FROMMER'S TOP DESTINATIONS
1. Krakow, Poland
2. Tokyo

3. Minneapolis

4. Panama

5. Asheville, N.C.

6. Ethiopia

7. Portland, Oregon

8. Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

9. Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

10. Glen Canyon, Utah

11. Zurich, Switzerland

12. Portland, Maine
Portland has joined the likes of Tokyo and Zurich, Switzerland, as a must-see destination for world travelers, at least according to Frommer's, publisher of a series of highly acclaimed travel guides.
On Tuesday, the company announced its top 12 world travel destinations for 2007. Portland is ranked No. 12 on the list, recognized for its culture and restaurants and the ease of exploring the city on foot.
The ranking, and the publicity that will come from being promoted in various guidebooks, should give tourism here a boost, city and tourism officials said.
"Frommer's is a premier tourism and travel guide, and it certainly should increase the awareness of our destination around the world," said Barbara Whitten, president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Portland. "We've been on the top ten, top five or top three list for a wide variety of things. This is another affirmation and a great distinction for us."
The list was compiled by the guidebooks' authors and experts and reflects a mix of "surprising, thriving or emerging" travel destinations.
Portland has some pretty heady company.
Portland's waterfront and trail network shares billing with the Caribbean getaway of Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands, and with the ancient city of Krakow, Poland. Closer to home there's the Smoky Mountain town of Asheville, N.C., and that other city with the same name: Portland, Ore.
Deborah Wakefield, spokeswoman for the Portland Oregon Visitors Association, said she expects the listing to boost visits.
"We see a lot of visitors who walk into our visitors center with either a guidebook or a newspaper in hand," she said. "I know the power of the press is very influential in travel decisions. People just have so many choices. There are so many places to go; a lot of time you need that mention in a list or article to push people over the fence to your destination."
The description of Portland, Maine, is almost gushing.
"A university town (Bowdoin and U Maine) and burgeoning retirement location, Portland has a fantastic mix of culture and education," according to the statement released by the guidebooks company. The statement also praised "an impressive amount of first-rate restaurants," citing Fore

Nuts to reading all that

well who do you think made Steve Guttenberg a staaaaaaaaar.


They rank Krakow Poland as number one so I dunno how much clout they have. My buddy lives near there and says it's nothing special haha. But not to rain on your parade. I'd love to visit eastern Canada/north eastern USA some day.

The only place I've been to on the list is Okanagan Valley in BC and it is pretty beautiful.
Been to Minneapolis but only on a stopover on a flight so never left the airport. The one thing I remember is that at most restaurants the people helping you could barely speak english. Is this the norm in America?

We doooo, we dooooo

It was all or nothing. I chose all. Even I didn't read the whole thing.

It was probably due to the pictures you posted. As soon as I saw them, I know I thought of seeing the area.

Maybe Frommer is a member. And you have done a lot for your city's economy.
I just hope Frommer isn't that fake posting guy.

Well, I heard when Frommer visited New Jersey, he got mugged. That'll drop you down a few notches on his list.

He didn't get mugged - he just couldn't find the right exit

The Okanagan is very beautiful, I have family that live there and when I lived in Kamloops it was just an hour and a half away. It has a lot of nice golf courses and wineries. I would live there if there was work for numba and my nosy, controlling, bitchy grandmother didn't live there. I'd love to go anywhere in Poland as I am half polish and I love cheese, sausage and borcht.

We had a police chief here for 17 years(Mike Chitwood) who was the prototype for "Dirty Harry" He came from Philly where he was the most decorated cop in Philly's history. Anyway, there was a story today about how in his new job in Upper Darby, Pa. the cops are selling t-shirts with his favorite saying on it:

"Not in our town, Scumbag"

They've sold a bunch of them so far. His son is police chief in Daytona Beach, Florida and said he wouldn't mind having a few shirts sent down. His other most noted quote is: " Don’t even think about it ‘Scumbag'"

Sounds like McGarnical!

The Dirty Harry character was based on him or he is just like Dirty Harry?

I heard (and beleive) Dirty Harry was based on him.

Because he gets results you stupid chief!!!

The McGarnical post was funny and this was the icing on the cake

Here is a new image for this!

Sounds like something one would have said at a Flanders BBQ

right as rain, or as we say here, left is rain

Yeah right... so when are your busy hours?

another from my back yard, last night.

Great shot!

that is a nice pixx wish I was there it looks so inviting..........

Amazing place you must have... I am envious!

If I ever make it to the states can i come visit?

Stephen King's house. Check out the gate.

only thing missing is you ..

That old King house gives me the creeps

Alright, it's offically 5pm, Happy Hour has now started. In about 15 minutes, this is going to be my veiw from J's Oyster Bar:

Have a beer for me.... I'm about to head off to catch some waves

watch out for Paris her big titties might knock ya off the board .

You have the better end of the deal. I'd much rather take a dip in the ocean than ride a bar stool. But the water here is 38 degrees. J's was packed and, as usual, I had a really good time. (Even though the GF tried to start an argument)

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we see some of these in my hometown , 1995 F5 hit and wiped several of my neighbers out ...

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Look out your back door and see this ... what a view that would be ..

The bottom picture is from the end of my street. The top one is where I worked during school.

Closeup....
i don't think i ever knew you had a girlfriend. where have i been?

About twenty miles away. George H.W. Bush's home.

Yeah... good one



If only there was a way to combine the two great pursuits of drinking and surfing?



Do rocket propelled grenade launchers have that sort of range?

Home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. About a mile from my house. I think he was on "The Sopranos"

Who DOESN'T live near you?

me?

Martha Stewart lives on an island not too far away: (The same island John Travolta lives on) Check out John Travolta's Florida home. He parks his 707 right up to the door.

that must be a bitch to find a parking spot for that thing if you have to run to the grocery store of something like that.

If you look close you can see the second, smaller plane in front of the garage. He probably uses that for his beer runs.

beer runs to europe probably.

Check out the second picture I posted. It gives a little background on how nice it must be to be rich and famous. Or at least rich.

Nevermind the initial cost of the place. Can you imagine how much it costs to upkeep a place like that?? It's hard to imagine having that much cash that you could do it essentially as a hobby.

I couldn't even afford the electric bill at a place like that.

I can barely afford the electric bill at MY place

you have electric at your place??? You must be rich!

We got it last month.
I wonder what the poor people are doing.

Well, I make the wife pedal a bicycle that's hooked up to a generator.