An American Girl in Paris

[injest]

I think I am staying HOME!!!

 

sounds scary out there!!

[opinionista]

Along with having to take my own non-sugar sweetner what else do I have to know about cafes? I don't think you have to take your own sweetner. There are here. I don't know the brand in France but I could find out what are the brands here and let you know. Commercial products are about the same in France and Spain. You will not have any trouble finding sweetners in restaurants. You'll also be able to find lactose free milk, soy milk and stuff like that in supermarkets.

Do you wait to be seated or seat yourself and they come to you?  Do you pay at the table or at the bar or up front at the door?
In some places you do in others you don't.

I've read not to ask for a "menu" as I'll get a 3 course meal with a set price, but to ask for "a la carte".  Is that correct?
Yes, menu is a three course meal with a set price. Ask for La carte.

Since I am of Hispanic descent and look vaguely Hawaiian/Turkish/Eastern Indian, I've been yanked out of line at Customs before and searched (to my sister's grand amusement), and I read that French policemen have every right to stop you in the street and ask for your ID - BUT I've also read not to show anyone my ID.

In some european countries all citizens must carry an ID. So if they stop you is not because of the way you look but because it is the law. I'm not sure if this is the case in France, but it is in Spain. Judging by your description of the way you look I can say we may look alike. However, I've never had any problem in France or in Spain with my looks, nor was I considered suspect or anything. That doesn't happen here. I had been in Paris and all over the south of France and not once a police asked my for my ID. But if you are indeed asked, you have to show it. You'll be considered suspicious if you refuse. You also have to show your ID when you check into your hotel.


If a policeman stops me should I ask for his ID?  And if so, how do I do that?
Police officers are supposed to wear uniforms, so it may not be necessary to ask for an ID. The thing is that if you find yourself in a situation in which you have to deal with the police, the best thing to do is act normal. If you get scared and refuse to show your ID then you could be in trouble.

Anyway, try not to be afraid or paranoid. That's the worse thing you can do. Just relax and enjoy yourself. In Paris they know they are a bunch of tourists from all over the world and there's more tolerance than you think. Don't worry about it. What you should do is put all your money in your pocket not in your bag. If you carry a bag, don't leave it unattended not even when you are walking or standing. There are pickpockets.

[Ellemeno]

Hi Delalluvia, I LOVE that you are asking the questions you have.  I know I always have a few things that, til I know the answers, I sort of worry about before a trip.  I can't remember what my BBQ concerns were, Pre-BBQ, but I had them and asked.

Just one thing about "menu" and "carte." 

"A la carte" is originally a French term that now gets used in America with a certain meaning.  The thing you want to ask for in a restaurant in France, that tells you what they are serving, is simply "la carte."   

One thing I've seen much more in France than here in the US is a daily menu, that changes with whatever is actually fresh, not standardized crap waiting to be thawed out in the microwave whenever someone orders it.  So when you ask for "la carte," you may get a sheet of paper with a just few things listed on it.  That's probably good.    Even places like train stations often have fresh, real food.

[MaineWriter]

Dellaluvia,

Keep in mind that as an American, your ID will be your passport. You will show it alot....checking in to the hotel, if you buy things and want to get the tax back (at the airport), you'll need to show it for that. I think I even had to show it when using my credit card sometimes. So...get a good wallet or passport holder and keep your passport with you at all times. Personally, I think the passport holders that you wear under your shirt are a bit of overkill. I have a nice one that I bought  from Magellan's. It has a slot for my passport, spaces for foreign currency and American, etc. I have a "healthy back bag" from LL Bean that I think is the BEST for traveling. It has lots of room and the zipper is next to your body which is good for the safety pickpocket problem.

http://www.magellans.com/store/Wallets?Args=&page_number=1 for travel wallets and other good travel tips.



Leslie

[MaineWriter]

Credit Cards and Money

Personally, I don't use traveler's checks. ATMs are everywhere. Using your ATM card, you will get the best exchange rate available at that moment. Before you leave, however, check with your bank about fees for using your card. I know there are some banks and credit unions that don't charge anything but my bank (Bank of America) charges $5 a hit. However, it still may be less than the fees you get charged for exchanging actual dollars or traveler's checks.

I actually broke my own rule back in March when I went to Belgium and brought cash to exchange. I didn't have time to exchange at the airport. Fabienne took me to a bank and guess what? They have rules that you can't exchange money unless you have an account! Fabienne had to take me to a Travelex in Brussels and I eventually did get my money but I learned my lesson...use the ATM.

Credit cards: they take them everywhere and once again, using a card you'll get the best exchange (as opposed to paying for a purchase with a traveler's check). Credit card companies charge 1% to 3% transaction fees, so call your card company to find out what they charge. I use my Target Visa when traveling...it is a 1% card.

Before you leave on your trip, call the card company (again) and tell them the dates of your travel and where you will be going. That way, they won't put a hold on your card when foreign charges start to hit.

Leslie

[serious crayons]

Del, have you bought any guidebook? I would recommend getting one by Rick Steves. People make fun of Rick Steves because he's kind of like a dorky suburban dad, not particularly hip or cool, and also because he's so ubiquitous. (When I was in Italy a couple of years ago, I kept seeing people everywhere wandering around reading their Rick Steves Italy guidebooks.) And I wouldn't use a Rick Steves book to really learn in depth about the culture or history of a place.

But for all the little concerns like, what do I do when I go into a restaurant, and what happens if someone asks for my ID, and what hours is this museum open, and should I make reservations, and is it better to use a train or bus to get from here to there, and I have only two days to spend in X city so what are the most important things to see, and ... well, all that practical traveler stuff, he is great.

I don't know if he'd directly address the artificial sweetener issue, but he probably covers just about everything else. The friend I went to Italy with used his book to find our hotels and plan a lot of our activities, and he never let us down!

[Ellemeno]

ineedcrayons, Rick Steves is actually one of my minor heroes, and a local boy here in Seattle.  And to my surprise, a few years ago I discovered that dorky as he is, he is very involved in the movement to get marijuana decriminalized in the United States.  http://www.ricksteves.com/about/pressroom/activism/marijuana.htm

Delalluvia, he has a great website, full of good info.  Remember that packing list for women that people were posting about, pre-BBQ?  It was from his website.  http://www.ricksteves.com/

And Leslie, I got one of these bags about two months ago, right before the trip to Colorado.  I use it every day.  There's a pocket for each of the things I carry: wallet, keys, Palm, cell phone, sunglasses, reading glasses, pen, comb, plus three other pockets for miscellaneous other stuff.  And all those pockets line the inner walls of the bag, so when you unzip down it vertically, there is a surprisingly roomy open cavity where I keep: a pint bottle of water, an actual whole change of clothes for my pre-schooler, a paperback novel.  I discovered while travelling in Colorado, that I could even roll my rain jacket up tightly and fit it in there.  ANd this thing is not a large bag.  In fact it's their size SMALL!  The one I got is an aubergine-colored micro-suede that is just beautful.  I am in love with this bag.  Because I got it right before the BBQ, some of the people on that trip were forced to had the opportunity to get a tour of the inside of this amazing bag.  Plus it works well either hanging off one shoulder (shoulder bag style), or strapped across my back (messenger bag style).  I cannot get over what a good thing this is.  I normally am pretty frugal in the purse/bag dept, so gulped at paying over $50 for it, but it was so competely worth it.  I am so in love with this bag that I feel like we are even more kindred spirits now, knowing you're into them too.

[serious crayons]

ineedcrayons, Rick Steves is actually one of my minor heroes, and a local boy here in Seattle.  And to my surprise, a few years ago I discovered that dorky as he is, he is very involved in the movement to get marijuana decriminalized in the United States.  http://www.ricksteves.com/about/pressroom/activism/marijuana.htm

Thanks for sharing that, Elle! I will never call Rick Steves dorky again. As someone who also supports having marijuana decriminalized, I now see him in a new light. When I use his travel books, I will no longer feel the need to hide them inside a Rough Guide or Lonely Planet! 

I normally am pretty frugal in the purse/bag dept, so gulped at paying over $50 for it,

Completely OT, but that is my gulping point, too. I'm always astounded when I see, say, a segment on the Today Show about fashionable new spring bags, and and they'll talk about a $250 bag as being very affordable, and a $700 bag as being a little pricey but so cute it's worth it.

Who actually buys that stuff?! Never mind, don't answer.

[delalluvia]

Del, have you bought any guidebook?

Yes, I have 3 including a Phrase Book and Dictionary (one guide book and the phrase book are from Rick Steves   I have a picture of myself standing outside of the classic red phonebooths in London and I'm holding a Rick Steves travel book).

I used my ATM card in London to pay for things and get cash and I expect to do the same in Paris since I've read that the currency exchange is better through the ATM banks.  I had no problem before.  And thanks for the reminder Leslie to call my bank and let them know I'd be out of the country.  Almost forgot about that.

I did use one of those money belt things in London to carry valuable jewelry, money, my IDs and ATM card because I didn't want to leave those in the hotel - we didn't exactly stay in a 3 star hotel, you know?  And some of the 1-2 star hotels we looked into in Paris have stories from tourists who talk about money and jewelry stolen from their hotel rooms, or finding the concierge in their room when they came back in.  But the belt thing was awkward, so I got a neck thing this time.  And I carried a Coach backpack to London




but I didn't carry anything of real value in it, just maps, my glasses/sunglasses, guidebooks and home addresses of people in the states, aspirin, that kind of thing, so if any thief tried to pick it through the back pockets, all they would find would be makeup and kleenex.

Thanks for the la carte thing guys!

Elle, I've never traveled where I didn't know the language, so that's why I'm getting myself all worked up about the trip and asking a zillion questions.  In London, we were sitting in the wrong section of the train out to Glastonbury and we barely understood the accent of the steward when he came to ask us to move and he was speaking English!  I can just imagine myself in the same situation in France, standing there like a dummy because I've no clue what I'm being told.

opinionista

Thanks, for all the advice.  We're going to be mostly eating in cafes where it's cheap-er, so I was just wondering whether we wait to be seated or just sit down and who/where to pay.

As for the cops, I was just worried some plainclothes security guy or cop at a checkpoint - do they have those? - would ask for my ID and I wouldn't know who he was.  OK, despite the terrorist bombing in London the year we went, there wasn't a lot of fear in the city, so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed about Paris.  I hope Paris is a open minded in the big city as was London, but it was in Madrid and Germany that my brother got nasty looks from people, so one never knows.

[delalluvia]

For you frugal travelers - I am one, too - so you guys don't think I'm buying designer everything.  Yes, Coach backpacks are pricey, but I bought mine used and on e-bay so I got quite a steal, paying much less than $100 and it's made out of soft, lightweight, weather-resistant leather and will probably last forever.