Travel is not necessarily a luxury. How would we know how much others earn and spend in order to live. Most of us who travel learn to see the world differently and realize that our preconceptions are all probably wrong. As much as I would like to live in a cocoon, "they" are not always wrong and me right. In fact it is probably 50/50, if I'm lucky.

for Doug, Travel can be educational and broadening to most people's perspective & I wouldn't give it up for the world (so to speak). But in reply to 'tedgale' I do consider travel a luxury if you are comparing lives with people who do not have enough to eat.

Hi travelwoman, I think you could get away with $100 a day but to make it quality rather than quantity I would pick either lunch or dinner out. As to eating in a park in Paris, I think that would be a gorgeous and decadant thing to do with nice bottle of wine, fresh fruit bread, pate and cheese and a good book but each to his or her own!

One of my most precious memories is the first night we were in Paris, Budman gave me the idea, we had to literally run to catch one of the little hourly tour boats at sunset, I think the boat cost about 6 euro each AND we used a E2 off internet coupon. We grabbed a bottle of champagne, some bread and pate and had a little picnic while watching the tower sparkle and light up. We went for lots of expensive dinners while we were in Paris but nothing compared to that lovely hour that cost maybe E50 total for two.

Aine: Did you have a picnic at the Bateau Bus boats that tours the Seine? I've never thought about doing it, it's just that it's interesting to know that they (the boat operator) allows picnicking.

In response to DougP and suze RE: how to reconcile travel with the needs of those less fortunate:

When I, a Canadian, first traveled to Ghana, West Africa in the mid-90s, I met an incredible Canadian woman, Kathy Knowles -- Winnipeg resident and fulltime mother of four. Kathy has chosen Ghana and literacy as her personal life-project.

Through Kathy, I became involved with her goal of setting up libraries (and literacy classes and micro-credit and more) for the children and illiterate women in Ghana.

Two new library buildings now commemorate my dear departed parents: the Nima-Maamobi Gale community library and the Mamprobi Gale community library, both in poor districts of Accra. In this, she and I were assisted by two of my brothers -- one of whom was Chair of Economics at NYU, the other Professor of Economics at Georgetown U in Washington, DC. (We are all Canadians but three of my siblings are expatriates -- the third is a sister, an MD and immunologist in Houston, TX)

If I hadn't traveled I would not have met Kathy and I would not have been sensitized to the horrible, grinding privation of the brave, resolute Ghanaian people.

"Sensitization" was not sufficient: Having seen their privation I had to help, when the way was shown to me. But really, I just cut a couple of cheques -- Kathy and the Ghanaians did the heavy lifting.

So that's my justification for travel.

Check out the project website at:
www.osuchildrenslibraryfund.ca

If you have an apartment & eat breakfast there, you will have plenty of $$s to eat out, and I bet you can survive on 50 Euros for lunch & dinner, if you forgo wine with every meal. (which I probably would not have the discipline to do). Lunch would be your flexible meal, with more reasonable alternatives. Even if you did a sit down dinner every single night, which you probably won't end up doing, $100 per day seems very generous. Have a blast!!

Thank you. I feel it can be done too. We might break down and prepare a coquille St Jacques or a poutine rapé.

Now that we have returned to the immediate question:

Travelwoman -- What is poutine rapee?

Most Canadians on this site will tell you that "poutine" is a French Canadian dish, generally sold from mobile vans and the subject of endless jokes. (Cheese curds, gravy and I don't know what all). AKA death by cholesterol.

I thought poutine, in its Canadian version, takes its name from the term in "joual" (Quebec slang) for "mess".

Is this the same dish and is it really sold in France???????

tedgale, you forgot the FRENCH FRIES! But in New Brunswick (and elsewhere, I'm sure), there is another type of poutine. It's an Acadian dish and I've had it, but I can't remember the ingredients. I can only tell you that it's nothing like what most people know as poutine (which is so popular that I've even had "McPoutine" in a Quebec McDonald's.)

Reply to Taylor-made: Hi there, we went to Paris for last Valentine's Day weekend and I was looking for ideas on this board. I got great advice and Budman gave me this website. I am a nervous ninny when it comes to "chancing" anthing so I emailed the cruise line and asked them if it was permitted to bring our own wine etc. on board, they assured me that we were welcome to. They also sell wine and snacks in a little bar before you board but you do not have to purchase from there. We went to the gourmet section of one of the large department stores, I think it was Galleries Layfette and bought delicious things. Anyway I posted this when I got back, it might be helpful:

"we were just in Paris and got great advice on cruises. We loved the Pont Neuf cruise line and you can even print a E2 coupon each off http://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com - they were totally familar with the coupon and took it without hesitation. Also, you can BYO and snacks on this one. Look out for the Nicholas wine stores (sign has yellow writing on burgundy background) borrow a couple of glasses from your hotel and go around 5:30pm - the cruise will just pull up for the first lighting up of the Eiffel Tower at 6:00 - magic!"

It was really lovely! Cheers, Anne

A couple of years ago, there was a story about a young man from sub-Sahra Africa (can't remember which country) who was about to graduate from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He was from a small village, but is very bright and comparatively well educate.

On the flight from his home country to the USA, he was the first person in his row to get his airline meal tray. When he saw how much food there was, he thought his tray was intended for all three people in his row.

my company s travel policy gives me an allowance of EUR 50.00 per day for food in France. i have no problem staying within this amount and many days come out considerably ahead.

while working,however, i usually just have wine with dinner and lunch is usually functional rather than a culinary experience.

Thanks for that reality check Rufus, its easy to forget how lucky we all are. Here is another story just I just received from my husband who is at present in Haiti working:

"One story - there is a clean diner type resturant next door to HQ - I
ordered a roast chicken sandwhich. 15 minutes later I was given a ham
and cheese sandwich. I said I did not order that and the waiter
said 'but we do not have anything else right now -- maybe later'"

I know hubby felt the sting of that one, funny I was just posting earlier about him being a mad spender on vacation too.

Rufus - love your reply...
tw, if you are "cooking" breakfast in the apartment (more than fresh croissants, coffee and fruit?) and you can eat a light lunch, you can budget 50 euros for dinner and still have enough left over for museum entrances. You can enjoy a 3 or 4-course prix fixe meal or order a la carte. Find out-of-the way places and enjoy! In fact, if you find some good 25 - 35-euro dinners, you can splurge on some other days. Just cut corners on the other meals and you can indulge plenty - unless you are set on Michelin star restaurants - in which case I don't think you'd have asked the question in the first place. Bon appetit!

Just returned. It can be done especially cooking breakfast in. You might find you really can't eat two "big" meals a day. There are plenty of good places where you can eat for 20euros or less for either lunch or dinner. We found we wanted one "big" meal and another small one. We did eat breakfast in. I'd also suggest you hold out for good places you've either read about or heard about. We tried to stay mid range (under 30 euros)and ate some pretty mediocre food in Paris. I personally would save for some pretty lavish meals and eat at lower end places.

Here are some of my favorites:
La Mascotte in the 18th Fabulous shellfish. Lots of it(this is a big meal best taken at lunch in my opinion and you will spend more than 30 euros.)

Astier in the 11th. You can get a nice four course discovery menu dinner for 35 euros.The cheese course is grand.


And many other folks will post their favorites if you ask about good relatively inexpensive places to eat.


The museums have some good stuff(The D'orsay has a very nice cafe).