Small Towns in Beautiful Germany

Many towns in Germany have a special "fragrance", due to the fact that the majority of them have kept many remnants of the Hanseatic League and the Middle Ages, in terms of architecture and culture. Let us talk about a few of these lovely cities, namely Grimmen, Stralsund and Greifswald.

With a population of about 15000, Grimmen is a small town that has a lot of history behind. It was first mentioned in a report in the year 1267, when an official of the Principality of Rugen settled in and took office. The town doesn't offer too many things to see: only four structures are interesting for tourists: the three gates and the town hall. The three gates are in fact tall brick towers with a passage at the base that have been built in the 14th century. They display an early Gothic style of architecture, being considered the town's trademark. They have been named according to the places people reached if they went through each gate out of the town: the first one is the Stralsund Gate, second is the Grefiswald Gate, and the third, even though it didn't lead to a city, was equally important - the Mill Gate. They are indeed wonderful and definitely worth seeing. The town hall has also been built on red bricks, it's a little bit younger than the gates, but it's equally astonishing.

If we exit Grimmen by the eastern gate, after about 40 kilometers we arrive to the town of Greifswald. This is a much larger city than Grimmen (about four times larger) and is better known too, thanks to the University of Greifswald, which has about 5000 employees and 13000 students. It is as old as Grimmen, and it shares a lot of historical events with its small neighbor. Both of them have been under the rule of the Swedish empire, and both of them have been influenced by the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. Located at the Danish Gulf in the Baltic Sea, it is a port that has a special setting, as you can go by boat up the river Ryck right near the town center, which gives the city an interesting aura.

Stralsund on the other hand, is famous for it's cultural, historical and scientific activities. Located about 30 kilometers North of Grimmen, this town is the best destination for travelers who want to go to a place where they could see historical monuments and buildings (the city center is full of really old buildings and churches), learn more about art and architecture (the three museums will take care of that), discover the wonders of the sea (at the German Oceanographic Museum) or just have fun and enjoy life at the Hansedom Water Park. This makes Stralsund a virtual magnet for tourists, and this is why, in the last twenty years, there started to appear several 4 star hotels, in an attempt to offer visitors the best accommodation possible.

So remember: if you ever want to go to Germany and learn about its rich history and culture, or you just want to have fun and drink beer, try one of these three locations; it's definitely worth your while.

The Amazing Nightlife of Phuket

Phuket is a very popular travel destination located in Southern Thailand. One of the principal reasons why Phuket has grown into one of Asia's leading travel destinations is because of the wild and amazing nightlife which visitors encounter on this tropical Asian island. Of course this leading Thai travel destination has plenty of other attractions and activities to offer its tourists, which include white sandy beaches and these popular tourist shows found at Simon Cabaret and Phuket Fantasea. However the nightlife has been ranked as the leading attraction for many travelers and tourists.

Phuket has many repeat visitors and the vast majority of these repeat tourists return back to this popular holiday destination because of the large variety of excellent bars and the many cute Thai girls that are employed at these Phuket nightlife venues.

Travelers who are planning to spend their vacation on Phuket and who would like to spend many evenings exploring the exiting nightlife should definitely reserve accommodation in Patong beach. This popular beach resort area is where most popular Phuket nightlife establishments are located.

There is a wide range of different type of nightlife venues on the island which we have listed and reviewed for you.

Discos

Any tourists who would like to do some clubbing during their stay on Phuket will be happy to hear that there are some really remarkable discos. All the discos on this popular Thai island are located in Patong beach. The largest of all the discos on the island is the famous Patong Tiger Disco and other popular discos include the Safari Club, Banana Disco and the Patong Tai Pan disco.

Bars

There are thousands of bars located on Phuket and most of these nightlife venues can be found in Patong. There are different types of bars which include beer bars, Irish bars, cocktail bars, wine bars, go go bars and gay bars. Some of the most popular Phuket bars include the Kangaroo Bar, Molly Malone's Irish bar, Patong Aussie Bar and the ever so popular Boat Bar.

Beer Bars

The most popular type of bars on Phuket is most certainly beer bars. This type of Phuket nightlife venues come in all shapes and sized and most can be found along Soi Bangla in Patong beach. What makes these bars so unique and popular is the fact that there are many cute and sexy bar girls working at these of popular bars. Visitors who are interested in getting to know one of the cute Thai girls are able to bar fine the girl for the rest of the evening.

Go Go Bars

Thailand is well known for its Go Go bar and there are more than a few outstanding Go Go bars on the island which travelers can explore. If you would like to visit one of these Phuket nightlife venues then we recommend for you to head over to Soi Seadragon which is located just off the popular Bangla road in Patong.  Thai Go Go bars are basically bars where there are Thai girls dancing on stage in very revealing clothing.

For more information about the various different Phuket nightlife venues be sure to visit the nightlife section which is located in the author's Phuket guide.

Pattaya Discrimination

If you are a black guy having doubts about visiting Pattaya because of how you may be treated due to the colour of your skin then the good news is many black guys have just as much fun in Pattaya as anyone else. You will be treated with respect and the same as any other customers at the hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and tourists attractions. You will also have a great time enjoying unrestricted fun in the Pattaya nightlife and will be treated the same as everyone else in the bars, discos and massage parlours.

Most of the black guys who visit Pattaya are from the USA. If you are from another country such as the UK you may find your biggest problem is not rejection but convincing the girls who are not a black American but actually from the UK as the girls believe there are no black guys in the UK!

However, you may find some girls unwilling to talk a black guy. Don't be put off by this as many girls do have a preference for certain colours, age groups and nationalities. The majority of girls in Pattaya have no problem chatting with black guys. There is also the hip hop Lucifer crowd, who have a preference for black guys!

Unfortunately Indian guys do get discriminated against in the Pattaya nightlife and you may sometimes find you are refused entry into some go go bars. This is more an issue for guys from India and Pakistan and less of the case for Indian's from western countries. In general most bars have no problem and if you do experience discrimination in a bar then just it's their loss and just move on to another bar. As an Indian guy you can still have a great time in Pattaya but unfortunately be prepared for the odd negative experience.

Just as Indian guys do experience so discrimination, Arab guys also get discriminated against and refused entry to some go-go bars. However, the Arab crowd tends to stick to their own massive section in Pattaya with many bars, restaurants and hotels specifically catering to Arab customers. Discos such as Tony's, Marine Plaza, Mixx and Marine Yen Sabai are almost exclusively packed every night with Arab customers. Also, many of the girls (especially in the above discos) have a preference for the younger Arab guys.

Bangkok Red Light District Guide - Where to Go and Where to Stay

Bangkok Thailand has the craziest red light districts in the whole of Southeast Asia. Millions of visitors from all over the world have experienced the people, sights and sounds that permeate throughout Bangkok. It's an indescribable feeling and you'll only know what I'm talking about as soon as your feet hits the outside pavement of the airport.

It's obvious that most visitors who come to Bangkok are male. But because of the Thai people's laid back sensibilities they have no problems at all with gay or lesbian tourist who are now enjoying Bangkok's red light districts in droves.

The city of Bangkok has three distinct red light districts located relatively close to each other. These establishments sprang up and rapidly became popular during the early 1970's towards the end of the Vietnam war.

The first and oldest red light district is found on the Sois (or "Street" to us foreigners) of Patpong 1 and Patpong 2. Patpong 1 being the more popular Soi because that's also where you find the Night Market. Personally if you find something you have to have then bargain hard. Otherwise I'd save my money and shop at Chatuchak Weekend Market. Stuff sold at Patpong's Night Market are just way expensive. Surrounding the Night Market are the infamous go-go bars and ping pong sex shows that make Patpong so famous. The best hotels to stay in this area are the Montien Hotel, Silom Serene, Bally's Suite Silom and Siam Heritage Suites. None of these hotels are guest friendly however.

The next two red light districts are found running through Sukhumvit road. The names are Nana and Soi Cowboy. Nana intersects Sukhumvit road and after 7pm you'll find hordes of freelance prostitutes gathering outside the Nana Hotel parking lot at the entrance of Nana Entertainment Plaza. NEP is a 3 story building filled with the delights of sex and booze. Definitely a must visit.

Soi Cowboy is the smallest red light district but it packs a punch with establishments such as Long Bar and Rawhide. Those two go-go bars have been around for a while and still going strong.

Now most tourist who travel to Bangkok will most likely plan on bringing a companion back to their rooms. If that's you, then you should book a hotel that is "Guest Friendly Hotel". You may have heard of other terms such as girl friendly or no joiner fee hotels. Because if you don't stay in a guest friendly hotel, you will be charged a minimum of 500THB joiner fee by hotel management.

The majority of guest friendly hotels are found in Sukhumvit, conveniently between the red light districts of Nana and Soi Cowboy. Currently there are none in the Patpong area. However, taxis are cheap, so taking one back to your guest friendly hotel in Sukhumvit is definitely cheaper than paying the 500THB joiner fee.

Patong Girls Are Too Hot to Handle

Patong night life has something of an interesting reputation. For many, the main attraction of nightlife in Patong is the Patong girls, who are as lively as they are prominent. No matter how people try to gloss over the nightclub scene in Patong, you only need to take a stroll through Soi Bangla to get an idea what the place is about.

There has been some speculation that the local government has been trying to make Patong more family friendly, but it's difficult to envisage such an outcome if you look at the current state of Patong. It's no secret that a lot of people base their entire trips to Phuket around the Patong girls. It's easy to be critical of the whole scene in Patong, but it is what it is and these people do what they have to do to stay afloat.

It hasn't always been like this, though. Twenty years ago, Patong was nothing but mud tracks and beach huts. As one of the first major attractions in Phuket, development in Patong soon took on a life of its own. First came the guesthouses and hostels, followed by the throngs of backpackers and then came the more high-end resorts. All the while, though, there have been the Patong girls.

Many people are unhappy with the direction that Patong has taken. There is no denying that overdevelopment has left Patong a cluttered, uneven mess that is really struggling to stamp its identity in Phuket. Most tourists end up at Patong simply because it's the most visited place on the island, which is usually a surefire sign of somewhere discerning travelers will try and avoid.

Speak to most visitors to Phuket and they will tell you tales of woe experienced in Patong, often after being scammed by the Patong girls. Tricksters are everywhere in Patong. The nature of the place is that it tends to suck dry unsuspecting tourists, so it's best to have your wits about you while in Patong.

Bottom line is that you should not trust anybody. Even leaving money unattended in a hotel safe is not, well, safe. Street hawkers are everywhere and you'll be asked hundreds of times if you want to buy a suit. Remember that Patong is not an ideal place for picking up bargains.

In short, Patong is a fun place where you can get into some wild situations. If you plan on staying in Patong, you should beware that public transport is practically non-existent, so unless you rent some sort of transport, you won't really be able to get around that easily, confining your trip to the charms of Patong. One of the easiest way to get around is to rent a motorbike, but take care while driving at night as there have been a number of attacks on foreigners driving around Phuket.

All these problems aside, Patong is a serious party zone. There are cheap drinks and late nights to be had, which can be a lot of fun if you're in the right frame of mind.

Top Pick-Up Joints!

Sick of living in the Singleville? Want to meet new people? Maybe get a date? Well, start looking! But first you have to know where to look. Of course, there's the obvious like the bars but they have so become the dating hunting fields, it's not even funny. Here's a list of the places well worth looking.

Coffee Shop: People very likely have their favorite coffee place and they usually visit around the same time everyday. So chances are, you see someone regularly, waiting in line together, exchange glances, you're strangers yet you're not. So why not start a conversation?

Grocery Store: We all have to eat so you will see all kind of people shopping at the grocery store. Anything can be used as the ice-breaking subject. The atmosphere is casual.

Laundromat: People are usually stuck waiting for their laundry to be done for at least an hour so why not talk?

Gym: The same theory as the coffee shops, the schedule. Same people, same time. The plus? They're usually in good shape!

The Internet: The cyberspace is fast becoming the biggest place for meeting people not just in your neighborhood or town but all over the world. Browse away! There are plenty of dating options for men seeking women or women seeking men from all over the world.

Interesting Facts About Bars and Nightclubs

So you fancy yourself as a bar and nightclub enthusiast do you? Think you're in the know with the industry? Well think again. Here are just a few things you probably didn't know about your favourite bars and nightclubs.

Ever wondered what the name of the boss of the bouncers at a bar or nightclub is? Probably not however if you ever have the misfortune of meeting him, you may want to address him as Mr "Cooler."
Bars and Nightclubs on corners are on average bigger then bars and nightclubs on normal lots of land.
At any given time, Ibiza has the largest percentage of population partying at a bar or nightclub.
South East Asian bars and clubs are the countries found to most likely to water down drinks, in particular spirits which for a number of reasons are disproportionately more expensive then locally brewed product (in particular beers)
The most popular shot in the world is vodka... largely propped up by the Russians where vodka is by and far the number one drink in the world.
Beer company's invest millions of dollars in designing beer taps, due to the fact that a good beer tap can improve sales of a beer by over $20. Pretty good for a tiny bit of plastic.
Bars and Nightclubs have been voted the number 1 destination to meet people of the opposite sex.
The reason why Melbourne has a huge number of small bars and Sydney doesn't is because of the different licensing laws that exist between each state. In Melbourne, the cost of setting up a bar is much lower and as such, is more conducive to smaller venues. In response to the popularity of small bars in Melbourne, Sydney has now begun to relax their licensing laws, allowing smaller operators to open up small bars.
The word Strobe (as in Strobe light) is in fact short for Stroboscopic.