Why would I visit Saint Petersburg ? dream vacation

By Angela Doherty 
If  you are like me and looking to escape the rain, winter, or find a white sand beach to stretch out on, your search might quite naturally lead you to the warm climes of Florida, the Sunshine State. I was looking for a sunny, warm slice of heaven, with a great mix of outdoor recreation, culture, dining and shopping and I think I have found it in St. Petersburg. Here’s what I've found out about this great city.

With on average 361 sunshine days per year, St. Petersburg is not called “The Sunshine City” for nothing. Situated on the west side of Tampa Bay, a trip to St Pete could not be complete without a day on the beach. And with over 240 miles of shoreline including a number of keys, islands, bayous and some of the best beaches in the country (including Fort De Soto beach, twice ranked number one in the country in 2005 and 2008) you are spoiled for choice in St. Pete.   I think a day on the beach, lazing under the palms or swimming in the crystal waters of the Gulf of Mexico on the beaches of Treasure Island is the first order of business for any visitor to the city. However, if it is action you are after, diving, snorkeling, fishing and canoeing are just some of the choices available to you in, on and around the waters of the city.

When you are sick of the beaches, it’s time to head across town and Beach Dr and the waterfront where you can find amazing dining, overlooking the marina and the gorgeous Tampa Bay. I think I’ll start with drinks at the famous Fresco’s and head down Central Ave and the surrounding streets to find some great food, live music and dance spots to enjoy the long, hot nights of St. Pete. The city is also home to over 2 dozen art galleries, and if you time your visit right, on the second Saturday of each month, the Downtown Arts Association hosts a Gallery Walk around a number of downtown galleries and studios. St. Pete also plays host to a series of festivals and cultural celebrations all year round, for everyone from the foodies at the “A Taste of Pinellas” festival in May, to the Tampa Bay Blues Festival in April and every March, downtown is transformed into an Indy Car track for the Honda Grad Prix! And of course, if you are looking for sport, Tropicana field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, is also within easy reach of downtown.

Shopping in St. Pete, like the rest of the city’s activities, is also all about choice. Check out the Saturday Morning Market, down by the Marina, for fresh local produce and goods. Or, if you are looking for something a little more up market, the BayWalk shopping complex is located downtown, along with a host of artisan shops and studios.

Now where to stay… Well. Let’s be honest, there are so many choices from the 5-star resorts of Clearwater and downtown to the hostels and camping grounds at Fort De Soto Park, there is something for every budget. And one of the best things about St Pete is that it is compact, making travel around it easy either through the public system, or by cab, where your friendly cabbie can suggest more things for you to do in the Sunshine City. I’m looking forward to my trip to St. Petersburg, time to stop dreaming about it!

Are All Taxi Drivers Crooks?

By JC

For some, thinking of taxi drivers will conjure up images of crooked swindlers and professional con artists.  People think of characters like Louie De Palma and Danny DeVito's Character from the TV show “Taxi” and, imagine that any person in this profession must be just like them; an opportunistic, greedy, and completely self-serving thief who has no issues with stealing the money off weary travelers.  A few trips through a big city like New York can easily make this stereotype seem like fact.  The problem is the stereotype fails when you ask a single question; if all taxi drivers are crooks, why do people still use their services?

The Scams

People who live in cities rarely have issues with local cabbies that tourists and business people do, simply because the locals know the layout of their home.  In New York for example, the use of cab drivers is practically a tradition; it’s hard to swindle someone who knows what the quickest route is and, knows when their driver has suddenly opted for a longer trip.

What visitors rarely realize is that they often stand out as a tourist.  This makes them attractive customers to the few drivers who are looking for an easy target.  It gives “cabbies” the option to take longer routes that eat the meter, or to “assume” that they were supposed to keep the change as a tip and drive off before the mistake can be corrected.

Do Some Research

With scams like these, it's no wonder that some people regard taxi drivers with such suspicion.  Many drivers, however, are friendly, honest, and forthright.  Often, the problem is that tourists and business professionals who use taxi services unknowingly communicate that they're easy marks.  Some research can go a long way in making sure you get honest cabbies and thwart the couple of sneaks you might come across.

In any area where you’ll be spending a lot of time, do research on the taxi licenses that drivers should have.  Know what they should look like and know where the important information should be displayed upon them.  If the Taxi doesn't have a license don't use their service, most of the more dangerous and threatening cons are pulled off by unlicensed cabs!  Once you determine your cab driver has the right papers and permits write down the name and license numbers, the simple act of recording this information will show any dishonest drivers you may be dealing with that you're paying careful attention to what is going on; many tricks require oblivious or unaware customers.

If you have a smart-phone, use a GPS application to track the route they're taking.  When the driver diverts from the most efficient route promptly ask why.  You don't need to be suspicious right away as there can be completely legitimate reasons (such as closed roads) to change routes.  While you can use a paper map for the same thing, a cell phone is less obtrusive and maps kind of defeat the object of not drawing attention to yourself.

These few steps will help you thwart the handful of dishonest drivers you may come across on your travels.  Just pay attention to any red flags that come up during

The Strange Tales of London Cab Drivers

picture by i.telegraph.co.uk

Taxi Tales: London Cabbie Confess All

For most cab drivers, their only responsibility is safely maneuvering their way throughout the city, drop off passengers, and get paid. Occasionally, the cab driver looks in the rearview mirror hoping to get a glimpse of the person he or she decided to give a ride. It is in that moment they realize they are not doctors or lawyers; they are street priests and their cab is the confessional. Along the narrow streets of London, taxis stop to scoop up tourists, women, executives, and young students trying to find their way home. The driver asks ‘where to?’ and zips along the streets of London fast enough to drop off their passenger and slow enough to run up the meter. They often look at the reflections of their customers in the mirror and shake their head in amazement at the oddity of others.

Experiences

The interesting thing about people is that regardless of how peculiar they may be there is someone shortly after them that were even more peculiar. A woman asking her cab driver to stop at a convenience store in order for her to purchase another pair of stockings to hide an affair from her husband, for a cab driver like Terry, may be a reasonable request. It is the moment when Terry glanced at her in the rearview mirror and saw she had her new stockings scrunched in her hands and putting them, on that may have seemed to be a little much. In the life of a cabbie, the next passenger after a woman like her is probably more fascinating. For example, the account of the anonymous driver who watched as a much older gentleman and two young women began a rendezvous in the back of his cab. John, a London cab driver whose last name is unknown, once noticed something strange on the floor of his backseat. When he pulled over, he realized that the last passenger did not leave a briefcase, bag of money, purse, or phone. Instead, the passenger left a living snake and according to his account, it was the same length of his taxi and he had to drive to the police station and requested that they removed it.

Seasoned Drivers

As in any profession, there are the more seasoned drivers. The ones who are in tune with their city and have a laundry list of streets to avoid. For example, London’s popular Clampham High Street turns into fraternity town on the weekends according to cabbie John Kennedy. By his account, the worst season is the summer because it is the time of the year when he is driving around an intoxicated passenger with the windows rolled down and the mixture of alcohol and vomit permeating his cab.
Regardless of the city, country, or continent taxi drivers will often encounter bizarre people and attention grabbing conversations. For them, it is not the odd people that are odd, but the people considered normal and sane by societal standards that may cause their driver to lift their eyebrow and shake their head.

Cab Driver from Hell

Taxi driver suspended for putting lives in 'grave danger"

Sydney cabbie Nicholas Charles Brown, 55, has had a string of complaints about him, including overcharging, short-changing, smoking, failing to assist a pregnant woman, being rude, aggressive, not knowing the way from the city to the airport and ''consuming alcohol and driving recklessly whilst conveying passengers''.

The Administrative Decisions Tribunal has suspended Mr Brown's taxi driver's licence after his actions were found to have placed his passengers and the public ''in grave danger''.

One of the 17 complaints occurred last October, when two young women in Potts Point hailed Mr Brown's cab at 10pm.

''After we had been in the taxi for a couple of minutes, the driver put on sunglasses, turned the music up and began to sing loudly. His driving was erratic and I noticed that he would frequently swig out of a can that appeared to have an alcohol .....

>>>Read More

Cabbie shortage in Australia

Check this out

Up to 1000 Greek Taxi Drivers Will be Hired to Ease Melbourne’s Cabbie Shortage

.The Australian government plans to invite taxi-drivers from the economically ravaged nation of Greece, promising them guaranteed jobs and an attractive lifestyle in Melbourne, according to a recent article from the Herald Sun online newspaper.

That will radically change Melbourne’s image as history will be repeated. There was a period when Greek cabbies were a feature in the big Australian city and that is about to be revived.

Many candidates will attend a circle of seminars in Athens where they will be familiarized with the needs of Melbourne, as well as the relevant legal frame.