Teaching Machines to Read and Comprehend

http://web.archive.org/web/20150103125807id_/http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/getaways/12/24/offseason.europe/index.html

( @entity0 ) -- each summer , @entity1 greets a stampede of sightseers and shoppers with eager cash registers . before jumping into the peak - season pig pile , consider the advantages of an off - season trip . major cities like @entity10 crackle with energy year - round . given the current weakness of our dollar overseas , the potential price - savings of an off - season trip are enough to brighten a gray winter day . airfares are often hundreds of dollars less . with fewer crowds in @entity1 , you 'll sleep cheaper . many fine hotels drop their prices , and budget hotels have plenty of vacancies . to save some money on hotels in the off - season , arrive late without a reservation , notice how many empty rooms they have ( look for keys on the rack ) , and give the receptionist an excuse to win your business with a deep discount . explain that you 're a senior ( hosteller , student , artist , whatever ) with a particular price limit , and bargain from there . note that while tourist - oriented places may be cheaper in the low season , the opposite is true of big - city business centers ( especially @entity47 and the @entity49 capitals ) , which are busiest and most expensive in the off - season . for many travelers , " shoulder season " -- april , may , early june , september and early october -- offers the best mix of peak - season and off - season pros and cons. in shoulder season you 'll enjoy decent weather , long days , fewer crowds and a local tourist industry that is still eager to please and entertain . outside of peak season , adventurers loiter all alone through @entity63 's home , ponder un-pestered in @entity65 's @entity64 , kick up sand on virgin beaches and chat with laid - back guards by log fires in @entity71 chateaux . in wintertime @entity72 you can be alone atop @entity74 bell tower , watching the clouds of your breath roll over the @entity78 domes of the church to a horizon of cut - glass @entity81 . below , on @entity83 , hungry pigeons fidget and wonder , " where are the tourists ? " without the crowds , you can enjoy step - right - up service at tourist offices and experience a more @entity1 . although many popular tourist - oriented parks , shows and tours will be closed , off - season is in - season for the high culture : plays and operas are in their crowd - pleasing glory . for instance , in @entity101 , while the @entity98 , @entity99 and @entity100 are scarce in the summer , all have a busy schedule of performances through the rest of the year . @entity1 's major cities crackle with energy year - round . in @entity108 , you can spend your days at the @entity109 and @entity110 , and your nights at a cozy pub or a world - class play . in @entity10 -- the @entity10 that always sparkles -- you can get face - to - face with @entity117 and scale the @entity118 . in @entity119 , you 'll see @entity121 paintings and @entity122 without peak - season crowds . but winter travel has its drawbacks . because much of @entity1 is in @entity127 latitudes , the days are short . it 's dark by 5 p.m. the weather can be miserable -- cold , windy , and drizzly -- and then turn worse . but just as summer can be wet and gray , winter can be crisp and blue , and even into mid-november , hillsides blaze with colorful leaves . to thrive in the winter , you 'll need to get the most out of your limited daylight hours . start early and eat a quick lunch . pack for the cold and wet -- layers , rainproof parka , gloves , wool hat , long johns , waterproof shoes and an umbrella . use undershirts to limit the washing of slow - drying heavy shirts . dress warmly . cold weather is colder when you 're outdoors trying to enjoy yourself all day long . and cheap hotels are not always adequately heated in the off - season . off - season hours are limited . tourist information offices normally stay open year - round but have shorter hours in the winter . while most sights stay open through the winter , they typically operate on shorter schedules ( such as 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. rather than 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ) , with darkness often determining the closing time . winter sightseeing is fine in big cities , which bustle year - round , but it 's more frustrating in small tourist towns , which often close down entirely . in december many beach resorts are shut up as tight as canned hams . while @entity1 's wonderful outdoor evening ambience survives year - round in the south , wintertime streets are empty in the north after dark . english - language tours , common in the summer , are rare during the off - season , when most visitors are natives . another disadvantage of winter travel is loneliness . the solo traveler wo n't have the built - in camaraderie of other travelers that he or she would find in peak season . still , this can be a plus , since it encourages you to really connect with the locals you traveled halfway around the world to meet . regardless of when you go , if your objective is to " meet the people , " you 'll find @entity1 filled with them 365 days a year . @entity192 writes @entity1 travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio . e-mail him at @entity198 , or write to him c / o @entity199 2009 , @entity200 , @entity201 . 98020 . copyright 2007 @entity192 , @entity202 , @entity204 e-mail to a friend

@entity192 produces 30 guidebooks on @placeholder travel

@entity1

@entity117:Mona
@entity81:Alps
@entity83:St. Mark 's Square
@entity110:National Gallery
@entity119:Florence
@entity118:Eiffel Tower
@entity1:European
@entity0:Tribune Media Services
@entity211:Europe Through the Back Door
@entity199:P.O. Box
@entity198:[email protected]
@entity192:Rick Steves
@entity78:Byzantine
@entity74:St. Mark 's
@entity121:Renaissance
@entity71:French
@entity72:Venice
@entity10:City of Light
@entity127:Canadian
@entity100:Spanish Riding School
@entity101:Vienna
@entity99:Opera
@entity98:Boys Choir
@entity108:London
@entity202:DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
@entity201:Wash
@entity200:Edmonds
@entity122:Michelangelo 's David
@entity204:INC.
@entity49:Scandinavian
@entity47:Brussels
@entity64:Forum
@entity65:Rome
@entity63:Leonardo
@entity109:British Museum