Return to Paris after 15 Years
 

Well, I am back in Paris after a 15 year hiatus. The trip began with a major snafu when my friend and I missed each other where we were supposed to meet, but all is well now.

Here is the blog for the trip:

http://altecockertravels.weebly.com/...gust-2015.html

I will not be placing any love locks on any bridge but plan to have a fine time.

Please be aware that I have been to Paris many times and won't be doing any of the sites with long queues (including the catacombs where I witnessed an epic proportion queue yesterday (July 29, 2015).

I would like to read your blog, but the third person format really puts me off, as does the "Alte Cocker" appellation.

Can't say I like the third person writing either, or the name, but I am reading your blogs and they are enjoyable as well as very informative. So, keep on writing. Thanks.

Thank you for your compliment, Sassafrass. After a good night's sleep, AlteCocker will be off to the Musee Picasso after checking out of the hotel. AlteCocker will move into her friend's apartment this evening for the remainder of my stay in Paris.

nukesafe, when you dislike someone's writing, you can simply choose not to read it. Everytime I post a blog you feel compelled to make the same criticism, but then you read the blogs. Pardon me for not being able to figure that out. The blog is averaging almost 1,000 hits per day recently so AlteCocker must be doing something right.

nukesafe, no doubt you write a blog that is universally-appealing to all readers. Would you care, perchance, to share it with this forum? I maintain a blog of our ex-pat lives overseas that could no doubt better entertain and inform our friends and family members, and would love to see an example of master web writing.

AlteCocker, your report caught my attention as our two teenagers head to Paris next week for five days of faffing about and, ostensibly, DD practicing her French. This is not their first trip to Paris, and although we have a rough itinerary I'm always open to new ideas. Thanks for the live updates on Paris in the summer.

My whine is that I almost never click through to trip reports on external sites because of the danger of viruses.

I MAY do it from my iPad but never from my Real Computer. I'm sure I miss a lot of good stuff, but the risk isn't worth it.

Your choice.

I wish that I'd made the same choice as Ackislander.

I'm glad to see you blogging again. I've read all your blogs and enjoyed them. I didn't even remember that you write in the third person, so I guess it didn't bother me.

Writing in the third person was a 19th literary device, long fallen out of favor. It is currently employed by basketball players and others as an affectation to exude a sense of self-importance.

I am thoroughly enjoying your Paris return and catching up on all your other adventures. Gosh, but you have been busy traveling and so many adventures! I could not be more impressed with your energy and enthusiasm for all that, despite the occasional health/medical setback and the annoyances and inconveniences involved with all that.

The entire site is brilliantly organized and chock full of useful information.

I enjoyed reading about the OP's home exchanges - it brought back memories of the year my wife and I spent in Montpelier in 1986, while she was completing her pharmacy fellowship there. There were the usual hiccups due to cultural differences, but overall, nothing to get really excited about. Home exchanges used to be much more common than today, but I suppose people (Americans, in particular) have become much more cautious about sharing their homes with strangers. That's a real shame, because there is so much to learn. Reference the recent reports by "kovsie", doing a home exchange in some deep, dark suburb an hour outside central Paris. All the "guidance" from people who have no experience really immersing themselves in a foreign culture was totally incorrect.

As far as using the "Imperial Third Person" - I can't for the life of me figure out why people on forums like this insist on being literary critics. There is room for everyone's personal writing style - anyone who is bothered by mistakes in grammar, etc should really go back to teaching English. Trip reports are like postcards, nothing more, and do not deserve the "red pencil" treatment.

I have no idea what AlteCocker means, or why so many people have gotten all upset about it. But I don't really care, since the story was the point.

manouche, you are so right--it's all grist for the mill. Each report has its own style, and that's how it should be.

I usually learn more from a traveler like AlteCocker than I do from people who went to Paris and followed a well-beaten path.

Yep,
Let me be the devil's advocate then.
First, Fodors is public, anyone is entitled to write what he/she wants.
If Altecocker wants to write in third person, ok.
I don't like it, but ok for me.
What I don't find ok is OldDog criticising Nukesafe.
If everybody can write how and what she wants, everyone is also free to say he/she doesn't like it.
What bothered me is not so much the third person as the repetivity. I read one paragraph and should have counted the nr of 'Altecocker'.
So the blog gets 1000 clicks - ok, got one for me, and only one.

<<<I have no idea what AlteCocker means, or why so many people have gotten all upset about it.>>>

'Old Fart' or similar. But I'm another fan. Money changing in a Rangoon hotel was hilarious!

honestly who is making anyone read the blog? This is not a literary forum but rather a travel forum...really can't believe some of the stuff I read here...i guess not surprising since little to no moderation. Anyway enjoying the blog myself and thanks for writing!

I apologize if my comments offended some of you, especially the OP. My intention was merely to tell the OP that I would have liked to read her trip report, but was put off by the use of the third person writing style, as well as the self deprecation in continually referring to herself using such an insulting and belittling term. I had to look up Alter Cocker, and found it means like "Old S#*t" in German.

There are many valuable trip reports on travel fora that I am willing to spend my time perusing, but cannot waste my time on the ones that make for difficult reading. Those who write in solid blocks of print without the use of paragraphs particularly get ignored, and now those in the third person will join the list. Perhaps my loss, but there it is.

<<<I have been to Paris many times and won't be doing any of the sites with long queues (including the catacombs where I witnessed an epic proportion queue yesterday>>>

I worked/lived in Paris for nearly 4 years (1996-19990, and the Catacombs were always on the 'must-see' list when we had visitors...

http://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/ho...ficial-website

...and fortunately we never encountered any queues. Too many people would spoil the occasion, as it's best when it's quiet and much more spooky.

You get yours bags searched when you leave, just in case you've nicked a ghoulish souvenir!

Another great place, which is often overlooked on the Left Bank are the Paris Sewers...

http://next.paris.fr/english/english...54_port_19237?

...which as well as being offbeat, is very educational and fun.

So right Lancaster !
Sewers have been on my list for quite a time.
I've gone as far as locating the entrance.
I must go this year...
(Been on the catacombs in march, towards end of the day, got a 5' queue - lucky ?).
Going bck to Ste Chapelle next week for a concert.
I never get tired of these 'must see's.

Nukesafe : always the gentleman.
Let us see if OldDog acknowledges your apologies.

I'm always interested in reading this OP's blogs must admit I do find that style of writing a little annoying. Nukesafe's travel reports are wonderful.

I have been to the sewers several times but not the catacombs. Most of the time, when in Paris, I am in Paris with people who have never been before and end up doing all the same things first time tourists do. It is much more pleasant to avoid all of that and just do some less visited sites.

I have no idea what I will do for the rest of today having finished with the blog up date--which can take 1-2 hours a day. The blog began as advice for home exchangers because I answered the same questions over and over again and got tired of doing that. Then it went on to memorializing my trips and I acquired quite a following--which was very surprising to me, but fun.

The photos will get put up evenutally. I am always behind on photos which wait for the end of trips when I have a more powerful computer.

And the name "AlteCocker"? I translate it on the blog as "OldFart" but it is actually a bit "worse" than that--sort of VielleMerde if you know what that means in French.

Thanks for the positive comments. The literary critics need to move on--thank you. They always read and then feel compelled to make the same comments every time. Boring. I am not going to change my style of writing no matter how many times, nukesafe and others, you express your utter disdain. Again, DO NOT READ MY REPORTS if my writing style is so offensive. Have a nice day.

Well
VieilleMerde, it seems you didn't acknowledged that Nuke made a point of apoligizing and expressing that his intention was not to hurt anybody.

Ps : I preferred OldDog, a Cocker being the first dog we had in the family. But if you prefer being called VielleMerde, your call.

Again, don't forget you are on a public forum. Allow us to not like your style. There are so many blogs to read from, I'm sure I can find other ones.

I didn't find your writing offensive, just boring.
Imho. And it is not for me 'every time' - it is my first time.
And that's why I don't write trip reports. I don't want to bore people with my TR, but if I were to write, I'd have to suffer critics, both positive and negative.

Ps
I wouldn't have made any comment had you refrained from attacking Nukesafe, whom I consider a real gentleman.
And would love to meet somewhere sometime.

You want us bad critics to move on when we don't like your style ? just do the same when someone doesn't please you.

Have a good day all.

I love what Altecocker writes.
It's off-beat, quirky, includes a lot of stuff that other people might be embarrassed to include, sometimes very funny.
I wasn't keen on the 3rd person stuff to begin with, but why the need to be a sheep?
I'd love to be a fly-on-the-wall.
I think she's more Old Ma Clampett than Vielle Merde...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwzaxUF0k18

More please!

Enjoyed your report. We absolutely loved Musee Branly for its architecture, displays, garden and cafe

I had a snack in the Cafe Branly. Yes, it is a very nice museum but few Americans get here in a typical stay because they are focussed on doing what the guidebooks say they should--and what their friends have done. If you have the opportunity to return several times, you get off that track but few do.

Busy updating the blog at the local Starbucks. It has become part of the routine.

Just a remark on why I set up my own blog. If you see a lot of the negative reports here (as well as one false apology), that is one reason why I refuse to place my trip reports directly on fodors.

Also, on my blog they remain to assist others long after they would disappear on fodors. Many of those making the negative remarks about my name, style of posting, etc., do so every time faithfully reading everything I write, but with a compulsion to say something negative.

When I view some of these totally ridiculous negative comments, I think of what my mother used to say, "If you have nothing nice to say, then you should say nothing." It is evident that not all mothers gave the same advice and, if they did, some of you did not heed the advice. And, yes, there are a lot of sheeple in here. One starts up and their "friends" just have to join in--just like children do in kindergarten.

There are places for comments on my blog but, if someone starts up, they just get deleted. So, do not expect any of my trip reports to be placed on fodors where I do not have as much control.

I think I am going to do a historic walk focussed on Moliere this afternoon, but, then, I could change my mind. After all, it's a holiday and there is no schedule.

Happy travels to all of you.

Everyone is entitled to write a trip report in their own style. I like variety. I have liked lots of trip reports on Fodors, have loved a few, and always start reading any trip report with great anticipation.

Lauren_s_kahn, I've read all of your adventures and am following along on this one. I know it will be fun to read about.

According to the statistics, the <i>Musée du Quai Branly</i> is the only national museum in Paris where locals outnumber foreign visitors.

Oh, and regarding sushi, it is the #1 delivery item in Paris -- but only in Paris because obviously it is pizza in the rest of France.

So OP says <b>"If you have nothing nice to say, then you should say nothing."</b> This is hysterical, way funnier than anything on her blog.

Read the blog, and you'll see that this is a woman who thrives on complaining and whining. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

In the few days that she's been in Paris this trip, she's griped and moaned about the following:

- The baggage claim system at CDG, which OP says is slow and badly designed

- Acoustiguide tours in museums. The one at the Picasso museum is an exception; however, the speaker is not a native Anglophone and puts accents on the wrong syllables.

- Her physical problems. She had "severe indigestion" and didn't sleep well, and had "the usual problems with her aging back" (one of 4 references to back problems).

- OP went to a very nice restaurant. She complained about the bus ride ("The only problem with this is we get to see some of the "local color"--the transvestites who haunt the road sides looking for clients"), the price of wine, and those Americans who don't meet OP's standards ("It is a sad fact that many Americans really should not eat at this sort of restaurant.")

- One of her cousins who inconvenienced OP by passing away and one of her tenants who inconvenienced OP by having an apartment problem, just as OP was getting ready to travel.

It's not that OP's blog isn't entertaining. It is, in a perverse, unintentionally funny way. OP's blog is condescending, and a terrific 1-st person view from one of those nasty, self-important old ladies who can't really imagine doing things any way other than her way.

Well bully for the OP and her blog. But she really ought to figure out that if she is entitled to complain about just about everything, then other people are indeed entitled to complain about her. And thanks for the good laugh, OP, about following your mother's advice.

That is an excessively negative way to describe what she has written, which I found mostly entertaining and only a little annoying, but I really can't find fault with PuddinHead's last paragraph.

This is not award-winning literature, for crying out loud. It's a friggin' blog!!! You want something from Dickens, go read "Great Expectations" - jeez, but this is a hard audience...

Many years ago this poster was harshly critical of a review my then teenage daughter wrote on another website. She suggested she go back and rewrite it for a higher "grade" from her. I think she can/should be open to criticism of her own writing.

OMG, some things never change. This OP has been around a long time and for some reason, there generally is "conflict" eventually on most everything she posts.

However, I enjoy reading anything I can get my eyes on about Paris, so it's fine.

Looking forward to reading more Lauren.

In our home, the Yiddish use of Alte Cocker usually meant a "self appointed know it all".

And the translation was old $hitter.

Yes, the OP has been around for years and years.

I remember her back when AOL had a Travel Forum. I really don't have the proper choice of words to say just how so much of what she posted was negative. And outright attacks on other people and picking apart what people posted about their trips to Paris. Often very judgmental and condescending.

crefloors is right. Just about all her posts ended up with some kind of conflict with fellow posters when she would challenge them about their TR's or knowledge or about anything they would have to say about Paris.

And she posted some really personal stuff about some fellow posters that she had met in person. She was even banned at one point if I recall correctly.

<<"If you have nothing nice to say, then you should say nothing.">>

Indeed. And even more ironic.

PuddinHead said
<<Well bully for the OP and her blog. But she really ought to figure out that if she is entitled to complain about just about everything, then other people are indeed entitled to complain about her. And thanks for the good laugh, OP, about following your mother's advice.>>

I haven't read any of her blogs. Didn't know she was 'back.' But, if what PH wrote is true, then I agree.

Hey, Cocker. Talk about irony. A simple post about a trip to Paris and a huge thread about 3rd person, 1st person, 1st person plural etc etc. Why "irony'? Bec. this takes me back to the old AOL travel board, which you, Alte C. might remember. Personal attacks, insults, name calling, one-upsmanship, and on and on. Se ya.

It's a fun read lauren and I like the personal fun stuff. I wrote three trip reports, but not here because I didn't want to put up with some of the poo poo. I wrote them some years ago on TTG when it was first going. LoveItaly was even popping in over there at the time. People liked them so it was fun to do.

I like a personal report because anyone can say "we went to the Louve, was the Mona Lisa, ate a sandwich, sat in the park" etc. Yea, so OK. I like the personal experiences. I'm also enjoying Kovsie thread.

I glanced at lauren's blog tonight and I didn't read word for word, no time right now, but I didn't see a lot of complaints except the back and I can relate because my right hip hurts like hell when I am on my feet for a long time and my right thigh goes numb. Feeling returns when I sit down for a few minutes, so I'll be complaining about that when I get to Paris next year.

I am just enjoying reading trip reports again, haven't been to the Europe board much the last couple of years.