Love the great outdoors, but also drawn to the life and culture of big cities and their used record shops, used bookstores and flea markets. Check out goose profile!

What do you do on a really warm and sunny day in Albuquerque?

I really like going up to one of the mountain ranges in the area, the Sandia and Manzano ranges overlook the city. A good day hike would be going up to the tram and hiking around the crest. On really hot days you have to go early to not roast in the sun. I usually take some food and have a little picnic somewhere along the hike, watching the squirrels and birds.

And on a rainy day?

I have to say that the weather is really spectacular in Albuquerque. During the monsoon season, which lasts during the whole summer, you’ll have these rainstorms where it’s raining and the sun is shining at the same time. It’s something I’ve never seen anywhere else, at least not with the same frequency as it happens there. It makes you feel like you’re in a Willie Nelson song. Anyway, I guess I mean that a rainy day in New Mexico is usually more like a rainy hour or couple of hours, during that time I like to go to the university area. There are a lot of great little cafes, shops, restaurants, bookstores, movie theaters, and music shops there – all of which are a great way to pass the time waiting for the rain to pass.

Also, on the subject of storms, New Mexico has impressive lightning and thunder. Any time of year when it’s raining you can usually see dramatic lightning storms too. After dark it’s nice to go out into the desert on the west mesa (an uninhabited plateau on the west side of the city where you get views of the entire valley), park your car and watch the lightning roll over the city. For people who are interested and can afford it, I’d recommend a visit to Walter de Maria’s The Lightning Field in western New Mexico.

What is the best way to get around town?

In the style of a true Route 66 city, the best way to get around town is in a car. Albuquerque is a sprawling city. The upside of this is that there are lots of classic cars and trucks in the city, and there are some great low riders there too (if you’re interested try getting a sidewalk table at a bar downtown on a weekend evening to watch them go by). Public transport has improved lately and if you’re staying downtown or in the university area they can be a great way to get around.

Favorite place?

My favorite place is the Rio Grande. They’ve built bike trails along some parts of it, and along the others there are little dirt footpaths. It’s gorgeous any time of year, perfect for swimming in the summer (careful for flash floods in the spring). Along parts of it are nature and wildlife reserves and heading out towards Bernalillo you’ll find the place where the Spanish conquistador Coronado and his men camped for a year.

What shouldn’t be missed on someone’s first visit to Albuquerque?

The Frontier restaurant should not be missed. It’s right on Central Ave, which is the old Route 66 and it kind of mixes the traditional American diner style with the funkyness of Albuquerque. You can get a decent burrito (or enchiladas, or chile rellenos, etc.) for a couple of dollars, but its charm is that it is not a typical New Mexican style restaurant. It’s kind of trashy in just the right way, the walls are covered with bad paintings of “cowboys and indians,” and since it’s right in front of the university it’s a great place for people watching, just about every type of person you can find in Albuquerque is represented there chowing down or drinking coffee. I think it’s a place that would be interesting for any visitor. I should add that no visit to Albuquerque is complete without trying the local food – specifically green and red chile, you can get it on almost anything you order in most restaurants, including the fast food ones. Other than that I would recommend seeing a little of the surrounding area, at least a driving visit to the historic village of Corrales and a tour of Acoma pueblo.

Albuquerque best bar or club?

Launchpad is my favorite. It’s a venue and bar that hosts independent musicians just about every night and ranges from some bigger bands to local bands. The space itself is great though, there’ve got big booths set apart from the show space perfect for lounging about and they also have a good list of microbrew beers, some of them on tap.

What’s the best plan for a Sunday morning in Albuquerque?

The best plan is to grab a paper or a book and head to a cafe to spend the morning drinking coffee or tea and eating a New Mexican style breakfast burrito smothered in fresh roasted green chile.

Albuquerque travel guide

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Brett is a 20 year old student at the University of Toronto studying Russian Language and Literature. He lives in the Queen Street West neighbourhood and enjoys Woody Allen films and vegetarian cooking. Check out brett profile!

What do you do on a really warm and sunny day in Toronto?
I think the best way to spend a warm and sunny day in Toronto is to grab your bike and head to the Toronto Island. It’s a short ferry ride from downtown and the island is covered in beautiful bike paths and beaches, with great views of the city and is perfect for a picnic.

And on a raining day?
I love to spend a rainy day in one of Toronto’s many amazing cafes like Moonbeam Coffee in Kensington Market, Manic Coffee on College Street or Future Bakery in the Annex. After that I’d go to the Royal Ontario Museum which always has a new and interesting exhibit going on.

What is the best way to get around in the town?
Although Torontonians love to complain about it, our public transit system is actually really great. It’s the second largest in North America, and will take you wherever you want to go quickly and reliably.

Favourite Place?
It’s so hard to say, but probably Kensington Market. So many great restaurants, cafes, vintage stores, groceries and everything else in between, in one such a small place. The market just has a very creative and interesting vibe to it all the time.

What’s the best plan for a Sunday morning in Toronto?
Go to the Art Gallery of Ontario and spend the hours admiring not only the amazing collections inside, but the actual building itself, just recently redesigned by Frank Gehry last year.

I wanna go to Toronto! »

picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/valakirka/

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Sabrina is 21 years old and she is from Düsseldorf, Germany.
She started working with us last september and we think that the best way to introduce herself to the iwgt community is by telling us a few tips and favourite places of the beautiful city by the River “Rhine”. Check out Sabrina’s profile!

What do you do on a really warm and sunny day in Düsseldorf?

On a sunny day i just realx on the grass by the Rhine or drink a Coffee with my friends  in one of the Cafes near the Rhine. You should try the best ice-cream in Düsseldorf at Pia Eis, but most of the time its crowded. Don’t worry….It’s worth it.

And on a rainy?

On a rainy day it is nice to go to my favourite restaurant Cha Cha, with the best asia cuisine in Düsseldorf. Cha Cha is fresh, healthy and spicy food. Just delicious! And after a good dinner i would suggest to visit one of the small theaters arround the Kö. Really nice.

What is the best way to get around in the town?

I think the best way to get arround in the town is just by feed. Düsseldorf isn’t such a big city, that yoy have to take the underground, or a taxi. Also a nice tip is to rent a bicycle. In Germany it is very common to ride a bicycle on a sunny day.(And it is good for you’re health!)

Favourite place?

My favourite place is in a Café at the Rhine, the view is amazing and on a sunny day it is really nice to spent a few hours there.

What’s the best plan for a Sunday morning in Düsseldorf?

My best plan for a Sunday is to start the day with a really good brunch at the Ohme Jupp in the Old Town of Düsseldorf.  After the brunch it’s nice to take a walk down by the Rhine just a few minutes from the Ohme Jupp away and enjoy the view from one of the two brigdes “Rheinkniebrücke” and “Oberkasseler Brücke”.

More about Düsseldorf »

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Hasan Kemal Uysal lives in Barcelona while finishing his studies to master the Spanish language. He lived in Istanbul for many years before deciding to embark on the adventure of his life. Now traveling is his reason to live; to learn and to taste everything… He enjoys the tropic weather, sun and warm people! Check out hasankemaluysal profile!

What do you do on a really warm and sunny day in Istanbul?

Istanbul is heaven when it’s warm and sunny if you stay away from the chaos of the metropolis, especially the traffic! It would be a very bad idea to go places everyone goes. So I prefer to meet with friends somewhere close and have fun. Taksim or Sultanahmet would be great! Tea gardens or green spots for small picnics are also divine on such days.

And on a rainy day?

If it rains, I try to avoid the traffic too! Rainy days are great for shopping. There are so many amazing shopping centers in Istanbul that contain everything you need for a day: shops, food, beverages and even entertainment! It is also possible to go to Bebek and drink a nice coffee while watching the rain pour into Bosporus…

What is the best way to get around in the town?

In Istanbul people are obsessed with using their cars. Thus there is extremely heavy traffic all the time; I don’t even like to think about the rush hour! In my opinion, the best way to travel through the city is by the Light Railway System (Metro) or other public transports. And you won’t have a parking problem either! Definitely avoid bicycling.

Favorite place?

My favorite place is Taksim! It is located in Beyoglu and is a meeting point of the city’s youth. There are many bars, cafes and shops which make this location a great way to spend time when you are bored. Taksim is the place where most of the young Turks spend their Friday and Saturday nights. And you can find great kebabs here!

What shouldn’t be missed on someone’s first visit to Istanbul?

If it is a touristic visit, the person shouldn’t miss the Topkapi Palace, where you can find a small summary of Istanbul’s history.

Istanbul’s best club?

I am not a club person, but I hear Sortie is one of the best clubs in Istanbul.

What’s the best plan for a Sunday morning in Istanbul?

A perfect late breakfast with “sucuk” (turkish sausage) and “pişi” (fried dough). Or, finding a self-service barbeque garden and spending the rest of the day cooking and eating your own meat! I’d also recommend going to the islands of Marmara.

More about Istanbul »

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