Blogs from Paris, Île-de-France, France, Europe - page 328

The Tour Group, which I spent 3 weeks touring Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and now France, after only an overnight stay in Paris, had left. Why none of them extended beyond the one day in Paris is beyond me. So left on my own, in a hotel in the fringes of Paris, I had to use the Subway or bus system, on my own, to navigate my way around this huge city. The subway maps were about the size of a large Pizza full of different lines running hither and thither, with hundreds of dots with long strange French names. It was a bit of a challenge for me, being from a relatively small city with no subway system. However, I have been to Tokyo in the past, where sometimes, you needed to cross ... read more

Do you know that myth that everyone likes to spread in the United States, the one that asserts that the American people are disliked in France and pretty much everywhere else in Europe? Don't believe a word of it. I thought I had better arrive hear and spend some time before I could legitimately repudiate it, but I am pleased to say that after a week here I have yet to receive a comment about "fat, stupid, rude Americans" or anything of the like. Give the French peole credit- they can distingbetween our people and our government, and are sophisticated enough to realize that while a majority of our population elected Bush, he is not universally supported. (And besides, I don't think the majority of Republican supporters at this period in our history are choosing to ... read more

First things first, I am so sorry it has been a long time between updates - but internet is not so easy to access when in a campervan, staying in caravan parks. Well, once i finally receovered form Cardiff, i made my way and finally arrived in Paris with my head full of all the negative things people say about the place - they are rude, service is terrible and Paris is dirty!!!! Well what a surprise I got!!! Paris was clean, I met some nice people who helped me decipher the metro, the hotel staff where friendly, and I dont think I met 1 rude frenchman! I think those that said those thinks havent spent much time travelling (or in London!!!). I obvioulsy saw all the usual sights - Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Jim Morrison's ... read more

Seriously... no! No no no no... I do not see what other ppl see in Paris that's so "oh my goooood"... only the snotty ppl and expensive prices! and maybe that's why Paris is known mostly by its fashion. Alright, alright... there're lots of GORGEOUS sights!! and there are some streets that are so full of... I don't know, it's not full or art that you can see, but art that you can feel! and those were the parts I liked the most.. I felt soooo good on those areas.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's been weeks since I started this entry and never finished... have I mentioned "procrastination" is my middle name?! Anyways.. I got some random confusing thoughts on Paris that I wrote while I was there at a Starbucks and then on the train to ... read more

It is hard to believe that I have been here a week! just a week? already a week? I don't know. Sometimes it feels amazing here and other times it feels all weird. The first couple days weren't so bad: I was met at the airport by a french friend, she took me to her appartment and I felt very comfortable over all. She (Heloise) also took me to her friend's, where we just hung out. Then I moved into my own dorm room, located on an International campus. I spent the weekend trying to buy all the necessary things (I already spent immense amounts of money and I bought nothing extraordinary!). I also went to a modern art museum, Centre Pompidou (it's free the first sunday of each month, which is very cool). By Sunday ... read more