PARIS... :)

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 74 Location: Bucharest, Romania

Paris is a beautiful city... at least in my eyes... I am original, no?!

Come on guys, I just loved going Salsa dancing there... but besides Salsa... what does Paris have?!

The boats on the Seine... (you need your sweetheart with you to feel nice)... the small streets, filled with shops and restaurants (too much noise, isn't it?)... the monuments... (just another historic place...)...

I loved Paris... why? I have no idea!!! (Maybe 'cause it was my first trip abroad...)

What do YOU think about it?

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

I probably disagree with the majority of people when I say "eh" to Paris. It's a big city with nice art museums, but I'd rather go to London. It's not for lack of trying, I've been to Paris four times, three of them with someone I was romantically involved with, but I just don't feel the love for Paris, as it were. The last time I was there was the last straw: there were huge strikes and the Metro and busses were all closed, as were the museums. The stores were open but I hate shopping in Paris because the stores are just way too chic for me to feel comfortable in. I much prefer London for shopping.

I did like going out to Versailles and walking around the gardens with my husband. That was a very nice day.

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 74 Location: Bucharest, Romania

Hmmm... My brother came back from Switzerland a week ago and he told me he also visited Paris and liked it! He even went on the same street I have... without knowing it! And we both liked them! Kept on talking for hours...

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Both my visits to Paris were nice! One was in December(so BLOODY cold!) and the other in March! The latter was MUCH more conducive to sightseeing, shopping, outdoor cafes and general urban exploration. Versailles Palace was nice(get there early before the Japanese tour buses arrive!) and saw Notre Dame Cathedral for the 2nd time. Lots of good places to eat and drink, shopping's good too(but pricey). People are snobby but the city is LOVELY!

tj · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 23 Location: Parsippany, NJ

I went to Paris back in 2002 for a week, and really enjoyed it.

(of course, these are opinions only:)

The food was really good, much better than Spain and London. And I really love how there's so much to do and see. It was one of the few times that I found myself so friggin busy that I didn't do much dancing.

About the Parisians and their legendary snobbery: I didn't notice it much at all. As long as I said, "Bonjour." when I entered a shop, they were pretty polite, I thought. If anything, I had a worse time of it in both Spain and London. Then again, since I don't speak any French, my only conversations with locals were with ex-pats or fellow tourists.

It was moderately expensive. Cheaper than London, more expensive than Barcelona & Madrid. Certainly cheaper than the larger cities in the U.S. Then again, this was back in 2002, when the Euro/Dollar exchange rate was 1.1Euro/$1 which made for better bargains.

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Wow, you're not kidding! I was curious and just checked the exhange rate for today: 0.83 Euro = 1.00 US.

Deda · Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 10

I lived in Paris for 6 months... when you live there you live the city and view it under a different light.
How do I say this... Paris is sold too much like a souvenir.... but it is a whole different thing: if you know where to go, where to eat, what to do, is actually a very nice and relaxing place.

First of all I have to say it has the best subway system in the world... I mean so many lines and they take you everywhere. I always get lost in tube in London, never got lost with the Metro.

A lot of people never go see La Sainte Chapelle, they just randomly stop and stare at Notre Dame commenting... "oh I thought it was bigger"... it's true, it is much smaller than it looks like in movies and postcards.
But I love the Medival part of the city and so, for example I much prefer la Sainte Chapelle to the Eiffel Tower (it looks like a thorn in the sky's butt)... and actually the best view of the city is from La tour de Montparnasse...

have u ever noticed? when you climb up monuments... then you have a nice view of the city but the building you are on is not included... which is sad. Now La tour the montparnasse is a skyscraper down at bastille... it's pretty ugly and it's very tall... but it has a plus.

When you reach the top... you see all the beautiful monuments... Eiffel tower, Sacre coeur, Notre Dame and so forth... except the ugliest thing in the city... which is the tour de montparnasse itself.

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Deda wrote:

First of all I have to say it has the best subway system in the world...

Yeah, when they're not on strike! :lol:

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 74 Location: Bucharest, Romania

I am going to Paris again this year... I missed it so much! Have to walk again on the quai de la Seine... :)

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

squirrel wrote: I am going to Paris again this year... I missed it so much! Have to walk again on the quai de la Seine... :)
Hopefully, there wil be no strikes. :)

Deda · Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 10

you must have gone there the only time there was a strike....

When I was there, there wasn't a single strike in six months... and let me tell you it was during the world cup... things shouldn't have worked but they did and I even managed to go listen to the Three tenors' concert under the eiffel tower and did not miss the last train!!!!

At least when they are on strike they solve something... here in San francisco the hotles employee have been on strike for months... and nothing was solved... they were completely ignored and in the end they gave up! It was so sad to see that... they stayed there for weeks.

One think I remember clearly that I did not like was... the Parisians... to them there's only Paris and outside of Paris there's the void.
So for example if you go there and u start randomly speaking French to them... 1) they grin, it looks as if they smile and are nice to you, but they are alughing their asses off at your accent 2) they pretend they don't understand.

So here's the trick you go there and say "I am sorry I really don't speak french very well (in French of course - that is if you do speak french)" and they go "oh not at all!" and they melt and become kind because you admit you are butchering their language.

For example, they don't like Italians nor Spanyards very much. I went to a brasserie with my sister and she wanted a croque monsieur... the waiter kept asking "quoi?" as if he did not understand... after the 10th time I just turned to him and said "Did you just turn into a duck, are you deaf or just plain stupid? She wants a croque monsieur, so go to the kitchen and get her a toast with cheese and ham and don't you dare spit on it, cuz I'll make you eat it!" Now say that I was fluent is too little, I am very fluent with French and I picked up the Marne la vallee accent right away that has something of a mobster's accent I think hahahahaha.
So the turned blue cause he thought we didn't speak French at all.
After the first 3 weeks living and working there I realize that the only way to survive is Flatter them but be tough on them... if you are weak they step on you, so the stick and the carrot does it for me.

But in general I had a blast! I loved how polite they are, and if you act like them (which is bound to happen if you live there long enough) then you get used even to parisians.