July 11, 2011
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Paris Bound
For one reason or another, can not tell if it is all me or maybe no one really does cares…I have no one to talk about my Paris trip with. Only vague and very short mentions of this or that. I forced facebook to link over to the apartment I rented for my vacay ( go here: Charming Paris Flat ).
I invited many to join me, offered to pay even. Every one was too busy or could not make their schedule work out. Now that I have booked and committed, suddenly, I am getting these pouty
face friends.What is that about?
My musician pal, RonnBenway, is going with me. He too was hesitant. I am not sure what I am learning from this experience. Perhaps I will be far wiser once I return.
Finally, plans and itinerary (but very very flexible) are being put together. I kind of think that LESS is MORE.
But I want to call and talk about every nuance of this adventure. No one is there for this trip. Pout
So, xanga crew, I inflict my Paris joy on YOU!!!!!!!!!!
My dream budget was $3,000 for air fare and accommodations. The three travel agents I spoke to came in double plus on that. I decided to try to do it myself.
I did ok on air fare. It is the height of the tourist season. Travel agents and regular air fare sites were quoting $1,500 plus for each round trip ticket. No shit. Not even non stop or first class. I managed to get both tickets for $2,400 with insurance.
I waited til that last minute on accommodations. I had a certain neighborhood in Paris (the Marais) but the time frame and budget was not working out. The place I chose is a bit distant from Paris central, but only 15 mins to walk to the Seine. The place is darling with all the basic life commodities and space. Plus a short distance to bike rentals or the metro. Coolio.
My plans include a bike tour of France, one of those fish pedicures, lots of wonderful food and wine as well as a night cruise on the Seine.
Aside from that, I hope to hit some cool Paris flea markets, more great wine and food plus just wandering the streets of PARIS!
I am going to mail out postcards. Buy gifts for a couple of extra special friends. I hope to buy a fabulous Parisian scarf as my special souvenir.
I want to see the Eiffel tower lit up at night. My friend Ronn would like to busk in front of that Tower as well. He may book some shows, he and a pal that just played a house concert at my place, are working that out. Just fine with me.
My biggest worries are dressing well and comfortably. Not getting on Ronn’s nerves. And not missing anything. Nine nights in Paris.
This is my dream come true. I am glad that I can make this happen for me. Happy Lucky Me.
Selfish, I am sorry. Happy. I am.
xxoo
Comments (16)
have a blast lovely lady… and I for 1 am waiting to hear all about it… so make sure you take your cam… and a diary so you don’t forget anything… and bugger everyone else…. they are JEALOUS
You will have a wonderful time. I wish you would take a tour of more than just the city of Paris though… there is so much to see in the rest of France.
i am so proud of you, and so happy for you. i have never been anywhere else, and i am looking forward to seeing the pictures and hearing your stories. love you dear!
What a wonderfully quirky place! You are going to have such a good time! Can’t wait to hear every silly detail. I’ll tell every bit of my Michigan story if you’ll post the entire Paris experience.
Sweetie. I wish we were closer and I’d talk about it all day with you. I’d even try to do it ‘en Francais’ although I wouldn’t be very good at it. We could have chatted about my flying to Bangkok as a courier for cheap – I still have the article from years ago – although you may have had to arrive in Paris a day or so apart from your travel companion to do so. You will have a fantastic time roaming the streets, stopping casually into a bakery and buying delectable goodies, sipping coffee at an outside cafe on the Champs Elysee. Wish I was going with.
Just take it easy. You will have the time of of your life. I
recommend a bus tour of the full city as an early start, you get the lay
out of the land… then do it on foot. I like your idea about bicycles
but careful for the crazy drivers.
remember museums, and famous
things. I don’t know anything about paris, I never had a desire to go
there. but I am sure you will have a wonderful time!!
it will certainly be, after all, an adventure… Don’t worry about dressing, just dress comfortably!!
remember the painful shoe debacle in Manhattan?
Cassi, first of all, you can call me day or night, I would love to talk to you about your Pris trip. I am great listener and an even better talker! hehe I would have loved to have gone with you and would have and could have, unfortunately we did not meet at that time. So I have a pouty face because I wish I have known you then!!!!
Your trip plan sounds wonderful. I am so jealous of the excursion you are about to take. Take lots of pictures, I am ready to follow you on your trip. And really, please, call me if you would like to chat….I spend my nights alone watching TV and the company would be great!! 601-335-2842 Love and hugs to you!!!
I am happy for you, making this trip happen yourself! Before we went, I never really wanted to go; our short stay (three nights) was more of an after thought to a long trip to Italy–and we LOVED it! We plan to go back; originally this summer, but we had to postpone with our Texas move. I wish I had more time to help you plan it. :(
We were there so briefly, we ourselves only saw the highlights. Had nutella crepes at the street vendors. Saw the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe. There is an option to buy an umlimited museum pass–worth it! People are amazingly helpful and friendly (but waiters not so much). We bought a metro pass; again, worth it. We stayed outside of the city, too, and it gives you more of a feeling I think of living there. It will be warm this time of year, and you will be walking a LOT–be comfortable. And bring an umbrella.
I remember stumbling into a Greek section of town, and we had gyros one night–again, fantastic. You’ll know if you’re there when you see broken dishes in the doorway; apparently when the food is so good, the dishes want to be broken rather than risk serving a lessor meal the next time. (There are many variations on this theme.)
I think you will miss the final day of the Tour de France? But still, kind of neat to walk down the Champs-Élysées. When we were there, they were setting up the stands for the grand finale.
We were fed up with the European cold cuts breakfast and ventured into McDonalds–which I don’t even go into here–but that was so worth it! It caters to French tastes and preferences and it was awesome–the coffee was fantastic! We ordered two large breakfasts that were plenty for the four of us, including yogurt, orange juice (not from concentrate), pancakes (almost crepe like), croissants/pastries, and more. Moral of the story: leave no stone unturned! ;)
Bon Voyage – can’t wait to hear all about it, and see the fantastic pics!
Love you!
Debi
Have a great time. The Paris apartment looks fantastic. Take lots of pics.
oh Cassi! I had no idea you have no one to talk to about your great adventure! I am here for every nuance. I want to hear every detail! I want to know what you think about every little thing before and after you go. yes, you must do the obvious touristy things but it is wandering the streets, riding the metro and talking to people that you will love most. my excitement for you grows with every passing day. I am more than glad you can make this happen for you! love…
I am so envious of you Cassie for having the guts to do this all by yourself! Good for you for following your dream. I think that is amazing and wonderful. My dream is to one day live in Northern Michigan in a cabin lakeside. And I will do it. Then I’ll invite you over and we can cheer for each other that we pursued our dreams! Have so much fun Cassie and definitely shower us with your stories when you get back!
NOBODY TOOK YOU UP ON IT! wth is wrong w/people!?
I can’t wait to read about your adventure while I am taking mine.
Have a fantabulous time!
You are going to have a lovely time! Don’t worry about anything else… just be.
Oh lovely trip I wish I could go with….sadly mykids cant do without me….i can’t wait to heart and see your trip.
I’m very glad for you, Cassi. very very. may you have the best visit ever.
I am reading this for the second time. I am sorry I couldn’t share in your exitement, having this brain thing and all but I know how you feel, this has happened to me several times before, where something is important to me and no one else seems to care about it or think it is important :/ I don’t know what that is but it doesn’t feel so good.
You are turning 50 remember, it is not just a trip to paris.
I wish I had been in better health all along and not afraid to fly and we could have somehow done something like this together but we both know it isn’t the proper time for that with my issues and fear of travel…
there is a lot of hype in the world about how we are supposed to feel and that the big bang is supposed to pop but it really just fizzles a bit and isn’t all that impressive to other people when it comes down to the reality of it…
I think it is all about hype, hype by others, and internal hype by our selves… expectations and hopes unmet….
You are going to be happy.