[mack]

My family has decided that it would be a good idea to go to Paris for the holidays and visit my older sister, who is currently studying abroad there. What should I expect and do? Id really like to go to Amsterdam for 70 euros for all the obvious reasons. Also my Dad is insisting that we drive to Normandy (this has gotten him all excited and he has checked out every book on D-Day at the local library).

As for me, im not very excited to go. I was really hoping to get some useful presents this year to get my bike back rolling again, but alas, the French screwed me over again!

Also, I need a present for my girlfriend, and she won't tell me what she wants. So, I guess this is a test. What should I get while I am there? Not Jewelry, because A. I am not Price Selliger and B. She looses it. I might just get her a bunch of chocolate and told her that I gave up looking. neaky:

Also, where can I get an American Flag Jumpsuit? :devil:

 

[splat]

As for me, im not very excited to go. I was really hoping to get some useful presents this year to get my bike back rolling again, but alas, the French screwed me over again!

there is something wrong with you. Take this oppertunity and enjoy it! Maybe learn what a little bit about d-day and appreciate what sacrafices were made there !

if anyone is screwing you over it is your self .

 

[narlus]

get her a tickler

 

[Changleen]

Get her an Eiffel tower shaped butt-plug. Enjoy France - you can legally drink there (14 is the age), and the food is (generally) great!

 

[mobius]

A friend of mine said its amazing what a girl will do in the redlight district for 50 euros.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

A friend of mine said its amazing what a girl will do in the redlight district for 50 euros.

a few friends of mine told me argentina is the place for that.
supermodel looking escorts for 130-150 bucks.

am not into that tough.

 

[Austin Bike]

I been to paris more times than I can count.

It can be the best experience of your life if you do the following:

1. When you walk in a shop, say "bonjour". It cuts the ice and it's just plain polite. Trust me, people will know you are an American, but make an effort.

2. Learn 5-6 phrases like:

Please (S'il vous plaît)
thank you (merci)
Where is... (Où est)
where is the bathroom (Où est les toilettes)
check please (l'edition s'il vous plaît)
how do you say....
I do not speak french(je ne parle pas le français)
Pardon me (pardon moi)

I'm probably off on the spelling, but you can go to http://www.freetranslations.com, punch in some phrases and make a list of things.

It won't hurt to learn them and they will go a long way

3. In a bind? just as "sprechen sie deutsch?" It is german for "do you speak german?" NOBODY likes to speak german and the typical response (90% accuracy) is "no, do you speak english?"

4. since this is your first time, DON'T try to do everything. I could spend a week in Paris and not even scratch the surface. Some things that you have to do:

If the weather is nice, spend a few hours at Jardins du Luxembourg. It's an awesome park with a big fountain. You buy a bottle of wine, a baguette (french bread) a sausage and some cheese for about $8 at a store and just sit out and watch life go by. real low key but always the best part of the trip. If it is cold, it is not as much fun, you need sunshine.

Take a boat ride. Bateaux Mouches is across from the tower. You should get on ~9:20 if possible, wear a good jacket, it can be windy. That should drop you right in front of the tour de eiffel at ~10:00 PM, just when all of the lights go off. It does that once an hour, I think it starts at 8 or 9. Well worth seeing. While you are there, you can see where diana ate it - pont l'alma.

Get a metro map and a pass. You can buy single ride passes but a 10 ride pass is better (carnet). If you are going to be seeing a lot of things, get a full day or a week pass so you don't have to hassle with it. You'll need it to get in and out of the station, have it handy as you exit.

Take the metro up to Sacre ceour (sacred heart). Cool views, great church and a cool enighborhood to walk around in (Montmarte). I think the nearest metro stop is Anvers or Abessess.

Go to Notre dame cathedral and walk up the tower.

If you get a chance to swing out to Versailles, take the trip. The train goes out there (RER if I remember correctly) but there are bus tours as well. Serious renaissance bling out there.

Walk up the Champs-Elysees, have a coffee in a cafe and watch the rich people hustle by.

If you like chillout music, swing up to Hotel Costes (google it) and site in a very cush bar, see the glitterati and all the rest hanging out and have an $8 beer. Awesome music playing at all times, but wear some decent threads.

Go to the Arc de Triumphe, climb to the top, look out on la Defense (the downtown area) walk up to the Grand Arche in la Defense if you are looking for something to do.

Just spend a day cruising the metro. Some of the best art deco stuff you will ever see is in the metro stations and entrances.

Amsterdam is awesome as well. Train is ~5 hours or so. I don't think there is a direct, but if there is, you would either catch a TGV at Gare du Nord or at CDG.

Go to the Louvre, oh yeah, that got that thing too....

Or you could just sulk, eat at McDonalds and bitch that there is nothing to do.

 

[Rip]

Don't be an idiot, you should be looking forward to this. A word for the wise though be careful when trying to order fish, you could end up with poison.

 

[Austin Bike]

Another food tip:

Beouf is beef, ouef is egg. I cut into a calzone in Geneva switzerland expecting to find beef, but instead of red marinara sauce oozing out, it was yellow.

Doh!

I learned to always read the menu BEFORE you order the wine

 

[-dustin]

how do you say....(comment dit-on....)

careful when trying to order fish, you could end up with poison.

ha

shower is "douche"

i wish like hell i could go to France.

 

[Austin Bike]

Whenever I think of "how do you say" in French I think about Psycho Killer by Talking Heads

I'll probably be back in Paris in the spring, but this year is 2 weeks in Italy. Maybe I can get a bike to ride while I am there.

 

[pZyteX]

how long will you be in paris for?

if it's only for like a week or so then don't bother with the whole amsterdam thing.

I believe the tgv will go straight to amsterdam (or it used to when I took the train the other way around) but it won't go as fast in the netherlands.

 

[MudGrrl]

3. In a bind? just as "sprechen sie deutsch?" It is german for "do you speak german?" NOBODY likes to speak german and the typical response (90% accuracy) is "no, do you speak english?"

so.... what happens if they do speak Deutsche? And you don't ?




Yeah, Paris.

Is awesome.

I went twice in one week.


You'll have a great time, and don't worry 'bout getting to A-dam. You'll get there.

 

[hooples3]

A friend of mine said its amazing what a girl will do in the redlight district for 50 euros.

its all true

 

[Austin Bike]

so.... what happens if they do speak Deutsche? And you don't ?

Ich spreche kleine deutsch

 

[I Are Baboon]

Mack's got a rough life......living in Connecticut and going to private school, getting dragged out west for summers, getting forced to go to Paris. What jerks his parents are.

When I was a kid, we didn't take family vacations. Once in a while, mom would scrounge up enough money to take us to the aquarium.

 

[stevew]

Mack's got a rough life......living in Connecticut and going to private school, getting dragged out west for summers, getting forced to go to Paris. What jerks his parents are.

When I was a kid, we didn't take family vacations. Once in a while, mom would scrounge up enough money to take us to the aquarium.

I had an old fridge to play in.

 

[Westy]

I had an old fridge to play in.

My parents would lock me in an old fridge when I complained that I was hungry.

 

[binary visions]

Mack's got a rough life......living in Connecticut and going to private school, getting dragged out west for summers, getting forced to go to Paris. What jerks his parents are.

No kidding.

"I'm not excited to go to Paris because I wanted bike parts for Christmas. Damn, I got screwed."

Sometimes it amazes me how people think.

Have fun in Paris, mack. Your bike parts will be broken in a couple years but your experiences will last a lifetime. Don't forget to thank your parents for providing you with this amazing opportunity to go to Paris for free - I'd love to go, but I have to work for my money .

Take lots of pictures. I went on two big vacations with my mom and sister - one all around the US and one to Newfoundland. Both were incredible and built a lot of memories. I have a ton of pictures from both that are amazing.

 

[narlus]

<python>


you got hot gravel?

</python>

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
Sometimes it amazes me how people think.

Gimme a break. He's a teenager. Everything his parents do sucks.

Have fun in Paris, mack. Your bike parts will be broken in a couple years but your experiences will last a lifetime.

Again - he's 16. He'll probably be miserable while he's there and if he does it right he'll make everyone else miserable.

I think his parents should lock him in the basement while they go to Europe.

 

[binary visions]

<python>

you got hot gravel?

</python>

Haha.. Oh, man, I haven't thought of that sketch in a long time. "My mom and dad would kill us and dance about on our graves singin' 'allalua"

 

[N8 v2.0]

My family has decided that it would be a good idea to go to Paris for the holidays and visit my older sister, who is currently studying abroad there. What should I expect and do? Id really like to go to Amsterdam for 70 euros for all the obvious reasons. Also my Dad is insisting that we drive to Normandy (this has gotten him all excited and he has checked out every book on D-Day at the local library).

As for me, im not very excited to go. I was really hoping to get some useful presents this year to get my bike back rolling again, but alas, the French screwed me over again!

Also, I need a present for my girlfriend, and she won't tell me what she wants. So, I guess this is a test. What should I get while I am there? Not Jewelry, because A. I am not Price Selliger and B. She looses it. I might just get her a bunch of chocolate and told her that I gave up looking. neaky:

Also, where can I get an American Flag Jumpsuit? :devil:

Hey man... Give me your ticket and I'll get your bike fixed for you.

 

[binary visions]

Also, I need a present for my girlfriend, and she won't tell me what she wants. So, I guess this is a test. What should I get while I am there? Not Jewelry, because A. I am not Price Selliger and B. She looses it. I might just get her a bunch of chocolate and told her that I gave up looking. neaky:

Oh, and yes, this is a test.

If you have to ask people on the internet what she wants, then you've failed the test.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Also, I need a present for my girlfriend, and she won't tell me what she wants. So, I guess this is a test. What should I get while I am there? Not Jewelry, because A. I am not Price Selliger and B. She looses it. I might just get her a bunch of chocolate and told her that I gave up looking. neaky:

Why not get her something for you? Like crotchless undies..??

:devil:

 

[narlus]

Hey man... Give me your ticket and I'll get your bike fixed for you.

wait, N8 wants to go to France?

 

[N8 v2.0]

wait, N8 wants to go to France?

Sure. I mean you can easily get to Holland/Germany/UK from there.

 

[MudGrrl]

I had an old fridge to play in.

I had an old fridge cardboard box to play in.



And...my first real vacation was to New Jersey when I was about 16.


I want to trade places with Mack.
Mack, can I have your parents?

 

[urbaindk]

I can certainly appreciate that a teenager like mack doesn't want to go anywhere with his parents. I think we all can at some level.

mack: Could you show some maturity and tell your parents how you feel? Perhaps express to them that you are getting older and that you appreciate what they are trying to do for you but that it might be time to go out on your own. I imagine that the same trip to Paris sans parents would be a really learning experience for you. If not on this trip maybe the next one?

This time why don't you print out austin-bikes list and try to set out on your own a little? You should be able to explore a little on your own while still having the relative luxury of having your parents nearby should you get yourself into trouble. Babysteps so to speak.

 

[narlus]

This time why don't you print out austin-bikes list and try to set out on your own a little? You should be able to explore a little on your own while still having the relative luxury of having your parents nearby should you get yourself into trouble. Babysteps so to speak.

just a note, US-based cell phones likely won't work in europe unless they are tri-band/GSM type.

austin-bike's list is a good one. the jardin de luxembourg is a cool place, as is sacre coeur. i didn't get a chance to check out the Marais area but Montmartre is neat, as is the place where the Sorbonne is (damn i forget the name; st. germain is the main street)

 

[bluebug32]

Paris is great! The food is amazing and there's some great shopping/museums. And, yes, the red light district and Monmartre are fun places to hang out. I really enjoyed the south of France and Nice. Just think, hanging out on the beach (topless beaches nonetheless), drinking. What do you have to complain about??

 

[Ciaran]

I had an old fridge to play in.

PLAY!?!?!
If you have time to play, you have time to WORK!

 

[Salami]

there is something wrong with you. Take this oppertunity and enjoy it! Maybe learn what a little bit about d-day and appreciate what sacrafices were made there !

if anyone is screwing you over it is your self .

 

[The Toninator]

how do you say....(comment dit-on....)


ha

shower is "douche"

i wish like hell i could go to France.

doo eet, doo eet. it's only 580 R/T if you go at the end of jan.

 

[OGRipper]

I remember when I was 14 or something and a spoiled brat friend of mine got "dragged" to Jamaica for a two week vacation in February, the month of deep freeze (I was living in Connecticut at the time). I was jealous as hell because we could never afford to take sweet vacations, and my mother would have probably preferred Atlantic City anyway. Four days into the trip he called to whine about how he was sooooo bored and had nothing to do. All his parents wanted to do was swim, take him on boat rides, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, etc. I have a distinct memory of sitting in my house listening to this ungrateful punk, looking at the driveway I was about to shovel across the street for a few bucks. It was one of the last times we ever spoke.

Suck it up princess. A broad world view will serve you well. Travel as much as you can and learn how other people live. And if you can't find anything for your girlfriend in Paris, you don't have a romantic bone in your body and she deserves better.

Oh and thank your parents for helping you see the world outside your town.

 

[Austin Bike]

just a note, US-based cell phones likely won't work in europe unless they are tri-band/GSM type.

austin-bike's list is a good one. the jardin de luxembourg is a cool place, as is sacre coeur. i didn't get a chance to check out the Marais area but Montmartre is neat, as is the place where the Sorbonne is (damn i forget the name; st. germain is the main street)

Yeah, you need a tri or quad band phone, it's ~$1.20 a minute, texts are less and it can get you out of a jam.

Were you thinking about the Latin Quarter or St. Michaels? I usually stay in the Latin Quarter which is really convenient.

And definitely rent this movie before you go: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000640VO/qid=1135126798/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-1040494-7376742?n=507846&s=dvd&v=glance

 

[arboc!]

france is a blast, i hope you have fun. all you need to know is...
Tabac=tabacco
biere=beer
vin=wine

the best advice i can offer is:
-only drink wine, its super cheap(you can get a bottle for 2 euros, while beer is 2 euros for a 12 ounce glass) compaired to beer and hard alcohol(for some reason things the french love ar always cheap)
-the drinking age is non-existant, and most of the french youth love americans(free booze!!!)
-the red-light distric is actually very dirty and discusting. finding a hot hooker may prove difficult.
-please and thank you are essential in getting what you want
-have an open mind, you can have alot of fun just exploring by yourself, maybe go to a few bars?

 

[Rip]

Hey man... Give me your ticket and I'll get your bike fixed for you.

If you go for this, you'll likely get a bike back that has 29" wheels.

 

[skinny mike]

hey mack, my heart bleeds for you.

 

[jdcamb]

There are a tonne of cool bike shops in Paris. The wine flows well too.