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Today's Featured Destination Is:
Chittagong
Chittagong is the capital of Chittagong Division in south-eastern Bangladesh.
[edit] Understand
Chittagong is a fairly big, spread out town, and the largest international seaport in the country. Like Dhaka the streets are filled with masses of rickshaws, though the city puts in a little more effort to keep its streets and sidewalks clean. Foreigners will notice a distinct increase in nuisance from beggars and the people are slightly less friendly than in other parts of the country.
The city is very polluted. Taking a thirty minute ride through town will leave a black stain on a tissue rubbed on any part of your skin. Your clothes will become dirty very quickly when you are moving around. Local people understand and make allowances for this.
The busiest part of town is the area around the train station and Station Road, while things get a little more bearable as you move further north. GEC Circle is the intersection of Zakir Hossain Rd, O. R. Nizam Rd and CDA Avenue, about 3 km north of the train station, and is the center of middle to upper class life with a variety of good restaurants and shopping.
Chittagong is a conservative place. Local women tend to dress in modest clothing and don't like to shake hands with men. This does not apply to the upper class who are very westernised. Local people aren't offended when foreigners don't comply with the expectations of local people. Foreigners drinking alcohol or foreign women wearing skirts which show their bare legs aren't going to upset people. This is true in other parts of Bangladesh and reflects the tolerant and gentle nature of the Bangladeshi people.
In the more affluent neighborhoods like Khulshi and Nasirabad local women are more westernised. The parties that let women have fun are mostly indoors, and Chittagong Club or Hotel Agrabad are fairly happening places at that.
The Chittagonian enthusiasm for inviting people to massive feasts is a bit of legend both locally and elsewhere in Bangladesh. Known as mezbani these feasts feature a tremendously hot curry, usually of beef. If you're not used to it, approach with caution.
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More >> Posted by 85.198.21.90
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Iceland
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Iceland....what a fantastic place. As soon as you land you feel as if you stepped onto another planet. The terrain is volcanic. My understanding is they used certain parts of Iceland near the town of Grindavik to practice with the Lunar Rover. In any event, Iceland is a must-do for world travelers.
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Must to-do's in Iceland:
Thingvillir - Ancient meeting site for Iceland's version of Parliament. Awesome views.
Gullfloss - Spectacular waterfall that you can walk right up to.
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Ok, time for dinner...More on Iceland later.
More >> Posted by TallTowerMan
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Okinawa
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Well, this is my first post here but I'll give it a go and see how things work out.
Okinawa is a fairly small Island in the Ryuku chain of islands. It is a province of Japan. It is well known for it's unique culture (distinct from the mainland), tropical climate, diving, and US military presence.
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