Let's try a video. The young folks here are lightning fast texters. The screens cover the most of the front of the phone so you think it's a smart phone. But it has the standard 12-key on-screen keyboard. This video is done in real time...I didn't speed it up...I swear by mon Dieu.
Here's a rear view of Notre Dame shot while crossing a Seine bridge. Probably won't make it there this trip.
The French have a sense of humor.
For reasons unknown, we've had a problem with toilet paper (papier hygenique) in the room. We make it obvious that we're running out...didn't work. I mention it to the front desk, didn't work.
Then I mentioned it to the front desk in stronger terms. It more than worked!!!
Being very warm we turned in the bedspread the first day we arrived.
The American mini-van, French edition. Made by Renault & confirmed by the New York state license plate on the right rear.
One of the most beautiful buildings in Paris is the old opera house, known as Opera Garnier. Opera productions became so large the stage became too small. A new opera was built at Bastille, architecturally under-whelming. Sorry for the blur, didn't have a tripod to steady the camera in such low light.
Detail showing some of the great composers memorialized.
Can't leave out my guy, Beethoven.
Looking past the Opera Garnier is one of Susanne's favorite places, the Galleries Lafayette giant department store.
With your back to the opera house, the street scene down Avenue de l'Opera. No extra charge for the moon. It's difficult to time a photo with minimum traffic.
My survival French is coming along nicely. Gets better every day. The downside is that it's at its best the day we leave.
The Euro has been drifting down since we arrived...better than drifting up. The first 300 euro ATM withdrawal cost $436.00. Today's withdrawal was $420.00. By the time we left, the cost for 300 euros was $408.00.
We operate entirely in cash overseas. The credit card companies charge 2.7% to 3% as a foreign exchange fee for doing exactly nothing..the fee is already included in the exchange rate. There are a few cards that don't charge a fee but other aspects make them less desirable. So we do cash...paying the hotel a couple of hundred Euros every few days. Allows us to negotiate a better room rate since they don't pay the credit card fee either.
French kids also love Subway; the line is out the door. There are also Starbucks aplenty.
I can feel blog fatigue beginning to set in. We went to Fontainebleau; I want to do that one. Also a canal cruise. But shlepping all day, then blogging daily is getting old. And I was under the weather yesterday, feeling better today but not yet up to par.
Written French is loaded with accent marks. I am very aware & try to be respectful. I use the ALT + four numeric key pad keys to drop in the the correct accented letter. Except my little netbook has no numeric keypad. There is another way but it's time consuming. So apologies for not being entirely correct.
If you have any questions about Paris, I'll try to answer. Email me at <stevemaricopa@gmail.com>. If it's of general interest, I'll put it on the blog, anonymously of course.
The French have a sense of humor.
For reasons unknown, we've had a problem with toilet paper (papier hygenique) in the room. We make it obvious that we're running out...didn't work. I mention it to the front desk, didn't work.
Then I mentioned it to the front desk in stronger terms. It more than worked!!!
Being very warm we turned in the bedspread the first day we arrived.
The American mini-van, French edition. Made by Renault & confirmed by the New York state license plate on the right rear.
One of the most beautiful buildings in Paris is the old opera house, known as Opera Garnier. Opera productions became so large the stage became too small. A new opera was built at Bastille, architecturally under-whelming. Sorry for the blur, didn't have a tripod to steady the camera in such low light.
Detail showing some of the great composers memorialized.
My survival French is coming along nicely. Gets better every day. The downside is that it's at its best the day we leave.
The Euro has been drifting down since we arrived...better than drifting up. The first 300 euro ATM withdrawal cost $436.00. Today's withdrawal was $420.00. By the time we left, the cost for 300 euros was $408.00.
We operate entirely in cash overseas. The credit card companies charge 2.7% to 3% as a foreign exchange fee for doing exactly nothing..the fee is already included in the exchange rate. There are a few cards that don't charge a fee but other aspects make them less desirable. So we do cash...paying the hotel a couple of hundred Euros every few days. Allows us to negotiate a better room rate since they don't pay the credit card fee either.
French kids also love Subway; the line is out the door. There are also Starbucks aplenty.
I can feel blog fatigue beginning to set in. We went to Fontainebleau; I want to do that one. Also a canal cruise. But shlepping all day, then blogging daily is getting old. And I was under the weather yesterday, feeling better today but not yet up to par.
Written French is loaded with accent marks. I am very aware & try to be respectful. I use the ALT + four numeric key pad keys to drop in the the correct accented letter. Except my little netbook has no numeric keypad. There is another way but it's time consuming. So apologies for not being entirely correct.
If you have any questions about Paris, I'll try to answer. Email me at <stevemaricopa@gmail.com>. If it's of general interest, I'll put it on the blog, anonymously of course.
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