URGENT! Need help in Montmartre area for 2 very scared & confused teenagers
Jun 12th, 2009, 11:24 AM
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,698
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
K, the air show starts Monday, but the town is already booked up. See NYT article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/bu...%20show&st=cse
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/bu...%20show&st=cse
Jun 13th, 2009, 01:18 AM
#24
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As to what folks did before e-mail , text messaging, and cell phones, well I was in that generation of travelers. Out at 17, a month before my 18th birthday, female and traveling Europe and for 20-plus years of summers.
There were always situations, but we had to just deal with them, think on our toes, and figure stuff out. There was no calling home unless it was an absolute life/death emergency. If we had called home for every little thing, our parents would have said that we weren't mature enough and then would have told us we weren't going again for a couple of years or so. So, we knew when and what to call home about if we had to. Plus, back then, we had to go to the post office to place a call as it was the cheapest way. Sometimes it would take over an hour to get a line out to the States.
A large group of friends of mine were out at that age wondering through Europe and I could write a book about the fleabag hotels that many of us stayed at and not in the best of neighborhoods to say the least. But , it was part of the experience. And, we're still alive to tell the stories and laugh hysterically about it all....now in our early 50s. Smiles.
I'm really glad it looks like it's working out for them. It's all part of growing up. Happy Travels!
There were always situations, but we had to just deal with them, think on our toes, and figure stuff out. There was no calling home unless it was an absolute life/death emergency. If we had called home for every little thing, our parents would have said that we weren't mature enough and then would have told us we weren't going again for a couple of years or so. So, we knew when and what to call home about if we had to. Plus, back then, we had to go to the post office to place a call as it was the cheapest way. Sometimes it would take over an hour to get a line out to the States.
A large group of friends of mine were out at that age wondering through Europe and I could write a book about the fleabag hotels that many of us stayed at and not in the best of neighborhoods to say the least. But , it was part of the experience. And, we're still alive to tell the stories and laugh hysterically about it all....now in our early 50s. Smiles.
I'm really glad it looks like it's working out for them. It's all part of growing up. Happy Travels!
Jun 13th, 2009, 01:23 AM
#25
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Shuler...."ditto". And I was gone for 11 weeks at a time, alone, and as I said, female. So, what were the parents back in L.A. County to do while I was in Europe? I'd call in to say everything was fine about every other week. It would be a 5-minute call and that was it. Happy Travels!
Jun 13th, 2009, 04:25 AM
#26
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,109
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kids today seem to be much more wordly than we were, but in many ways much less mature. Forty plus years ago on my first trip to Europe, I never called home in three months. Communication was by postcard and letter and the post was not consistent. Sometimes my family received letters out of the order in which they were mailed. I was shocked by some of the things I saw (I was from a small town and small college with curfews and rules), but mostly I was just thrilled to be seeing things I'd only seen in pictures in books or slides which a teacher/professor might have shared with a class. I was naive enough to be surprised to find they looked as I had imagined them, only better in living color. What a wonderful summer! (My friend (another small town girl from the same college) and I still laugh about our adventures and roll our eyes at how innocent we were.)
Jun 13th, 2009, 04:54 AM
#27
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I laughed when I read this thread and saw bardo1's recommendation for the Hotel du Commerce, b/c it figures in my own favorite funny memory of being young and poor in Paris long ago.
In 1984, the Hotel du Commerce was, to put it charitably, a basic kind of place, with a shared toilet in a little room off the staircase and no bathing facilities that I recall, just the kind of hotel that very young people choose to save money. A couple days into my stay, I finally figured out that the itchy little welts all over me were bedbug bites.
There was a pharmacy down the street. Being in France, everything was kept behind the counter. My vocabulary not stretching to the word for "bedbug," I approached the pharmacist and in my best, slightly rusty, high school French declaimed, "nous avons été attaqués par des mouches!" (Translation: "We have been attacked by flies!")
The pharmacist stared at me, as well he might.
I pointed vigorously down the block in the direction of the Hotel du Commerce.
The pharmacist's brow cleared in understanding, and he fetched an appropriate soothing lotion.
You only get to be young and wide-eyed and naive for a brief time. I hope your DD and nephew enjoy every minute of theirs. I sure did.
In 1984, the Hotel du Commerce was, to put it charitably, a basic kind of place, with a shared toilet in a little room off the staircase and no bathing facilities that I recall, just the kind of hotel that very young people choose to save money. A couple days into my stay, I finally figured out that the itchy little welts all over me were bedbug bites.
There was a pharmacy down the street. Being in France, everything was kept behind the counter. My vocabulary not stretching to the word for "bedbug," I approached the pharmacist and in my best, slightly rusty, high school French declaimed, "nous avons été attaqués par des mouches!" (Translation: "We have been attacked by flies!")
The pharmacist stared at me, as well he might.
I pointed vigorously down the block in the direction of the Hotel du Commerce.
The pharmacist's brow cleared in understanding, and he fetched an appropriate soothing lotion.
You only get to be young and wide-eyed and naive for a brief time. I hope your DD and nephew enjoy every minute of theirs. I sure did.
Jun 13th, 2009, 07:42 AM
#28
I biked past the Bellvue this morning and it looks like it has been upgraded. However the whole block is in demolition/renovation mode at the moment so it doesn't look like a postcard of Paris.
In 3 years, when the whole new district is completed where the railroad tracks are now, young people will be beating a path to the area, because the largest and best youth hostel in Paris will be moving in as well (only normal because the French headquarters of the world youth hostel association is right here, too, just half a block from the Bellevue).
In 3 years, when the whole new district is completed where the railroad tracks are now, young people will be beating a path to the area, because the largest and best youth hostel in Paris will be moving in as well (only normal because the French headquarters of the world youth hostel association is right here, too, just half a block from the Bellevue).
Jun 13th, 2009, 10:36 AM
#30
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Frank;y I think kids are more worldly now than we were in some ways - but more dependent in terms of expecting things to be done for them.
My first trip to europe at 19 I saw things I never had before (in Munich a hooker naked under her raincoat who was flashing all the passing men to try to drum up business). And we got into Paris very late at night and had to take a hotel that was less than salubrious. But - you just deal with it and the next day find something better. But I would never have called home for help (what could my parents have done except worry??)
But perhaps some of the problems in this case is that the "kids" in question are very naive and have never navigated a large city on their own before. So - they're having to grow up more and faster than most would in that situation. (Any kid that grows up in a city knows there are halfway houses for addicts or the mentally ill - and not to hang around in front of one of them. And while not pleasant - it;s noting to make a fuss about. If these "kids" had been used to riding the Broadway local they wouldn't have batted an eye.
My first trip to europe at 19 I saw things I never had before (in Munich a hooker naked under her raincoat who was flashing all the passing men to try to drum up business). And we got into Paris very late at night and had to take a hotel that was less than salubrious. But - you just deal with it and the next day find something better. But I would never have called home for help (what could my parents have done except worry??)
But perhaps some of the problems in this case is that the "kids" in question are very naive and have never navigated a large city on their own before. So - they're having to grow up more and faster than most would in that situation. (Any kid that grows up in a city knows there are halfway houses for addicts or the mentally ill - and not to hang around in front of one of them. And while not pleasant - it;s noting to make a fuss about. If these "kids" had been used to riding the Broadway local they wouldn't have batted an eye.
Jun 13th, 2009, 02:43 PM
#31
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
nytraveler-It's the same here in L.A. all kinds of folks, halfway houses, homeless, etc. And although I'm from quiet Pasadena, across the freeway, we weren't naive to the realities of the world, as we knew folks from all walks of life....just hang out on Hollywood Blvd. at night on weekends.
And I don't know if kids are more worldly now than we were back then in the early 70s. They just have more worldly "images" due to all that's put on TV and the internet these day, but that has nothing to do with real lifeskills or worldliness, as we were expected to problem solve and figure things out on our own.
Plus, in my day, after high school, we were expected to either go off to a 4-year college or to work and support ourselves. 90% of my group packed up and went off to university . The other 10% packed up and found an apartment and went to work full time. Not like now with kids living at home well into their late 20s and even 30s and still depending on parents.
I have a friend, from New York, who said his 17 -year old will be off to college in September and will be on a semester abroad program his first semester. He said it's time for him to use the lifeskills he's been taught and stand on his own two feet. He's very adamant about that. Smiles. Happy Travels!
And I don't know if kids are more worldly now than we were back then in the early 70s. They just have more worldly "images" due to all that's put on TV and the internet these day, but that has nothing to do with real lifeskills or worldliness, as we were expected to problem solve and figure things out on our own.
Plus, in my day, after high school, we were expected to either go off to a 4-year college or to work and support ourselves. 90% of my group packed up and went off to university . The other 10% packed up and found an apartment and went to work full time. Not like now with kids living at home well into their late 20s and even 30s and still depending on parents.
I have a friend, from New York, who said his 17 -year old will be off to college in September and will be on a semester abroad program his first semester. He said it's time for him to use the lifeskills he's been taught and stand on his own two feet. He's very adamant about that. Smiles. Happy Travels!
Jun 13th, 2009, 09:47 PM
#32
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,400
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm sure that they'll come home with very warm memories and hopefully laugh at their initial fears. I think dealing with trying circumstances and handling them gives you confidence in your own abilities. Maybe you can talk them into a trip report when they get home.
Jun 13th, 2009, 11:26 PM
#33
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 12,015
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Guenmai, YK & Irishface,
You could have been one of my DDs many years ago. At age 19, my youngest took a long break from college and went to Europe for several months. She started with a plane ticket and a couple of hundred dollars. We were afraid she wouldn't go back to college, and didn't want her to drop out, so we gave her not a penny. She wandered from Ireland to Italy, sleeping in all kinds of places and taking odd jobs: digging potatoes in England, living in box city in Amsterdam, writing news articles and working as a hotel maid in Germany, participating in tearing down the Berlin Wall. In seven months, I think we got a half dozen letters and the same number of phone calls. We never knew where she was except when she called, because by time we got a letter, she had already moved on. I am glad I didn't know all that was happening on a daily basis. She did return to college.
You could have been one of my DDs many years ago. At age 19, my youngest took a long break from college and went to Europe for several months. She started with a plane ticket and a couple of hundred dollars. We were afraid she wouldn't go back to college, and didn't want her to drop out, so we gave her not a penny. She wandered from Ireland to Italy, sleeping in all kinds of places and taking odd jobs: digging potatoes in England, living in box city in Amsterdam, writing news articles and working as a hotel maid in Germany, participating in tearing down the Berlin Wall. In seven months, I think we got a half dozen letters and the same number of phone calls. We never knew where she was except when she called, because by time we got a letter, she had already moved on. I am glad I didn't know all that was happening on a daily basis. She did return to college.
Jun 14th, 2009, 07:05 AM
#34
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
this thread has brought back memories... from a distance, they are fondly remembered, but when in the midst of them, not so fun.
I, too, was one of those college kids that lived by a tattered version of Let's Go. One advantage (?) was that no one had any money, so we didn't stay in hotels, we all did the hostels. I remember running into the same people a week or two later that we had met at different hostels in a different town.
Thankfully, my parents had no clue. I called them every 10 days or so or when I was desperate for money. (Back then, we had a deal ... my credit card was through my local bank - I would have my mom transfer money from my savings account to my credit card and then I would take a cash advance. Since I had a credit balance, I didn't pay exhorbitant fees. I don't think the bank expected us to use it that way!)
I remember arriving in Vienna during Easter weekend. Not a (cheap) room to be found. We parked our stuff in the lockers at the train station, and took a night train about 4-5 hours away, got off and got back on coming back to Vienna. (this was during the days of rail passes).
I agree that kids today are more worldly but less independent. On the other hand, although my kids are still little, I certainly know I probably shelter them too much. It is hard to find that balance of protecting a kid and preparing a kid... we all know that parenting is the easiest thing to second guess yourself about!
aliska, hope they have a great time!
I, too, was one of those college kids that lived by a tattered version of Let's Go. One advantage (?) was that no one had any money, so we didn't stay in hotels, we all did the hostels. I remember running into the same people a week or two later that we had met at different hostels in a different town.
Thankfully, my parents had no clue. I called them every 10 days or so or when I was desperate for money. (Back then, we had a deal ... my credit card was through my local bank - I would have my mom transfer money from my savings account to my credit card and then I would take a cash advance. Since I had a credit balance, I didn't pay exhorbitant fees. I don't think the bank expected us to use it that way!)
I remember arriving in Vienna during Easter weekend. Not a (cheap) room to be found. We parked our stuff in the lockers at the train station, and took a night train about 4-5 hours away, got off and got back on coming back to Vienna. (this was during the days of rail passes).
I agree that kids today are more worldly but less independent. On the other hand, although my kids are still little, I certainly know I probably shelter them too much. It is hard to find that balance of protecting a kid and preparing a kid... we all know that parenting is the easiest thing to second guess yourself about!
aliska, hope they have a great time!
Jun 14th, 2009, 08:50 AM
#36
I hope you'll continue to update us.
What we did before email and cell phones... was figure it out in our own -lol! As it sounds like they are doing.
Because they are there, in Paris already, and you are not, why can't they walk around and look for a different hotel themselves? I'm guessing they would have better luck then you trying to do it from home. Or if all of Paris is truly booked, why don't they hop a train to some other city?
What we did before email and cell phones... was figure it out in our own -lol! As it sounds like they are doing.
Because they are there, in Paris already, and you are not, why can't they walk around and look for a different hotel themselves? I'm guessing they would have better luck then you trying to do it from home. Or if all of Paris is truly booked, why don't they hop a train to some other city?
Jun 14th, 2009, 09:48 AM
#37
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Surfmom-Back when I was traveling, there were student hotels and hostels and some hostel-type places had some private rooms, for a little more money, that were set up for 2 people.
A friend and I stayed in one like that in Paris, in 1976, I think it was. It was called the Hotel Fauconnier in the 4th, altough it was set up like a hostel.
The whole building was full of young people. On the top floor, there were a few private rooms with one communal bathroom, toilet, for all on the top floor to share. My friend and I took a room, on the top floor. In our room were two, twin beds, a sink, and a shower that only had cold water. I remember freezing in the shower.
We took our breakfast, downstairs, on the long tables with everyone else. Then after breakfast, everyone had to vacate the building, because it was locked down most of the day, to be cleaned and didn't reopen until the evening. And if you went out in the evening and got back after the doors were locked at night, too bad. You weren't let in. So, I guess folks were sleeping under bridges because there was always some wild youth, who partied too much, returned after lockdown, so to speak, and got locked out.
And there were plenty of places that we stayed at, most, that had no bathroom facilities in our rooms. We had communal showers and toilets down the hall. It was quite basic. But we just went with the flow. Smiles. I hope when the two 18- year olds get home that they read this thread and realize how lucky they were to not stay in a fleabag place. Happy Travels!
A friend and I stayed in one like that in Paris, in 1976, I think it was. It was called the Hotel Fauconnier in the 4th, altough it was set up like a hostel.
The whole building was full of young people. On the top floor, there were a few private rooms with one communal bathroom, toilet, for all on the top floor to share. My friend and I took a room, on the top floor. In our room were two, twin beds, a sink, and a shower that only had cold water. I remember freezing in the shower.
We took our breakfast, downstairs, on the long tables with everyone else. Then after breakfast, everyone had to vacate the building, because it was locked down most of the day, to be cleaned and didn't reopen until the evening. And if you went out in the evening and got back after the doors were locked at night, too bad. You weren't let in. So, I guess folks were sleeping under bridges because there was always some wild youth, who partied too much, returned after lockdown, so to speak, and got locked out.
And there were plenty of places that we stayed at, most, that had no bathroom facilities in our rooms. We had communal showers and toilets down the hall. It was quite basic. But we just went with the flow. Smiles. I hope when the two 18- year olds get home that they read this thread and realize how lucky they were to not stay in a fleabag place. Happy Travels!
Jun 14th, 2009, 10:00 AM
#38
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
surfmom-I'm cracking up because I just read where you wrote that you kind of used night trains as your hotel room. We also occasionally did that if there were no cheap places left to be had in a city that we'd arrived into.
We had Eurail passes, so would buy a couchette (sp?) in a train or if it was a train that wasn't on a busy route, just pull the two seats out to connect and then sleep on the train, headed to wherever and when we woke up, wherever, we'd try to find a room in that city or town. We happened upon some really interesting places that way that we hadn't planned on seeing. And we always met interesting youth since the Europeans were out on Interrail. We were all in second class compartments back then. It wasn't until many years later that we bought first-class Eurail passes. Happy Travels!
We had Eurail passes, so would buy a couchette (sp?) in a train or if it was a train that wasn't on a busy route, just pull the two seats out to connect and then sleep on the train, headed to wherever and when we woke up, wherever, we'd try to find a room in that city or town. We happened upon some really interesting places that way that we hadn't planned on seeing. And we always met interesting youth since the Europeans were out on Interrail. We were all in second class compartments back then. It wasn't until many years later that we bought first-class Eurail passes. Happy Travels!
Jun 14th, 2009, 10:38 PM
#39
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,421
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You were given all measures of assistance and recommendations (much of which you ignored) ahead of this excursion...
Anyone, including you, can only hope that these two kids have some measure of savvy and resourcefullness between the two of them to enjoy this trip and not encounter any contiginencies they are unable to endure/handle.
For sure, it will be an amazing learning experience for them both.
Anyone, including you, can only hope that these two kids have some measure of savvy and resourcefullness between the two of them to enjoy this trip and not encounter any contiginencies they are unable to endure/handle.
For sure, it will be an amazing learning experience for them both.
Jun 14th, 2009, 11:38 PM
#40
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 728
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I hope the "children" survived. I too traveled to europe on my own in the 70's and never dreamed of calling home for concierge services.
The thread reminds me of a school student trip to Australia our then ten-year old took a few years back. The trip brochure and regular meetings before launch touted the educational benefits, including broadened horizons and measured independence, that were certain to flow from the experience. Sure enough, when faced with a challenge another student on the trip bypassed the teacher leaders and went straight to the top: he complained by cellphone to mom that he was too cold at the hotel at night. Mom faxed the hotel a request for another blanket.
The thread reminds me of a school student trip to Australia our then ten-year old took a few years back. The trip brochure and regular meetings before launch touted the educational benefits, including broadened horizons and measured independence, that were certain to flow from the experience. Sure enough, when faced with a challenge another student on the trip bypassed the teacher leaders and went straight to the top: he complained by cellphone to mom that he was too cold at the hotel at night. Mom faxed the hotel a request for another blanket.
