Complete Photo album: Paris Dec 2009
We visited Paris in Dec 2009 for a short stay, about 4 days on the way to India. We absolutely loved it, it is a beautiful place, nice people and a city with history visible everywhere.
These are Notes, Memories and Tips from the trip.
Staying in an apartment.
Traveling as a family of four including a 1 year old, we found the hotel rooms to be too small or expensive, $400-500 per night kind. Instead, we rented an apartment in Latin Quarters\Old Paris through http://www.nyhabitat.com/
It was a great decision, we got the live as Parisians, had a kitchen with a refrigerator and microwave. The fabulous and large Park, Parc Luxemborg was close by.
It is a different kind of dealing as trust is involved, communication takes longer and do confirm there is a local phone for taxis, etc.
Tour Eiffel
Is beautiful as expected. Worth going to the top, specially to the simple Cafe on level one. And to watch from the river after the sun sets.
Cruise along Seine River
Definitely the highlight for us, much better than the river shuttle, the last one in the night allowed seeing paris in the night lights. Goes beyond Notre Dame.
Church Notre Dame de Paris
Was very beautiful. We went at the most crowded moment, so it was jam packed. A nice location with another church near by and along the river Seine.
Louvre Museum
Louvre was my wife’s idea, we have to see Mona Lisa and it turned out to be a great one. We did go and enjoyed it. Because we went early, 9 am on a weekend I think, we got in free.
Champs Elysees & Arc de Triomphe
A upscale shopping area with many designer shops, how you pronounce it shows for most non-French if you have been there.
The Arc at the end was beautiful, reminding me of Delhi’s India Gate.
Weather
Was cold, Fleece jacket kind and the days were shorter. But it was still worth it.
Bus & Subway
Use the bus in addition to the subway, though slower and more expensive, it made us see Paris life & people up close.
Food
The pastries were very good, beyond that, not too many options for a non-meat eater.
People
The people of Paris are very nice, polite which was not what the general idea seems to be. Many of them tend to be well dressed too.
In closing, definitely a place to visit and see and we joined many who love it.
