a bit overrated.

Are you going to Venice at all? We daytripped there from Rome and it was doable.

 

[donkiez]

Are you going to check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa? It was better than I thought, just watching people pose with it was funny. I thought Sienna was a bit overrated.

Are you going to Venice at all? We daytripped there from Rome and it was doable.

Considered all that, not sure. I've been to Rome twice and Venice once already. Siena will be on our Tuscany Day trip. I heard Pisa was overrated so I kind of wrote it off but it was still in the back of mind and it would be easy. I really want to see Cinque Terre, but would rather spend a few days in that area. Verona and Lake Como area are intriguing. Maybe Bologna or San Marino? Figured I talk with people on our tours the next few days to see what they thought.

 

[ABM]

We're going to Denver in September for a wedding and are getting the opportunity to rent a brand new Tesla ($80 per day!) thru Turo. We had a fantastic experience with Turo when we went to Hawaii. I'd recommend them to anyone!

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

We're going to Denver in September for a wedding and are getting the opportunity to rent a brand new Tesla ($80 per day!) thru Turo. We had a fantastic experience with Turo when we went to Hawaii. I'd recommend them to anyone!

If you use credit card to cover rental insurance, it doesn't work on Turo

 

[ABM]

If you use credit card to cover rental insurance, it doesn't work on Turo

My insurance company covers all. I checked.

 

[donkiez]

Did the Tuscany day tour yesterday. Fantastic fun. Siena was just ok, kind of a cute slower place than Florence but thats it. The real fun was a wine tasting and lunch at a Chianti winery. Had some amazing wines and got super tanked, also some 20+ year aged balsamic which was crazy good. Then spent the last part of the day in San Gimignano, which was awesome. Anyone who goes to Tuscany needs to spend at least an afternoon in San Gimignano, such a cool city. Felt like we walked into the middle ages.

Been taking it easy today and got some good shopping in. Bought my wife some nice italian leather bags so she will let me travel again without her (she works a lot). Our tour guide gave us a good recomendation on where to go and turns out in the main district they are legally required to sell the real deal so you just have to find what you like and negotiate a good price. Had a Lamprodotto sandwhich for lunch, which is made from the 4th and final stomach of the cow. Its a local favorite and it was much better than it sounds. Worth a try at least.

Thinking we will day trip to Bologna on Saturday.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

The only reason I'd really want to go to Siena again is to see and experience the Palio (horse race). The big draw is the central square, but when I went it was pretty underwhelming, like a big version of Pioneer Courthouse square.

 

[donkiez]

The palio sounds kind of crazy. I would love to see it also. Sounds like a really intense event.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

The palio sounds kind of crazy. I would love to see it also. Sounds like a really intense event.

It was in one of the opening sequence of Bond's Quantum of Solace.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Has anyone used an eSim? I have one on my phone and may try that out in spain for faster data versus the free tmobile 2G browsing.

 

[Shaboid]

I don't think anyone has discussed an Amsterdam trip here? Anyone ever been? Red light district?

 

[Shaboid]

Has anyone used an eSim? I have one on my phone and may try that out in spain for faster data versus the free tmobile 2G browsing.

I've brought an old unlocked phone and got a prepaid plan from one of the local telecom companies. In Iceland it was Simmin (sp?). That's worked for me.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I don't think anyone has discussed an Amsterdam trip here? Anyone ever been? Red light district?

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I've brought an old unlocked phone and got a prepaid plan from one of the local telecom companies. In Iceland it was Simmin (sp?). That's worked for me.

I have a pixel 5. But I'll try the eSim out see how that works

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I don't think anyone has discussed an Amsterdam trip here? Anyone ever been? Red light district?

Never been

Not really my vibe tbh

 

[tlongII]

I don't think anyone has discussed an Amsterdam trip here? Anyone ever been? Red light district?

I’ve been there a couple of times. I parked illegally one evening and ended up getting a boot put on my rental car. True story. Cafe’s and red light district were very interesting.

 

[donkiez]

Has anyone used an eSim? I have one on my phone and may try that out in spain for faster data versus the free tmobile 2G browsing.

I have a pixel 6 TMobile phone with an esim. Free 2g but you get a text with a link as soon as you get here to upgrade to highspeed internet for $5 per day or $25 per week.

 

[donkiez]

I don't think anyone has discussed an Amsterdam trip here? Anyone ever been? Red light district?

I've been twice. Once with a party buddy in my 20s and once with my current wife a few years ago. Totally different experiences, both fun. It's a great city, very small though and you can see it all in about 4 days or so. Red light district is fun to walk through, it's pretty touristy and even kids go though it during the day. It's one of the best food cities in the world. The Argentine steak houses are amazing and all the waffles and pastries are so good. Smoking weed there was more fun when it was illegal in the US, now Oregon has better smoke Amsterdam doesn't even have concentrates. Two best things I've done there were the Van Gogh museum and the Reypenaer cheese and wine tasting tasting. Other than that just walk around and eat and shop till you drop, roll up a fattie and head over to Vondelpark for the afternoon. It a really good jumping off point for other Euro cities with their train station.


https://www.amsterdam.info/reypenaer-cheese-tasting-room/

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I have a pixel 6 TMobile phone with an esim. Free 2g but you get a text with a link as soon as you get here to upgrade to highspeed internet for $5 per day or $25 per week.

Its data capped


vs. eSim (this is Orange)

 

[donkiez]

Its data capped
View attachment 47318

vs. eSim (this is Orange)

View attachment 47319

How much data do you need?!

That's different than the options I was given through the text link. My only options were $5 per day or $25 per week for high speed data. Nothing about a data cap. I am also on sprint portal of TMobile still tho, not sure if that makes a difference but it does say it's from Sprint.

You made me go look up my data usage since I've been here and it's still only 760mb since last Friday so either way I'm not too worried. I'm pretty much always on wifi unless I am using Google maps or doing a quick search on the fly.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

How much data do you need?!

That's different than the options I was given through the text link. My only options were $5 per day or $25 per week for high speed data. Nothing about a data cap. I am also on sprint portal of TMobile still tho, not sure if that makes a difference but it does say it's from Sprint.

You made me go look up my data usage since I've been here and it's still only 760mb since last Friday so either way I'm not too worried. I'm pretty much always on wifi unless I am using Google maps or doing a quick search on the fly.

I'm a data hog.

Used 18GB in Feb, 24GB in March and so far in April I've used 12 GB.

I want to see how it works for future use as well. I plan to travel internationally pretty extensively the next few years. Just wanna maybe see how it works out for me.

 

[donkiez]

I'm a data hog.

Used 18GB in Feb, 24GB in March and so far in April I've used 12 GB.

I want to see how it works for future use as well. I plan to travel internationally pretty extensively the next few years. Just wanna maybe see how it works out for me.

Ok, now I am interested so let me know how it works out. I have lots of travel plans for the next few years also. Just booked a week in Germany to see my buddy for early June. Gonna look into what I am paying for data wise and why it seems to be a little different than what you are showing.

By the way the magic eraser is pretty fun on the pixel 6. There is always one jerk who won't get out of the photo, now it doesn't matter so much.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Ok, now I am interested so let me know how it works out. I have lots of travel plans for the next few years also. Just booked a week in Germany to see my buddy for early June. Gonna look into what I am paying for data wise and why it seems to be a little different than what you are showing.

By the way the magic eraser is pretty fun on the pixel 6. There is always one jerk who won't get out of the photo, now it doesn't matter so much.

I belive in Germany with T-mobile, you get full speed internet. That used to be the case.

edit: Nevermind, I don't think its like that anymore when I checked.

I may upgrade to the Samsung S22 Ultra before I go. I have the S21 Ultra but the upgrade is only $350 right now and I've already replaced the screen on mine through warranty repair.

yeah, I guess Samsung has that magic eraser too and I never knew.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Anyone have an international driver's license?

I guess you have to get at AAA

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Anyone have an international driver's license?

I guess you have to get at AAA

It's a permit, not a license.

 

[donkiez]

Day tripped to Bologna, had some bolognese.