The Lazy Woman's Paris/Rome Trip Report: Best of...
May 9th, 2008, 06:08 AM
#21
"Best place to walk up 284 steps to find out that I could have taken a lift instead: The Arc de Triomphe."
I know, I know...but PLEASE don't tell my sister, who I dragged up to the top in the midst of her pneumonia on the day she forgot to take her blood pressure medication... ooops.
I know, I know...but PLEASE don't tell my sister, who I dragged up to the top in the midst of her pneumonia on the day she forgot to take her blood pressure medication... ooops.
May 9th, 2008, 06:41 AM
#25
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Thanks everyone for the nice comments. We really had so many funny moments on this trip, and it's fun to relive them with people who actually know what I'm talking about.
LoveItaly: Please, by all means, add your own. Would love to read them.
Amy: Believe it or not, my mom actually had an emergency appendectomy 2.5 weeks before we left. For a while there, I thought I might be going on my own, but she recovered just in time to leave and she held up pretty well during the whole trip. She really did, however, want to smack me when we got to the top. Those steps did her in for a good while.
Sandi: I wanted to climb to the cupola, but was willing to take the lift for her sake, but screwed up the whole thing (details to come later) and we never made it up there.
...to be continued...
LoveItaly: Please, by all means, add your own. Would love to read them.
Amy: Believe it or not, my mom actually had an emergency appendectomy 2.5 weeks before we left. For a while there, I thought I might be going on my own, but she recovered just in time to leave and she held up pretty well during the whole trip. She really did, however, want to smack me when we got to the top. Those steps did her in for a good while.
Sandi: I wanted to climb to the cupola, but was willing to take the lift for her sake, but screwed up the whole thing (details to come later) and we never made it up there.
...to be continued...
May 9th, 2008, 07:15 AM
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Shelly....I have never laughed so hard at 10:00 AM before!! thanks so much. I have traveled with my daughter 3 different trips so I know how much fun it can be.
I would love any details you would like to share on your Paris apartment.
thanks....lynda
I would love any details you would like to share on your Paris apartment.
thanks....lynda
May 9th, 2008, 08:22 AM
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Sarge56 and Lynda: It was fun traveling with my mom. When we were about 10 days into our two-week trip, she started concocting plans for our next trip...she's thinking Milano and Venezia.
I'm thinking she better give my dad and my husband at least a few years to recover from being substitute soccer moms before bringing that scheme up for discussion. (Details below.)
Lynda: We rented this apartment http://tinyurl.com/6xy94k from VacationinParis.com, whom I highly recommend. We prepaid in USD via Paypal. They were extremely organized and helpful. The location was perfect. We could walk to everything, and take the Metro (Odeon stop) to everything else. On our block alone, there was an internet cafe, laundromat, grocery store, and more cafes and bars than I can count.
It's a studio, and was small, as expected. We didn't mind the size so much, as the fact that the carpet and furnishings were a bit tatty. There was a washer/dryer, but it was pretty much unusable, as we were told not to run it after 5 pm because the noise disturbs the neighbors. Having a W/D was a priority for me, so that was the one thing that I did not like about this place. However, if you're looking for value and location over luxury, and can deal with that issue, I would recommend it. Also, keep an eye out for the pizza guy.
I'm thinking she better give my dad and my husband at least a few years to recover from being substitute soccer moms before bringing that scheme up for discussion. (Details below.)
Lynda: We rented this apartment http://tinyurl.com/6xy94k from VacationinParis.com, whom I highly recommend. We prepaid in USD via Paypal. They were extremely organized and helpful. The location was perfect. We could walk to everything, and take the Metro (Odeon stop) to everything else. On our block alone, there was an internet cafe, laundromat, grocery store, and more cafes and bars than I can count.
It's a studio, and was small, as expected. We didn't mind the size so much, as the fact that the carpet and furnishings were a bit tatty. There was a washer/dryer, but it was pretty much unusable, as we were told not to run it after 5 pm because the noise disturbs the neighbors. Having a W/D was a priority for me, so that was the one thing that I did not like about this place. However, if you're looking for value and location over luxury, and can deal with that issue, I would recommend it. Also, keep an eye out for the pizza guy.
May 9th, 2008, 08:39 AM
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Best way to provide feeling of sweet vindication to Roman laundromat owner: To save precious time and money, insist that your two washer loads can fit in one dryer load, much to his chagrin, and then sheepishly ask him to run the dryer one more cycle because everything is still damp after the first dry.
Best way to provide self with sweet vindication: Receive email from dad after first week away in which he states that he is exhausted and cannot understand how one could do so much cleaning, do so much laundry, and keep track of various family member activities.
Best way not to climb the cupola at St. Peter's Basilica: Walk out of the Basilica and get caught up in tidal wave of German tourists leaving by stairs. At end of stairs, ask 13-year-old-looking Vatican guard how to get to Dome entrance, and then give up and leave when he motions that you have to go through the entire line again to get back inside. Also, try to convince your mother that if you walk up the stairs backwards, he might not notice that you are going back up, but might think you are coming down slowly. Give up plan when guard stares intently at you, waiting for you to make your move.
Best way to feel invisible, part deux: Move laundry from washer to dryer in Parisian laundromat. When gentleman opens dryer door next to yours, essentially blocking entrance to your dryer (that you were using PRIOR to his arrival), stand back politely and wait for him to finish. When he finishes and turns to you, presumably to thank you for waiting patiently, don't be shocked when he instead glares at you to move back so he can get into the dryer in front of which you are now standing. To help promote improved Franco-American relations, do not stick your tongue out at him when he leaves.
Best way to nag your daughter from another continent: Check her grades online, and then send her an email telling her to work harder in Civics, because that is her easiest class. Sign off immediately, and celebrate transatlantic nagging with glass of prosecco at nearest cafe.
Best way to totally look like an American: Buy three bottles of Coca Light from internet cafe because they are on sale for the low, low price of 1E, and then carry them through the Campo to your apartment. Feel supreme smugness for finding such a deal.
Best tip gleaned from obsessive repeat watching of Passport to Europe on TiVo: At Paris Metro ticket machines, scroll bar down to select English as the language. Use this skill in front of other tourists to amaze them with your brilliance.
Best way to mentally erase post you had been formulating about how Alitalia was not as bad as everyone said: Go to baggage claim at CDG and hear from agent that not one single piece of luggage from your flight was loaded in Rome, and that all the baggage from that flight will arrive on the next flight from Rome, which is already 30 minutes later than scheduled.
Best thing to do while waiting in CDG for baggage: Get a sandwich mixte from Paul, try to help ladies from Minnesota use the pay phone, and speculate what could have possibly caused Alitalia to not load one single piece of luggage.
Best theory on why not one single piece of luggage was loaded: They forgot.
Best handshake of peace ever: During mass in St. Peter's Square, with people from several different countries.
Best sound of sweet familiarity upon arrival back in Miami: "Bienvenidos a Miami." Note to self: Also learn Spanish before traveling to France and Italy next time.
Best welcome home statement from 10-year-old son: "What did you bring me? I'm a kid, so that's the most important thing for me to know."
And finally...
Best way to annoy your friends for months after arriving home: Start every conversation with "Bonjour," and end it with "Ciao." Also, mention how different everything is done in Europe whenever possible.
Best way to provide self with sweet vindication: Receive email from dad after first week away in which he states that he is exhausted and cannot understand how one could do so much cleaning, do so much laundry, and keep track of various family member activities.
Best way not to climb the cupola at St. Peter's Basilica: Walk out of the Basilica and get caught up in tidal wave of German tourists leaving by stairs. At end of stairs, ask 13-year-old-looking Vatican guard how to get to Dome entrance, and then give up and leave when he motions that you have to go through the entire line again to get back inside. Also, try to convince your mother that if you walk up the stairs backwards, he might not notice that you are going back up, but might think you are coming down slowly. Give up plan when guard stares intently at you, waiting for you to make your move.
Best way to feel invisible, part deux: Move laundry from washer to dryer in Parisian laundromat. When gentleman opens dryer door next to yours, essentially blocking entrance to your dryer (that you were using PRIOR to his arrival), stand back politely and wait for him to finish. When he finishes and turns to you, presumably to thank you for waiting patiently, don't be shocked when he instead glares at you to move back so he can get into the dryer in front of which you are now standing. To help promote improved Franco-American relations, do not stick your tongue out at him when he leaves.
Best way to nag your daughter from another continent: Check her grades online, and then send her an email telling her to work harder in Civics, because that is her easiest class. Sign off immediately, and celebrate transatlantic nagging with glass of prosecco at nearest cafe.
Best way to totally look like an American: Buy three bottles of Coca Light from internet cafe because they are on sale for the low, low price of 1E, and then carry them through the Campo to your apartment. Feel supreme smugness for finding such a deal.
Best tip gleaned from obsessive repeat watching of Passport to Europe on TiVo: At Paris Metro ticket machines, scroll bar down to select English as the language. Use this skill in front of other tourists to amaze them with your brilliance.
Best way to mentally erase post you had been formulating about how Alitalia was not as bad as everyone said: Go to baggage claim at CDG and hear from agent that not one single piece of luggage from your flight was loaded in Rome, and that all the baggage from that flight will arrive on the next flight from Rome, which is already 30 minutes later than scheduled.
Best thing to do while waiting in CDG for baggage: Get a sandwich mixte from Paul, try to help ladies from Minnesota use the pay phone, and speculate what could have possibly caused Alitalia to not load one single piece of luggage.
Best theory on why not one single piece of luggage was loaded: They forgot.
Best handshake of peace ever: During mass in St. Peter's Square, with people from several different countries.
Best sound of sweet familiarity upon arrival back in Miami: "Bienvenidos a Miami." Note to self: Also learn Spanish before traveling to France and Italy next time.
Best welcome home statement from 10-year-old son: "What did you bring me? I'm a kid, so that's the most important thing for me to know."
And finally...
Best way to annoy your friends for months after arriving home: Start every conversation with "Bonjour," and end it with "Ciao." Also, mention how different everything is done in Europe whenever possible.
May 9th, 2008, 10:29 AM
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Oh, so many good ones! But I think my favorite is this one:
<font color="blue">Best thing to hear your Vatican Museum tour guide say in your headphones when you can't even see her, and your group of 20 is dispersed throughout 10,000 people in three different rooms: "Mama mia! Where are all my peoples?"</font>
You are right - we can get this humor more than most, many of us having been there and done that. Thank you so much for a very fun read.
<font color="blue">Best thing to hear your Vatican Museum tour guide say in your headphones when you can't even see her, and your group of 20 is dispersed throughout 10,000 people in three different rooms: "Mama mia! Where are all my peoples?"</font>
You are right - we can get this humor more than most, many of us having been there and done that. Thank you so much for a very fun read.
May 9th, 2008, 11:03 AM
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Love your report shelly, I can only imagine how much fun you are to travel with. And I imagine the Parisians and Romans survived?
Ok...
Best way to get the attention of an owner of a small boutique shop in Rome who has been ignoring you for fifteen minutes while giving you cold disgusted stares. Pick up one of the products in the store to see if you really want to buy it. That move is guaranteed to get the owner over to you in one second flat. You also get to hear a good scolding in Italian also.
Best way to find out that you do NOT touch the produce in a grocery store with your bare hands in Italy is to do so. Your Italian friend will screech at you and drag you over to the container that holds plastic gloves and while letting you know how ignorant and uncivilized you are will shove one on your hand.
Best way to ruin the evening for a snooty Milan waiter is to let him know when he inquires as to why you are not eating our Crab Louie is that the fact it is covered with mayonaisse and then drenched in olive oil does not appeal to you.
Best way to find out how a waiter in Florence can make money for the restaurant is to go along with his strong suggestion that he pick out the bottle of wine versus the wine you ordered. That is also the best way to remind yourself to always ask the cost in the future when the waiter recommends anything.
Best way to find out there are NO RETURNS once you have paid for an item when shopping in Italy. Even when trying on two different sizes of the same style dress the owner is so busy telling you what a marvelous purchase you have made he wraps up the wrong size dress and you do not discover the error until you put it on to go to dinner that evening. Fortunatly our Italian friend did get the dress returned and the correct size for me the next morning but my friend STRONGLY SUGGESTED I not return to the shop again..seemed a good idea to me!
Just few little things I have learned in Italy, lol.
Ok...
Best way to get the attention of an owner of a small boutique shop in Rome who has been ignoring you for fifteen minutes while giving you cold disgusted stares. Pick up one of the products in the store to see if you really want to buy it. That move is guaranteed to get the owner over to you in one second flat. You also get to hear a good scolding in Italian also.
Best way to find out that you do NOT touch the produce in a grocery store with your bare hands in Italy is to do so. Your Italian friend will screech at you and drag you over to the container that holds plastic gloves and while letting you know how ignorant and uncivilized you are will shove one on your hand.
Best way to ruin the evening for a snooty Milan waiter is to let him know when he inquires as to why you are not eating our Crab Louie is that the fact it is covered with mayonaisse and then drenched in olive oil does not appeal to you.
Best way to find out how a waiter in Florence can make money for the restaurant is to go along with his strong suggestion that he pick out the bottle of wine versus the wine you ordered. That is also the best way to remind yourself to always ask the cost in the future when the waiter recommends anything.
Best way to find out there are NO RETURNS once you have paid for an item when shopping in Italy. Even when trying on two different sizes of the same style dress the owner is so busy telling you what a marvelous purchase you have made he wraps up the wrong size dress and you do not discover the error until you put it on to go to dinner that evening. Fortunatly our Italian friend did get the dress returned and the correct size for me the next morning but my friend STRONGLY SUGGESTED I not return to the shop again..seemed a good idea to me!
Just few little things I have learned in Italy, lol.
May 9th, 2008, 11:21 AM
#38
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>my friend STRONGLY SUGGESTED I not return to the shop again<
That is funny!
My mom was on the hunt for toy Smart cars for my son and nephew. She bought two of them in one shop, and then found ones she liked better elsewhere. I told her to keep the first ones. I couldn't even imagine trying to return something. Good thing we didn't try!
That is funny!
My mom was on the hunt for toy Smart cars for my son and nephew. She bought two of them in one shop, and then found ones she liked better elsewhere. I told her to keep the first ones. I couldn't even imagine trying to return something. Good thing we didn't try!
May 9th, 2008, 01:47 PM
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Hi shelly, yes I got the message, lol. It is still a funny memory!
BTW, when my son-in-law born and raised and lived in Rome until he came here to N CA heard my daughter say one day the coffee pot they purchased was going to be returned as she did not like it (after using it a couple of times) his eyes got as big a saucers and he argued with her "it was impossible". He was in a daze for the first two years I think regarding our stores return policy. In Italy when you pay for it is is yours..forever..well unless you get rid of it. There are no returns, even regarding defective items.
BTW, when my son-in-law born and raised and lived in Rome until he came here to N CA heard my daughter say one day the coffee pot they purchased was going to be returned as she did not like it (after using it a couple of times) his eyes got as big a saucers and he argued with her "it was impossible". He was in a daze for the first two years I think regarding our stores return policy. In Italy when you pay for it is is yours..forever..well unless you get rid of it. There are no returns, even regarding defective items.
