gay paree

[hathycol]

Paris! That is a place I will ACTUALLY BE AT in less than two weeks. This is officially maybe the most exciting thing ever, now that I have sorted all the boring stuff (i.e. travel insurance, checking baggage allowances, hoping beyond hope I haven't lost my passport etc) and am now free to peruse a travel book. Unfortunately, I have perused it but once and have basically panicked and put stickers on nigh on every page.

Since we're only going to be there for three nights I obviously cannot look at all these things, and since the weather over Europe is still a bit iffy then a lot of the outdoorsy stuff is out. Whilst I am generally pretty good at getting my bearings in new cities and working out what things I want to do, I have to admit that I have found myself at a total impasse about What I Want To Do. Obviously I'd like to do all the usual fun touristy things, as well as hurl myself with gay abandon around Paris pretending to be Lalla Ward, but other than that the ciy is my proverbial oyster.

So, wise flist! You are well-travelled sorts who know Stuff About The World. Is there anything specific you would recommend, or avoid? Food I should try? (Before you ask, the one thing I am working really hard to learn in French is all the words you might find on a menu - it worked in Italy.) I'm staying in the Latin Quarter, if that makes a difference. Is the metro as terrifying as the description makes out? Will Converse cut the mustard is terms of shoes?

So, um, if anyone has any helpful advice now is the time to howl it at me! Now, if you'l excuse me I'm off to poke at my guidebook and hopefully makes the forest of highlighted stickers more sensible.

(And yes, I have finally finished cleaning. I AM QUEEN OF THE MOP BUCKET.)

Comments

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Paris! Shakespeare & Co, the bookshop of AMAZING. All the restaurants and little shops around Sacre-Coeur. Sunday morning bird market on Ile de la Cité. Just everything, basically; you can do the Louve and the fountains and the Eiffel tower and whatnot, but get off the Metro at Cité or Chatelet or around the Gare du Nord and just wander around, there's so much just to look at. Ditto the Latin Quarter - just wander around! You'll have fun.

The Metro is not complicated, and the wrought-iron decor is pretty cool. Yay, Paris! You will love it, honestly. This is what I said at the time.

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

I am so sold on that bird market, it sounds amazing! Thank you for the hints, and for re-assuring me about the Metro. (Lonely Planet makes it sound very tricky indeed.)