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San Ramon (Costa Rica)

San Ramón is a city in the Central Valley and also one of Costa Rica's agricultural centers. The Canton of San Ramón is the largest in the Province of Alajuela.

Get in
San Ramón lies just off the Inter-American Highway north-west of San Jose.

See
Consider relaxing for awhile in the area of San Ramón, west of San José on the edge of the Central Valley in Alajuela Province. San Ramón lies on the common driving route to Arenal Volcano, just off the Inter-American Highway. This small, mountainous municipality has much to offer for a vacation, from cloud forest and dry forest eco-lodges and gourmet dining to hiking trails and canopy tours for the intrepid adventurer. Bird lovers will find rare quetzals alongside hummingbirds, trogons, and motmots. See monkeys, coatis, deer, and sloths in pristine environments. Learn to cook at Coyote Mountain and marvel at Costa Rica's agricultural abundance at the weekly farmer's market in the capital of San Ramón. Climate varies from warm tropical forests, galleria habitats along the Rio Barranca, to stunning, bio-diverse cloud forest in places like Los Angeles and Piedades Norte. This is the heart of Costa Rica, with friendly people, a relaxed lifestyle, and practically no crime.

The Tico Times says: "Really, it's not so hard to imagine the hills of San Ramón as the Tuscany or Provence of Central America."

Buy
San Ramón has a variety of shops, and one of the best farmers' markets in Costa Rica every Friday and Saturday.

title: San Ramon (Costa Rica)


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San Ramon (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called San Ramon or San Ramón:

Argentina

 * San Ramón de la Nueva Orán

Costa Rica

 * San Ramon (Costa Rica) - a town in the Plains of the North region

Peru

 * San Ramón - a city in Southern Sierra (Peru)

United States of America

 * San Ramon - a city in Contra Costa County, East Bay, California

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: San Ramon (disambiguation)


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Sanremo

Sanremo is in Italy. It lies on the Italian Riviera, near the border with France.

Get in

Sanremo's train station and bus terminal are both located in the city center. The Italian train company Trenitalia offers frequent connections to Ventimiglia to the west (on the border with France) and Turin and Genoa to the east.

Get around
The center of Sanremo is quite small, and all places of interest can be reached on foot. Bicycles can be rented and will allow you to move along the coast.

See

- Villa Hanbury: near Sanremo is an open air botanical garden where over 5,800 tropical species grow.

- Russian Church

- Casino

- Old town (Pigna)

Do

 * Italian Poker Tour San Remo Casino has become particularly well known for its hosting of the three times yearly Italian Poker Tour and the European Poker Tour. Competitors can buy in for a range of tournaments from €300 up to €5300 or simply spectate the huge amounts of money being gambled. First place in the EPT is over €1 million.
 * Sanremo Rally. Watch the rally that now belongs to the IRC federation.
 * Sunset walks. Do not miss a walk along the beach at sunset or a stroll though the cobbled streets of the old town. With 400-year-old walls and original parts remaining, this is not to be missed.
 * Rock the Casbah in August
 * Tenco in November
 * Sanremo has other music festivals throughout the year, a little bit less famous, but still very interesting.
 * Pista ciclabile - rent a bicycle and ride on an old train route along the coast
 * Sanremo has other music festivals throughout the year, a little bit less famous, but still very interesting.
 * Pista ciclabile - rent a bicycle and ride on an old train route along the coast

Buy
There is one street of major shopping lots of high end Italian designers great place to shop in the center of town.

Eat
As you walk round San Remo there are loads of ice cream parlours and cafés all brilliant for watching the days go by.

Lollipop in the Piazza Columba has great gelato.

Café Renaissance in Piazza Columba adjacent to McDonalds is wonderful for home made pastries and pasta.

Nonna's on Corso Garibaldi 34 has superb homemade pasta and gnocchi but beware of the €2 "tourist tax" for bread. Affordable prices at about €10-15 for a main.

Sleep
For information about all hotel you can visit the official site www.rivieradeifiori.travel

title: Sanremo


text:
San Saba

San Saba is a city in the German Hill Country of Texas and the birthplace of actor Tommy Lee Jones of Lonesome Dove and No Men For Old Country fame.

Buy

 * Millican Pecan Company, 199 C R 100. San Saba is the acclaimed 'Pecan Capital of the World' on account of this guy with his pecan cultivars. Alfred Lloyd Tennyson and Post have been past consumers. Tel: +1 888-488-6851. M-F 9AM-5PM

title: San Saba


text:
San Salvador

San Salvador is the capital city of El Salvador, approximately in the center of the country in a valley near the base of the San Salvador volcano. The city has a long history, with origins dating back to the Spanish conquest of the Pipil tribes.

Understand
San Salvador lies in the "Valle de las Hamacas" (literally "Valley of the hammocks", as it was called by the Pipil, due to its intense earthquake activity) at the foot of the San Salvador volcano. It covers an area of 600 square km and is home to nearly 2 million people. It is home to one-third of El Salvador's population and one-half of the country's wealth. The downtown area is filled with shops and modern buildings, but unfortunately earthquakes have damaged or destroyed many of the city's historic buildings. The people of San Salvador are generally friendly, though as in any large city, less inclined to engage in conversations with strangers on the street as opposed to other parts of the country. The wealthy live in exclusive suburbs behind tall security walls or luxury condominium buildings. Wealthier areas such as San Benito, Colonia Escalon, Colonia San Francisco, Colonia Maquilishuat, Santa Elena (where the US embassy is located) and Ciudad Merliot have tree-lined avenues, the biggest malls in Central America, bars, clubs, gyms, restaurants, luxury hotels, modern high-rise buildings, plazas, boutiques, cafes, luxury salons, jewelry stores, etc. Some of these neighborhoods are in the hills surrounding the city and have breathtaking views. A number of new gated housing communities complete with parks, swimming pools, fitness facilities and tight security are popular with middle class families. Most of the city's hotels can be found in these suburbs.

There are middle class neighborhoods and residential areas close to the wealthy neighborhoods. Poorer areas are in the northern and eastern districts, along with an abundance of shanty towns sprawling along the city's fringes.

San Salvador's climate is tropical, although the weather can vary; the nights may be cool (especially in December), however, most of the time it is sunny and warm. Wearing t-shirts, jeans, and possibly a light rain jacket is usually sufficient.

Whilst not on most tourists' "to do" list in El Salvador, the capital provides a good base for exploring the rest of the country as it's a transportation hub, with most major roads running through it due to its central location. Spending a few days exploring this cosmopolitan and internationally-conscious city can be a rewarding experience. Whilst parts can seem like a maze of confusion, rich vs poor, modern vs dilapidated, cars vs pedestrians, the city has played a major role in defining and shaping the rest of this small yet intruiging country, once at the forefront of the Cold War. To understand this polarized country, it is essential to understand its political, cultural and social headquarters.

Visitor information

 * El Salvador Travel

By plane

 * Avianca (formerly Taca, Aviateca & Lacsa) is the national airline of El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala & Colombia. Grupo Taca had formally completed their merger into Avianca Holdings as of May 2013 using the Avianca brand for the whole operation, thus expanding services to more places in South America and to Spain. Avianca inherited a fleet of new A319s, A320s, and A321s and the Embraer 190 series from Taca which are still in use throughout the Americas. However, they maintain a greater monopoly with the highest ticket prices, especially for travel within Central America and savvy buyers would do well to compare options using online aggregating services.
 * Volaris El Salvador serves as budget carrier to rival the national airline listed in the above, under the Salvadorian flag. It is a subsidiary brand of Volaris Airline of Mexico, as a separate corporation from El Salvador's Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez International Airport to Cancún, Chicago–O'Hare, Guatemala City, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Oakland, Ontario (CA), San Pedro Sula, Washington–Dulles. Travel from additional cities will require transit through Cancun, Guadalajara, Mexico City and/or San Jose, Costa Rica on Volaris.
 * Volaris El Salvador serves as budget carrier to rival the national airline listed in the above, under the Salvadorian flag. It is a subsidiary brand of Volaris Airline of Mexico, as a separate corporation from El Salvador's Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez International Airport to Cancún, Chicago–O'Hare, Guatemala City, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Oakland, Ontario (CA), San Pedro Sula, Washington–Dulles. Travel from additional cities will require transit through Cancun, Guadalajara, Mexico City and/or San Jose, Costa Rica on Volaris.

A US$32 departure tax must be paid upon departure. Depending on the airline, the full amount or part of the tax may already be included in the price of your ticket and the amount you must pay will vary from US$0 - US$32.

Other airlines that fly into San Salvador include:
 * Aeromexico Connect (Mexico City).
 * Air Transat (Montreal)
 * Arajet (Santo Domingo)
 * American Airlines (Miami and Dallas)
 * CM Airlines (Tegucigalpa Toncontin (TGU), San Pedro Sula, Roatan)
 * Copa (Panama City)
 * Delta (Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York JFK)
 * Frontier (Atlanta)
 * TAG (Guatemala City, Roatan)
 * Iberia (Madrid)
 * Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale and Houston)
 * United (Houston, Newark, and Washington-Dulles)
 * Volaris and Volaris Costa Rica (Cancun,Mexico City, New York JFK and San José de Costa Rica). Volaris Costa Rica is a subsidiary of Volaris (Mexico) to offer direct flights from San Jose, Costa Rica (as a hub), as a Costa Rican flag carrier, to the U.S., Central America and Mexico.

From the airport offers limited colectivo services up into several major hotels in San Salvador. At other times they offer a private taxi to a destination of the passenger's request. The other is to provide airport transfers into town.

The nearest public bus stop is the #138 bus between Comalapa and San Salvador's Terminal Sur bus station just south of San Salvador. To get to the  go across the parking lot in front of the airport terminal to the other building on the other side (Airport Monseñor Romero Mall). Go through the building's breezeway (or open corridor) to the stop on the other side of the building. Bus makes multiple stops en-route along Hwy 5 and gets crowded. Not recommended for travelers hauling large luggage that needed to be checked on the plane.

By bus
The following are international first or deluxe class (pullman) buses that connect San Salvador to Guatemala City. There are other lines that also go to Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua and/or Costa Rica as well. TicaBus is the only company serving Panama City from San Salvador. They offer direct service to the said destination, without stopping and depart during the early morning hours to arrive in the afternoon hours thus making for safer travel. Their services usually include reserved seating, movies, on board restrooms and air conditioning. On more deluxe classes they can offer more space to allow the seats to recline further down and stewardess service for drinks and snacks. Most of these companies have their own terminal or an office or desk within a hotel in Colonia San Benito and/or El Centro.

The city has four major bus stations based on the compass points shared by multiple (domestic) bus companies and co-ops in the following:

By car
If you drive to San Salvador from Comalapa, please exercise extreme caution. There are many residents who walk this highway as well as cross it. There are many accidents with vehicles speeding as well as people who are hit.

Get around
If driving, rental car agencies include Budget, Alamo, and Hertz. Buses and taxis also provide good ways of getting around. Negotiating the cost of your taxi, Before you step in, is common practice and expected. Carry small denominations of money and have exact change for your taxi fare. If you do not have exact change, taxi drivers will try to convince you to make the change a tip instead. Distances between sights make walking an unpopular option, as does the street layout in the city; San Salvador is not a square city but has long avenues that are straight and streets that are not. That said, in some areas walking is a great option, such as from Zona Rosa to Las Terrazas (Sheraton hotel) which are close together and within sight of one another.

Boulevards
San Salvador has wide avenues and boulevards, including the two widest boulevards in Central America: Boulevard de los Proceres and Boulevard de los Heroes. Other important boulevards include Alameda Roosevelt, Paseo General Escalon, '''Av. Jerusalem, Boulevard Constitucion and Av. Juan Pablo Segundo'''.

Monuments
San Salvador has many beautiful monuments, some of them dating back to the early 20th century, while others are more modern. Some of the most important monuments include the National Palace, Plaza Gerardo Barrios, Plaza Morazan, Water Clock, Monument to the Sea, Atlacatl Monument and the Proceres Monuments (it has 10 monuments). One of the most recognizable monuments in El Salvador is the Monumento al Divino Salvador del Mundo, or "Monument to the Saviour of The World".

Museums
San - Salvador has many museums, the two most important are "Museo David J Guzman" and "Museo de Arte MARTE". David J Guzman National Museum of Anthropology contains a variety of Mayan and Pipil artifacts, while Museo de Arte MARTE displays an extensive collection of international art. Both are in the Zona Rosa district. There is also a children's museum, the Tin-Marin museum, where kids can experience the world in a fun way. The old national palace is being restored to house the "National Archives," and the "National Museum." Also a new display of early mammal fossils, including a giant sloth, mastodon and more than twenty other species is being set up in the "Museo de Historia Natural," or "Natural History Museum" situated in the SE section of Saburo Hirao park by the National Zoo. Close to the zoo is the "Museo Militar," or Military Museum which is housed in the old castle-like "El Zapote" barracks built in 1895. In the military museum you can find weapons and army uniforms from the 17th, 18th, and early 20th centuries, which were historically used by the Salvadoran army. Other highlights of this museum include the original copies of the 1992 peace accords and the Pope Mobile used when Pope John Paul II visited the country. Entrance is free and a guide service is provided at no charge.

Parks
San Salvador has a large urban park, the "Parque de los Pericos". There is another park called Parque Cuscatlan (close to downtown), which is very elegant, with lights, trees and paths. Popular with locals, the beautiful botanical gardens of La Laguna (close to the U.S. embassy) showcase much native fauna. Zoologico Nacional (The National Zoo), and Parque Saburo Hirao (with a collection of native plants) are in the SE part of the city by the old Presidential House.

If you don't get a chance to visit smaller towns and villages outside the capital, a must see destination is Los Planes De Renderos. 1000 Meters above sea level, and it offers a spectacular view of San Salvador. This is a popular oasis for locals from the hectic city life. Check out the restaurants, and near-by parque Balboa, (Balboa Park) with lots of trees and green lawns, ideal for picnics. Indulge yourself eating the tasty salvadorean treat known as pupusas! Visit the nearby colonial town of Panchimalco, one of the few towns in the country with a large indigenous population. Another interesting spot not to be missed is the spectacular natural formation and viewing area known as Puerta del Diablo (devil's gate).

Entertainment
San Salvador has several entertainment venues. You can go to restaurants, bars, clubs, casinos, or if you are traveling with kids you can go to the cinemas, bowling, bingo, arcades etc. Cinemas in San Salvador include You can also play video games at World Games and El Mundo Feliz. Families may also want to visit Central America's largest toy store:
 * Also, you can go via cable car to an amusement park on top of Cerro San Jacinto mountain (no longer in use).
 * Also, you can go via cable car to an amusement park on top of Cerro San Jacinto mountain (no longer in use).

The trendiest night spot to visit is called Zona Rosa. Some of the best hotels are there, including the Sheraton Presidente and one of the most luxurious hotels in Central America, the Hilton Princess. Although Zona Rosa doesn't cover a large area (around 1sq mi), it's home to many exclusive, upscale bars and nightclubs (Los Alambiques, Code), and the best restaurants in town (Paradise, 503, A lo Nuestro). If you want to visit a nightclub without the probable inconvenience of not being let in, you should visit Las Terrazas (Stanza, Envy) at Multiplaza Mall.

Business
Feria Internacional de El Salvador is the largest convention center in Central America. El Salvador is rated the third best place for investment in Latin America by Moody's. Some of the very wealthy business families in San Salvador and throughout El Salvador are Siman (owners of the largest department store chain in Central America), Poma (owners of Grupo Roble and Grupo Poma), Quiros (owners of Grupo Q in Central America), Kriete (owners of TACA Airlines), Dueñas (owners of La Gran Via), the family that owns Biggest, Pops, Nash and Mister Donut, and a lot of other important families. In addition, San Salvador is one of the only two cities in Central America that have a World Trade Center.

Theaters

San Salvador has many theatres, including the beautiful Teatro Presidente (near Zona Rosa), where the symphony regularly performs expensive and inexpensive concerts, and the Teatro Nacional (downtown), which has been restored to its full splendor. Here you can step back and experience the grandeur once reserved for the city's elite in the early 1900s.

Learn
There are many private schools and universities, including many language schools.

Buy

 * La Casita. Locations in both Centro commercial multiplaza, San Benito and Centro commercial Plaza San Benito.
 * La Ceiba, Galerias, Col.Escalon Av. Paseo Gral.Escalon. There are Many other la ceiba stores in the city.

Malls
Some of the shopping malls include: Loma Linda, Multiplaza, Las Fuentes, Galerias (elegant), Metrocentro (said to be the largest in Central America), El Paseo (expensive), Plazamundo , Plaza Merliot, La Gran Via (a lifestyle center / "city walk"), Las Cascadas, Basilea (unique), Plaza San Benito, Villas Españolas and many more. These malls have luxury boutiques, the latest in international fashion, specialty stores, large foodcourts (some even have 3 food courts) and many other amenities.

Local crafts
For local arts and crafts, visit the Ilopango markets east of the city. Test your bargaining skills and take home some unique, handmade goods. For cheap souvenirs such as hammocks and other local crafts try the Mercado Cuartel. A good hammock can be yours for under $15 US, depending on bargaining skills.

Department stores
San Salvador and some Mexican cities are the only cities in Latin America with Sanborns (restaurant and store chain) and Dorians (or Sears). Other department stores include Siman, Carrion and Almacenes Europa.

Supermarkets and other retail stores

 * Despensa Familiar Discount store. has 63 stores in El salvador.
 * Maxi Despensa has 16 stores in El Salvador.
 * Walmart Supercenter has 6 stores in El salvador.
 * Super Selectos. has 99 stores in El salvador.
 * La despensa de Don Juan has 17 stores in El Salvador.
 * Pricesmart (Costco in the U.S.A.), Blvd. De los Heroes and Santa Elena.
 * Dolarcity Discount store. has 100 stores in El salvador.

Eat
The restaurant scene in San Salvador is influenced by many different cultures. Food options include Italian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, French, Chilean, American, Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern, German, Chinese, Argentinian and others. Local food options include Tipicos Margot where one can purchase the famous Salvadoran Pupusas. Perhaps the biggest indictment against the quality of the San Salvador restaurant scene however is the sheer number of chain restaurants referenced in this article.

Budget
When you are in El Salvador you won't have to worry about finding a place to eat, there is food everywhere you go.

Mid-range

 * Punto Literario. In El Museo de Arte Marte col. San Benito. Zona Rosa.
 * Punto Literario. In El Museo de Arte Marte col. San Benito. Zona Rosa.

 * Royal, 87 Avenida Sur. Chinese food. +503 2264 0051
 * San Martín Multiplaza and El Paseo. Bakery.
 * Benihana inside El Paseo - International Japanese steak house
 * Bennigans inside La Gran Via - International - Irish
 * San Martín Multiplaza and El Paseo. Bakery.
 * Benihana inside El Paseo - International Japanese steak house
 * Bennigans inside La Gran Via - International - Irish

Splurge

 * Los Ranchos, Calle La Mascota #232 Interseccion Pje. A y Pje #3 Col.La Mascota, Zona Rosa.
 * El Mirador, Intercontinental Hotel, Col. Escalón. Buffet and à la carte.
 * Hunan, Upmarket Chinese restaurant specialising in Szechuan and Shanghai in elegant surroundings - Paseo General Escalón y 99 Avenida Norte. Plaza Villavicencio
 * El Mirador, Intercontinental Hotel, Col. Escalón. Buffet and à la carte.
 * Hunan, Upmarket Chinese restaurant specialising in Szechuan and Shanghai in elegant surroundings - Paseo General Escalón y 99 Avenida Norte. Plaza Villavicencio
 * Hunan, Upmarket Chinese restaurant specialising in Szechuan and Shanghai in elegant surroundings - Paseo General Escalón y 99 Avenida Norte. Plaza Villavicencio

If you need to buy something, there are a lot of supermarkets in this city. Some are international, which come from Guatemala, the USA and other countries that are interested in bringing supermarkets to San Salvador.

Drink
San Salvador is well-known for its nightlife. Clubs and bars can be found in the Zona Rosa, Basilea Mall, La Terraza (Sheraton Hotel), Las Terrazas (Multiplaza Mall), Boulevard de Los Heroes, Temptation Plaza, and the bars and restaurants area in La Gran Via (mall and night lifestyle center). These places have many bars, discos, restaurants, DJ centers and boutiques.

Visit the laidback bohemian bars (university crowd) around Calle San Antonio Abad to meet interesting locals or head to the Zona Rosa/Multiplaza Mall area to dance the night away with the city's style-conscious upper class youth.

Bars and clubs

 * La Taberna, Beer House 79 Ave Sur y Calle La Mascota, Lotes #7 y 8. Bar and grill. +503 2519 4374
 * Scape (Gay),Centro Comercial Juan Pablo Segundo, Local 311A, Prolongacion Juan Pablo Segundo, San Salvador.

Large events and conventions are generally held in the Feria Internacional.

Mid-range
The staff of all the hotels speak English and Spanish, but there are also others who speak other languages. All the hotels include room service.

Stay safe
San Salvador has had a history of violence. San Salvador was considered the most dangerous city in the world in 1992. Today, El Salvador has made tremendous progress combatting crime with a hard-line approach to the gang crisis. The current homicide rate sits at one of the lowest in the Americas at 2.4 per 100,000. At one point it had some of the highest homicide rates in the world, and it was an epicenter of the gang crisis, along with Guatemala and Honduras. Still some precautions should be observed and common sense should prevail.

To stay safe:
 * Don't walk on streets that look abandoned and dark.
 * Use only licensed taxis or rent a car. If you are adventurous, watch your valuables and put away jewelry when using the public buses. Most major hotels have taxis that they have approved as safe and legitimate. If unsure about a taxi, call your hotel and they can generally have a safe taxi dispatched to your location.
 * At best, walk in tourist areas.

You are not likely to have a problem in the malls or inside major stores or museums, and most public buildings are full of security guards, alarms, fire extinguishers, etc.

In San Salvador’s downtown areas, the malls, the Zona Rosa, most tourist attractions, and the upmarket neighborhoods are generally the safest areas. Doing your homework and avoiding gangland areas will ensure you have a hassle free and enjoyable experience.

No matter how adventurous you may feel, it is strongly advisable to stay away from the city's poorer districts of Soyapango, Barrio Mejico and Apopa and their surroundings on the east and north sides of the city.

Health services
San Salvador is a city full of pharmacies. Hospital services are also very good and facilities include Hospital de Diagnostico in Villavicencio Plaza.

Banks
Finding a bank is not a problem within the city. Banks include Citibank, Banco Agricola with a $5.50 ATM fee, BanTpym, Banco Centromericano, cuscatian, Procredit. Banco Davivoenda has an ATM fee of $3.50.

Embassies and consulates
Being the national capital, San Salvador hosts a large number of embassies. A majority of them are clustered in the western part of the city in Colonias Escalón, San Benito and Naquilishuat or further west into the Municipality of Santa Tecla. A number of countries maintain a non-resident diplomatic representation to El Salvador from their embassy in Mexico City, Washington DC, or elsewhere in the region. The following countries maintain an embassy in San Salvador:
 * 🇦🇷 Argentina
 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇧🇿 Belize
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇴 Colombia
 * 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
 * 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇬🇹 Guatemala
 * 🇭🇳 Honduras
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
 * 🇵🇦 Panama
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇻🇪 Venezuela

Go next
You can get out of Comalapa International Airport or rent a plane for a moderate fee in Ilopango Airport to give you a ride to other of the countries important cities. The rent a plane service is available to go to Santa Ana, San Miguel and La Union (on Tamarindo, near the Gulf of Fonseca where you can board a ferry to take you to the other Islands).

If you are looking for an excursion out of the city, check the classified section of the newspaper Diario de Hoy' ("Asesores de Viaje y Excursiones" heading) for any reasonably priced tours that may be departing soon.

title: San Salvador


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San Salvador de Jujuy

San Salvador de Jujuy (also known as just San Salvador or just Jujuy) is the capital of Argentina's Jujuy Province.

Understand
San Salvador de Jujuy is a beautiful place in the North of Argentina. Visitors are surprised by the great variety of things to do and visit in one city. At first, people from Jujuy may seem a bit shy, but if you talk to them, they are really warm and friendly to tourists. They are ready to speak about the wonders of the nature around, such as Tilcara, Humahuaca, the Salinas and Reyes.

Get in
Several companies run buses from Salta to Jujuy. It's only a 2.5-hour bus journey, or share a remis and grab an empanada while you're waiting. Some of the best meat empanadas are sold just across the road from the bus station where the remise leaves from. The bus station is a 15 minute slow walk to the centre of town, or take a taxi. When you arrive, walk the length of the makeshift market where you can buy food clothes and coca. The street food near the bus stop is excellent and cheap. Cross the bridge and just keep walking. The main street is Belgrano.

Several companies also run to and from La Quiaca at the Bolivian border. Make sure you buy your bus ticket in the same country as the majority of the journey you are undertaking, since getting refunds or reductions for split/delayed journeys is difficult once you cross the border.

Get around
There is an extensive local bus system, though information about routes is hard to come by.

Tours around town that can be done on foot:

Cultural circuit
Duration: 2 hours. You will see: 1 Lola Mora’s sculpture 2 Paseo de los Artesanos / Railway Station 3 Cathedral 4 RECREAR Foundation The tour begins at Casa de Gobierno, where you can see Lola Moras’s sculpture. She was the first woman sculptor whose works were exhibited in the street.In front of Casa de Gobierno, there are 4 statues that represent Justice, Progress, Peace and Freedom. Going past the square along Gorriti Street, walk up to Urquiza street on the side of the Railway Station, where you will find the Paseo de los Artesanos. There you will find a variety of works made by craftsmen which are made of different materials, such as wood, alpaca, leather, reed, clay, etc. Continue the tour on the opposite direction, along Sarmiento Street, until the corner with Belgrano Street. You will see the Cathedral. This Church has a spectacular pulpit, carvings in cedar and ñandubay in 1761. It is the most important work in the country because of the biblical images and the beautiful decorations. Go along Belgrano Street towards the corner of Otero street, approximately 50 metres away. You will find Recrear Foundation. There, there is an exhibition and you can buy calendars with drawings made by Guarnan Poma (Peruvian artist- 18th century).

Belgrano's Exodus
You will visit: 1 Belgrano Square 2 Cabildo (Town Hall) 3 Cathedral 4 Salon de la Bandera – Casa de Gobierno. Flag room 5 Manuel Belgrano’s home Start in Belgrano Square on the corner of Belgrano Street and Sarmiento Street. Here is the Cabildo. In its galleries on May 25th 1813, the new Argentinian flag was presented to the people for the first time. Crossing the street you will see the Cathedral. In its altar there is a painting that represents the moment of the oath to the flag by the North Army in Belgrano square. Continue walking around the square to San Martin Street. At Casa de Gobierno, in the Flag room, you will find the flag that General Belgrano gave after the victory in the battle of Salta. Come back along Belgrano Street until the corner with Senador Perez Street. You will find Belgrano’s house, where he stayed during his days in this city. The original house was demolished.

See

Capilla Santa Barbara

Iglesia San Francisco

Catedral Basilica

Museo de Arqueologia

Museo de historia provincial

Eat
There are quite a lot of restaurants where you can try a variety of traditional dishes such as tamales, empanadas, and classic Argentinian asado (barbecue).

title: San Salvador de Jujuy


text:
San Sebastián

Donostia-San Sebastián (Basque: Donostia; Spanish: San Sebastián) is a major city in the Basque Country, an Autonomous Community of Spain. Donostia/San Sebastian boasts one of the best in-city beaches in Europe. It is quite unusual feeling that you can sunbathe and swim right next to major historical buildings and churches. Surfers are in abundance here.

Understand
This city of 187,000 people (2018) is quite small and cozy, featuring many seafood restaurants, several beaches, tons of pintxos bars and a choice of designer clothes shops.

Orientation: The city is divided into Old Town (Parte Zaharra/Parte Vieja), Gros and Erdialdea/Centro.

By train
International trains from France mainly arrive at Hendaye and Irun stations, whence it is possible to take a local train to Donostia/San Sebastian. Take care when booking from France, as a town named Saint Sébastien exists there as well.

Donostia/San Sebastian has two main train stations: the RENFE station for national and local Cercanías trains (at the east end of Puente de Maria Cristina), and the Euskotren Amara station for its local network (at the Plaza Easo).

From France, there is a multitude of TGV and TER (regional trains) to Hendaye. To reach San Sebastian, change here onto an Euskotren train. Connections are frequent, and continue until late. The last train towards San Sebastian departs Hendaye at 22:33. A few trains from France do not end in Hendaye, and go across the border to Irun. At Irun station, the best option to reach San Sebastian is to change there to a RENFE Cercanías train. Direct TGVs from Paris Montparnasse depart at 10:28, 12:28 (to Irun), and 14:28. In addition, there exists a number of possible connections with a change in Bordeaux.

From Portugal, there is a daily Trenhotel overnight train, leaving Lisbon Sta. Appolonia station at 21:18, and arriving San Sebastian at 10:53.

From the major cities of Spain (outside the Basque Country), the train is much quicker than a bus, and if booked in advance often the cheapest option too. Twice- or thrice-daily direct intercity connections (Alvia) are maintained by state operator RENFE from Vitoria-Gasteiz, Burgos, Valladolid and Madrid, and from Iruña/Pamplona, Zaragoza, Tarragona and Barcelona. Both lines utilize semi-high speed train sets that travel on the high-speed tracks where they can. Madrid-San Sebastian journey time is between 4 hr 51 min and 5 hr 21min. Barcelona-San Sebastian journey time is 5 hr 39min. RENFE also operates a daily service with conventional coaches (Arco) towards Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña, which is ideal for pilgrims looking to skip a portion of the road.

From within the Basque Country (except for Hendaye and Irun), the bus is usually quicker. There are however some scenic train routes operated by Euskotren from the surrounding area, and from Bilbao, with onwards connections by FEVE from Santander (Cantabria), and León (Castilla y Leon). The routes offer a leisurely alternative to travellers who have time to spare.

By plane
San Sebastian is well served by airports:
 * San Sebastian, a small airport 20 km from the town centre, next to Hondarribia.
 * Bus to the airport: i2 (€2.65) departs from Plaza Gipuzkoa nearly once an hour takes 30min, making a maximum of 4 stops (typically less).
 * Cafes in the departures area are limited to a single cafe on the ground floor, plus posh restaurant on the 2nd floor.
 * Shopping in departures area is limited to a single souvenir small shop; no duty free shops available.
 * Electronic check-in is available only for Iberia and Spanair. It doesn't work for Iberia e-tickets printed from an e-mail, however.
 * Wi-Fi network is not available.

 * Biarritz (in Continental Basque Country, France), 50 km away with bus and train connections to San Sebastian. Take a French SNCF train to Hendaye, change to the nearby Euskotren station (located just outside the SNCF station) and take a Euskotren to San Sebastian. Each train ride is between 30–40 minutes, with the total train trip cost less than €10. A coach service also exists between Biarritz airport and the Hendaye train station, via Saint-Jean-De-Luz (change buses there). The coach ride is less than one hour and costs about €4. For an airport transfer, taxi, bus or coach from Biarritz Airport to San Sebastian check Biarritz Airport Transfers or Sea-Lifts Airport Transfer.
 * Bilbao airport is 100 km away with good bus connections, about one an hour during the day. The trip takes about 70 min, and costs around €15. The bus company is called PESA. Tickets for the journey from Bilbao to San Sebastian can be purchased on board the bus, however for the trip from San Sebastian to Bilbao, tickets must be purchased from the PESA office around the corner from the bus station.
 * Vitoria-Gasteiz airport 114 km from San Sebastian with good bus connections. A bus from the airport will take you to the central bus station, from where you can take a bus (companies Pesa or La Burundesa) to San Sebastian for around €7.50.

By bus
The Basque Country is generally easier to get around by bus than by train. Buses arrive and depart at the San Sebastian bus station, at Plaza de Pio XII in Amara Nuevo. A number of bus companies operate services to San Sebastian, including:
 * Pesa
 * La Burundesa
 * Continental Autos
 * ATCRB
 * Roncalesa (for connection with Pamplona).

Buses are the only way to get to some areas of the Basque region, and often run more often (and cheaper!) than trains. Vitoria-Gasteiz, capital of the Basque Country, is a 2-hour ride away. Bilbao, the travel hub and biggest city in the region (1-hour ride), and Pamplona (1-hour ride) are other popular destinations, but longer-range buses do overnights to Madrid, Barcelona and even Milan.

Bilbao's bus station is accessibly via the San Mamés metro station. Buy a ticket for the next bus to San Sebastian at the Pesa window for. They leave from stop 2, 3, or 4 every 30 minutes or hour.

By car
In the downtown, parking is costly (roughly €20/day); most parking spots are underground, and finding a way to get there can be nerve-wracking. Left turns are more rare than rights (and are unpredictable). Having a driving map is essential. The biggest underground parking lots are in the city center, so the easiest way to find a place without wasting time is to go through the road that goes by the river and follow the signs.

There are some free parking lots in the west of the city: on the tourist maps by SanSebastianTurismo available in some guesthouses, the area is marked with a blue dotted line "Controlled parking zone".

Get around
You can see Donostia on foot and by taxi. Taxis only pick up passengers at designated taxi stops or when booked by phone. They aren't permitted to take passengers who hail them on the street.

Bicycle lanes are all around the downtown, and in the summer bicycles can be hired (at certain times they are free) from strategically placed locations around the city. Apart from private hiring companies, the town hall has a bike-service all over the city, which is also open to tourists. Tourists should get a bike-card at the Tourist Information Center in Boulevard, 8 (€20 deposit, €15 for 1 day, €20 for 4 days, €25 per week). This card should be given back the day after it is purchased so as to recover the €20 deposit. This way you can use any of the multiple bikes around the city, for a maximum of 4 hr non-stop (Leaving 30 minutes between use allows you to cycle for a further 4 hr non-stop), from 10:00 to 21:00. There are several bike-service spots around the city, and bikes can be picked up and dropped off at different points.

Bus D-Bus has a number of routes across the city. Single journeys to any destination on its network cost a flat rate of €1.85. However, for those staying for longer periods, they may wish to buy the MUGI card available from various locations throughout the area. There is also an associated App which can be used to recharge the card. if you have come from Bilbao the Barik card can also be used.

It's also possible to buy and top up a tourist card, Touch it against the electronic card reader as you get on the bus, once per passenger.

See

 * From top of Mount Igeldo at the West end of Kontxa/La Concha bay, enjoy great view of the town
 * Visit the Miramar palace and its park over Loretope/El pico del Loro; enjoy sitting on a lawn there

Do

 * Beach - there are two main beaches, one on either side of the river.
 * Kontxa/La Concha, on the west side is the larger, is protected from the sea and has an island and boats in the bay. Ondarreta is in the same bay as Kontxa/La Concha, but split by Loretope/El pico del Loro (a rocky outcropping). Kontxa/La Concha and Ondarreta has umbrellas, tents and lounge chairs for €15 per day; free WC, showers and changing rooms. A team of fully-equipped life-guards are there during the daytime.
 * Zurriola to the east of the old town and river is a surf beach, clearly better if you want waves or beach sports.
 * Surfing - surfboards and bodyboards can be rented on Zurriola beach. You'll probably want to spring for a wetsuit as well.
 * The Zurriola Surf Eskola (founded in 2012) offers surf lessons for both beginners and advanced with excellent trainers. They also rent board and wetsuits.
 * The longtime Pukas Surf Eskola offers surf lessons (around €65 per person for five one-hour lessons in a small group) and has a surf shop too.
 * Hiking
 * For a short easy hike visit the statue of Christ on top of the mountain between the beaches. It takes around an hour to walk up at a leisurely pace. There's a bar on the way up if you need to stop for refreshments or admire the view. To reach the bar: find a library; from there find directions upstairs to a Castle; follow the stairs along green hedge. The park officially closes at 21:00 in summer (in reality, gates close bit later), and the bar closes before sunset in summer time—and definitely before park is closed.
 * For a longer hike, head up the hill from Zurriola by taking Zemoria St up from the east end of the Zurriola, and following the long stairway at the end of Zemoria St up to the hiking path which is toward the left. From there, follow the trail marked by the red & white markings to Pasai San Pedro. Initially, the trail is marked by red, white, and green stripes, but the green trail diverts halfway in. The full hike from San Sebastian to Pasaia/San Pedro is approximately 5.5 miles one-way and should take around 2.5 hours. Once you get there, you can take a local bus back (for €1.35).
 * Tennis and squash: There is a single tennis court (roofed), and two open-air squash courts—both between the El pico del Loro beach and bottom of Mount Igeldo.
 * Tourist Land Train - a tourist land train leaves from the Zubieta street in front of Kontxa/La Concha Beach.
 * Aquarium - by the Kaiko pasealekua (Promenade of the Harbor), at the far right of Kontxa/La Concha Beach.
 * Kayak - kayaks can be hired on Ondarreta beach, for about €7 per hour.
 * Water skiing in the Kontxa/La Concha bay
 * Football: Real Sociedad play soccer in La Liga, Spain's top tier. They play at Anoeta Stadium (capacity 39,500) at the south edge of the city. Their women's team play in Liga F (their top tier) at Zubieta training facility 10 km southwest of city centre.
 * Football: Real Sociedad play soccer in La Liga, Spain's top tier. They play at Anoeta Stadium (capacity 39,500) at the south edge of the city. Their women's team play in Liga F (their top tier) at Zubieta training facility 10 km southwest of city centre.
 * Football: Real Sociedad play soccer in La Liga, Spain's top tier. They play at Anoeta Stadium (capacity 39,500) at the south edge of the city. Their women's team play in Liga F (their top tier) at Zubieta training facility 10 km southwest of city centre.

Clothes and shoes
Donostia/San Sebastian is known as a stylish city and an image-conscious one, so it is stuffed with high-end shops. Peruse Parte Zaharra/La Parte Vieja (the old part of town) for cool boutiques filled with quirky designer gear. There are fantastic shoe stores— there is one whose rainbow of amazing women's shoes in the window changes daily—and sources for that inimitable bold Spanish fashion. Designer clothes for men are much more difficult to find than for women.

Most shops are freestanding, but there is an enclosed shopping mall (La Brexta) that has the cineplex (as well as the city's lone McDonald's) as well as a collection of high street shops in the modern Nuevo Mercardo San Martin complex.

Some of the shops worthwhile visiting are:

Eat
The Basque cuisine is famous within Spain and many believe it is the Basque Country where you can find the best food. Much of this fame comes from San Sebastian and its bars and restaurants.

Although tapas were invented in Andalucia they became perfected in San Sebastian and a walk through the old town before lunch time with its many bars shows why. Each bar is bursting with tapas and they look very delicate. Tapas are generally enjoyed together with a glass of wine or a small beer, and the Spanish tradition suggests to have one tapa and a wine in one bar and move on to the next bar. Tapas can be used as a good substitute for a meal - you pay for each one you eat (about €2-4 each) so you can have as many as you want.

If you want 'real' food then that is where San Sebastian can be very good. You can find several different cuisines such Chinese, German, Galician, Italian and of course the obvious Basque cuisine. In and around the harbor you can have the freshest seafood and if you don’t enjoy the simple harbour taverns go and enjoy San Sebastian restaurants with Michelin stars if you have some money to spare.

San Sebastian is not a place for vegetarians or vegans, unless you are able to catch the fresh produce markets in the morning and cook for yourself. Pescetarians can get along fine with the abundance of seafood offered on menus.

Lo Mejor de la Gastronomia holds annual conference and competition in November, including nominations for pintxos bars and for restaurants.

Healthy breakfast (even omelet) is hard to find in cafes: typically sandwiches or breakfast variety of pintxos are offered.

Pintxos
The way to eat pintxos, (tapas in the Basque Country whether speaking Spanish or Basque) in San Sebastian is quite different from other cities in Spain. There are two kinds of tapas: cold and hot ones.

Don't attempt to eat pintxos if you're starving, you'll treat it like a buffet and prices will easily rack up as everything seems more appealing. Only get a couple of pintxos at a time as sometimes what looks really appealing, has been sitting on the bar the whole day and is past its use by date. Test the waters. Cold ones are displayed on the bar. Just ask the barman for your drink and pick the pintxos yourself. If you need a plate, just ask. Hot ones must be ordered from the barman and they take a short time to be cooked. There is always a hot tapas menu hanging from the wall.

When you are done eating your tapas and have finished your drink you ask the barman for the bill, and you have to tell him what you have eaten. It is very important to be honest, as it is a long tradition. Locals will be upset if they find people eating and not paying. Normally you don't eat many pintxos at one bar but move from bar to bar, drinking a beer (caña) or wine and eating one or two tapas. Then you move to another bar. Traditionally residents would have one or two pintxos in the early evening to stave off any hunger before a later sit-down meal, rather than making a meal out of a large number of pintxos.

Generally, if the barman asks you to show your plate to them before you start eating, you know the bar markets towards tourists and is sub par and more expensive that it should be. A good bar will ask you what you've eaten as you pay and you should see a chef working out the back.

Most pintxo bars are to be found in the old town, particularly on the streets running parallel to Boulevard. Generally a pintxo will cost €2-3. At some bars the pintxos are all priced the same, at others the price depends on the pintxo. Pintxos (tapas) bars are thick in the Parte Vieja (Old Town), but there are masses of other places nearby in the Gros and Centro areas. Most bars charge by the toothpick or plate from €1-5.

The Jamon Iberico (usually seen hanging from the ceiling in whole leg portions) is ubiquitous, and equally good virtually everywhere. The calamari seems to be the same at every bar, don't order it again at a different pintxo bar if you didn't like it the first time.

Cook-by-order pintxos
Some slightly pricier pintxo bars that don't have pre-cooked pintxos and only cook them on order (correspondingly, their pintxo are of higher quality).

Mid-range

Along the waterfront one can find many cafes and bakeries.

Local specialties

 * The Kalimotxo (pronounced "calimotcho") is a local drink that is made with 50% wine (normally an inexpensive red wine) and 50% Coca-Cola. You will see a very large proportion of young people drink this near the harbor at Kontxa/La Concha beach and later on, in bars or clubs. It is definitely something to try out while you are there.

Cafes
Coffee is espresso, not brewed, even in the on-the-beach cafes.

Cider and Sidreria
A purely Gipuzkoan experience, sagardotegiak/sidrerias (cider restaurant) dot the countryside and offer all you can drink sidra (a mildly alcoholic apple flavored cider) shooting straight from the barrel. Sidrerias usually offer a traditional set menu of cod omelette, cod with peppers, txuleta (really thick steak), and then for dessert: cheese, walnuts and menbrillo/membrillo (quince paste). The cider house season runs from the end of January to the end of May, but a couple of traditional sagardotegiak/sidrerias (cider restaurant) that are open all year (you'll need to get a car, bus or taxi from town) are:

Clubbing

 * Bataplán is definitely the hottest club in San Sebastian. Be careful not to arrive too early; usually there is no party before 01:00. People normally start arriving at 02:00, and the club closes around 6 or 07:00. The entry fee is normally €15 (including one drink) but you can get in for free before 03:00 if you ask for a VIP pass at a bar beforehand (Bar Tas Tas is a good place for that). This club has an amazing terrace out back to relax after you've had one drink too many (drinks cost around €8 a pop, by the way, €5 for a beer). All year round, the club is filled with local people, tourists and exchange students.

Mid-range
A great pension/hostel in the centre of San Sebastian. Close to the beaches and all the bars and restaurants.

Connect
As of June 2022, San Sebastián has 4G from MasMovil/Yoigo, and 5G from Movistar, Orange and Vodafone. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Go next

 * Bilbao - home of the famous Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art and other architectural masterpieces.
 * Hondarribia - beautiful fishing town and a place for more pintxos.
 * Vitoria-Gasteiz - capital of the Basque Autonomous Community.
 * Zarautz - summer getaway, the longest beach in Gipuzkoa, and a magnet for surfers.

title: San Sebastián


text:
Wikivoyage:Joke articles/San Serriffe

San Serriffe is an island nation in the Southern Indo-Pacific Ocean.

Islands

 * Upper Caisse (Caissa Superiore) — the larger main island, to the north
 * Lower Caisse (Caissa Inferiore) — the smaller main island, to the south

Cities

 * Bodoni — the lively capital
 * Arial
 * Baskerville
 * Port Clarendon
 * Ems

Other destinations

 * Cocobanana Beach — famed for juicy coconuts and beachgoers in Flong thongs

Understand
Long unfairly neglected by travelers, the islands of San Serriffe truly offer something for everyone: a rich culture full of fascinating customs, an informative case study for environmentalists and economists, and a treasure trove of unusual tubers for botanists. Now under nominally democratic government, now is the time to discover San Serriffe's distinctive cuisine, tropical climate and quaint transportation, before the next volcanic eruption occurs.

History
Written history of the archipelago is somewhat unfairly dated from European colonisation in the early 15th century, though there is clear evidence of a rich history before that. In particular, some have identified San Serriffe as the Biblical land of Abyss, where "an island was removed from its place" (Revelation 6:14) and from where the Beast will crawl out onto Earth. Some scholars, however, contend that the Apocalypse has already occurred and San Serriffe is the result.

The island is named after Sant Sharrif, a 10th century Indian saint who set sail with his band of followers from the coast of present-day Gujarat on a quest to go around the world and reach the Himalayas from the North. This desperate attempt was made necessary by the fact that overland pilgrimage routes to the Himalayas were blocked by Jain monks who insisted on engaging all pilgrims in debates on the epistemological challenges arising from Anekantavada.

Unfortunately, the Chinese-made compass the voyagers were carrying malfunctioned and they were swept into what is now known as the Bay of Tilde. Sant Sharrif claimed that the land he had just found was actually one of the seven islands they'd have to cross to reach the Himalayas, and claimed the islands in the name of King Harsha Verdhana who had financed the expedition. The name that stuck, however was that of Sharrif.

From 1432, San Serriffe was colonized, conquered and retaken in rapid succession by the Spanish, the Portuguese, the British, the Italians and, on one memorable occasion, Luxembourg. It was the Portuguese, though, who had the most influence and who finally granted San Serriffe its long-awaited independence in 1967.

Alas, independent San Serriffe rapidly turned into an autocratic dictatorship under the rule of General Pica, whose Justified Party led with an iron fist and crushed all traces of the Aligned rebellion. Pica's machete-wielding paramilitary hit squads -- called Chapoo Peeko or Smallcaps for their trademark headwear -- kept the population in a constant state of terror. However, following a palace coup in 1990 led by General Melior (formerly Pica's gardener), in 1997 the islanders held their first democratic elections and elected the charismatic Antonio Bourgeois, who ran on an emphatic platform of the redistribution of banana and pineapple wealth for all.

During the post-World War II years, from about 1946 through approximately 1970, the United States government operated a secret base for various scientific and military operations somewhere in the jungle hills about 25 miles (40 km) north of the city of Arial. The U.S. government has confirmed that a base once existed on the island, but has not provided any details of its operations or experiments. Today, all staff have been evacuated. Modern conspiracy theorists provide details that the base was the center of operations of Project Lucida, a project whose primary goal was weather control. Finally some Nazi and Fascist people exiled themselves From Germany and Italy, established the Government In Exile of Nazi Germany, and the Government In Exile of Fascist Italy in the jungles of Lower Caisse. And in 1865, some Confederate people exiled themselves and formed the Government In Exile of the Confederate States Of America, then in 1991 some Soviet people exiled themselves and formed the Government In Exile of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,in the jungles of Upper Caisse.

Culture

Seriffean culture reflects its riotous mix of races and cultures. The native people of San Serriffe are the Flong, but they are outnumbered by the European settlers known as the colons. Naturally, there has been considerable intermarriage between the two groups, and these descendents are known as semi-colons. In the past twenty years, many of the nation's younger generation have become increasingly influenced by modern western culture, most notably by elements of the Hip-Hop, Rap, and Rastafarian subcultures. This generation has often been labelled as the apostrophes.

While nearly all world religions can be found on San Serriffe, the syncretic cult of Asterism is the largest faith, merging elements of Hinduism with Christianity and animistic Flong beliefs. Followers of Asterism believe that a mythical being known only as the Ascender will come and lift them above the baseline. Saint Pantographia, the four-faced elephant-headed goddess, is generally considered the patron saint and unifying symbol of San Serriffe. In her eight hands, she holds the torch of enlightenment, the inkwell of knowledge, the chameleon of change, the flywhisk of boredom, the spork of wisdom, the second inkwell of redundancy, the buzzsaw of detachment, and the starfish of asexual reproduction. Asterist priests are known as Wingdings, individuals who assist the Ascender in helping others rise above the baseline. Wingdings are among the highest regarded individuals in San Serriffe society, and obtaining Wingdinghood is highly coveted and one of the most sought-after careers in the nation.

Since the early colonization days, Asterism has forbidden virgins to marry. As a result of this, Wingdings would roam the San Serriffe countryside deflowering young virgins prior to marriage. This practice has spread in the 19th and 20th centuries to other islands in the South Pacific, such as Guam.

The national sport of San Serriffe is kerning. The game requires two teams of 9 men, various pieces of bamboo, and a pair of polished pineapple slices. The pineapple is slid across the playing field using bamboo, and the goal of kerning is to get your team's pineapple to overlap your opponents'. The rivalry between Port Clarendon's and Bodoni's municipal kerning sides is fierce (machete fights between backers are an infrequent but not unheard of occurrence), and the yearly pan-archipelago Verdhana Cup tournament (late May) usually pits these two top teams against each other for the coveted prize.

Economy
San Serriffe has been unkindly characterized as a banana republic, although Serriffeans themselves have been known to take offense at this suggestion and physically remind the commentator that pineapples are also an important export crop. (Critics must also concede that it's not really much of a republic, either.)

The recent discovery of oil in Upper Caisse also drew the attention of investors and the economy looked set to boom until oil analysts from the major companies ascertained that this was actually used engine oil which had been illegally dumped in a disused cess pit.

The city of Ems on Lower Caisse also has a burgeoning and legal sex industry. Workers of both sexes choose this occupation exclusively and thus are known as Mono-types. They enjoy considerable health and financial benefits under what has come to be known as the Braggadocio-Saxxe Act passed in 1977. Anton Braggadocio-Saxxe, son of the social reformer Aloysius Braggadocio-Saxxe, pioneered the use of brothels (known as Comfort Houses) as centres of therapeutic remedy with the slogan, 'It's good for what ails you.' The Act was passed with little opposition by the all-male parliament.

Because of this forward thinking attitude, and ther lack of stigma attached to the sex industry, pornography is virtually unknown and virtually pornography even more unknown. However, the city does sometimes labour to find enough accommodation for the huge influx of tourists.

Additionally, wealthy individuals from countries without this liberal outlook are now vying for real estate in Em. Notable amongst those seeking permanent 'R&R opportunities' are a number of leading international politicians, faded pop stars and numerous church dignitaries.

Climate
Thanks to its location in southern climes, San Serriffe enjoys interminably muggy weather, occasionally interrupted by spectacular thunderstorms and hail. Due to several failed U.S. Government weather-control experiments in the 1950s, the islands frequently have severe weather fluctuations, with temperatures in the low 10s and 20s and moderate snowfall of 10"-15", followed by temperatures as high as 105°F (41°C) a few days later.

Newspaper

 * The Nugradia is pretty much the only newspaper on the island, as The Eurostyle was banned by the San Serriffe government in 2004 for being too irrelevant.

Radio and television
There are no television stations on either island. There are two television sets, one in Tiki's Pub in the capital, Bodoni, which can occasionally receive broadcasts from New Zealand on good days, and another located in the President's Palace connected to a satellite dish. Radio Serriffe is the only local radio station operating on the island. They broadcast an eclectic mix of new age music with an occasional polka thrown in for good taste.

Get in
Visitors can generally obtain a free Visa on arrival, valid for a visit of up to 30 days with low introductory interest rates and no annual fee, courtesy of CapitalOne. However, note that due to a legacy of General Pica's heavy-handed rule, people with more than one em in their name may be detained for questioning and, in extreme cases, denied entry. While you can bring up to 1L of spirits, 200 cigarettes, and a "reasonable quantity" of class A narcotics, laws safeguarding the national tuberous heritage mean that the importation of foreign root vegetables is strictly prohibited. MasterCards are forbidden on the island, punishable by death by donqtuque.

By plane
Most travelers arrive in San Serriffe at National Hero Antonio Bourgeois International Airport (IATA code: NHB), just outside of Bodoni on Caissa Superiore. The national airline Lorem Ipsum has daily flights in and out of London, Frankfurt, Nairobi, Perth and Johannesburg and less regular flights to Kerala and Victoria in the Seychelles. Discount flier Quark provides express flights to and from Stansfield on alternate Tuesdays. A departure tax of 200 dRn is charged; note that, unusually, this is not payable in pineapples (although inspectors have been known to accept a potato instead).

By boat
The S.S.S.S. Grotesk sails between Port Clarendon and Maputo weekly, stopping at Port Louis and occasionally Yonaguni along the way. While fares are cheap and the accommodation provided is warm and fluffy, some sensitive travellers have reported allergic reactions after being cooped up below decks with sheep for two weeks.

By shipwreck
Due to San Serriffe's favorable location within 100 miles (161 km) of major Chinese-American shipping routes, combined with good prevailing winds, it is quite easy for survivors of major shipwrecks to wash up on the southeastern shores of the islands of Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse. The government has also adopted a favorable immigration policy, allowing anyone washed ashore to be granted citizenship in the republic after 6 months of residence. It has been estimated that, historically, up to 25% of the island's current population arrived by shipwreck.

By tsunami
The cheapest way to get to the island is to reach the shores of Indonesia or Japan and wait for the tsunami to sweep you to this heaven on earth. If the tsunami dies down before you reach here and you drown mid-way then you have all the rights to sue God when you reach up there.

Get around

A chronic shortage of fossil fuels and problems plaguing the national project to develop a banana-fueled combustion engine mean that San Serriffean public transportation can be best described as innovative. A popular means of conveyance is the donqtuque, a three-wheeled vehicle which resembles a Thai tuk-tuk, except that the motorcycle engine has been replaced by a donkey.

By road
San Serriffe's road network, originally built in colonial days, has suffered from lack of maintenance but is slowly being upgraded. For example, National Highway 1 connecting Bodoni to Port Clarendon has been widened and grade-separated to allow two bicycles to pass and is also navigable by armored personnel vehicle, at least in the dry season and assuming that passengers are equipped with machetes.

By train
San Serriffe once had an extensive network of narrow-gauge trains pulled by water buffalo. However, after General Melior decreed that only girls who had never had sexual intercourse may act as train conductors, the system ground to a halt due to a lack of eligible workers and was sold off as scrap.

By boat
As there are no airports on Lower Caisse, travel between the two islands is by sea. Ferry services depart from Port Clarendon irregularly and have been known to occasionally reach their destination. Alternatively, visitors wishing to doggie-paddle across can rent inflatable mattresses for a token fee (and a large deposit).

By shark
If someone has become sharks' friend he or she can drive any of them to get to the island.

Talk

Although English and Portuguese are the two official languages, a creole language is spoken by 70% of the country's population. Using English and Portuguese words in the syntax of the native Flong tongue, as well as bits of Spanish and Arabic, Goudy, also known as ki-Flong, is fairly easy to pick up although hard to understand. While written in friendly Roman letters, the complex rules of Goudy spelling have often been likened to kindergarteners on crack stringing together letters plucked at random out of alphabet soup — this can make navigation a little challenging, as most San Serriffean signage is written only in Goudy.

See also: Goudy phrasebook

Buy
The official currency of San Serriffe is a relic from its brief Italian occupation -- Roman dimes (French: dimes Roman or dR). The currency was revalued in 1992 at a 10-to-1 exchange; the latest base currency is called New Roman dimes (French: dimes Roman nouveaux, dRn). Note that original colonial currency (dimes Roman italique) is no longer traded.

The islands suffer from a chronic shortage of small change, partly due to inflation, partly due to a national tendency to hoard shiny metal objects. It is thus not uncommon to receive change in bananas or, occasionally, pineapples instead; as of April 2006, commonly used exchange rates are 10 dR to the banana and 5 bananas to the pineapple. Note that attempting to pay with vegetables is considered somewhat rude.

ATMs can be found in the major towns, although due to occasional scams a certain degree of caution is warranted. Among native Serriffeans, it is standard practice to give the machine a couple of sturdy kicks before initiating the transaction, as this is thought to help distinguish actual ATMs from cardboard boxes with a guy inside.

Eat

Seriffean cuisine is characterized by the heavy utilization of root vegetables, notably the bitter-sweet swarfega, a relative of the rutabaga. Swarfega is traditionally either mashed, pounded, squished or flattened into mushy cakes, which are then dipped into various interesting sauces and wrapped in toilet paper to make swallowing easier. The toilet paper also comes in handy one hour after eating, as swarfega has a tendency to cause explosive diarrhea.

Many Pineapple recipes have come to dominate the menu as well, primarily due to the overabundance of the fruit on the islands. Local residents have found ways to incorporate pineapples into virtually every dish possible, including soups, salads, flavoring for meats, and even Pineapple Beer!

Drink
San Serriffeans are a tippling bunch and prepare a variety of interesting alcoholic beverages from bananas, pineapples and swamp gas, which are put in a clay pot, sealed and buried for many years in a process known as leading.

Of particular note is plenque, an opaque, viscous, slurry-like brew made from swarfega which many visitors liken to beer, at least in terms of the hangover. It should never be consumed in small quantities, as it may lead to suicidal despair and a loss of will to live. A minimum of five bottles should be drunk, as the resulting memory loss will make you forget what it tasted like. Many visitors prefer the mash before the leading process has occurred; if you'd like to try it, ask for "unleaded" at the bar.

Tap water is generally not potable, primarily attributable to a failed U.S. government experiment dating back to the 1960s which attempted to create pure water out of human urine. However, this is rarely a problem, as most locals rely on San Serriffe's perennially drizzy climate and leaky corrugated aluminum roofing to provide them with a steady drip of water supply instead.

Sleep

Accommodation options in San Serriffe are plentiful, as there is a vast assortment of palm trees to swing your hammock from. Visitors invited by the government may also choose to stay in one of the many palaces and country houses built by the political elite, with "special guests" linked to the Aligned movement sometimes provided private basement rooms complete with full board, 24-hour security, plentiful opportunities for reflection, a private trainer for pleasant chit-chat and a free supply of rodents. It is also possible to rent rooms at some of the local residences. It should however be noted that they, in turn, normally expect you to be their servant for a few hours a day. This may involve some sex (local custom).

Learn
Majuschool University in Bodoni has a well-regarded foreign exchange program, frequently attended by both law students and students on the run from the law. The University is also in the early stages of starting up a medical school, to give the law students something to practice on. For those seeking to get away from it all, the Carolingian Minuschool Academy is believed to be somewhere near Arial on Lower Caisse, although finding the diminutive building in the overgrown jungle can be difficult.

Work
Work permits are difficult to obtain, although some illicit jobs may be available in the banana and pineapple harvesting season. While the work is backbreaking and wages tend to be paid irregularly if at all, most employers provide a free supply of swarfega and turn a blind eye to workers making a little extra on the side by smuggling out pineapples in their underwear.

Natural disasters
San Serriffe is regularly hit by earthquakes, volcano eruptions, typhoons, hurricanes, hailstorms, tsunamis and a particularly depressing kind of lukewarm drizzle. However, the Ministry of Statistics assures visitors that it has no record of any tourists, or locals for that matter, suffering an untimely end as a result, although this may not be unrelated to the fact that the entire National Archives was swallowed by a lava fissure in 2003.

Crime
There are few safety problems in San Serriffe, aside from occasional unprovoked attacks by machete-wielding thugs hopped up on plenque. Some locals advise not carrying a wallet and instead stuffing any dimes Roman and bananas that you are carrying down your pants instead, but this is not advisable as some criminal elements have caught onto the trick and violent removal may lead to undesired collateral damage. At Cocobanana Beach, excessive bulges have also been known to draw unwanted attention from the Fraternity.

Cameljacking is on the rise, it's best to rent a fully trained camel through Camel Ninjas.

Nationalism
U.S. citizens in the habit of posing as Canadians to avoid being automatically disliked by the natives, should be aware that San Serriffe is the only country that Canadians are unable to travel to. Section 1.1 of the Anti-Canadian Flag Pressed and/or Sewn into Backpacks Act of 1997 (ACDPSBA97) made it it punishable by one life sentence (25 years) "to wear or otherwise display a Canadian flag on any piece of clothing, skin, or object carrying system (suitcase, or backpack) whereas it gets annoying to see the damned maple leaf everywhere you turn." Calls by extremist banana farmers, most notably Chiquita fruit basket-wearing logo lady, have called for the punishment to fit the crime: death.

Stay healthy
San Serriffe is reasonably healthy as far as pestilent Third-World hellholes wracked by poverty and misrule go. The main danger is the Aedes syntaxidis mosquito, which can infect visitors with the dreaded Antiqua-Fraktur syndrome, resulting in unsightly indentation and painful ligatures. While a variety of Serriffean folk medicine cures, mostly involving vast quantities of plenque, are sometimes suggested, if infected the wisest course of action is prompt medical evacuation to a place with better healthcare, such as Mozambique. As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and visitors should apply DDT-based mosquito repellants liberally, opt for light-colored clothing and avoid going out near dusk, dawn or in fact at all.

One must also watch out for dingbats, which are harmless in that they have no venom (or, for that matter, fangs), but which have a fondness for taking up all available space. They are very large, reaching a maximum weight of fifty pounds by adulthood, and may have a winspan of up to twenty feet. Being large, the frequencies they use for echolocation fall within the human range of hearing, hence the name "ding"-bats.

Respect
The traditional Serriffean greeting is to lift your right elbow towards the person you wish to greet and place the palm of your hand against your forehead, while saying dhow (pronounced "dough"; the D should be aspirated, with a puff of air). However, this is considered rather formal and among friends a mere limp flick of the wrist in their general direction is quite sufficient.

The people of San Serriffe hold widows and orphans in high regard. Perceived unfair treatment of these people will result in raised tempers (of the hot type).

Contact
BanaComm, the newly privatized former San Serriffe State Communications Company (SSSCC), maintains a monopoly on fixed and mobile phone services through San Serriffe. Thanks to a recent presidential directive, roaming throughout the country with GSM phones is now allowed, although as San Serriffe has not yet adopted GSM there isn't actually any local network to roam on. Landline quality can be rather variable, and for urgent communications many locals choose to employ the faster and more reliable services of express mail operator IP-AvCar instead. An inter-island communications network, consisting of two cups connected by a string, is being constructed between the two major islands, and is expected to be completed by 2007.

title: Wikivoyage:Joke articles/San Serriffe


text:
San Simeon

San Simeon is a small town (population 445 at the 2020 U.S. census) in San Luis Obispo County in the Central Coast region of California. It is half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, about 250 miles and a 4.5 to 5 hours drive from each. The southernmost point of the scenic Big Sur stretch of California coast terminates just north of town. San Simeon is most famous for the palatial Hearst Castle, which overlooks the town and surrounding ocean on a neighboring hill.

Get in
Take Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) south from Big Sur or north from Cambria. The closest airport and Amtrak station are in San Luis Obispo.

San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority bus route 15 serves San Simeon from Morro Bay, with connections farther south. The bus stops at the Hearst Castle Visitor Center.

Sleep
There are numerous motels here and more lodging options further south in Cambria and San Luis Obispo.

Go next

 * Cambria - Located ten miles to South along Highway One, Cambria offers visitors Moonstone Beach, home to tide pools and the semi-precious stones that give the beach its name. The town also offers an abundance of inns and hotels for those seeking a quiet weekend away.
 * San Luis Obispo - About 40 miles southeast of San Simeon, San Luis Obispo is a college town and regional center that offers countless opportunities for both indoor and outdoor activities. Downtown features a historic 18th century Spanish mission surrounded by charming boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants while the immediate vicinity provides paths for hiking and mountain biking and highly rated wineries.
 * Big Sur - The Big Sur region can be loosely defined as the stretch of coastline between Carmel and San Simeon, and the steep cliffs, rocky coast, churning waves, abundant wildlife, redwoods, and remoteness make it one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Big Sur Village lies at its heart, 81 miles north of San Simeon, and offers amenities for travelers.

title: San Simeon


text:
Sanskrit phrasebook

Sanskrit (संस्कृतम्) is an ancient language in which many Hindu religious texts were written. It is an Indo-European language, and hence related to languages such as Greek and Latin. Similar to Latin, it is now primarily a liturgical language and not spoken as a native language by any significant sector of the population. Nevertheless, as many contemporary Indian languages are descended from Sanskrit, and even those unrelated to Sanskrit have been strongly influenced by it, learning Sanskrit is of immense value to those with a keen interest in Indian culture. Sanskrit has also had a strong influence on many languages of Southeast Asia. It is one of the official languages of India.

Writing
Sanskrit is written in many scripts in different parts of India and Southeast Asia. It is predominantly written in the Devanāgarī (देवनागरी) script, shared with Hindi, Nepali, Marathi and a number of other Indian languages. Learning Devanagari is not quite as difficult as you might think at first glance, but mastering it takes a while and is beyond the scope of most travellers. See Learning Devanagari for a primer.

Pronunciation
Most English speakers find Sanskrit pronunciation rather challenging, as there are 11 separate vowels and 35 separate consonants, employing a large number of distinctions not found in English. Don't let this intimidate you: for the vast majority of its speakers, Sanskrit is not a mother tongue, and many speakers are quite used to regional accents and mangling in various degrees.

Vowels
The key distinction is the difference between short and long vowels. In this phrase book, long vowels are noted with a macron (ā), with short vowels listed without one. You will often come across non-standard romanizations, noted in parentheses below when applicable.

Consonants
Many Sanskrit consonants come in three different forms: aspirated, unaspirated and retroflex.

Aspiration means "with a puff of air", and is the difference between the sound of the letter "p" in English pin (aspirated) and spit (unaspirated). In this phrasebook, aspirated sounds are spelled with an h (so English "pin" would be phin) and unaspirated sounds without it (so "spit" is still spit). Sanskrit aspiration is quite forceful and it's OK to emphasize the puff: bharti.

Sanskrit retroflex consonants, on the other hand, are not really found in English. They should be pronounced with the tongue tip curled back. Practice with a native speaker, or just pronounce as usual — you'll usually still get the message across.

Basics

 * Hello. : नमस्ते. ( )
 * Hello. (informal) : . ( )
 * How are you? : भवान् कथमसि?? ( ?)
 * Fine, thank you. : ठीकम्, धन्यवादः। ( )
 * What is your name? : भवतः नाम किमस्ति?? ( ?)
 * My name is ______ . :मं नाम  ______ . ( mam naama  _____ .)
 * Nice to meet you. : मेलनेन बहु सन्तोषः। ( )
 * Please. : . ( )
 * Thank you. :धन्यवादम् . ( dhanyavaadam)
 * You're welcome. : . ( )
 * Yes. :आम् . (aam )
 * No. :न . (na )
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : . ( )
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : . ( )
 * I'm sorry. : . ( )
 * Goodbye : . ( )
 * Goodbye (informal) : . ( )
 * I can't speak Sanskrit [well]. : [ ]. ( [ ])
 * Do you speak English? :किं त्वम् आङ्ग्लभाषां  वदसि ? ( kim tvam aanglabhasham vadasi?)
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : ? ( ?)
 * Help! : ! ( !)
 * Look out! : ! ( !)
 * Good morning. : . ( )
 * Good evening. : . ( )
 * Good night. : . ( )
 * Good night (to sleep) : . ( )
 * I don't understand. : . ( )
 * Where is the toilet? : ? ( ?)

Problems

 * Leave me alone. : . ( .)
 * Don't touch me! : ! ( !)
 * I'll call the police. : . ( .)
 * Police! : ! ( !)
 * Stop! Thief! : ! ! ( ! !)
 * I need your help. : . ( .)
 * It's an emergency. : . ( .)
 * I'm lost. : . ( .)
 * I lost my bag. : . ( .)
 * I lost my wallet. : . ( .)
 * I'm sick. : . ( .)
 * I've been injured. : . ( .)
 * I need a doctor. : . ( .)
 * Can I use your phone? : ? ( ?)

Numbers

 * 1 : एकम(ékam)
 * 2 : द्व (dvá),
 * 3 : त्रि (trí)
 * 4 : चतुवार् (catur)
 * 5 : पञ्चन् (páñcan)
 * 6 : षष्ठ ( )
 * 7 : सप्तम (saptán)
 * 8 : अष्टम (astam )
 * 9 :नवम (navam )
 * 10 :दशम ( dasham)
 * 11 :एकादश ( ekadash)
 * 12 : ( )
 * 13 p: ( )
 * 14 : ( )
 * 15 : ( )
 * 16 : ( )
 * 17 : ( )
 * 18 : ( )
 * 19 : ( )
 * 20 : ( )
 * 21 : ( )
 * 22 : ( )
 * 23 : ( )
 * 30 : त्रिंशत् (triṃśát)
 * 40 : चत्वारिंशत् (catvāriṃśát)
 * 50 : पञ्चाशत् (pañcāśát)
 * 60 : ( )
 * 70 : ( )
 * 80 : ( )
 * 90 : ( )
 * 100 : ( )
 * 200 : ( )
 * 300 : ( )
 * 1,000 : ( )
 * 2,000 : ( )
 * 1,000,000 : ( )
 * 1,000,000,000 : ( )
 * 1,000,000,000,000 : ( )
 * number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : ( )
 * half : ( )
 * less : ( )
 * more : ( )

Time

 * now :अधुना (adhuna)
 * later : ( )
 * before : ( )
 * morning : ( )
 * afternoon : ( )
 * evening : ( )
 * night : ( )

Clock time

 * one o'clock AM : ( )
 * two o'clock AM : ( )
 * noon : ( )
 * one o'clock PM : ( )
 * two o'clock PM : ( )
 * midnight : ( )

Duration

 * _____ minute(s) : ( )
 * _____ hour(s) : ( )
 * _____ day(s) : ( )
 * _____ week(s) : ( )
 * _____ month(s) : ( )
 * _____ year(s) : ( )

Days

 * today : अद्य (adya)
 * yesterday : ह्यस् (hyas)
 * tomorrow : श्वस् (śvas)
 * this week : ( )
 * last week : ( )
 * next week : ( )

 * Sunday : ( )
 * Monday : ( )
 * Tuesday : ( )
 * Wednesday : ( )
 * Thursday : ( )
 * Friday : ( )
 * Saturday : ( )

Months

 * January : ( )
 * February : ( )
 * March : ( )
 * April : ( )
 * May : ( )
 * June : ( )
 * July : ( )
 * August : ( )
 * September : ( )
 * October : ( )
 * November : ( )
 * December : ( )

Colors

 * black :कृष्ण (krishna)
 * white :श्वेत (shweta)
 * gray : ( )
 * red : ( )
 * blue : ( )
 * yellow : ( )
 * green : ( )
 * orange : ( )
 * purple : ( )
 * brown : ( )

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to _____? : ( )
 * One ticket to _____, please. : ( )
 * Where does this train/bus go? : ( )
 * Where is the train/bus to _____? : ( )
 * Does this train/bus stop in _____? : ( )
 * When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : ( )
 * When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : ( )

Directions

 * How do I get to _____ ? : ( )
 * ...the train station? : ( )
 * ...the bus station? : ( )
 * ...the airport? : ( )
 * ...downtown? : ( )
 * ...the youth hostel? : ( )
 * ...the _____ hotel? : ( )
 * ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ( )
 * Where are there a lot of... : ( )
 * ...hotels? : ( )
 * ...restaurants? : ( )
 * ...bars? : ( )
 * ...sites to see? : ( )
 * Can you show me on the map? : ( )
 * street : ( )
 * Turn left. : ( )
 * Turn right. : ( )
 * left : ( )
 * right : ( )
 * straight ahead : ( )
 * towards the _____ : ( )
 * past the _____ : ( )
 * before the _____ : ( )
 * Watch for the _____. : ( )
 * intersection : ( )
 * north : ( )
 * south : ( )
 * east : ( )
 * west : ( )
 * uphill : ( )
 * downhill : ( )

Taxi

 * Taxi! : ( )
 * Take me to _____, please. : ( )
 * How much does it cost to get to _____? : ( )
 * Take me there, please. : ( )

Lodging

 * Do you have any rooms available? : ( )
 * How much is a room for one person/two people? : ( )
 * Does the room come with... : ( )
 * ...bedsheets? : ( )
 * ...a bathroom? : ( )
 * ...a telephone? : ( )
 * ...a TV? : ( )
 * May I see the room first? : ( )
 * Do you have anything quieter? : ( )
 * ...bigger? : ( )
 * ...cleaner? : ( )
 * ...cheaper? : ( )
 * OK, I'll take it. : ( )
 * I will stay for _____ night(s). : ( )
 * Can you suggest another hotel? : ( )
 * Do you have a safe? : ( )
 * ...lockers? : ( )
 * Is breakfast/supper included? : ( )
 * What time is breakfast/supper? : ( )
 * Please clean my room. : ( )
 * Can you wake me at _____? : ( )
 * I want to check out. : ( )

Money

 * Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : ( )
 * Do you accept British pounds? : ( )
 * Do you accept euros? : ( )
 * Do you accept credit cards? : ( )
 * Can you change money for me? : ( )
 * Where can I get money changed? : ( )
 * Can you change a traveler's check for me? : ( )
 * Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : ( )
 * What is the exchange rate? : ( )
 * Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : ( )

Eating

 * A table for one person/two people, please. : ( )
 * Can I look at the menu, please? : ( )
 * Can I look in the kitchen? : ( )
 * Is there a house specialty? : ( )
 * Is there a local specialty? : ( )
 * I'm a vegetarian. : ( )
 * I don't eat pork. : ( )
 * I don't eat beef. : ( )
 * I only eat kosher food. : ( )
 * Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : ( )
 * fixed-price meal : ( )
 * a la carte : ( )
 * breakfast : ( )
 * lunch : ( )
 * tea (meal) : ( )
 * supper : ( )
 * I want _____. : ( )
 * I want a dish containing _____. : ( )
 * chicken : ( )
 * beef : ( )
 * fish : ( )
 * ham : ( )
 * sausage : ( )
 * cheese : ( )
 * eggs : ( )
 * salad : ( )
 * (fresh) vegetables :  ( )
 * (fresh) fruit : ( )
 * bread : ( )
 * toast : ( )
 * noodles : ( )
 * rice : ( )
 * beans : ( )
 * May I have a glass of _____? : ( )
 * May I have a cup of _____? : ( )
 * May I have a bottle of _____? : ( )
 * coffee : ( )
 * tea (drink) : ( )
 * juice : ( )
 * (bubbly) water : ( )
 * (still) water : ( )
 * beer : ( )
 * red/white wine : ( )
 * May I have some _____? : ( )
 * salt : ( )
 * black pepper : ( )
 * butter : ( )
 * Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): ( )
 * I'm finished. : ( )
 * It was delicious. : ( )
 * Please clear the plates. : ( )
 * The check, please. : ( )

Bars

 * Do you serve alcohol? : ( )
 * Is there table service? : ( )
 * A beer/two beers, please. : ( )
 * A glass of red/white wine, please. : ( )
 * A pint, please. : ( )
 * A bottle, please. : ( )
 * _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : ( )
 * whiskey : ( )
 * vodka : ( )
 * rum : ( )
 * water : ( )
 * club soda : ( )
 * tonic water : ( )
 * orange juice : ( )
 * Coke (soda) : ( )
 * Do you have any bar snacks? : ( )
 * One more, please. : ( )
 * Another round, please. : ( )
 * When is closing time? : ( )
 * Cheers! : ( )

Shopping

 * Do you have this in my size? : ( )
 * How much is this? : ( )
 * That's too expensive. : ( )
 * Would you take _____? : ( )
 * expensive : ( )
 * cheap : ( )
 * I can't afford it. : ( )
 * I don't want it. : ( )
 * You're cheating me. : ( )
 * I'm not interested. : (..)
 * OK, I'll take it. : ( )
 * Can I have a bag? : ( )
 * Do you ship (overseas)? : ( )
 * I need... : ( )
 * ...toothpaste. : ( )
 * ...a toothbrush. : ( )
 * ...tampons. : . ( )
 * ...soap. : ( )
 * ...shampoo. : ( )
 * ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : ( )
 * ...cold medicine. : ( )
 * ...stomach medicine. : ... ( )
 * ...a razor. : ( )
 * ...an umbrella. : ( )
 * ...sunblock lotion. : ( )
 * ...a postcard. : ( )
 * ...postage stamps. : ( )
 * ...batteries. : ( )
 * ...writing paper. : ( )
 * ...a pen. : ( )
 * ...English-language books. : ( )
 * ...English-language magazines. : ( )
 * ...an English-language newspaper. : ( )
 * ...an English-English dictionary. : ( )

Driving

 * I want to rent a car. : ( )
 * Can I get insurance? : ( )
 * stop (on a street sign) : ( )
 * one way : ( )
 * yield : ( )
 * no parking : ( )
 * speed limit : ( )
 * gas (petrol) station : ( )
 * petrol : ( )
 * diesel : ( )

Authority

 * I haven't done anything wrong. : ( )
 * It was a misunderstanding. : ( )
 * Where are you taking me? : ( )
 * Am I under arrest? : ( )
 * I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : ( )
 * I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : ( )
 * I want to talk to a lawyer. : ( )
 * Can I just pay a fine now? : ( )

title: Sanskrit phrasebook


text:
Sant'Agnello

Sant'Agnello is in the province of Naples in the Campania region, and is 49 kilometers from the city of Naples.

Understand
Sant'Agnello occupies the area between Sorrento and Piano di Sorrento. The town is named after its patron saint, who happens to be reflected throughout the baroque church that bears his name. Sorrento, also called the Neapolitan Riviera, is located along the Bay of Naples and is widely considered to be the gateway to Southern Italy. One would be hard-pressed to find a more romantic seaside destination, which is why this region is a leading choice for destination weddings among all of Italy.

Both Sant'Agnello and Sorrento enjoy fabulous weather most of the year. The entire region offers an incredible choice of things to see and places to visit. The area is artsy, and full of history and culture. The people are remarkable friendly and the food is absolutely splendid. The area is known for hand-crafted woodwork, such as music boxes, artifacts and furniture, and numerous stores feature unique merchandise that is easily shipped anywhere in the world.

Do
Sant'Agnello is a convenient location for those who love to ski and snowboard because of its easy access to winter holiday destinations, such as Monte Pollino in the Basilicata region. Nearby, the seaside town of Sorrento is one of the most popular tourist spots in the entire country. It is not a commercial area, and does not have a promenade per se, as many other towns in Italy do. However, since the Roman Age, Sorrento was brimming with residential villas that each had a private descent to the ocean. Today, the most prominent ones have been transformed into luxury hotels, each with wonderful panoramic views and a private beach. From Sorrento, visitors can hop on a ferry and take a scenic 45 minute ride across the bay to the island of Capri.

title: Sant'Agnello


text:
Sant' Andrea Apostolo dello Jonio

Sant' Andrea Apostolo dello Jonio is a town in Calabria, Italy.

Get around
Sant' Andrea Apostolo dello Jonio is near the seaside town of Isca Marina

Sleep

 * Villaggio Club Santandrea, Sant' Andrea Apostolo dello Jonio, 88100, Tel. +39 0967.45039 Fax +39 0961.770145,.

title: Sant' Andrea Apostolo dello Jonio


text:
Sant'Angelo

Sant’Angelo is an old fishing village on the island of Ischia that has turned into an international tourist resort.

No cars are allowed to drive in Sant’Angelo and unlike the other Ischia’s villages it’s still a peaceful oasis. Full of trees and plants of any kind in Sant’Angelo you can have marvellous panorama with the all coloured houses joined to the small hill on the harbour. Small roads which overlook at the blue and clear sea.

Buy
Boutiques with exclusive griffes, fine jeweler’s shops, ateliers, craftsman like goods, especially the local pottery, allow the visitors a special shopping.

Go next
The place offers a lot of excursions, into the island and on the other ones.
 * One of the most interesting is one that takes to Cavascura’s valley where a powerful thermal spring that spout out at 100 grades, feeds thermal baths hollows in the stone.
 * Also, there is an excursion to the Epomeo, that tourists prefer to takes by night to can admire the wonderful sights of the daybreak.

Serrara Fontana

title: Sant'Angelo


text:
Sant'Omero

Sant'Omero is a communal city in the Province of Teramo, Italy.

Get in

 * Take the train to Teramo from Giulianova.
 * Ride the pullman bus from the Rome Tiburtina train station to Teramo and then take a local bus to Sant'Omero.
 * By car. About 14 km from the autostrada.

See

 * The pre-Romanesque epoch ruins of a temple dedicated to Hercules.

Do

 * Go to the Sagra di Bacccalà (Dried Salted Cod Festival) - a nine day event held around the third week of July each year. 4000 kilos of this delicacy are consumed at the gala each year.  Also featured is zuppa di ceci (chick pea soup).

Sleep

 * Le Grotte dei Sarceni   A local landmark.  Great food and a warm welcome await you.
 * Abruzzo Vilas Lodging and recreation in Abruzzo Italy.

title: Sant'Omero


text:
Santa Ana

There is more than one place called Santa Ana:

Argentina

 * Santa Ana (Argentina) - A city in Argentina.

Central America

 * Santa Ana (Costa Rica) - A city in Costa Rica.
 * Santa Ana (El Salvador) - The second largest city in El Salvador.

United States of America

 * Santa Ana (California) - A city in the Southern California region of the state of California.

Santa Ana is the Spanish form of the name; for the French form see Sainte Anne.

title: Santa Ana


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Santa Ana (California)

Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.

By plane
is the closest airport to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm in Anaheim and one of five commercial airports in the greater Los Angeles area. It's located 13.5 mi (21.5 km or 18 minutes in light traffic) southeast of Disneyland and 18.5 mi (29.6 km) from Knott's Berry Farm. The airport is southeast of the junction between SR-55 & I-405 (Exit #8 from I-405 or Exit #6/6B from SR-55) and 6.5 mi (10.4 km) from I-5 (Exit #103) along SR-55. Nonstop air service is available from all regions of the United States including intrastate flights from all major airports in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento in northern California; from Mexico and from Canada. Nonstop flights are available with:

 * Terminal A: American, Air Canada, Breeze Airways, Delta/Delta Connection and Westjet
 * Terminal B: United/United Express, Alaska/Horizon
 * Terminal C: Allegiant, Frontier, Spirit, Southwest, all international arrivals (except from cities with US immigration & customs pre-clearance)
 * have their own private terminal at 19301 Campus Dr Suite #152, further south of the main terminal.

Instead of three separate terminal buildings, the terminal is a single long building spanning north to south and is divided into three segments with "Terminal A" at the north end and "Terminal C" in the south end of the building.

Taxis from the airport to Disneyland are estimated at $49 one-way; $26 to the historic district in downtown Santa Ana or $23 to the Tustin Metrolink Station (nearest Metrolink Station). There are numerous shuttle and private bus companies that offer regularly scheduled transportation to the Disneyland Resorts or anywhere on request, some of which may offer a group discount. Orange County Transport Authority (OCTA) only go west towards Huntington Beach through Fountain Valley on Rt #76 and southeast towards San Juan Capistrano on Rt #212 on limited schedules. Check schedules before using this option. The i Irvine Shuttle Rt 'A'/ 400A connects the airport to the Tustin Metrolink (nearest Metrolink Station) along Von Karmen Ave for connections to additional OCTA buses and Metrolink trains. Unless you plan to spend your entire stay in a single location (Disneyland/Disney Resorts, OC Convention Center, etc) it is recommended to rent a car, rather than to rely on public transportation to get around in Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area.

The next nearest airports are Los Angeles International Airport (49 mi/78 km) and Long Beach (20mi/32km), both of which are off of the I-405 corridor from Santa Ana. The other is in Ontario which is 50 mi/80 km northeast towards the Inland Empire. If you are transiting through the area, between the airports, it is recommended to pay the extra money for a taxi, Uber or Lyft, rather than try to use public transportation and risk missing your flight. Shared ride vans may make multiple stops along the way to pick up and drop off people, which can take longer, too.

By car

 * From I-5.svg Interstate 5 (I-5) / Santa Ana Freeway Santa Ana is accessed between its intersection with SR-55 at Exit 103A/B and its intersection with SR-22 at Exit 106 (from northbound lanes) or Exit 107A/B (from southbound lanes). Downtown can be accessed at "Grand Ave/Santa Ana Blvd" from Exit 104 A/B or at "First St" from Exit 103A (northbound lanes only) and at "Fourth St" from Exit 104 (southbound lanes only).
 * I-405.svg (I-405) San Diego Freeway serves as an auxiliary to I-5 along the southside of Santa Ana which is accessed between exit 9 (Bristol St & CA-55) and 12 ("Euclid St").
 * California 55.svg connects California 91.svg in Anaheim Hills, NE of Anaheim to Costa Mesa with exits into Santa Ana and the airport between I-405 (Exits 6-6B) and I-5 (Exits 9A/9B). From Riverside go southwest along SR-91 through Corona to get to SR-55. Locally CA-55 divides Santa Ana from Irvine with 5 exits to access Santa Ana/Irvine.
 * California 57.svg goes into Santa Ana from Pomona in the San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles and can be a short towards Orange County from San Gabriel Valley without going through downtown Los Angeles.
 * California 22.svg connects CA-57 at its junction with I-5 (Exit 106 of I-5), across Westminster and Garden Grove Dr to Valley View Dr at I-405 (Exit 21 of I-405).

By train or bus
, or SARTC, is Santa Ana's central train and bus station. The station is located at 1000 E Anita Blvd, in downtown Santa Ana.

Get around
The buses of the Orange County Transportation Authority can get you around Santa Ana or most places in Orange County for $4 a day.

A free trolley runs through the Downtown area on Monday and Tuesday afternoons.

Do
Go to MainPlace Mall. It is located near the border with Orange. It is an alternative to 4th Street. Across the street is Barnes and Noble and across from there is Santiago Park, the best park in the city. It has a beautiful bike path and a lot of squirrels. Jerome Park is home to lovely gardens and the largest community center in the city. It has its own basketball court and boxing gym.

Buy
Stuff on 4th Street or at MainPlace Mall. There are other marketplaces but these two are the best. 4th Street is a collection of jewelry and cloth shops with a few Mexican Bric-à-brac stores and food stands. The Martinez Bookstore has books in both English and Spanish and is run by a very kind man. It is located on Broadway.

Stay safe
Dial 9-1-1 for all emergencies. Note that dialing 9-1-1 from a cell phone will connect you with the California Highway Patrol who will connect you with local agencies resulting in a delay in response. Dialing 9-1-1 from a payphone (if any still available) is a free call.

Santa Ana is generally safe, though visible signs show that crime is once again on the rise. Avoiding walking alone at night, especially in the Logan and French Park areas. Santiago Park is often used as a gang base at night, so avoid it at night.

Hospitals
Both of these hospitals have a 24-hour emergency room.

Consulates
Most of the foreign consulates are located along Wilshire Blvd in/around the Wilshire neighborhood and West Los Angeles, between downtown and Santa Monica in Los Angeles. The following are consulates in Orange County:

 * 🇲🇽 Mexico

Go next

 * Orange
 * Costa Mesa
 * Anaheim location of Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm.

title: Santa Ana (California)