Practical Advice
Advice for making the most of Paris:
1. Relax-Paris is not a scary city and the language difference can be solved with a few basic words, so buy a simple french language guide. The same as Americans expect tourists and immigrants to know english, the french are the same. Once you master, "Bonjour", "Merci", "Sil vous plait"...the rest is okay. Smile and show people you are happy to be here. This goes a long way.
2.Buy a Paris Pratique- No matter how pretty that guide book you bought at Borders is, the map, usually located at the back, is not too effective. As soon as you land and get into Paris, find a bookstore (perhaps one I have recommended) and buy Paris Pratique Par Arrondissement. It is a handy tool for navigating Paris by bus, metro and foot. All streets are listed and each quarter is there. Also it keeps you from looking so much like a tourist by asking for a map. Every Parisian has one of these and follow it faithfully.
3.Watch for the gold ring- There is a scam that goes on here with people, usually down on their luck, offering you a gold ring if it fits. It happened to me. I was walking, a woman asked me if a ring on the ground was mine. I told her 'no' and by then, well aware of the scam. She insisted that I keep it, but that I should give her some money. I gave her a little change, but she was not satisfied. She wanted more money. I simply told her that we could remedy this by my giving her back the ring, she giving me back the money and no one is out of anything. Needless to say, I go a gold ring for change. This goes on all the time and strangely enough the perpetrators usually speak english.
4. Don't be afraid- If you get lost, enjoy it. You will easily find your way back Paris is actually quite small and unless you find yourself passing the Périphérique (Paris' bordering freeway), all is well. It is easy to get back to where you want to be.
5. Lose the Tour- If by chance you joined a tour group, get out of it and explore on your own. There is nothing wrong with leaving the pack and you will see things the guide hasn't on the schedule. Enjoy. You are in Paris. Obviously you want to be here, or else you would not have come when the US dollar is so low.
1. Relax-Paris is not a scary city and the language difference can be solved with a few basic words, so buy a simple french language guide. The same as Americans expect tourists and immigrants to know english, the french are the same. Once you master, "Bonjour", "Merci", "Sil vous plait"...the rest is okay. Smile and show people you are happy to be here. This goes a long way.
2.Buy a Paris Pratique- No matter how pretty that guide book you bought at Borders is, the map, usually located at the back, is not too effective. As soon as you land and get into Paris, find a bookstore (perhaps one I have recommended) and buy Paris Pratique Par Arrondissement. It is a handy tool for navigating Paris by bus, metro and foot. All streets are listed and each quarter is there. Also it keeps you from looking so much like a tourist by asking for a map. Every Parisian has one of these and follow it faithfully.
3.Watch for the gold ring- There is a scam that goes on here with people, usually down on their luck, offering you a gold ring if it fits. It happened to me. I was walking, a woman asked me if a ring on the ground was mine. I told her 'no' and by then, well aware of the scam. She insisted that I keep it, but that I should give her some money. I gave her a little change, but she was not satisfied. She wanted more money. I simply told her that we could remedy this by my giving her back the ring, she giving me back the money and no one is out of anything. Needless to say, I go a gold ring for change. This goes on all the time and strangely enough the perpetrators usually speak english.
4. Don't be afraid- If you get lost, enjoy it. You will easily find your way back Paris is actually quite small and unless you find yourself passing the Périphérique (Paris' bordering freeway), all is well. It is easy to get back to where you want to be.
5. Lose the Tour- If by chance you joined a tour group, get out of it and explore on your own. There is nothing wrong with leaving the pack and you will see things the guide hasn't on the schedule. Enjoy. You are in Paris. Obviously you want to be here, or else you would not have come when the US dollar is so low.
posted by Christopher Andrews at
6:57 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home