Mobissimo Blog - Entries from November 2005

Wednesday, November 30. 2005

Desination Guide: New Year's Eve in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The capital of The Netherlands and one of Europe’s most liberal and culturally diverse cities, Amsterdam, shines as one of the most popular destinations in the world. It’s no wonder its popularity has grown to what it is today. This city is full of so many amazing museums, funky clothing shops, cute cafés and much more that you simply cannot pass it up. Though it is quite cold at this time of year, New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam is something to witness at least once in your life so you can partake in the street madness and firework frenzy. Here’s a list of the top 5 spots you have to see while visiting this beautiful canal city:

The Van Gogh Museum is full of some of the best works of this famous artist.
If you ever read The Diary of Anne Frank in school or even if you’re just curious about her life, you can’t miss the Anne Frank Huis tour.
Take a Canal Cruise and get a chance to see the famous skinny Amsterdam buildings scattered throughout the city.
For some of the best shopping in Europe, hit the Kalverstraat for shops like H&M, or if you’re looking for something a little more unique and a little less crowded, try De Negen Straatjes (The nine little streets).
For New Years, get a spot at the Nieuwmarkt, a square full of cafes, pubs, and restaurants where people gather to welcome in the New Year.

For more information on places to stay, eat and see, visit: Amsterdam.info.

Posted by in Destinations at 15:23 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Best Fares from New York to Europe - Paris even Cheaper!

Ok, so normally a cheap time to go to Europe from the States, the shoulder season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but Paris (PAR) another 10% off? Sheesh, I'm there.

For flights departing 12/14 returning 12/21

Departure City	Arrival City	Airfare	% Change
New York City (NYC)	Amsterdam (AMS)	$439	-1.47%	Search
New York City (NYC)	London (LON)	$392	-3.92%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Frankfurt (FRA)	$455	4.88%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Paris (PAR)	$388	-10.55%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Brussels (BRU)	$443	-7.76%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Rome (ROM)	$506	5.99%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Stockholm (STO)	$550	15.98%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Warsaw (WAW)	$557	18.58%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Florence (FLR)	$515	-9.24%	Search
New York City (NYC)	Athens (ATH)	$654	14.10%	Search
Average		$490	2.48%

Posted by Mobissimo in New York Airfare at 15:11 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Gifts for Travelers

Everyone’s traveling style is different, from simply buying a plane ticket and figuring out all the details later or booking everything 6 months in advance. Whether you like unpredictability or stability, there are a few essentials (and some fun extras) that every traveler must be prepared with before embarking on their adventure! Here are a few gift ideas for your favorite traveling friends:

A good sturdy backpack or suitcase (I love REI’s stuff)
A destination guide book (I recommend The Rough Guides or Let’s Go)
A basic language phrase book (Lonely Planet has some good ones)
The modern version of a compass, a handheld global positioning system (GPS)
A “Plane Comfort” gift basket including an inflatable neck pillow, fleece blanket, eye mask, earplugs and wipes. (From travelbaskets.com)
A travel journal to keep track of all the adventures
A digital camera to capture the memories (Check out Bestbuy.com)

And for those of you feeling extremely generous, go out and buy a plane ticket for your favorite some one to an exotic destination like Laos, Croatia, or Tanzania!

For more travel gift ideas, check out ABC news online. Happy Travels!

Posted by in Travel Gear at 10:17 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Tuesday, November 29. 2005

Desination Guide: Oaxaca, Mexico

Destination Guide: Oaxaca, Mexico

One of my favorite places in the world, Oaxaca City, is still a fairly well kept secret in Mexico. With most tourists opting for the popular beach destinations like the Yucatan peninsula or the many Pacific seaside towns, Oaxaca City often gets forgotten. However, if it’s the “real” Mexican culture you are looking for with savory food, tasty mezcal and a charming Spanish colonial feel, Oaxaca is perfect for you.

The town square (Zocalo) and its many side streets are where all the action of this enchanting city takes place. Pick any of the restaurants on the Zocalo and get a perfect seat for people watching while you are welcomed to some of the best cuisine in Mexico. The mole negro, a chocolaty sauce with chicken, is my favorite and a popular amongst the locals. Once you’ve had a taste of this make sure you follow it with a glass of mezcal, a smokier version of the liquor tequila made from the agave plant. No trip to Oaxaca is complete with out tasting the famous chapulines, fried seasoned grasshoppers, from a local vendor and either dipping them in guacamole or sprinkling them on your food. Don’t miss the beautiful Iglesia de Santo Domingo just off the Zocalo while you stroll up and down the streets, stopping into art galleries and cafes. Let the city’s charm and hospitality take you over.

The surrounding area offers a wide range of sites that should not be missed including: the ruins at Monte Alban, the hot springs at Hierve el Agua, and the weaving town of Teotitlán.

For more information on Oaxaca, the surrounding area, and places to stay check out Boris Fishman’s article online by visiting The International Herald Tribune.

Posted by in Destinations at 17:39 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Monday, November 28. 2005

Traveling too much and no time for holiday shopping? Don't worry!

With Thanksgiving behind us, a new challenge presents itself: holiday shopping!

For some of us, each present is picked out thoughtfully in advance and placed promptly under the tree. However, for others shopping can be hell! There's just no time (or patience!) for the crowds and the frenzy. There is one great tip that can help a busy traveler keep up with their shopping without taking too much time away from their schedule... Shop at the airport!

I know, at first you think, "What? All I can think of are news stands and terrible to-go food joints! What could I possibly buy at the airport?". Think again! So many international terminals these days are filled with dozens of unique and popular stores that will surely provide you with a present for everyone. Simply browse and make your purchases while you wait for your plane home. Janet Libert, Editor of Executive Travel Magazine, gives advice on a few of the best airports in the country to check out:

Portland International (PDX)

Portland, Ore. "One of Portland's favorite stores is Powell's Books (both used and new), and a nice surprise is that there are three airport locations," Libert says. "There's other excellent retail, too, from national names like Brookstone and Nike to Pacific Northwest purveyors offering packaged or shipped salmon, Pendleton wool and Northwest wines and candies. Take note of the fair pricing, along with no sales tax." 877-739-4636; flypdx.com

Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP)

Shopping here is like being in a mini Mall of America: "The Northstar Crossing Shops in the Lindbergh Main Terminal include Lands' End and Johnston & Murphy," Libert says. "For local fare, stop by Minnesota! featuring products crafted within the state, such as moccasins and jewelry created by local artisans. The airport offers street pricing, and clothing is not taxed in Minnesota." 612-726-5555; mspairport.com

San Francisco International (SFO)

"This holiday season, SFO offers 'holiday passports' for shoppers," Libert says. "Pick one up at information booths for discounts in the airport shops, restaurants and airlines. The Coach Store and Compass Books are especially good for gift shopping, and California Wine Country Gourmet offers a range of state-produced wines and lavish gift baskets." 650-821-8211; flysfo.com

To read the whole article, visit: usatoday.com/travel

Posted by at 14:43

Wednesday, November 23. 2005

Shhh, Don't Tell Our Competitors! Check Out Our New One Box Search Over There On The Left

We love press releases over here, particularly in our industry where everyone is the "most comprehensive", the "buzziest", the "most innovative", the "patented", the real "dream team", the "best looking". Well, not to be outdone, we've put together a little blog release to announce the introduction of One Box Search. What do you folks think?

For Immediate Release - November 23 2005

San Francisco, CA - Mobissimo, the most comprehensive* search engine in the industry, is pleased to announce the introduction of One-Box Search^TM, the most innovative product to be introduced in the travel industry since the pillow mint. This patented, trademarked, super secret, double dare you, groundbreaking search function saves you time and heartache, eliminating the need to check boxes, click calendars and engage in all the general annoyances associated with traditional travel search nowadays. So, go ahead and try it. Type in something like San Francisco to New York dec 2 -10 or SFO - NYC 12/4 -12/5. Our engineers worked round the clock for countless years to bring you this breathtaking, stunning, piece of technology. And we're proud of them. Yay team!

You can find the search on the home page. In orange with the New! next to it. And don't tell our competitors.

*No really we are - we dare you to find a meta-search that directly searches more websites than us. If you find one and document it, we'll give you a $100.

Posted by Mobissimo in News at 11:51 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Best Fares from New York to Europe - Nice, Great Fares!

As always, New York continues to stun with amazing fares to Amsterdam (AMS) London (LON), and Paris (PAR) dropped even lower! Sheesh, throw in Brussels (BRU) and Florence (FLR) and you have a European extravaganza! And by extravaganza I mean smorgasboard. And by smorgasboard I mean ... bleh, you get the point. Brussels is a great place, spent a summer there with a beautiful someone. Sigh* ... I'm booking my flight right now.