text:
Concord (California)

Concord is a residential and business city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the state of California.

Location
Concord is 29 miles east of San Francisco, meaning that the commute through the Caldecott Tunnel and across the Bay Bridge can be done in approximately 30 minutes when traffic is light, but may feel like an eternity when traffic is heavy. The area of the city is 31.13 square miles (80.63 square kilometers), and with over 120,000 residents Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County.

History
Concord is perhaps best-known for the De La Salle High School football team, which between 1992 and 2004 established a national record-winning streak of 151 games, shattering the previous record of 72 games. During this time the team was named ESPN national champion in 1994 and USA Today national champion in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.

Another of Concord's claims to fame is the famous people who grew up in the city. Concord is the birthplace of actor Tom Hanks. Also, Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck is from Concord and one of Concord's several parks is named in his honor.

Climate
Concord, like most of the East Bay, has hot summers and cool winters. Rain is a rare sight during most months of the year and any rain occurs in monsoon-like periods of fairly heavy rain that last for a few days and then give way to dry weather again. These wet periods often occur in late December or during January and February, but never occur during the summer.

By subway
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stops at the Concord and North Concord stations:

Both are served by the 'Yellow Line' Train between Millbrae Transit Center and Pittsburg/Antioch via SFO Airport, Downtown San Francisco, West Oakland and Downtown Oakland.

By car
Concord is accessible by car from Interstate Highway 680, and State Highways 242 and 4. When driving from Oakland take Highway 24 East to 680 North. County Connection buses also service the city.

By bus
The following connect North Concord/Martinez BART and the Concord BART Stations to Martinez, Concord,Pleasant Hill and other surrounding communities in central and eastern Contra Costa County in the East Bay: Nearest intercity bus station for Greyhound, Flixbus and Megabus is at the West Oakland BART Station.

By plane

The closest international airport is Oakland International, while BART runs directly from all Concord stations to San Francisco International Airport.

Get around
Unless you enjoy walking or biking long distances you'll want a car to get around in Concord. This city is asphalt America at its finest, and while motorists are generally respectful of bikers and pedestrians, the auto is the king of the road. County Connection buses also service the city, along with several taxi services.

See
Tours of Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial leave from Martinez.

Learn
There is a campus of in Concord.

Buy
Strip malls, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, electronics megastores, and all other manner of American consumerism are readily available; following any major street will inevitably lead to some sort of shopping area.

Drink
Those looking for nightlife are better served by visiting neighboring Walnut Creek, although there are a few drinking establishments that are worth a visit.

Go next

 * Walnut Creek - The downtown Walnut Creek area offers shopping, bars, and restaurants.
 * Clayton - One of Concord's next door neighbors, Clayton is a bit more rural than other communities and still offers somewhat of a small-town atmosphere.
 * Pleasant Hill - This neighboring town is primarily a typical family suburb, but it does offer options for food and shopping.
 * Mount Diablo State Park - This park is southeast of Concord and provides great hiking opportunities on a mountain that dominates the landscape for most of central and eastern Contra Costa County. It offers an incredible viewshed, with views on clear days stretching 181 miles to Mount Lassen.
 * Berkeley - Eclectic, political and always interesting, Berkeley is a 20- to 25-minute drive away. Alternatively, using BART, either a) transfer at the MacArthur station and exit at Downtown Berkeley, or b) exit at Rockridge and walk ~2 miles (~3 km) to downtown.
 * San Francisco - Although "the City" feels a world away, it's a 45-minute BART ride to the Embarcadero or a 35-minute to 1.5-hour drive, depending on traffic.

title: Concord (California)


text:
Concord (Massachusetts)

Maybe you’ve never heard of sleepy Concord Massachusetts population 18,000 (2020), but your life has certainly been impacted by it. This is where "the shot heard round the world" was fired in the spring of 1775, setting off a chain of events that would eventually lead to the creation of the United States.

This article also covers the neighboring town of Lincoln population 7,000 (2020).

Understand
The Massachusett people lived here for thousands of years prior to European arrival. This site at the confluence of the Sudbury and Assabet rivers was chosen, as the floodplains created abundant arable land and opportunities for fishing. The area was known as Musketaquid, an Algonquian word meaning "grassy plain". The vast majority of the first inhabitants were killed off by smallpox and other plagues at the dawn of the 17th century. Survivors sold their land to the colonists, and began to assimilate into the prevailing Puritanical culture. Those who did not "bend the knee", were exterminated during wars and other conflicts throughout the 1600s.

The American Revolution essentially began here at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775. Paul Revere had ridden to Lexington the previous night, raising the alarm and giving Massachusetts Minutemen time to prepare for battle. By around noontime the British Army had advanced to the Old North Bridge, where they were finally repelled by Minutemen and forced into retreat. From here the Redcoats returned to Boston while under fire and barricaded themselves inside. Thus began the siege of Boston, and in turn, the Revolutionary War.

During the mid-19th century, Concord was a hotspot of activity for Transcendentalist authors. Rounding things out, Concord’s literary excellence is palmary. Ralph Waldo Emerson is perhaps the town's most famous author, however: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, and Henry David Thoreau were all strong voices inside his circle. They churned out thought provoking titles in the mid-1800s like Civil Disobedience, The Scarlet Letter, and Little Women, among dozens of other titles. Their Transcendentalist views led Thoreau to imprisonment, as he refused to pay taxes to a government that supported slavery. Even today, notable authors like Doris Kearns Goodwin and Gregory Maguire have called Concord home.

Another Concordism—although much more mundane—is the common comestible grape jelly. The humble peanut butter and jelly sandwich is often made with the ubiquitous Concord Grape, first cultivated here in 1849. So if you’ve ever eaten a PB&J or sipped grape juice; you may have already gotten a little taste of Concord.

By car
The only major road in the area is MA Route 2, it cuts through the area from north-west to south-east. From Rt 2, several "feeder" roads all run in to Concord center, like spokes on a wheel. The road names all describe where they go, so depending on your next destination you'll wind up using: Elm Street, Main Street, Sudbury Road, Walden Street, Cambridge Turnpike, Lexington Road, Bedford Street, or Lowell Road. Bedford and Main streets are also called MA Route 62, but it would never be confused for a highway. Most parking at the train stations is reserved for Concord residents only.

By bicycle
Concord is blessed with extensive cycling infrastructure, and the relative closeness of attractions can make biking an attractive option. The Reformatory Branch Trail is roughly of unpaved path connecting the wildly popular Minuteman Commuter Bikeway in Bedford with Concord center. It can get muddy after a rainfall, but generally speaking all but the skinniest of tires can roll along this path. Next, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail passes through West Concord station. This 10-foot-wide paved trail runs you over north into the city of Lowell, or a few miles south into Sudbury conservation land. If you'd like to travel between them, you'll have to ride in the street for a mile or two.

By train
Use the Fitchburg Line from Boston's North Station to arrive in Lincoln, Concord center or West Concord. You can walk to a few attractions from any station, but you'll need to connect with a car or bicycle to do any real exploring from the train.

Get around
Traveling by car is easiest, but many of the tourist attractions are within walking distance of each other.

There are extensive walking trails in Lincoln that go through conservation land, and also connect with the Lincoln MBTA commuter rail station.

Minute Man National Historical Park

 * North Bridge Visitor Center: Nov-Mar: daily 11AM-3PM; Apr-Oct: daily 9AM-5PM.
 * Minute Man Visitor Center: Apr-Oct: daily 9AM-5PM; Oct-Nov: Daily 9AM-4PM.
 * Hartwell Tavern: Jun-Oct: daily 9:30AM-5:30PM.
 * The Wayside: open by guided tour. Jun-Oct: Th 2PM & 4PM; F Sa Su at 11AM, 1:30PM, 3PM & 4:30PM. Nathaniel Hawthorne's home.
 * The Wayside: open by guided tour. Jun-Oct: Th 2PM & 4PM; F Sa Su at 11AM, 1:30PM, 3PM & 4:30PM. Nathaniel Hawthorne's home.

Buy

Go next

 * For more Revolutionary history look no further than Lexington, just next door. The Minutemen saw action here as well, and Lexington has the receipts to prove it.
 * More than just the Freedom Trail, Quincy Market, and Fenway Park; it's easy to spend another day in Boston. Take your pick: Newbury street shopping, North End dining, or an evening in the Theater district.
 * Another top tier tourism town is Salem, site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Steeped in history, it's easy to imagine how a life controlled by the tides might have been lived. Home to the world class Peabody Essex Museum, and House of Seven Gables; Salem's bursting with funky shops and one-of-a-kind restaurants.
 * Get off the beaten trail and head for nearby Lowell. A city in its own right, you'll find many "undiscovered" options for dining and nightlife. Of course there is also a National Historical Park to explore, you're still New England after all.
 * Further afield, the White Mountains in New Hampshire offers some of the region's best outdoor experiences. Tops for hiking, fall foliage viewing or skiing.

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

title: Concord (Massachusetts)


text:
Concord (New Hampshire)

Concord is the capital city of New Hampshire, a state in New England. It is the home of the oldest state house in the U.S. in which the legislature still meets in its original chambers.

Tourist information

 * Visit Concord website

By car

 * Take Interstate 93 from the south.
 * Routes 3 and 4.

By plane

 * Manchester–Boston Regional Airport . International connections will be made through Logan International Airport in Boston.

Consulates

 * 🇳🇿 New Zealand

Go next

 * White Mountains
 * Lakes Region

title: Concord (New Hampshire)


text:
Concord (North Carolina)

Concord is a city in North Carolina and fast-growing bedroom community of the major city of Charlotte. In 2020, the population was around 107,000, making it the second largest city of the Charlotte Metro.

By car
From Interstate 85 North in North Carolina, exits 49-58.

By plane

 * Charlotte Douglas International Airport

By bus
The 80x bus operated by Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) offers service from Charlotte to Concord on weekdays. Geared towards commuters, it goes from Concord to Charlotte in the morning and from Charlotte to Concord in the late afternoon. This schedule makes it usable for going to Concord to spend a night or more, but not for a day trip.

Concord Kannapolis Area Transit offers service from Kannapolis.

Get around

 * Concord Kannapolis Area Transit

See

 * Mustang Owner's Museum, 4005 Dearborn Pl NW. Mustang car exhibition. Daily 10:00AM-5:00PM. +1 980-439-5653
 * Sea Life Charlotte-Concord, 8111 Concord Mills Blvd. One of those commercialized aquariums. +1 855-450-0512
 * Mustang Owner's Museum, 4005 Dearborn Pl NW. Mustang car exhibition. Daily 10:00AM-5:00PM. +1 980-439-5653
 * Sea Life Charlotte-Concord, 8111 Concord Mills Blvd. One of those commercialized aquariums. +1 855-450-0512
 * Mustang Owner's Museum, 4005 Dearborn Pl NW. Mustang car exhibition. Daily 10:00AM-5:00PM. +1 980-439-5653
 * Sea Life Charlotte-Concord, 8111 Concord Mills Blvd. One of those commercialized aquariums. +1 855-450-0512

Do

 * - located in Concord

Go next

 * Kannapolis
 * Charlotte
 * Rock Hill

title: Concord (North Carolina)


text:
Con Dao

Côn Đảo is an archipelago off the southern coast of Vietnam. Con Dao is also an island of immense natural beauty with forested hills, deserted sandy beaches and extensive coral reefs making for some excellent diving.

Understand
Con Dao served as a prison island for political prisoners during the French colonial era, when it was known as Poulo Condore, and in later years the Saigon regime imprisoned opponents of the regime in the infamous cells known as the "tiger cages". The old prison buildings are still standing and are open to the public as is a small museum tracing the island's history.

Con Dao is a shining example of good conservation. 80% of the land area of the archipelago is a national park offering primary jungle teeming with interesting life such as the endemic black squirrel and the crab eating macaque. Beautiful beaches and hidden lagoons are also to be found here, with very few tourists. Con Dao is a paradise off the beaten track. For now at least.

Most of the surrounding seas are a "no-take" marine protected area (MPA). The level of protection and care shown to this island is evident in the pristine reefs that surround it, home to a large variety of marine life not found anywhere else in Vietnam.

Con Cao National Park is undergoing scrutiny of its operations by the World Wildlife Fund and the United Nations Development Program. Both groups played a key role in the setup of the national park. Funding was withdrawn by another key aid organization DANIDA, as evidence was produced that the park was operating in violation of its charter and that the park was run for personal profit at the expense of the environment. Ask around on the island before using any of the national park services. International oversight is needed to be sure the environmental abuses are halted.

Reports to national park officials of the spotting of slaughtered turtle shells drying in the sun on the roof of the Anh Dao Hotel have produced no inquiry, investigation, or prosecution.

By plane

Getting there and away:
 * The airport is on the far north end of the island and a long way to anywhere else. Arranging a hotel before you get there is best — hotels will provide a minibus to and from the airport (50,000 dong).
 * If you have not booked with one of the hotels, simply hop on any of the hotel buses, pay the driver around 50,000 dong and they will take you to town.
 * Taxis are available but more expensive than on the mainland.

On foot
Con Son Village is small, flat and easily traversed on foot. Because of the intense sun and very little shade on the streets, walking is best left for the morning or evening.

By motorbike
Motorbikes can be easily rented from main hotels and there is relatively little traffic. There has been an enormous increase in the number of motorbikes for rent. Better deals are often found outside of hotels, as the hotels mark up the same bikes you can hire locally. See also Vietnam by motorcycle.

There is only one petrol station on the island and it is only open 07:00-10:30 and 14:00-16:00. Be sure to get a bike with a full tank of gas as there is none available for sale on the streets as in the rest of Vietnam. They are fun to ride, but a drag to push around.

Since many of the spots to visit require riding up some hills, you will be better served by a manual gear one. The light traffic and gentle hills make Con Dao a forgiving place to learn to ride a geared bike.

It is illegal to ride a motorized vehicle without a helmet or a Vietnamese driving license. The local cop, Mr. Tan, really likes to increase his salary at the expense of un-helmeted visitors. Riding without a helmet is illegal and simply foolish with the primitive medical care available here, especially if you are not carrying adequate travel insurance. Evacuation to Bangkok costs US$30,000 paid in advance. This money cannot possibly be raised on the island. Travel here without proper insurance at your own risk!

By taxi
You maybe able to arrange for your hotel to take you places for a fee, usually about US$70 a day for car and driver, without hotel markup.

Taxis on Con Dao are generally more expensive than vans and buses, and there are as yet no English-speaking drivers, write your destination down before you arrive if you choose to use their service. No reports of overcharging as of yet.

Motorbike taxis are easily found in Con Son Village. As in all of Vietnam most of these guys are hard working and honest, but there are a few scoundrels.

See
Con Dao has great historical import and attracts Vietnamese and increasing numbers of tourists to the renovated prisons. Prisoners were kept in extremely overcrowded conditions on the island and as many as 20,000 are believed to have died here. A guide from the nearby Revolutionary Museum costs less than US$1 and includes an informative guided tour. The prison cemetery is a national shrine to more than 20,000 heroes. You will not score any points here by wearing short pants, or showing your shoulders in and around the cemetery. Do not even think about riding your motorbike over the graves! The Vietnamese come to this island for the sole purpose of visiting this cemetery.

The influx of budget tourists is starting to strain the feelings of the local people here, as few actually benefit from your visit. The foreign money is concentrated in the larger government-run hotels. Give a moments thought about where you spend your money. Book services for motorbikes outside of your hotel, eat in the local places, shop in the local market.

Côn Đảo Prisons
The prisons reached their greatest extent in 1973, with a total of seven camps, as well as a number of outlying buildings. Camps 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are consistently opened to the public. You must start at camp 3 downtown, as this is where tickets are sold; the price is comparable to other public museums in Vietnam. Camp 3 is in the center of Con Son town; coming from Võ Thị Sáu, turn at the t-intersection near the Vietin Bank and the entrance is hard to miss. After visiting Camp 3, the others can be visited in any order you like.

Camp 3 dates to the French colonial era and one can easily spot the French influence in the architecture. This prison contains a chapel in the center, an outdoor auditorium, kitchen and dining area, a mill where hard labor was performed, large group cells, and isolation cells. Here, one can learn about the social lives of prisoners as well as a few famed inmates who were imprisoned in that section.

Camps 1, 4, and 5 are all accessed through one entrance and referred to on signage as the French tiger cages. The French tiger cages can be found adjacent to the museum to the east. A small structure to the right of the drive leading to the parking area and entrance has an exhibition that explains some aspects of the tiger cages (camp 4). The tiger cages are housed in two buildings, the first one reconstructed with mannequins and dioramas, and the second in a state of ruin, ordered destroyed by the Saigon regime after they were exposed in the July 17, 1970 issue of Life Magazine (recommended reading before visiting, available for free on Google Books) by a US congressional team investigating the prison. One may notice a striking similarity between these cells and some of those in the film Papillon. Neighboring camp enclosures can be explored, though they are not as well-maintained; if you do explore, wear long pants and closed-toed shoes to keep the birdox-like grass pricklies and biting red ants off your skin. Unmarked, in the grassy field in the corner of Camp 1, is the spot where Võ Thị Sáu was executed.

Camp 6 is referred to as the American tiger cages. These cells were meant to fulfill the same roll as the French tiger cages, built in 1973 by an American firm after the Saigon regime was pressured to destroy and stop using them. To get there from the French tiger cages, follow the same road east, away from the center of town, and take the first left. The parking area is to the left, opposite another prison camp which is not visitable. The American tiger cages have sixteen structures subdivided into sections by concrete walls. Though less well-maintained, most of the individual cells can be opened and explored. Many have writing on the wall which appear to have been left from former inmates. It is now home to bats.

Outlying prison buildings — a few prison buildings, ruins more accurately, lie on the outskirts of town in all directions. Heading east from the town center on the corner of Nguyễn Chí Thanh and Nguyễn Văn Cừ, on the way to the airport, lies Sở Lò Vôi, a lime kiln where prisoners carried out forced labor as well as a prison across the street.

The Cow Pens and Pig Sty lie on Võ Thị Sáu, just after the intersection with Nguyễ Văn Linh. The cow pens are on the right and the pig sty to the left; these structures are prisons named after their resemblance to cow pens and pig sties.

Sở Muối is located on the coastal road to Ben Dam, right at an intersection near the entrance to a Buddhist temple. The ruins are simple and were once large cells.

Sở Rẫy is a former plantation where prisoners carried out forced labor. Only accessible by trail; for directions, see section “suggested hikes” under Côn Đảo National Park.

Côn Đảo National Park
Before visiting the trails of the park, it is necessary to first stop at the ticket office. To get to the ticket office, follow Võ Thị Sáu St. out of town; the road turns and eventually forks. Follow the fork up the hill and eventually you will find a small structure from where you can buy a day ticket for 60,000 đong (as of Feb 2018). The office is across the road from an historical site with a marker, the ruins of Ma Thien Lanh Bridge which many prisoners died building.
 * Con Dao is part of a maritime and national park and is made up of 16 or so islands. The islands are mostly rugged and still have a lot of original forest cover and associated flora and fauna. The most famous indigenous animal is the dugong or sea cow although it is rarely seen. Several species of rare squirrels and apes are found here and there is an important breeding program for turtles on Bay Canh Island, near Con Dao Island.
 * The islands have very nice beaches, great swimming, and snorkelling opportunities (however snorkelling on the main island is generally only good in one area accessible from May-Oct) and have a very relaxed, colonial feel to them. Con Dao is a nice antidote to the crowded cities.
 * Rain forest hikes can be booked through the national park Office. Some hikes require a guide. Some of the trails are unmarked, so having a native guide is useful. There is good information available on the island for self-guided hikes and most of the rangers only speak Vietnamese.

Suggested hikes
 * 1) Hang Đức Mẹ (short and easy; ~500 m uphill on stone pathway and steps) - Hang Đức Mẹ is a small grotto with a statue of the Virgin Mary. To get there, drive uphill past the ticket office and past a few driveways that lead to park structures, parking at the first roadside parking area marked by a sign and a path leading into the woods. Follow the path which eventually forks and turn right (the turn will be obvious from signs). Ascend the stairs to reach the grotto; the left fork is longer and leads to a beach.
 * 2) Ông Đụng Beach (short and easy; ~500 m downhill on stone path with steps) - To get to the entrance to this trail, continue past the entrance to Hang Đức Mẹ and park at the second roadside parking area (continuing farther will lead to a dead end). Descend the steps and you will soon reach the beach; though on the smaller and rockier side, it is peaceful and seldom crowded with trees for shade and some swings on the shore, as well as a ranger station and bathrooms. Also opportunities to encounter some of the local monkeys.
 * 3) Sở Rẫy (moderately strenuous; a bit over a kilometer up a steep hill and rougher trail) - The trail to Sở Rẫy is harder to find than others, but rewarding as at the time lies an abandoned colonial plantation once worked by prisoners and an observation tower with excellent views of Côn Sơn town and the sea. To find the trail entrance from the town, head down Võ Thị Sáu as if you were going to the park office, but instead of taking the uphill fork to the right, continue on the level road to the left (Huỳnh Thúc Kháng). Keeping going and watch on your right for a sign tucked between a residence and an automotive business; it is easy to miss! If you are coming from the park office, take the sharp left at the bottom of the hill to reach this road, You may also come from the direction of Miếu An Sơn temple, in which case you simply turn left from the parking lot and watch to your left for the sign (though the sign is considerably harder to spot from this direction). The trail first goes between two properties and can be at first hard to follow as some of the vegetation grows quite freely and the trail sometimes seems to go on top of a low wall. Soon, however, the trail becomes clear as it enters the forest. It is an uneven trail, but well-marked with informative signs along the way. You will soon find a steep, rocky trail; watch your step here! At the top of the hill lies Sở Rẫy, the plantation's ruins straight ahead and the observation tower down a short path to the right. There are few interpretive signs, but the old buildings can be fun to explore.
 * The park guides will generally shepherd you though the woods, stop and have a few shots of whiskey with their buddies, then shepherd you back to get home in time to have a nap. The trails are seeing much more traffic now, and only the hike to the far north bay, Dam Tre, requires a guide and awareness of the tides.
 * Watch out for the strong wind that can whip up at any time at the southernmost point of the island near Nhat Beach. Several visitors have not heeded warnings and have been injured by the strong gusts that can be found there.

Do
Con Dao has the best diving in Vietnam. You can dive most times of the year as there are 16 islands to choose from and you can get good visibility pretty much most of the year. Having dive insurance is mandatory in Con Dao due to its remote location.

 * Snorkeling: Con Dao Explorer offers daily tours including snorkeling trip to Bay Canh or Hon Cau island. ,
 * Snorkeling: Con Dao Explorer offers daily tours including snorkeling trip to Bay Canh or Hon Cau island. ,
 * Snorkeling: Con Dao Explorer offers daily tours including snorkeling trip to Bay Canh or Hon Cau island. ,
 * Snorkeling: Con Dao Explorer offers daily tours including snorkeling trip to Bay Canh or Hon Cau island. ,

Buy
There is a good fruit and vegetable market in Con Son town that opens early, 06:00 or so. Prices are cheap and the locals don't seem to overcharge foreign purchasers. As the number of budget travellers increases and the full blown screaming fits over 1,000 dong on the part of the backpack crowd, you can be sure that the attitudes of the vendors will change. Please keep it under control, you may win the fight over 1,000 dong but the next traveller will surely pay the price for your "success". Everything here is simply more expensive as it has to come by ship or plane.

Eat
The town hotels all have restaurants open to the public. See Sleep.

Drink

 * Beer is available at hotels and restaurants. Cocktails and mixed drinks when offered on hotel menus will not always be available.
 * There is a shop near the market which has a surprisingly excellent selection of wine and sells cold beer.
 * Join the fishermen if you are in Con Dao during their few returns to dry land. They enjoy sitting on the street with a case of beer drinking and chatting. By and large they are very friendly, but don't be surprised if you attract a few stares as a foreigner. While a few drinks with the fishermen can be OK, in fact they are not supposed to be moored in this harbour. There have been incidents of indecent exposure and some harassment of Western women, so avoid drunks of whatever nationality.

Sleep
In Con Son there are small guesthouses and hotels which offer room rates from US$15-35 per night While not on the beach, they are usually clean and relatively new and comfortable. View for recommendations, new places are opening everyday and they know the good, bad, and the ugly.

Stay safe

 * Con Dao is remote. As in all of rural and most of developed Vietnam, medical care is rudimentary. Evacuation by helicopter to Saigon takes 5 hours, costs US$5,000 and must be prepaid in cash. Serious issues that need evacuation to Thailand will require 8 or more hours as a result of the government not allowing "Medical Wings" access to Con Dao without first stopping in Saigon adding four hours to the trip and costing US$30,000. So if you are considering travel here, consider getting good travel insurance. If you find that insurance is not available in your home country, consider an online company from the US, they do cover people from all over the world for as little as US$1 a day.
 * There are some stray dogs around and people do get the occasional nip. The dogs become aggressive and territorial at night, and during the day they can be found sleeping in the middle of the road. Walking the streets at night alone is not smart anywhere. When confronted by dogs, do not act scared or run. Stand your ground and yell at them, bend down as if to pick up a rock, and they will run like they are on fire.

Crime
Crime is almost non-existent. It is said to be the only place in Vietnam where bicycles and motorcycles are left outside the house at night.

However common sense must prevail, hotel rooms do get pilfered when left unlocked, people get very complacent here as it does feel, and is so safe.

Stay healthy

 * There is no malaria here. Mosquito season is Feb-Apr. The mosquitoes are not abundant, nor are their bites particularly painful. Regular mosquito repellent is available and it works. Purchase in the pharmacy, across the street on the left side of the market under the name Soffell.
 * There are sand flies that move around the island. The bites are painful and easily infected. Do not scratch. Immerse in hot water. Take a hot shower to get relief to sleep. Mosquito repellent does not work well for sand flies. Treat with hot water, hydro-cortisone cream or anti-histamine tablets. Sand fly season is Jan-May.
 * Dive! Dive! Dive! sells a special homemade sand fly repellent that works much better than DEET, and is safe. It may not smell great but it works!
 * Do not drink tap water! In the interest of reducing plastic waste, refill your 1-2 L water bottles. Cold water is 5,000 dong a litre, half the market price, and you will help reduce the amount of plastic waste generated on the island.

Go next

 * Ho Chi Minh City - by plane
 * Vung Tau - by boat

title: Con Dao


text:
Conde

Conde is a town of 25,000 people (2020) in Paraíba. It is 6 km inland from the Tambaba Beach, and another 6 km passing four other beaches to the north of Tambaba.

Get in
From João Pessoa, there are two options:
 * Take the BR-101 South, for 12 km from the BR-230 that circles the south of the city, until you find the PB-018, then left for another 3 km.
 * From Cabo Branco, take the PB-008 directly along the beach, passing through Campinas, Jacumã and Tambaba.

title: Conde


text:
Cong

Cong (Irish: Conga, from Cúnga Fheichín meaning "Saint Feichin's narrows") is a small village in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, with a population in 2016 of only 145. It has a ruined abbey and a plush castle hotel, but is best known as the film location for The Quiet Man. "Conga" means narrows and it stands on an isthmus between Lough Mask and Lough Corrib, which stretches south to the outskirts of Galway. The west side of the isthmus is Clonbur (An Fhairchein) in County Galway, an even smaller village also described here. The natural place to draw the county boundary would be the river connecting the loughs, but this inconveniently flows underground "through caverns measureless to man" - they're only partly traced let alone explored. The boundary thus wanders all over the place and is ignored on this page.

Understand

In the dreamtime, two branches of the tribes of Nemed fought to rule Ireland: the Fir Bolg were challenged by the Tuatha Dé Danann led by Nuada. The key Battle of Moytura Cong lasted for four days on Mount Gable, and Nuada's right hand was chopped off but his side won. The defeated Fir Bolg were awarded Connacht as a peace offering, and Nuada was fitted with a silver hand, but this made him ineligible to be king. They picked Bres instead, who ruled for 7 years then took a drink too many and was killed hunting; Nuada had meanwhile acquired a flesh and blood new hand so he got to be king. There was a second battle on Moytura Ridge (east of Ballymote in County Sligo) where Bres turned out to be alive all along, and now it was Nuada's turn to get killed though again his side won. Still following all this?

These legends were first written down from the 9th to 12th centuries, a period in which the Ua Conchobair (O'Connor) dynasty rose to be High Kings of Ireland. But in the reign of Rory O'Connor, the Anglo-Normans grabbed more and more of Ireland; in 1186 he retired from Tuam to Cong Abbey though he had two later spells of rule.

Thus Cong's position at the centre of Irish affairs was brief and disputed, and a movie called Cong King has somehow never been made. Little else happened for almost 800 years, and the place was not developed, so its traditional village was preserved. That made it a good film location in 1952 for The Quiet Man, a romcom drama set in a lush idyllic rural Ireland. And Cong has traded upon this for more than 70 years. It's still an attractive (slightly ersatz) place, firmly on the tourist circuit, and the film will always have its admirers, but what future for Cong? Perhaps Mary Kate's dowry money will finally come in handy.

Get in
Bus Éireann 422 runs three times a day from Castlebar, Mayo to Balintubber, Balinrobe, Neale, Cong, Cross, Glencorrib and Headford. This connects with Burkes Bus between Headford and Galway. No buses reach Clonbur.

Get around
From Cong to Ashford Castle is 1 km and to Clonbur is 6 km. Local taxis are O'Meara in Clonbur (+353 872 604352) and Michael Walsh at the Castle (+353 863 953965).

See

 * Ashford Castle and its grounds are now a very upmarket hotel, see "Sleep". You can also dine or sign up for their various sporting activities, but they don't do sightseeing tours. What is not resolved (as of June 2020) is public access to the grounds along the right-of-way footpath, which the hotel has blocked. Legal action and protests continue.
 * Cong Canal was not one of the 19th-century's construction triumphs. Water flows south from Lough Mask to Lough Corrib through underground channels in the limestone. The 5 km canal was cut to enable boats from Galway to get up into Lough Mask, and to manage the flow for mills and drainage. But except in winter spate, the water still preferred to flow underground, so the canal and its stout locks and bridges are mostly dry.
 * is where they should have looked for their missing water. It's a scenic woodland walk then you descend steps down a chasm to the underground stream. Nearby Dog's Cave is closed off. There are many caves in the area for suitably trained and equipped cavers. They're often flooded so cave-diving is needed to explore them.
 * is a medieval fortress, long-ruined and unsafe to enter.
 * are four circles off R345, 1.5 km northeast of Cong. The largest has 23 stones about a metre tall with cup and ring marks.
 * is off R346, 3 km east of Cong. It's Neolithic and probably contains a passage grave but has never been excavated.
 * (417 m / 1370 ft) can be climbed from the car park 2 km west of Clonbur. Lough Coolin at its foot has the cottages of an abandoned village. The lough was renowned for white trout until the 1960s, when someone had the bright idea of introducing pike. A short time later, the lough was renowned for its well-fed pike.
 * Moytura House just west of Cong was built by the notable surgeon Sir William Wilde. His even more notable son Oscar Wilde often spent summer here until his twenties. It's now a private dwelling and you can't really see anything of it from the lane.
 * 10 km northeast is likewise private. This was the home 1873-1880 of Captain Charles Boycott, who found trouble wherever he went, and came into conflict with his tenants. Plenty of them were ready for violence, but Parnell the leader of the Land League argued for non-violent methods: ostracism and refusal to work, trade or deal with the oppressor in any way. An expedition had to be mounted to harvest the crops at Lough Mask, and then he and his family were escorted by Hussars to Dublin where they sailed for England. It was reckoned that the government had spent £10,000 in saving his £500 worth of turnips, and the term "to boycott" entered the language. Cecil Parker played the Captain in the film of 1947.
 * is south near Headford, just across the boundary into County Galway. It may have been founded in 1351, but was certainly active from 1460. Its monks were Franciscan, on the wrong side of the conflict with Henry VIII, and the place was destroyed in 1538. It then became the most serially-suppressed monastery in Ireland, as time after time the monks snuck back and re-built, were covertly supported by local landowners, then again dispersed by fire and the sword. In spite of Cromwell, the Williamite Wars and the Penal Laws, the last monks clung on till 1832. The Friary is now a substantial ruin, with a church, bell tower, two cloisters, kitchens and living quarters. It was still used for burials into the 20th century. The site is free to wander any time.
 * Moytura House just west of Cong was built by the notable surgeon Sir William Wilde. His even more notable son Oscar Wilde often spent summer here until his twenties. It's now a private dwelling and you can't really see anything of it from the lane.
 * 10 km northeast is likewise private. This was the home 1873-1880 of Captain Charles Boycott, who found trouble wherever he went, and came into conflict with his tenants. Plenty of them were ready for violence, but Parnell the leader of the Land League argued for non-violent methods: ostracism and refusal to work, trade or deal with the oppressor in any way. An expedition had to be mounted to harvest the crops at Lough Mask, and then he and his family were escorted by Hussars to Dublin where they sailed for England. It was reckoned that the government had spent £10,000 in saving his £500 worth of turnips, and the term "to boycott" entered the language. Cecil Parker played the Captain in the film of 1947.
 * is south near Headford, just across the boundary into County Galway. It may have been founded in 1351, but was certainly active from 1460. Its monks were Franciscan, on the wrong side of the conflict with Henry VIII, and the place was destroyed in 1538. It then became the most serially-suppressed monastery in Ireland, as time after time the monks snuck back and re-built, were covertly supported by local landowners, then again dispersed by fire and the sword. In spite of Cromwell, the Williamite Wars and the Penal Laws, the last monks clung on till 1832. The Friary is now a substantial ruin, with a church, bell tower, two cloisters, kitchens and living quarters. It was still used for burials into the 20th century. The site is free to wander any time.

Do

 * Ashford Equestrian Centre is based on the castle estate, as is the golf course.
 * See Fishing in Ireland for catch rules on Lough Mask.
 * R300 is the scenic drive along the west shore of Lough Mask. Tourmakeady has a distillery (see below) and waterfall.
 * is 1 km north of Ballinrobe village on N84 Castlebar Rd. It hosts ten meetings April-Sept, both flat-racing and National Hunt.
 * is 1 km north of Ballinrobe village on N84 Castlebar Rd. It hosts ten meetings April-Sept, both flat-racing and National Hunt.

Buy

 * Clonbur has a Centra convenience store open M-Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 8AM-7PM.
 * Cong has lots of Quiet Man and similar tourist merchandise.

Eat

 * Cong pubs and hotels serve food, eg Fennel Seed within Ryan's Hotel is open daily 12:30-10PM.
 * Cong cafes are Puddleducks and Butler & Byrne.
 * Ashford Castle dining options are George V Room, The Connaught Room for afternoon tea, The Dungeon, and Cullen's at the Cottage.

Drink

 * Cong pubs are Pat Cohan's Gastropub, Danagher's and Crowes Nest within Ryan's Hotel.
 * Clonbur pubs are Eddie's (within Fairhill House), Brendan Lynch's and Burke's.
 * Lough Mask Distillery produces gin, vodka and whiskey, and offers tours. It's on R300 the west lakeshore road towards Tourmakeady.

Sleep

 * Other places in Cong village include Ryan's River Lodge and Lydons Lodge.
 * The Lodge is the castle's mid-range annexe, B&B double from €180, contact details as above.
 * Other places in Cong village include Ryan's River Lodge and Lydons Lodge.
 * The Lodge is the castle's mid-range annexe, B&B double from €180, contact details as above.
 * The Lodge is the castle's mid-range annexe, B&B double from €180, contact details as above.

Connect
As of Feb 2021, you'll get a passable mobile signal from Eir and Vodafone but not Three, and there isn't 4G.

Go next

 * East is pastoral East Galway, and the religious centre of Tuam.
 * West is Connemara. The stone arch bridge of The Quiet Man is on N59 between Oughterard and Maam Cross.
 * South is the lively city of Galway.

title: Cong


text:
Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park is the only United States national park in the state of South Carolina, an old growth forest with wetlands and rivers popular for canoeing.

History
Prehistoric foragers hunted the area and fished its waters. The Congaree Indians claimed the floodplain and Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto recounted the intrigue of the area in his journals. Around 1700, the Congarees were decimated by a smallpox epidemic introduced with the arrival of European settlers. The new residents obtained land grants from the King of England until 1776 when the state of South Carolina assumed the right to distribute ownership of the land.

Attempts to make the land suitable for planting and grazing continued through 1860. The floodplain's minor changes in elevation and consequent flooding stifled agricultural activity; but the intermittent flooding allowed for soil nutrient renewal and enabled the area's trees to thrive. Bald Cypress, in particular, became a target for logging.

By 1905, the Santee River Cypress Lumber Company, owned by Francis Beidler, had acquired much of the land. Poor accessibility by land confined logging to tracts near waterways so that logs could be floated down river. In the perpetual dampness, though, many of the cut trees remained too green to float. Operations were suspended within ten years, leaving the floodplain basically untouched.

In 1969 relatively high timber prices prompted private landowners to consider resuming logging operations. As a result of an effective "grass roots" campaign launched by the Sierra Club and many local individuals, Congress established Congaree Swamp National Monument in 1976.

In Hurricane Hugo in September 1989, the park lost several National Champion trees, but the overall effect was a natural stimulus to growth. Hugo snapped tree tops, thereby allowing sunlight to come through the canopy, promoting new growth beneath. Fallen trees have provided shelter for many species of organisms; standing dead trees became new homes for a variety of plant and animal species, including fungi, insects, reptiles, birds, and bats.

On June 30, 1983, Congaree Swamp National Monument was designated an International Biosphere Reserve. In July 2001, it was designated a Globally Important Bird Area, and on November 10, 2003, it was designated as the nation's 57th National Park.

Landscape
A mix of pine forest and floodplain, the landscape here is the main reason to visit. The water level rises based on the level of the nearby Congaree river, and early months in spring and fall can find parts of the handicapped-accessible boardwalk flooded over. The subtropical flood plain was never harvested for timber, and so much of it is thick with dense, undergrowth that, to the unfamiliar, can seem thick as a jungle. The tree canopy is high here, and in most places, dense. Deep in the forest, the temperature drops noticeably when only small patches of sunlight reach the ground. Small creeks run throughout the park, and several small lakes dot the landscape. At worst, it's mosquito-ridden and muddy. At best, the cypress knees and drippy Spanish moss look like a set out of Lord of the Rings. Most days, the park manages to accomplish both at once.

Flora and fauna

 * Flora - Pines dominate in the higher areas, but on the floodplain proper, cypress and tupelo dominate. Because the forest was never timbered, the several of the tallest cypress trees in the world can be found within the park - ask rangers for help locating them. Other species of tree include sassafras, holly, sweetgum, and oak.
 * Fauna - Birders love Congaree National Park. Pileated woodpeckers abound, even on the boardwalk near the visitor's center. Other small songbirds are easy to find. Hawks are uncommon, but sometimes spotted, and farther into the park, wild turkeys have been seen. If you're lucky, you may see an osprey or two by the river. Squirrels abound, and larger mammals, such as white-tailed deer and coyotes may be heard, if not seen. All the wildlife here isn't the cuddly variety. Snakes are endemic to the area, and poisonous variety include the rare coralsnake, the copperhead, the canebrake rattler, and the ubiquitous cottonmouth. Use caution in areas that snakes may frequent, such as warm rocks, holes, and downed trees. The Congaree Swamp is also one of the most northern parts of the river with alligators, and wild pigs roam the area. These aren't fuzzy little porkers, however - they're frequently hunted in other parts of South Carolina and are known to be rather protective mothers. If you hear snuffling and cloven hooves on the forest floor, be careful. Fishing may or may not be allowed in parts of the park, depending on the sign you consult. Check at the visitor's center before toting your pole into the backcountry. The lakes have lots of turtles - including snappers - and with a pair of polarized glasses, you'll likely see long-nosed gar, bass, perch, and a variety of sunfish.

Climate
This is South Carolina. It's hot and humid in the summer, though tree cover may drop the temperature a bit in wooden areas. It's also not unexpected for a mid-afternoon shower to pass through in the summers, as this is a sub-tropical climate. Winter temperatures are mild, but if you visit then, you'll miss most of the green foliage. Spring and fall are both mild, though temperatures can spike to ninety unexpectedly. Check local weather reports.

Visitor information

 * Park website

Get in
From downtown Columbia, Congaree National Park is an easy half-hour drive up Bluff Road (route numbers are labeled, but seldom used by locals). Follow the signs from there, which clearly mark the way to the park. If you plan on extending your visit after 5PM. be sure to leave your car in the overnight parking lot near the entry of the park.

By bus
Bus service is provided by the COMET Route 47, with connections from various locations in and around Columbia.

Fees and permits
Congaree National Park does not charge entrance fees.

Get around
Once you leave your car at the lot, you're on foot. The visitor's center and the boardwalk, which offers a stunning view of the flood plain, are both handicapped accessible.

See
Primeval forest landscapes and diverse plant and animal life.

Do

Canoeing is available (check the visitor's center), but you may have to portage in low or high water seasons. Owl walks also happen on Friday nights throughout the summer.

The Cedar Creek Canoe Trail is blazed with small signs approximately 12 feet above the water level. They are brown rectangles 8 inches tall by 4 inches wide with white canoe icons. They are infrequent. Especially important is Myzack's Cut at the lower end of Cedar Creek which will transport the canoeist to the Congaree River. Continuing on Cedar Creek from this point is difficult as the creek is unmaintained and regularly impeded by blowdowns and strainers. There is also the Congaree River Blue Trail, a 50-mi paddling route.

Ranger-guided wilderness canoe tours are free (Feb 2018), are offered in the spring and fall, and require reservations.

Buy
The visitor center offers a wide selection of guides and national park paraphernalia. If you're into hiking South Carolina, you'll find plenty of guidebooks and friendly people to help you plan your trip.

Eat
Bring it in or hit the vending machines. If you want a hot meal after a hard hike, try some of the restaurants in downtown Columbia.

Sleep
Did you bring a tent? If not, downtown Columbia is again your best bet.

Camping
Two of the camp sites are within a quick walk of the parking lot, so pack weight shouldn't be a big concern if you're just looking for a night in the woods. But the closer the site (and one of them is right next to the overnight parking lot), the more crowded the site. Friday and Saturday nights in the summer are particularly a smattering of locals, including Boy Scout troops. So if you're intent on a quiet solo experience, you may want to hoof into the backcountry.

All visitors planning to camp at either the Longleaf or Bluff Campgrounds are required to make reservations via Recreation.gov or by calling +1-877-444-6777.

Camping fees (Feb 2018): (Senior and Access Pass holders receive a 50% discount on the above fees)
 * Longleaf Campground: $10 for a regular tent site; $20 for a group site
 * Bluff Campground: $5 for a regular tent site

Backcountry
It's wet. It's jungly. It's full of things that crawl and bite and might like to have you for a snack. But the trees are spectacular, and the wildlife only gets better as you go down the trail. It's very flat, but it's also muddy, so strong shoes are advisable to avoid snakes and keep your feet dry. The paths are generally very well-marked, and maps at the visitor's center are quite reliable. Visitors are still scant here, and most of the locals who visit don't stray beyond the boardwalk, so a trip to the backcountry leaves you mostly alone. Due to the close proximity of Columbia and the flat landscape, cell phone reception is fairly good. A trip into this wild, almost primordial landscape, will leave you feeling like a triceratops might lumber into your path.

Camping in the backcountry is free and requires a permit that can be obtained at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center daily 9AM to 5PM.

Stay safe

 * Bring the bug spray. Standing water breeds mosquitoes, and there's plenty of them out here. Deer ticks in the area may carry Lyme Disease, so check yourself carefully after your visit. And though Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is very uncommon, dog ticks aren't.
 * Watch for snakes. Many venomous snakes live in the area, but the sane visitor won't find them a problem. If you see them, leave them alone. Though cottonmouths can be territorial, South Carolina hasn't had a snakebite fatality in years. As long as you use good judgment, you'll be fine.
 * Alligators are native here. If you're around the water, use caution. Again, South Carolina hasn't had any gator fatalities either, so just use good sense.

title: Congaree National Park


text:
Congjiang

Congjiang (从江; Cóngjiāng) is a city in Southeastern Guizhou.

Get in
It is the main town of its rather rural area, a place to change buses on the route between Kaili and Guilin.

The national road from Sandu to Congjiang passes through the Duliu Valley. The scenery on the way is so beautiful. A hike is also rewarding.

Get around
The town is small enough to get around on foot.

It stretches mostly along the river so there really are only two big streets, one on each side of the river. On the northern bank is the busier National Road. On the southern side you'll find shops, street vendors, a market and at least one bigger-than-a-kiosk sized supermarket.

See
Like in other cities in the region you'll see traditional wooden Dong houses mixed in with modern Chinese buildings (modern as in built in the 80s). There are whole Dong villages right behind the row of Chinese buildings along the streets.

If you start near the bus station (northern bank) you could take a taxi to the outdoor food market, which is on the other side of the river and west from the bridge. From there you can stroll back in 30 minutes or so.

You'll get a nice view of the traditional Dong settlements from the southern bank of the river. If you go up the stairs behind the houses across the bus station (for example) it's almost as if you're getting into a completely different, rural village within a few minutes.

There are also pagoda-like structures, which make for a good destination for exploratory hikes.

Do
Visit Basha, a Miao hill village where the locals wear traditional clothes for daily life and grow topknots. Turn left out Congjiang's bus station, walk a short distance and cross the bridge. At the other side turn left and there will hopefully be some taxis and motorbikes around - the ride takes about ten minutes and costs ¥10 for a motorbike up and ¥5 for a shared taxi back down, plus a small entry fee to get into the village (¥10?).

Eat
There are many little restaurants around the train station like you would imagine.

The outdoor food market is also a very nice setting for lunch.

Sleep
There are several Hotels (mostly Binguans) around the bus station that should all be reasonably priced and have air conditioning.

Go next
The new expressway is now finished and open to traffic. The Congjiang intersection is roughly an hours drive from the bus station along a very poor quality road. However, once on the expressway, the traffic is light and the speed is fast.

The bus from Congjiang to Sandu goes along a windy road through the mountains and many small cities. The landscape and the minority inhabited small towns kind of make this a worthwhile sightseeing bus ride. Sandu is now accessible via the new expressway.

Buses to Guiyang take 4 hours (¥150) and leave twice daily, the last is at 10.20am. This journey cuts right through numerous minority villages and provides amazing views from the high bridges.

There are also buses from Congjiang to Sanjiang (¥30) which is on route to Longsheng.

title: Congjiang


text:
Congo

Congo is the name of two countries in Central Africa:

 * Republic of the Congo – also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the smaller one in the northwest
 * Democratic Republic of the Congo - formerly Zaire and also known as Congo-Kinshasa, the larger one in the southeast

title: Congo


text:
Congo Basin

Congo Basin is a region in Democratic Republic of the Congo and is made up by the provinces of Equateur, Oriental and Maniema.

Cities

 * - hometown of former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, and nicknamed Versailles of the Jungle, due to its now ruined lavish palaces.
 * - Third largest city in DRC.
 * - Third largest city in DRC.
 * - Third largest city in DRC.

Understand
The Congo Basin region composes the majority of the world's second largest jungle after the Amazon. Because of this, and despite its size, the region is difficult to get around by land, with pirogues (and other boats) and aircraft the only ways to easily get around. Most of the region's inhabitants still live in small villages in the jungle, although many have moved to cities like Kisangani, Kindu, Bumba, & Mbandaka.

By boat
The Congo/Lulalaba River is the busiest route through the region. Rapids between Kisangani & Ubundu separate the river into two navigable sections: Kinshasa-Kisangani & Ubundu-Lubumbash (where it is called the "Lululaba River"). Travel along the river is one of the great African journeys for the truly adventurous. Boats, ferries, & barges ply the river regularly. However, there is no scheduled ferry service...people pay to ride on passenger boats & cargo boats/barges with the boat leaving the port when full and does not necessarily stick to a tight schedule. Boats become less frequent the further up the river you travel. While boats from Kinshasa arrive in Mbandaka almost daily, boats only reach Kisangani every 1-2 weeks (with the journey from Kinshasa taking 2-3 weeks). Boats are even less frequent on the upper section of the river, although you may be able to find one from Lubumbashi to Kindu a couple times a month. A short portage railroad connects Kisangani & Ubundu, allowing river travel from Kinshasa to Kindu.

There are also a few boats a month connecting Kinshasa or Brazzaville to Bangui, CAR, from where you can easily take a ferry or pirogue across to Zongo. Just be sure to have the right visas!!

Small boats (often dugout tree trunks) called pirogues are the most common transport along the rivers of the Congo Basin. However, finding one to take you where you want may be difficult and is very slow. Although some are motorized, fuel may be hard to find.

By plane
As of 2012, the only scheduled services in the region are: FlyCAA which serves Kisangani, Mbandaka, Bumba , & Kindu and Congo Airways (Kisangani, Goma, Kindu & Kinshasa). Both airlines offer domestic service from other major cities in the DRC. Some airlines will cancel a flight at the last minute because there are not enough passengers to make a profit (and pay for fuel, etc.) and don't expect your trip to be on schedule...a journey from Kinshasa to Kisangani may only take a couple hours, but plan a whole day for delays!

The only international service to the region has been Kenya Airlines from Nairobi-Kenyatta to Kisangani, which has started & stopped a few times. Kinshasa is served by Air France & Brussels Airlines from Europe and several African airlines, from which you can transfer to boat or a domestic flight to reach the Congo Basin. It is also possible to arrive in Brazzaville or Bangui (both also served by Air France, Brussels Airlines, & a number of African airlines) and then travel by boat to the Congo Basin. Just be sure to have the right visas. Using the decent (by DRC standards) National Route 4, you can transfer by road from Kigali, Rwanda. It is also possible to fly into Entebbe, Uganda for visits to areas near the Ugandan border, although onward travel is very dangerous.

By car/bus
The only decent option to reach the Congo Basin by road is National Route 4 from Bukavu on the Rwandan border in South Kivu to Kisngani. The road is sealed for much of its length, although travel may be slow due to people/animals on the road, overloaded trucks traveling slow, & checkpoints. Safety is improved since the end of major fighting a decade ago, but is still a little iffy. Bunia can be reached by road from Uganda. It is possible to travel from Cameroon or Congo-Brazzaville to Bangui, CAR on moderately-ok roads, but traveling by road in the CAR is very difficult due to notoriously corrupt police/soldiers manning checkpoints along the highways. From Bangui, vehicles can be taken by ferry across the river to Zongo.

Pretty much every other option to reach the Congo Basin by road is very difficult and consists of muddy dirt tracks that are impassible during and shortly after the rainy season.

By train
The only train line entering the Congo Basin connects Kindu with Lubumbashi in the Katanga region. The line was rehabilitated in the late 2000s, although the rolling stock is second-hand from Europe & India. Stops at a number of towns along the line—some as long as a day—make the journey from Lubumbashi to Kindu a 4-8 day ordeal. Do not expect sleeper compartments, a dining car, or even comfortable seats. You will most likely have a seat in an aging passenger car at best or have to stand or sit atop in an empty freight car at worst. Train schedules are erratic, and at times there may be 2-3 weeks between departures. Contact the station master at any station to inquire about the next scheduled train, but expect delays. Pay only on the day of departure & bring plenty of snacks, food, & bottled water for the ride.

By boat
See above for info on traveling the Congo River. Waterways are the main form of transport in the region. A great number of pirogues, some motorized, ply these rivers and can be hired (or you can pay to ride with others/cargo). However, finding a pirogue going where you want to go is difficult and the journey can take weeks. Aside from travel on the Congo or Ubangui Rivers and tourist rides around Kisangani, travel by pirogue (as well as most travel in the region) is best left for only the most adventurous and hardcore travelers with adequate preparation. Solo travelers should never venture into the jungles alone.

By air
There are no scheduled, commercial flights within the region except for, possibly, Mbandanka-Kisangani or Kisangani-Kindu. Be careful, as some airlines run a multi-city route and you may have to make a few connections on return. Example:Kinshasa-Kisangani-Kindu-Lubumbashi-Kinshasa flown on one day a week. It may be easy to travel from Kisangani to Kindu, but to return to Kindu may require traveling to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, or Goma and connecting to a different flight (perhaps with a layover for a couple days).

The UN has a large presence in the region and operates scheduled flights throughout the Congo Basin, but if you are not associated with a UN agency or another aid agency it may be difficult to hitch a ride (but worth a try). A large number of small planes travel the region and are worth trying to hitch a ride.

By road
Almost all of the roads away from the cities are nothing more than muddy tracks. Travel can take weeks (especially if your ride breaks down) and may not be possible during and shortly after the rainy season. Many trucks will carry paying passengers. Be very careful in selecting your ride. Nearly all are overloaded and passengers sit atop a pile of carefully loaded cargo. Falling off or the truck overturning are very real dangers. Try to get a ride in the cab if at all possible...maybe offer a little more money than the driver asks and point to the cabin. The trucks traveling around the Congo Basin are old and usually the driver and a helper or two have the knowledge to fix problems and navigate mudholes and makeshift log bridges. Do not expect stops to relieve yourself (simply do your business off the side of the moving truck). If your truck breaks down, a fix may take days or even a week or more. Same goes for getting stuck in mud. Definitely an experience left only for the most hardcore travelers.

By train
There are three lines in the Congo Basin. The line connecting Kindu with the Katanga region will make stops at some of the towns along the line. The portage line bypassing the Congo's rapids runs from Kisangani to Ubundu and only travels when there is cargo to carry...meaning it may be a couple week between runs. A third line runs from Bumba eastward to Isiro. This is a narrow-gauge line damaged during the war and in a very degraded state. It seems service has restarted on a small western section from Bumba-Aketi (and possibly Buta) and, while there were reports of trains running in the eastern section in 2008, the track eastwards of Aketi or Buta is most likely abandoned.

Stay safe
Much of the northeast of the Congo Basin remains in a state of conflict. See the warning in the Democratic Republic of the Congo article for more information.

title: Congo Basin


text:
Congonhas

Congonhas is a city in Minas Gerais, Brazil, also known as Congonhas do Campo.

By car

 * BR-040 - south from Belo Horizonte, or north from Conselheiro Lafaiete, Juiz de Fora, Petrópolis and Rio de Janeiro
 * BR-383 - north from São João del Rei
 * MG-443 - west from Ouro Branco and Ouro Preto

title: Congonhas


text:
Coniston

Coniston is a picturesque lakeside village in the Lake District National Park. Coniston sits next to Coniston Water, the Lake District's third largest lake is the home to many attempts at the world water speed record. Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the record on the lake first in 1930, and his son Donal broke the record four more times before his last attempt ended in disaster, crashing fatally at.

The lake and its surroundings is the inspiration for Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons. Coniston's other major literary connection is as the long-term home of John Ruskin.

Do

 * Climb the Old Man of Coniston
 * Climb the Old Man of Coniston

title: Coniston


text:
Conneaut

Conneaut is a city in Ashtabula County in Northeast Ohio, along the shores of Lake Erie. Conneaut is located immediately west of the Pennsylvania border, 25 miles west of Erie and 68 miles east of Cleveland.

Get in
Conneaut is accessible via Interstate 90 as it traverses west to east between Cleveland and Erie, Pennsylvania. U.S. Route 20 also runs east-west through Conneaut. Ohio State Route 7 also connects Conneaut to points south, such as Youngstown.

Get around
Outside of local paratransit/ senior shuttle service, Conneaut and Ashtabula County has no fixed-route public bus transportation. However, City Cab, based in Ashtabula, does serve Conneaut and the surrounding area.

Buy
Conneaut has very few shopping options within the city itself. Many residents travel to other nearby cities, such as Ashtabula, Erie, Mentor, and the Youngstown area (all within 90 minutes of Conneaut), for major shopping needs.

The small downtown area does contain several small stores, including Orlando Brothers' Golden Dawn on Main Street near Buffalo Street, a grocery store that has served Conneaut since 1977.

Go next
Erie is about half an hour away.

title: Conneaut


text:
Connecticut

Connecticut is a small New England state, full of charm, rural beauty and several major cities. The state's top tourist attractions include Yale University, which maintains numerous world-class museums, Mystic Seaport, the restaurant and nightlife scene in downtown New Haven, The Maritime Aquarium, and two major Native American casinos.

Cities

 * – the state capital.
 * – the most populated city in the state.
 * – also known as Hat City, Danbury is home to Western Connecticut State University, Candlewood Lake, and many good restaurants.
 * – this is one of the most common places to visit, due to the historic seaport and aquarium.
 * – home to top-rated restaurants, tourist attractions and Yale University.
 * – a historic whaling port on Long Island Sound, home to the coast guard academy,
 * – home to trendy SoNo with an active night life and The Maritime Aquarium
 * – a sizable city with so many large corporate headquarters that there's a substantial reverse commute from New York City to Stamford; a local dining and bar scene has followed
 * – this is a small urban community with lots to do. Look for the Union Station Clocktower that overlooks the city.

Other destinations
Connecticut is rich with history, nature, art and beauty. There is truly something for everyone. While many people are drawn each year to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casinos, there is much more in this state. There are a number of beaches at the shore, state parks and forests throughout the state, and many smaller parks as well. Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam is an excellent family destination. So is the Essex Steam Train and River Boat Ride in Essex.

History
Connecticut was one of the original 13 colonies of the United States, and was the fifth state to ratify the constitution in 1788. Over the next centuries, the state became a manufacturing center, and supported the war effort during the Civil War and the World Wars. Today, Connecticut is one of the richest states in the union, and is the home to many businesses.

Geography
The State of Connecticut is divided in half by the Connecticut River, the largest river in New England. The state's general geographic regions can be understood as a set of quadrants, with Hartford, the state's capital, acting as the centerpoint. Within the immediate vicinity of Hartford are the large towns of Manchester, New Britain, Bristol, Meriden, and Middletown, which have close ties with the capital, and the state's primary airport, Bradley International, 15 miles (25 km) north of Hartford, in Windsor Locks. Looking beyond the heartland, the southwestern part of the state has close ties to New York and is highly developed and urbanized (especially in the panhandle) including cities such as Bridgeport and New Haven, as well as several historically affluent towns such as Stamford, Darien, and Greenwich. To the north of the urban agglomeration can be found the city of Danbury, the gateway to the state's rural northwest, as well as the manufacturing city of Waterbury. Moving along the shoreline, the southeastern part of the state becomes significantly less urbanized than the southwest, and includes many of the state's fine beaches. This region includes the historically important ports of Mystic, Groton, and New London, as well as the crossroads city of Norwich. Moving northwards, the northeastern part of the state, known to locals as the "Quiet Corner", is very rural, with few major population centers, but includes many historical towns, scenic parks, and woodlands. The largest city is Willimantic, in the southern part of the region, with the towns of Putnam and Killingly/Dayville acting as local centers of activity. The University of Connecticut, in Storrs, can be seen as a part of this region as well. The Northwestern part of the state is also very rural, especially in the northwestern corner. This region is known for its beautiful natural scenery, particularly hills and highlands and the Housatonic river, attracting visitors and campers from near and far. The region's largest town is Torrington, with several notable towns such as Kent and New Canaan being known for their affluent residents. The largest body of water in the state, Candlewood Lake, is in this region, as is the state's highest point, the slope of Mount Frissell (2,379 ft / 725 m), on the border with Massachusetts.

Overall, the state contains 9 "planning regions" (which fully replaced the former 8 counties as statistical units in 2015 at the state level and 2022 federally), and 169 towns and cities.

Weather
Like most of New England, the weather in Connecticut is varied with the seasons. It can be highly unpredictable in the spring and fall months. The weather in Connecticut is generally stable compared to many other parts of the country. Dangers that plague many regions of the country (e.g., tornadoes, mudslides, earthquakes, etc.,) are not a danger here.

It is recommended to bring clothes for a variety of temperatures when visiting, and to check the weather report closely. Although there are periods of little or no rain, a raincoat or umbrella are good items to pack. Warm clothes in the winter and light clothes in the summer are also important, although it is recommended to pack a light jacket, even in the summer months.

Tourist information

 * Visit Connecticut website

Talk
Due to the state's origins and subsequent proximity to the immigrant gateways of America (such as historical Ellis Island), many towns and cities in Connecticut have significant cultural minorities which are reflected in the speech and traditions observed in each locale.

Although historically, Connecticut was settled by English, Scots, Irish, and German populations, most large cities in Connecticut today, including Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, and Waterbury possess significant Latino populations. New Britain, and several other communities, are well known for their large Polish communities, New Haven's Chinatown caters to Mandarin speakers, and Wooster St serves as the city's "Little Italy." Indeed many communities, particularly in the Southwestern part of the state, have residents of Italian heritage and in Northeastern Connecticut there is a significant population with French-Canadian heritage. There is even a small Greek presence in some Connecticut communities.

Owing to its location, Connecticut's regions possess several American English variations. For example, many people in Fairfield County are observed to have something akin to a New York accent (likely due to the county's proximity to New York City), while some people in Northern and Northeastern Connecticut have something akin to a Boston accent. Still, others have what would be considered a neutral, non-rhotic Northern American accent. In some places, other languages have melded with American English to produce entirely new accents. If anything, Connecticut's speech is not at all one-dimensional.

Spanish is the most widely spoken second language, owing to the sizable Latino population in cities and is understood at least to some degree by a sizable portion of the rest of the population, as it is the most offered choice of foreign language in school. French is also taught to some degree in schools, but widespread knowledge, apart from the elderly French-Canadian population, is non-existent. Most other languages will not be understood, except in the presence of specific minority groups.

In state

 * Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks is the state's largest airport. Nearby to Hartford and Springfield (Massachusetts), it has increased its volume at a rapid pace. Due to its location north of Hartford, it can be difficult to access for northeastern and northwestern border residents, but is convenient for heartland residents. For non-central residents, it can be more convenient to travel to New York, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island for flights. Still, as the 3rd largest and 2nd busiest airport in New England, it can be a good alternative destination if all else fails. It was named after fallen soldier Eugene M. Bradley who died there during a 1941 training drill.
 * Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, a smaller airport with flights to Philadelphia.
 * Waterbury-Oxford Airport, popular with private aviation.
 * Sikorsky Mem'l Airport in Stratford is a private aircraft charter service based there.
 * Meriden Airport in Meriden provides private air charter.
 * Danbury Municipal Airport in Danbury is mainly used for general aviation.
 * Danielson Airport in Danielson is mainly used for general aviation.

Out of state

 * LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark in the New York City area are all common choices for travelers in the Western part of the state. These are all larger airports than in-state airports, and have more flight opportunities. But for travelers to the Eastern part of the state, they are too far to be of much convenience.
 * Logan International Airport in Boston is one of two good choices for travelers with destinations in the Eastern part of the state, but is far away from any of Connecticut's major cities, such as Hartford and New Haven. Still, it is only about a 60–90-minute drive away from locations along the I-395 corridor, so if you are visiting the northeastern part of Connecticut, it can be a solid choice, particularly for its larger availability of flights.
 * T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island is a great alternative to Boston if travelling to the Eastern half of Connecticut. The airport covers many domestic and a fair number of international flights, and in many cases, is only about an hours' drive from your destination.
 * Westchester County Airport is the closest commercial airport to the lower Fairfield County area. However, these are US Domestic flights only.

By ferry
The Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry crosses Long Island Sound daily between Port Jefferson, Long Island and Bridgeport, CT. It carries cars and passengers. Cross Sound Ferry connects New London, CT and Orient Point, NY (the easternmost tip of Long Island's North Fork.) It also carries cars and passengers.

By train
Amtrak provides frequent service to Connecticut destinations on trains between Penn Station in New York City and South Station in Boston. MetroNorth provides frequent weekday commuter service from Grand Central Station Manhattan and several cities and towns in southwestern Connecticut's Fairfield and New Haven counties.

By bus
As with trains, there are frequent intercity buses between South Station Boston and Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan with stops in Connecticut. Major bus lines serving Connecticut include Peter Pan and Greyhound.

By car
Those entering Connecticut by car from the west can choose from three major routes. Interstate 84 enters Danbury, Connecticut from Pennsylvania and the lower Hudson Valley of New York and continues to Waterbury, Hartford and Worcester. The Merrit Parkway, closed to trucks and buses, enters the state from New York's Westchester County, and is considered one of America's most scenic highways because of how its design matches the bucolic leafiness of the suburbs that surround it. An extension of the Parkway tunnels under a hill north of New Haven and continues to Meriden where it merges with Interstate 91 going north towards Hartford and beyond. Interstate 95 traverses the east coast of the United States from Maine to Florida, and runs along Connecticut's coast from east to west. The visitor should be aware I-95 North according to federal road signs is actually going East in Connecticut, and I-95 South is going West in Connecticut. Between New York and New Haven I-95 goes through densely populated suburbs and is heavily congested. East (North according to directional signs on the road) of New Haven I-95 goes through more rural coastal towns and is not so congested.

Entering the state from Boston involves taking the Massachusetts Turnpike also known as Interstate 90 west to I-84, or Route 6, a two-lane road, or Interstate 95 from Rhode Island.

Fuel is more expensive in Connecticut than it is in New York or Massachusetts.

By car
Car is the easiest way to travel through the state, and the best if you are planning on sightseeing. Several major highways, including I-95 I-84, I-91 and I-395, run through the state.

By bus
Information on Connecticut Transit can be found here.

 * Hartford county is also served by a rapid bus transit CT Fastrak
 * Bridgeport is served by its own service.
 * Bridgeport is served by its own service.

By train
There are eight commuter rail lines that connect most major cities and towns. New Haven is the main hub that connects to all these commuter rail lines, as well as to Amtrak routes.

 * Metro North New Haven Line - daily service between Grand Central Terminal, New York City to New Haven State Street Station, New Haven with stops at Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Milford, and New Haven
 * Metro North New Canaan Branch- daily service between Stamford Station, Stamford to New Canaan Station, New Canaan with stops in the Stamford neighborhoods of Glenbrook and Sprigdale and New Canaan neighborhoods such as Talmadge Hill and Downtown New Canaan
 * Metro North Waterbury Branch- daily service between Bridgeport Station, Bridgeport to Waterbury Station, Waterbury with stops at Shelton, Ansonia, Beacon Falls, and Waterbury
 * Metro North Danbury Branch- daily service between South Norwalk Station, Norwalk to Danbury Station, Danbury with stops at Wilton, Redding, Bethel, and Danbury
 * CT Rail Hartford Line - daily service from New Haven Union Station, New Haven to Springfield Union Station, Springfield with stops at Wallingford, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, and Springfield
 * CT Rail Shore Line East - daily service from New Haven Union Station, New Haven to New London Union Station, New London with stops at Branford, Clinton, Old Saybrook, and New London
 * Amtrak Northeast Corridor- daily service between Union Station, Washington D.C. to South Station, Boston with stops at Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London
 * Amtrak Hartford Line- daily service between New Haven Union Station, New Haven to Greenfield Station, Greenfield with stops at New Haven, Wallingford, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Springfield, Holyoke, and Greenfield

See
For national parks and historic sites, visit the Weir Farm National Historic Site in Wilton, or the Valley Falls Park, which is a waterfall park in Vernon.

Connecticut is rich in botanical gardens: Barlett Arboretum and Gardens in Stamford., Connecticut College Arboretum in New London, Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum in Rocky Hill (south of Hartford), Elizabeth Park Rose Garden Hartford, Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Highstead Arboretum Redding (near Danbury), Marsh Botanical Garden on the Yale Campus in New Haven, and the New Caanan Nature Center in New Canaan.

Connecticut is part of the Knowledge Corridor, with a large number of colleges and universities. Yale University is the 3rd oldest university in the country, and is one of the country's 8 Ivy League Schools. This school has been home to many famous people, including presidents, authors, judges, and senators. Yale is in the downtown area of New Haven, overlooking the green. University of Connecticut, more commonly known as UConn, is the largest university in Connecticut, with famous men's and women's basketball teams. The main campus is in Storrs. Quinnipiac University is a private university in Hamden. Connecticut College in New London was founded in 1911 as a college for women, but went co-ed in 1969. The entire campus is an arboretum.

Connecticut has three historical forts to visit: Fort Griswold in Groton, Fort Nathan Hale in New Haven, and Fort Trumbull in New London. Fort Griswold is the well-preserved site of the largest Revolutionary War battle fought in Connecticut and is across the Thames River from Fort Trumbull which was captured by British forces led by Benedict Arnold in 1781.

There are dozens of lighthouses scattered along Connecticut's coastline that will capture your imagination and add historical flourish to your photos. Here are a few of the best: Sheffield Island Light on Sheffield Island off the coast of Norwalk, New London Ledge Light in New London, Avery Point Light in Groton, Lynde Point Light in Old Saybrook, Stratford Point Light in Stratford, Tongue Point Light in Bridgeport, and Morgan Point Light in Noank in Groton.

Sports fans can cheer on the Women's National Basketball Association's Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, or the UConn Huskies teams of the NCAA. The football team plays at the biggest stadium in the state, Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

Beardsley Zoo is in Bridgeport.

Do
There are two amusement parks in the state. Lake Compounce is the oldest amusement park in the United States. It's in Bristol, and has dozens of rides for all ages, and good food. Quassy Amusement Park is an old amusement park in Middlebury. This park is more suited for younger children.

There are two aquariums to visit: Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, and Mystic Aquarium and Seaport in Mystic.There are many beaches in the state, including Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk; Cove Island Park, Cummings Park, and Kosciuszko Park in Stamford; Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport; Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme; Sherwood Island State Park in Westport; and Silver Sands State Park in Milford.

Bicycling is popular in Connecticut. There are plenty of country roads, coast line, lighthouses, and hills to keep you going. The state maintains a website called CT Trails with a list and maps of trails. Some are paved and others are packed dirt.

Connecticut has three ski areas in the western part of the state. Mohawk Mountain Ski Area is the largest ski area in the state, in Cornwall. Mount Southington Ski is a family-friendly resort, that caters to skiers and snowboarders, near Plantsville in Central Connecticut. Ski Sundown is a great place for beginner and intermediate skiers, about 40 minutes west of Hartford, at New Hartford.

Mohegan Sun in Uncasville is one of the largest casinos in the country. Foxwoods is another massive casino. It is in Ledyard.

Hiking
There are hikes for every level on mountains or along the beach, many of them are suitable for kids. Here are a few:

 * Talcott Mountain State Park which is 950 ft (290 m) and it is in Simsbury
 * Jessie Jerard Trail which is a 3.3-mile (5.4-km) trail which is in Barkhamsted
 * Burr Pond State Park which is a public recreation are with 438 acres (177 hectares) of land in Torrington
 * Sleeping Giant State Park is a mountain with a building top of the mountain in New Haven
 * Case Mountain is a mountain with a waterfall in Manchester
 * West Rock Ridge State Park is a mountain with trails in New Haven.

Eat
Connecticut has an incredible number of restaurants everywhere you go. There are thousands of restaurants state wide. Downtown New Haven has more top Zagat-rated restaurants than any other community in Connecticut. Interesting ethnic restaurants, including Eritrean, Malaysian, Turkish, Spanish, French, Mexican, Cuban, Jamaican, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Southern and Northern Indian, Nepalese, Cantonese and Italian restaurants can be found throughout the city. Also, the state's large casinos have plenty of dining opportunities.

Connecticut, especially New Haven, is known for its old-fashioned, thin-crusted pizza, locally called "apizza."

Southington, Connecticut, between Hartford and Waterbury, is famous for their many apple orchards. This small town of forty thousand people has an incredible variety and supply of apples, celebrating their staple crop with the annual Harvest Festival in October. Anyone traveling through this beautiful state in the Autumn must stop in Southington for a bag of apple fritters and other foods made from the town's famous apples.

Drink
Alcohol can only be sold Monday-Saturday 8AM-10PM and Sunday 10AM-6PM. For on-premises consumption, such as at bars, it can be sold Monday -Thursday 9AM-1AM, Friday - Saturday 9AM-2AM, and Sunday 11AM-1AM.

Discover Connecticut's craft beer culture, boasting great local breweries, quality brewpubs and beer bars, home brew supply shops, and beer festivals. Many breweries offer tours of their facilities, and of course free samples of their products.

Crime
Although Connecticut is well known for its affluence, and is the third wealthiest state in America, there are sections in the state's largest cities (especially Bridgeport, New Haven, and Waterbury) that can be dangerous, especially at night. However, common sense will more than likely keep you far from any signs of trouble in Connecticut, as the state is widely considered to be one of the safest in the country.

Ticks
Connecticut is the infamous birthplace of Lyme disease. Take precautions against tick bites and see a doctor as soon as possible if you notice a bull's-eye-shaped rash around the site of a bite or get flu-like symptoms after walking through possibly tick-infested areas (forests, etc.). Tick season is usually from the spring to the fall.

Weather
Connecticut has been known for its sudden shifts in weather. Be prepared for freezing temperatures and snowstorms in the winter and thunderstorms in the spring and summer.

Go next

 * New York - Bordering Connecticut to the south and west, New York is home to America's largest city as well as amazing natural beauty in the less urban areas. A lot of people live in Connecticut and commute to work in New York.
 * Massachusetts - The cities of Boston and Springfield are within reasonable driving distance of Connecticut's northern border.
 * Rhode Island - In the summer Connecticut residents swarm the Ocean State's beaches, but Rhode Island also offers urban charms in the capital city of Providence and centuries of history in Newport.

title: Connecticut


text:
Connecticut River Valley

CT River Valley is in the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, in the US. It features the Knowledge Corridor region surrounding the Connecticut River's two largest cities, Springfield (Massachusetts) and Hartford.

By car
U.S. Interstate 91 connects the Connecticut River Valley from Vermont, Pioneer Valley, Springfield and New Haven. CT-9 runs along the Connecticut River, connecting New Britain and Middletown to Interstates 91 and 84.

From Boston, take the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) west to Interstate 84 West. From Danbury and Waterbury, take I-84 East. From Providence and New London, take I-95 South, then CT-9 North.

Driving time to the Connecticut River Valley from Boston is approximately 1½ hour; from New York City, it is approximately 2 hours and from Providence is approximately 2 hours.

By plane
The major international airport serving the Connecticut River Valley area is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut - 12 mi (19 km) north of Hartford, Connecticut.

By train
Hartford Line, operated by CT Rail, is the commuter rail that connects Hartford (along with the towns of Berlin, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Enfield) to New Haven and Springfield.

Rail service via Amtrak is available to Hartford through a shuttle service also called the Hartford Line. It makes stops in Springfied, Hartford and Meriden, with the final stop in New Haven.

Hartford and Meriden is also served by Amtrak's Vermonter line.

By bus
Greyhound and Peter Pan bus service is available to Hartford.

By car
The best way to get around is by car. Aside from Hartford, most of what makes the Connecticut River Valley great is its towns. The region is decentralized and spread out, therefore a car is necessary to get around.

By bus
Hartford is the biggest city in the area and the central hub for all public transport in the region. CT Transit is the region's reliable and extensive public transport system. There is also the CT Fastrak, a rapid transit system of bus routes that utilize a bus-only roadway, connecting the cities of the region (New Britain, Manchester and Bristol) with Hartford.

See
Historic sites - Connecticut has so much history from Colonial era, to the Civil War and early 20th century

 * Old Wethersfield (south of Hartford), preserved colonial buildings
 * Historic Windsor (north of Hartford), the first settlement in the state
 * Nathan Hale Homestead (Coventry), home of the hero of Connecticut, American soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War
 * Colt Armory (Hartford), factory complex for the manufacture of the famous Colt firearms, created by Samuel Colt. known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms, most especially between the 1850s and World War I

Parks and Botanical Gardens

 * Elizabeth Park and Rose Garden in Hartford
 * Bushnell Park in Hartford
 * Talcott Mountain State Park and Heublein Tower in Simsbury
 * Castle Craig in Meriden
 * Gillette Castle in East Haddam

Museums

Do
Lake Compounce -

Eat
There are many great places to eat in Old Saybrook. Some of the best ranked restaurants here offer different types of food.

Stay safe
The only place to really avoid is the North End section of Hartford.

title: Connecticut River Valley


text:
Connellsville

Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, and a gateway via 711 to the Laurel Highlands recreational areas of Ohiopyle and Seven Springs Ski Resort and Conferenece Center.

Get in

 * Routes stopping at Connellsville:
 * Capitol Limited operates daily between Chicago and Washington, D.C. including stops in South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Alliance, Pittsburgh, Connellsville, Cumberland, Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry, and Rockville.
 * Capitol Limited operates daily between Chicago and Washington, D.C. including stops in South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Alliance, Pittsburgh, Connellsville, Cumberland, Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry, and Rockville.

Get around
Route 119 is the main north/south artery connecting Connellsville to the North to the Westmoreland County communities of Scottdale and Mt. Pleasant.

See
It is mostly just a town where everyone works hard in a mill job or fracking natural gas and then parties on the nights and especially weekends. DJs rotate between the various bars with differing degrees of success.

Do
You can go to Yough Park and feed the ducks.

Buy
There is a supermarket anchoring a couple of different plazas, from the Wal-Mart one, which is out of town a few minutes in neighboring Dunbar Township.

Eat
There is the Italian Oven, Double Dragon Chinese Restaurant, The Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, which has better food and service, though some claim that the General Tso's is better at the Double Dragon, and an Italian Place near the Martin's Supermarket.

Connect
Uncle Vic can always fix you up with a tour or helping hand or any other need that you might have. He can be reached at +1 724 963-1908.

title: Connellsville