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Banz's Top 5 Places

London [England]	I was reluctant to move to London but my university placement year demanded it. The first few months were difficult but once I settled I got used to having it all - cinemas that show non-mainstream stuff, museums, the theatre, pubs, restaraunts, shops, markets and, if you're lucky, David Blaine in a perspex box. A trip to the centre always makes me feel like a tourist as I gawp at the sights. This is a city which has it all and, as a proud Northerner, that's saying something.
Venice [Italy]	I love Venice because it's so magically unlike any other city I've been to. Every journey is an adventure through the mazy streets and finding the same shop twice requires luck and skill in equal measure. I'm sure this frustrates many visitors but for some reason I find it adds to the atmosphere. A misty February weekend there had a dreamlike quality to it and it was a joy just to wander the streets munching meringue looking for photo albums.
Budapest [Hungary]	Budapest is a nice city but it is here on the strength of one of its attractions. We read about the labyrinth in one of the guide books and as a lover of mazes (see Venice) I knew we had to go. The entrance to the place takes some finding and we almost gave up looking but thankfully we battled on. The labyrinth itself is a network of underground tunnels which you just wander and, as you do, you discover 'artefacts' and other mysterious stuff. It's brilliantly conceived, very creepy and a must-see venue should you ever make it to Hungary's capital.
Keswick [England]	Keswick gets in the list for two reasons; it's my favourite place in the Lake District and we went through there memorably on the C2C. The town itself is straight out of a picture postcard and the surrounding fells are great to hike over or just look at. The campsite at Ashness Farm has been a popular place for me to stay in the past although the climb up to it seems to get longer and steeper every time.
Niagara Falls [Canada]	I've seen the falls in summer and winter and it's never less than awe inspiring. When it's warm the spray is wonderfully cooling and in December it coats everything with a layer of ice. Lamposts and trees look like a fairytale illustration as the layers accumulate and even the car looked good ice-coated. Niagara itself is a love-it-or-hate resort town packed with tacky attractions, amusement arcades and fast food places. I didn't like it any less for that and especially not for the Dennys.

Vic's Top 5 Places

New York [USA]	NYC is the first city I went to that had an atmosphere that you could feel as you walked the streets. I've been there twice now and my ultimate dream is to live a year in a loft in Manhattan.
Sighisoara [Romania]	I had not heard of Sighisoara until I started doing research for our travels in Eastern Europe. A fascinating town with an amazing history centred around its most famous son, Vlad Tepes - the inspiration behind Dracula.
Venice [Italy]	Venice is such a timeless city that has been portrayed in so many films, books and paintings that there is almost no need for me to say anything. But you know me. I will add that Venice is a beautiful city best visited out of the main tourist season in August (when I first visited). My second visit was in February. Mist on the canals, deserted squares - the perfect romantic city.
Hiroshima [Japan]	Hiroshima needs no introduction to the world. Its place in history means that we usually associate it with the end of WWII, but the city is so much more than that. A touching Peace Park is the centre of the city but it is flanked by fantastic restaraunts, great shopping and some of the most generousand helpful people in the world. A close day trip is to the island of Miya Jima with it's beautiful Tori Gate.
Bangkok [Thailand]	The Thai capital is not to everyone's taste. Brash, in-your-face and with a disproportionate amount of seediness. These parts of the city could put you off. Instead I was fortunate enough to have my friends Cath, Anthony and Tu to show me a different side. From the street vendors to the markets as well as a day trip to the old city of Ayutaya, this was one holiday to remember.

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