Most buildings are built to stand up straight, but these look as if they might fall over!
The church tower of Suurhusen
Built in 1450, the 27-meter-high church tower lies in Suurhusen, Germany. It was built in wet land on foundations of oak tree trunks (树干). When the land was drained (排水) later, the wood broke down, causing one side of the tower to be a little lower than the other. In 1975, the tower became a real hazard and people were not allowed to enter until the foundations were made strong again. The lean (倾斜) of the tower is now about five degrees.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
The work of building the tower began in 1173, and was finally completed in 1372. In fact, it began to lean after just a couple of floors were built. And this condition continued in the centuries after its completion. The tower was finally closed to the public in 1990 after people failed to stabilize (使稳固) its foundations. In 2001, it was reopened after engineers removed soil from underneath its raised side. Now it leans just an angle of 3.97 degrees.
Capital Gate of Abu Dhabi
Completed in 2011, the Capital Gate tower in Abu Dhabi was designed to lean eighteen degrees. The building stands next to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and contains, among other things, a fine hotel with wonderful views of the harbour. Also known as the leaning tower of Abu Dhabi, the tower is one of the tallest buildings in the city.
Big Ben of London
The building leans 0.26 degrees to the northwest. This is mainly caused by the engineering projects that have been carried out in the ground below it since the late 1800s. The tower, which has been continuously open since it was completed in 1858, has nowhere near the lean of the Tower of Pisa and is still completely safe to enter.
In addition to seeing wonderful films, one of the joys of coming to the Quad Cinema is to hang out in the area. The Quad Cinema is located right in the heart of Greenwich Village, perhaps the most charming and interesting neighborhood in the city. Here are some attractions we recommend, all within a comfortable walk from the Quad Cinema:
Washington Square Park
As one of the best－known of New York City's 1,900 public parks, it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. Come on a Sunday when it's most lively and festive.
New York University
It surrounds Washington Square. See the wonderful Bobst Library and visit the amazing bookstores. NYU is now considered one of the most powerful universities in the world.
Judson Memorial Church
Located in the south of Washington Square between Thompson Street and Sullivan Street, opposite Washington Square Park, this beautiful church was completed in 1892. The Judson Memorial Church is most famous for its vocal participation in social events.
Washington Mews
It is a hidden, private street in New York City between Fifth Avenue and University Place, just north of Washington Square Park. It was first developed as a mews(马厩街) that serviced horses from homes in the area. Since the 1950s the former stables have served as housing, offices and other facilities for New York University.
Jefferson Market Courthouse
Built in 1833 as a market, it was later changed to a courthouse, and in the 1950s it was emptied and close to being destroyed. It was saved and turned into a library. Many consider it to be the most beautiful building in the village.
When you are travelling in Thailand, which means of transport is the best choice?
You can rent a variety of motorbikes or bikes in Thailand. It seems to be very popular in most of the beaches and islands along the places in the north. The most popular bikes are the little 125 cc Honda Dream which you can get for about 150 baht (铢) a day or as little as 3,000 baht per month, making it the cheapest way to tour Thailand for the people from other countries.
Sometimes you will have to go somewhere by taxi. When you are in cities in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, always remember to get a taxi that is traveling on the roads. Some drivers outside hotels refuse to use the meter(计程表). They will ask a price which is several times the price when they use the meter!
The quality of the roads in Thailand is generally pretty good, so renting cars is another way to get around. The big car rental companies may offer you slightly older cars at a very reasonable(合理的) price. It is a little surprising considering that the cost of buying a car in Thailand is more than that in the West. Petrol is also reasonably priced in Thailand, more expensive than American prices, but much cheaper than what is paid in Europe. In the past, Bangkok could be a difficult place to drive in—signs were generally in Thai only, making it a hard job to find exactly where you were by looking around. But now, the situation is improved. In a lot of places, even the farthest corners of the country, street signs are in both Thai and English.
Founded in 1764 by French traders, St. Louis today is the fifteenth largest urban area in the United States. There are many attractive destinations for tourists.
American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog
Dog lovers who visit St. Louis won't want to miss this 14,000-square-foot museum. Inside are over 500 paintings, prints, watercolors, and a variety of other dog art objects.
The Museum is open year round, Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM, and Sunday 1 PM to 5 PM. Admission is $ 5 for adults, $ 2.50 for seniors, and $1 for children up to 14.
Anheuser Busch Brewery
The Anheuser Buxch Brewery tour is not just for beer lovers. The tour includes the historic Brew House. Then the tour continues to the modern Bevo Packaging Plant. The best will be the Budweiser Clydesdale stables. The tours are always free.
Gateway Arch
Designed by Eero Sarinen and Hannskari Bandel, it took over two years and 900 tons of stainless steel to build. It is the tallest of the country's National Monuments. The Arch is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. About one milion people per year come to the top of the Arch, where there is an observation platform providing a great view of the city.
St. Louis Zoo
First version of the St. Louis Zoo opened in 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair, but in the century since it has grown into one of the chief zoos in the world. The passenger train takes visitors around the Zoo, which contains over 9,000 animals of over 800 species.
The Zoo is open every day but Christmas and New Year, with summer hours of 8 AM to 7 PM, and hours the rest of the year of 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission to the Zoo is free.
The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place. Now it is an ecological disaster area. Nauru's heartbreaking story could have one good consequence — other countries might learn from its mistakes.
For thousands of years, Polynesian people lived the remote island of Nauru, far from western civilization. The first European to arrive was John Fearn in 1798. He was the British captain of the Hunter, a whaling ship. He called the island Pleasant Island.
However, because it was very remote, Nauru had little communication with Europeans at first. The whaling ships and other traders began to visit, bringing guns and alcohol. These elements destroyed the social balance of the twelve family groups on the island. A ten-year civil war started, which reduced the population from 1,400 to 900.
Nauru's real troubles began in 1899 when a British mining company discovered phosphate (磷酸盐)on the island. In fact, it found that the island of Nauru was nearly all phosphate, which a very important fertilizer for farming. The company began mining the phosphate.
A phosphate mine is not a hole in the ground; it is a strip mine. When a company strip-mines, it removes the top layer of soil. Then it takes away the material it wants. Strip mining totally destroys the land. Gradually, the lovely island of Nauru started to look like the moon.
In 1968, Nauru became one of the richest countries in the world. Every year the government received millions and millions of dollars for its phosphate.
Unfortunately, the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars. In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses. Soon people realized that they had a terrible problem — their phosphate was running out. Ninety percent of their island was destroyed and they had nothing. By 2000, Nauru was financially ruined. Experts say that it would take approximately $433,600,000 and more than 20 years to repair the island. This will probably never happen.
Murcia
I have spent about 8 months living in Murcia and I feel that I should put it as number one on my list. On my return from exploring other cities, I always feel like I'm returning home when I set foot in Murcia. The city centre is full of life and energy and has an incredible atmosphere all year round. Although the accent takes you a little time to get used to at first, you will adjust to it. Murcia is also home to some gorgeous(壮丽的) beaches and amazing coastal views. So it really does have the best of both worlds!
Gibraltar
I visited Gibraltar during the Easter holidays and I was totally surprised by the beauty of Gibraltar! From a short cable car riding up to the top of the rock you are met with splendid views over the coast and the adorable monkeys which curiously come to greet you on your arrival. Make sure to hide all your food because they think it's a gift for them!
Valencia
Valencia is beautiful. It's as simple as that! The river-area is so exciting and full of life, all the way up to the science museum and beaches. However, I was a little confused by the fact that the river had long been filled in and turned into a park, yet people still referred to it as The River.
Alicante
I have spent many a weekend in Alicante, making the most of the beautiful beach in low season, before all the tourists arrive. May is the high season here, so I'd definitely recommend a visit in April, September, or October, just before or after the holiday season.
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington，DC has thousands of objects on display，including the 1903 Wright Flyer，Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St．Louis，the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia，and a lunar rock you can touch．In addition to our exhibition galleries，you may want to visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium，Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater，and the Public Observatory on the east end．There are many things to do at the Museum in DC．We offer daily tours and educational activities for both children and adults．We also have scheduled lectures and events throughout the year．
Hours & Admission：Open every day except December 25．Admission is free．
Regular hours：10：00 am to 5：30 pm
Extended Hours：10：00 am to 7：30 pm
December 26-30，2016
March 30-April 20，2017
Fridays and Saturdays，April 24-May 16，2017
May 17-September 7，2017
VISITING TIPS：
Limit the Number of Bags：All visitors are screened through metal detectors upon entry．The fewer items you bring inside the Museum，the faster your entry．Before you visit，please review the list of prohibited items，which include pocket knives and tripods（三脚架）．Visitors carrying prohibited items will not be allowed inside the museum，so please leave them at home or in your car．
No food and Drink：Only bottled water is permitted in the Museum．You may only consume food and other drinks in the Food Court，not in the Museum．Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Mall．
Please Take Photos：You are welcome to take photos for personal use．However，tripods and monopods（单脚架） are not permitted without approval．
First Aid：The Museum has a First Aid office and a nurse on duty．Please contact the nearest security officer or the Welcome Center for assistance．
Visit the Welcome Center：At our Welcome Center in the South Lobby，staff and volunteers can answer any questions you have during your visit．
Phone：202-633-2214
E-mail：NASM-VisitorServices@si．edu
No matter where you travel in Asia, you'll find yourself faced with a new culture. You can start your Asian exploration (探索) by visiting some of these attractive cities first.
Beijing, China
Beijing is the second largest city in China and serves as the capital. The city is so old, in fact, that almost every building has some sort of cultural or historic features — no matter how small. Getting around the city you'll find yourself faced with amazing temples (寺庙), the largest palaces in the world, and many works of art that leave you breathless.
Siem Reap, Cambodia(柬埔寨)
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap has a lot of French and Chinesestyle architecture. In the city, there are traditional dance performances, silk farms, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary (保护区) near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today, being a popular tourist attraction, has a large number of hotels and restaurants.
Kathmandu, Nepal(尼泊尔)
Situated in the heart of the Himalayans, Kathmandu, the largest city and capital of Nepal, is considered to be one of the most outstanding cities in the world today. The shopping districts are world famous and the hotels in Kathmandu are among the most comfortable in the world.
Kyoto, Japan
The city of Kyoto served as the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868. No longer the capital, it is known for being the seventh largest city in Japan. Kyoto was destroyed throughout history by fires and war. But now the city is home to more than 1.4 million people, and it presents a modern face to the rest of the world.
Every city throughout Asia has a story of its own. It's up to you to explore them all and find out exactly what each one has to offer. Enjoy!
A family is a collection of people who share the same genes but cannot agree on a place to pull over for lunch. Ed and I, plus his parents and sister Doris and eight-year-old niece Alisha, are on a road trip to Yosemite. Ed wants Subway, I want. In-N-Out Burger, Doris wants Sonic. In the end, we compromise on McDonald's, where Alisha will get an action figure.
It's a three-hour drive to Yosemite, but we're taking a little longer, as we're working in a tour of Highway 80's public restrooms. As the saying goes, "Not one bladder（膀胱）empties but another fills." Many of these restrooms belong to gas stations. I prefer them to the high-tech ones on planes.
We get back on the road. Ed is driving now. When all the tabloids（小报）have been read, the travel has grown tedious and anyone under age 12 asks "Are we there yet?" at ever-shortening internals. Just outside Manteca, California, we stop for coffee. At a Starbucks checkout, Ed buys a CD of Joni Mitchell's favorite musical picks. The hope is that it will have a calming effect.
As we pull back onto the highway, it starts to pour. Then something amazing happens. As we climb the mountain, the rain turns to snow. The pines are spotted with white. We're struck dumb（说不出话）by the scene outside. For a solid 15 minutes, everyone forgets about their bladder, their blood sugar and the temperature. Alisha has never seen snow, so we pull over to make snowmen and catch snowflakes on our tongues. Then Ed realizes we need tire chains, and we have to turn back and drive 30miles to Oakhurst. "Good," says Doris. "There was a very nice restroom there."
Amsterdam, the capital and most populous city in the Netherlands, is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, famous for its beautiful canals, top art museum, cycling culture, and Red Light District. Here are some of the key points to remember as you plan your trip to Amsterdam.
Must-See Attractions
Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre, which is full of traditional architecture, shopping centers, and coffee shops. You'll also want to check out Amsterdam's Museum Quarter in the South District, which is great for shopping at the Albert Cuyp Market and having a picnic in the Vondelpark. The top museums to visit are the Rijksmusuem, the Ann Frank House, and the Van Gogh Museum. The Canal Ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was originally built to attract wealthy home owners and is a popular place for celebrity spotting and nightlife today.
Transportation
Travelers should be aware that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the busiest airports in the world. This airport is located about 15 kilometers southwest of city center. You can catch a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station, which has many connecting routes. It's typically not a good idea to drive a car to the city center because traffic is heavy and parking is difficult to find. Cycling is incredibly popular here, and it's easy to find cheap bike rentals around town. Amsterdam has a flat terrain (地形) and is a great city to explore on foot.
Money Saving Tips
Unless you really want to see the tulips (郁金香) blooming, avoid booking between mid-March and mid-May. This is when hotel and flight prices rise.
Look for accommodations in Amsterdam's South District, where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.
Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.
Instead of hiring a tour guide, hop on a canal boat. They're inexpensive and will give you a unique point of view of the city.
Check out our homepage to view price comparisons for flights, hotels, and rental cars before you book.
For the last month, a married couple has been interacting with a robot — called an Avatar — hat's controlled by their daughter hundreds of miles away. Made by ANA Holdings Inc., it looks like a vacuum cleaner with an iPad attached. But the screen displays the daughter's face as they chat, and its wheels let her walk slowly about the house as though she's really there.
"Virtual travel" is nothing new, of course. Storytellers, travel writers and artists have been stimulating the senses of armchair tourists for centuries. It's only in recent decades that frequent, safe travel has become available to the non-wealthy.
Yet even as the world's middle classes climb out of the armchair and into economy-class seats, there are signs of a post-travel society appearing. Concerns about the environment make people lose interest in carbon-intensive (碳排放量很高的) airlines. And the aging of societies is both slowing down the growth of physical travel and creating demand for alternative ways to experience the world. For the travel industry, virtual reality offers a tantalizing (诱人的) response to these trends.
Of course, far-out (前卫的) technologies encourage profits. ANA doesn't plan to start selling Avatars until next year. By one estimate, the global market for this kind of technology will be worth only about S300 million by 2023. By contrast, ANA's traditional travel business brought in more than $19 billion last year.
But although the business case for virtual vacations is still weak, the market for technologies that bridge physical distances between families and coworkers seems likely to only expand. ANA's robots may not replace its airplanes any time soon, but they'll almost certainly be a part of travel's high-tech future.
When you're looking forward to taking a holiday in Egypt, you're certainly not short of choices. The country has so many to see that you'll probably not want to limit yourself to just one city.
Hurghada-A Water Sports Paradise
With 250 hotels ranking from comfortable 3-star hotels up to 5 - star accommodation, the main attraction of staying here is the activities in and on the warm waters. It has become an intemational centre for water sports, allowing visitors to take part in surfing, sailing and deep-sea fishing. The waters are also home to a huge variety of coral and fish, making it a dream spot for diving. If all that isn't enough, Hurghada is home to some of the world's finest underwater gardens.
Luxor-An Open-air Museum of Ancient History
For those with an interest in egyptian history, Luxor is an excellent place to stay and is built upon the site of the ancient egyptian city of Thebes. If you make this the base for your Egypt holiday, you're basically staying in an open-air museum! The modern city of Luxor has the ruins of Karnak. Across the Nile lie many more monuments, temples and tombs including the Valley of the Kings and the Queens. The Nile sailing is necessary for those with an interest in the country's ancient history.
Cairo-The Capital City
Finally, of course, there's Cairo. It's definitely a starting point for most of Egypt holidaymakers. Cairo offers an excellent mix of culture, art, cooking and sightseeing chances. With the famous pyramids, various temples and some fascinating museums, Cairo is a fantastic choice if you can come to the city.
Tourism wasn't as important as it is today. In the past, only people with a good deal of money could travel on holidays to your countries. More people travel today than in the past because there is growing middle class in many parts of the world; that is to say, people now have more money for travel. Special plane fares for tourists make travel less expensive and more attractive than ever before .One person doesn't travel for the same reason as another. But most people enjoy seeing countries that are different from their own. They also like to meet new people and to taste new food.
Tourism causes many changes in a country and in people's lives. People build new hotels and restaurants and train native men and women as guides to show visitors interesting places. There're new nightclubs and other amusements. International tourism is clearly a big business.
With 60 miles of canals and nearly 7,000 buildings dating from the 18th century or earlier, Amsterdam is one of Europe's best preserved cities. Here are some of our favorites.
The Concertgebouw
A free classical concert in one of the world's greatest concert halls? Sounds too good to be true, but every Wednesday at lunchtime that's exactly what's on offer at the Concertgebouw. The latest series just started up again this month and will run through June. You can pick up a free ticket (one per person) on the day of the show starting at 11:30 a.m.; the concert takes place from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Rijksmuseum Gardens
Take a walk in the beautiful formal gardens of the Rijksmuseum, which are dotted with fascinating artworks. There's a life-size chessboard, a fountain by contemporary Danish artist Jeppe Hein, and post-war climbing frames by architect Aldo van Eyck. The gardens also host sculpture exhibitions — currently there are 21 sculptures on show by the Spanish artist Joan Miró until October 11.
The Muziektheater
This important opera, dance and music venue has free weekly lunchtime concerts by top performers on Tuesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the entrance hall, from September to May. Once or twice a month, the concert is followed by a free tour of the theatre — check the website for details.
Central Library
At the Netherlands' biggest library, the Centrale Bibliotheek, you can read the international papers for free, and while Wi-Fi isn't completely free, you can purchase 30 minutes for little more than a dollar by using one of the ticket machines. Upstairs on the 7th floor there is a café with a balcony that boasts wonderful city views.
Building a five-star hotel in the middle of a valuable wilderness(荒野)without damaging(破坏)the environment might not be easy, but it is far from impossible. The King Pacific Lodge in British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest shows that if enough care and attention is taken, the task is possible.
Unlike many other hotel building plans, no trees were cut down and no land was wasted to build it. The Lodge does not have the same location(位置) but sits on a floating boat pulled into the sea bay in May, till September. Those wishing to stay in one of its seventeen rooms must access it by boat or seaplane. Each guest staying at the Lodge is charged 3% tax(税)on the protection of the natural resources, but is given the chance to see whales and bears. And since these are the main attractions of the area and of the Lodge, the management knows well that in order to stay in business they must make the area untouched.
In 2000, the Lodge management signed an agreement with the native(本土的)Gitga' at people. Together they work for the benefit of the area. The Lodge knows that the native tribe(部落)is the owners of the land, so it pays the tribe for the use of their land and even supports the native youth and employs the tribe's people. They, in turn, teach the newcomers about the local culture.
The King Pacific Lodge is one of a growing number of tourism companies that manage to minimize their environmental damage to win the approval(批准)of the local government where they set up their business. These companies pay more attention to environmental protection and are careful to use natural resources and protect endangered animals. Realizing how destructive tourism can be, they want to avoid the love-it-to-death effect of tourism.
There are a lot of names for people who travel the world—backpackers, tourists, explorers, travelers. Labels（标签）are everywhere but seem especially popular among travelers trying to differentiate（区别） their style of travel. For many travelers, these labels make them feel better over another.
Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods once said, "Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things,
meet new people, and look beyond what's right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in. " The idea here is that travelers are better at exploring the world than tourists. They dig deep into the culture, drink it up, and get to know a place while a tourist takes pictures and declares to have "done Paris. "But that's wrong. we are all tourists.
On the road, backpackers love to talk about how real their travels are and how unreal tourists are. "Look at those tourists over there, " they say. They scoff at others who travel too quickly or to places that they think are not well worth visiting. Nevertheless, they do so while eating hamburgers and drinking beers with other travelers.
The only way to really get to know a place deeply is to live there. If you want to live like a local, find an apartment, get a job, go to work, and do the same things as you did back home.
We are all only passing through a culture, getting a small taste before moving on to the next place. Even if we stay weeks or months, we're just getting in touch with the surface. As a matter of fact, we are all really just tourists, or explorers, or travelers. Call yourself whatever you want — it's all the same as we're all trying to do the same thing — see the world.
So don't label anyone and don't let anyone label you. We're all tourists. We're all travelers. What we are all doing is more important than what we call ourselves. Let's just enjoy the fact that we are simply people on the road.
People enjoy taking trips. But what are reasons they leave home? One reason is for education. People travel because the want to broaden their horizon(视野) to learn about other people and other cultures. When people are on a trip, they get a quick look at different ways of living. Even a short look at another kind of lifestyle is an important lesson. When travelling, a person can learn directly by visiting museums and historic spots(景点). What does a tourist learn who sees the arts museums, visit the historical places and other scenic spots in Paris and shops along the River Seine? He learns about their attitudes and how they feel about business, beauty and history.
What about the traveler who goes to Hong Kong? Does he get the same information that he could get from a book? He might read that Hong Kong is a crowed that there is less than 200 square meters of space for each person. But seeing and feeling the lack of space will impress him much more.
He might read that there are nearly 200 vehicles(交通工具) for every kilometer of roadway. But the sight of so many vehicles parked along the roadside would be a much more vivid lesson. The traveler to Hong Kong will never forget the contrast (对比): the straight vertical(垂直的) lines of tall modern buildings and the moving lines of boat that people live in.
Wouldn't you want to travel more often without breaking the bank? If you are interested, read on to find out how you can do simple things to save money next time you go on vacation.
Airfares
Plan in advance and visit discount websites to see if there are better deals. If you are planning to stay in two countries and an airline makes you change planes on those countries anyway, you might be in luck. Check pricing on the flights to see if you can stay a few days at the country of the flight change instead of changing planes right away since airlines often let you do that for the same price.
Accommodations
Sometimes the smaller towns close to where you are going have hotels that are much less expensive. If you don't mind the 15-minute ride, you might just save a large amount of money. Home exchanges are pretty cool and popular especially in Europe. If you are of the adventure type, this could be exciting and refreshing. Sometimes smaller hotel chains are willing to give you free upgrades or even free nights. If you are staying at a destination for at least a few days, consider a vacation home instead of hotels. They are often more comfortable and your cost will probably be cheaper.
Eating
Figure out where you will be and eat before you actually go out. Avoid breakfast from the hotels because chances are good that the breakfast from the hotel is expensive and isn't great. It probably pays to walk out the front door in the morning and find a local cafe. You might just discover the local favorite unexpectedly. Want a breakfast that costs nothing? Ask for some bread to-go at the restaurant the night before. In addition, fancy lunches are often much less expensive than dinners. If you eat a big lunch and a light dinner, it's also healthier.
Whether you're travelling to the islands or the mountains of Thailand, you're likely to spend at least one night in its capital city on the way. Bangkok might be noisy and polluted but it's also an exciting city with plenty of things to see and do. Why not make it a longer stay?
Where to stayThe Khao San Road was a famous traveler spot even before Leonardo di Caprio's character in the film The Beach stayed there. But it's noisy, not very pretty and not very Thai. For something more authentic, Phra Kanong offers an alternative place to stay, with its fantastic street markets where Bangkok people eat, work and live every day. It's not as convenient for the main tourist sites, but it has a Skytrain station so you can be at the Grand Palace in 20 minutes.
How to get aroundBangkok's traffic can be a nightmare. Sure, you can easily take a taxi - if you want to spend hours stuck in traffic jams--but there are two much better ways to get around the city. To explore the temples and historical sites, catch an express boat or a longtail boat along the Chao Phraya River and the canals. For the modern part of the city, the Skytrain is a fast, cheap way to travel from the river to the shopping malls and nightlife of Sukhumvit, and the famous Chatuchak street market.
What to doAfter you've seen the main sites like the Giant Buddha at the temple of Wat Pho and the spectacular Grand Palace, and shopped at Chatuchak market, check out the snake farm and watch the live snake show. You can even touch a snake yourself if you want to!
This past Earth Day, people who usually celebrated by heading outdoors relied on virtual tours instead. It was a fitting opportunity to experience virtual reality (VR) technology that some experts had advanced as an eco-friendly solution to the problem of over-tourism. But will interest in travelling virtually last beyond the pandemic?
For years, travel agencies have used VR technology to market destinations to potential customers. Now, llthe impact of COVID-19 may allow it to shake off its image of being a gimmick"，says Ralph Hollister，a tourism analyst at Global Data.Virtual travel experiences are seeing a surge in popularity. Valerity Kondruk, CEO of VR travel company Ascape, has seen app downloads grow 60 percent from last December.
Still, there is a big gap between using VR to "try before you buy" and treating VR like the destination itself. To start with，the technology is not mature (成熟的）yet. 360-degree VR videos are usually experienced through a headset or an app. The headsets are expensive, heavy, and uncomfortable to wear for more than 30 minutes. The apps have none of these problems, but simply are not as impressive. Limited sensations (感觉) are another hurdle. The videos focus on the sights and sounds of a place but cannot do much with its smell, touch or taste. Additionally, tourists are neither locals nor business travelers. They tend to be less directed in their explorations and more focused on new discoveries. This simply cannot be recreated in VR.
VR may never replace traditional travel, but it still offers various possibilities. Most importantly, it could help bring people to places that are otherwise inaccessible. Kondruk's travel company, for instance, has been woridng witii a major Vietnamese travel agency on recreating areas of the country where the government has limited tourist travel.
Ultimately, the impact of VR on travel will be determined by the gradual development of new technologies. So far, advances have been significantbut not great enough to affect the travel industry or support a drop in travel-related carbon emissions after the pandemic has ended.
