A couple of accommodation reviews

Anne Black YWCA, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 4-7 August 2010

This place was cheap, cheap, cheap. It cost us $60NZ per night for twin room with air conditioning, hand basin, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, tooth brush, towels and a jug. The showers had good pressure and the bathroom was lockable. However there was no kitchen or laundry and reception was open very early and very late.

Kimi Ryokan, Ikebukuro “Sunshine City”, Tokyo, Japan, 7-14 August 2010

It was cheap for what is one of the best “ryokans” in Tokyo, or so I’ve read online. It only cost us around $105NZ per night for a medium sized room, for two people, for four very comfortable futon mats. It was clean and tidy. It had a kitchen with free green tea and a beer vending machine, a TV room, free wifi and free use of robes and towels. The shower rooms were lockable and there was room to get changed in private. There were also space outside to hang out any washing but there was no laundry.

The some of the staff spoke English and were friendly and helpful. It is near a train station and near the limousine bus stop, which takes people from Narita airport to Tokyo city.

More things to do and see

1. The Lourve, Paris, France. Ah the Lourve, home to Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. If you take the metro, stop at Palais Royal. You can buy tickets online and line up to go through security. Or you can line for security, buy your tickets in another queue from a cashier or a ticket machine. Ticket prices vary, its normally 9.50 euro, however after 6 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays it costs 6 euros. Free for people 18 years and under and for EU citizens. The Lourve itself is massive. They say it would take you three months to look at each piece of art for five minutes. I did the Lourve it in eight hours. I admired the art that took my fancy and ran past the stuff I didn’t care for. It is truly an amazing place to explore. If you are only to go to one art museum, go to the Lourve. No other museum can match it. However a close second would have to be the British Museum.
   
2. Moulin Rogue, Paris, France. When we went to Paris we missed out on seeing a show there because it was fully booked out for the week we were there. You do need to enter into the red light district to see the Moulin Rogue. However it is pretty safe there. Go at night when the Moulin Rogue is lit up like a Christmas tree. It’s pretty, in a tacky Parisian way.
3. Notre Dame, Paris, France. The famous cathedral featured in Victor Hugo’s story the Notre-Dame de Paris or known in English as the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Notre Dame de Paris translate to our lady of Paris. It’s gothic catholic church and hasn’t always been popular with the French. It is stunning from the outside and even more beautiful inside. The entrance is free.