Euro Travel & More

Paris, La Ville-Lumiere (the City of Lights) brings back a lot of good memories.  Many of you may also know that Paris has a very special place in my heart because of my 6 month work stint there after I graduated from the University of Glasgow.  Paris reminds me of very passionate people, not only for cultural things but for food and life itself.  If you think that the Parisian only speaks French than you are wrong, they do speak fluent English too. Well, most of those that I’ve met and come to be friends with do. They choose to embrace the identity to the extent where some people mistaken that they are being arrogant when in fact they are the least eccentric people I’ve met around the world.

A short 6 month work stint in Paris also made me realize that a LOT of people come to Paris for various reasons but the most common is for how romantic Paris is for proposing a marriage or renewing a vow or even for those who just want to impress their other half.  What have I learned from Paris?  LOTS! The people are as beautiful as the scenery and everything you eat need not be expensive.  There are many good cafes and restaurants in Paris and you wouldn’t believe this but I had eaten in one of the best Japanese restaurants not in Japan, but in Paris.  There is more authentic Chinese food found in Paris than in Nova Scotia, Canada.

And hotels? Well, that’s my area of expertise. I worked in some of the best during the last 15 years. For many of us budget is important and of course you want to make sure that you are centrally located, within walking distance from the things you want to do, whether you are on vacation or on business.  I like Triptake.com  firstly because of the real reviews from real people and the ability to compare prices and make your reservations online.  Punch in the date of your pending trip and wait for the search engine to work for you.  It does not take long, I assure you.  Whether you want to stay in Hotel Britannique Paris or the Hotel De Crillon Paris, you can take a peek at what to expect from the hotel, its facilities, pictures of the rooms they offer and the overview of the hotel. Most importantly the location of the hotel and a map, I liked that.  Alas some of the room rates are pretty expensive, but never mind, I just go back to Triptake.com and look again.  Perhaps, the Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris or Hotel Hospes Lancaster Paris, they are all very good hotels as well but the one I would love to get a chance to stay in is Hotel Lutetia Paris for it is so near the Notre Dame Cathedral and within walking distance to so many interesting places that one can visit. I can go on and on about Paris, but no one should say “no” if they get a chance to visit this beautiful place.