Tales of 4 Cities - Paris

Paris. The second leg. We spent a relaxed week in the romantic city.

Getting around: Metro tickets can be bought in batches of 10.

Accommodation: We booked a room at Boissiere (53, rue Jean Jaurès, Levallois Perret) for a few days before walking a few metres down the road and checked into another hotel - My Hotel in France . It was a really good deal as breakfast was provided and each day, you are entitled to a brown bag of sandwich, bottled water and cut fruits. =) Oh yes, there's free wifi. =))

Some of the places that we visited:

1. Musee du Louvre (the very famous Mona Lisa painting is a draw! There are some eateries in the museum so no worries. You can take pictures of the paintings unless otherwise told. Closed on Tuesdays and public hols; free 1st Sun of the month. I find the audio guide helpful)

2. Eiffel Tower. We did not go all the way up but just lingered at the bottom. It's good enough. (Exit Champ-de-Mars)

3. Notre-Dame. Then go and search for Berthillon ice-cream located on the smaller island (Ile St-Louis) next to Notre-Dame. Recommended by a colleague and it's really yummy!

4. Sacre- Coeur. Nice and of course the cafes and sidewalk in Montmartre. Moulin Rouge is located there but nothing fantastic about the show. Email them to make reservation; pay on the spot.

5. Arc de Triomphe. Located at the top of the Champs-Elysees (where the shopping area is).

6. Pantheon. We didn't go in (not really worth it).

7. There is a group who organised FREE Paris walk for tourists. They meet at the fountain of the Metro exit, St-Michel. Good English speaking guides. We went with them to Versailles and they explained well the history too. Nice big gardens at Versailles and great history lessons!

8. La Vallee Village. Big brand names at discounted prices. Take RER A and exit at Val d'Europe.

9. Parks & Gardens: Have some sandwiches and a book and bum there. Jardin du Luxembourg & Jardin des Tuileries are beautiful, esp the former.

Things to do:
- Have at least one nice French meal.
- Be like the Parisians. Take your time to sip your expresso @ cafes/bars, watching people pass by you.
- Always start any conversation with Bonjour!
- Walk down La Seine with your loved one(s). It's really a romantic thing to do!

A tale of 4 cities (London)

Honeymoon. London --> Paris --> Amsterdam --> Brussels --> London

Sept - Oct 2009.

Before setting off for the trip, we had booked some of our accommodation via hostel.com or booking.com. Needless to say, accommodation in western Europe is expensive and basically the cost is the major consideration, followed by the location and whether the room had attached bathroom. A good proportion of our accommodation was in the range of 60 Euro for a twin ensuite per day. (London cost more!)



For travellers who do not really have the time to explore a place in great detail, I find these guidebooks friendly. They recommended the top 10 places and well, you won't get wrong. Of course, there are not as many recommendations as LonelyPlanet or Fodors.

So here goes, some of my own recommendations!








London

Accommodation is the main wallet-drainer. In Britain, you can pay a lot and still get a shoebox, so go as basic as possible. Also, aim for rates that include breakfast as that will save you a small sum.

Places where I have visited and enjoyed.

1. Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square

2. Buckingham Palace

3. National Gallery

4. Tate Modern

5. Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens (go for English tea at one of the cafes there).

6. Visit Harrods!

7. Soho and the West End - Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly circus, Leicester Square (could buy cut-price theatre tickets), Chinatown...

7. Shopping area - Oxford Street, Porttobello Road, Harrods (do dress well if you intend to go in!)

The city of London is easily explorable on foot. You see more things too! Of course, when you arrive at Heathrow Airport, get a top-up card called Oyster Card (aka our Ezlink card) to travel on the tube. We put in 25 pounds. It should be sufficient but we also walked A LOT!

Check this out! http://www.londontown.com/London_for_Backpackers.pdf

Eating in London can be expensive, so grab a sandwich for a leisurely picnic at several parks in the heart of the city such as Hyde Park, Green Park and Regent's Park. I like those at Pret A Manger (wide range and healthy!) and EAT. If cost is still the issue, you will always have the supermarket! Camden market has cheap food there, though a bit far from the city centre. Must eat - duck @ Four Seasons at Bayswater!