Paris and Berlin!
Yours truly is going to PARIS AND BERLIN omfggggblarrgghhhh! Over Thanksgiving. I have like, ten million miles on American and decided to CASH THAT SHIT IN and be a total winner. In addition, I will hopefully go to Hawaii in January to visit Mr. Pony, ALSO ON MY MILES. CASH IT, beeyorch! (Pony, I expect all my meals to come in a coconut, even though I’m allergic. I like the festive nature of coconuts.) This is going to be good.
So, friends, you are all jet-setting individuals. You have active passports, and if your passport is like mine, you look like a foot soldier of a drug cartel. I need some kind of hotel situation for Paris. I would LIKE to pay less than 100 euros, though, I do not want to get gonorrhea from the sheets. Ideally we’re talking 80 euro range. Ideally I would also like the shower/WC to be IN the room because, you know what? I’m a grown-up. I want the grown-up things that grown-ups get and deserve. But I do not want to pay grown-up prices, because money does not grow on trees, which is something only a grown-up would say. But there you have it.
I found a hotel that is in that range and the reviews are SO mixed I don’t know if I want to RISK IT. In its reviews the words “SCAM” and “CLEAN” and “GREAT LOCATION” and “NEVER GOING BACK” are all used. Confusion! I am a woman of RISK, yes, and a woman of ADVENTURE and perhaps MYSTERY, but I rather not get gonorrhea from the sheets. I rather get gonorrhea the old-fashioned way. By riding BART. WTF, San Francisco? Upholstery AND carpet on public transportation? Shame on you. I was considering renting an apartment in Paris, but that seems riské too. Listen, I don’t know French so I do not know how to spell Frahnch words like riské. Risque? Hahah Lobster Risque.
I would also, of course, love to hear your recommendations in the Paris and Berlin area, including vittles, shopping, and BEER and WINE and other grown-up things. I think I will eat my way across Paris. It’s going to be disgusting. I will disgust myself.
So thank you friends. And also? I’m going to Paris! Berlin!
I was in Paris this summer. Twice in the same week. Stayed at a not fancy hotel (in 7th Arrondissement) short distance to Tour Eiffel and Musee d’Orsee. Did not pay a lot, but I’m sure I paid more than 80 € = $118.104 per night. I think hotels in the 80 euro range can be found, but likely outside of touristy areas, which is another to say outside of Paris proper. Places like Newark and Hoboken come to mind, but the bitch-ass Paris Metro does not service NJ. I can’t remember anything I ate that did not involve coconut or dairy, but great food can be found on the cheap, if again you go places not in the tourist zones. Bottom line: Go to Paris, take in all the wonderfulness she has to offer (except gonorrhea), but don’t stay or eat like a tourist if you rather spend money on adventures instead. Yikes! Annie needs a Paris hook-up….Let’s keep looking.
PS: Berlin. Viel Glück.
I stayed at the hotel etoile once in paris, I think it was on or near the champs elysees. The prices arent too bad, the room and bathroom were small but clean. I did not get gonorrhea. Stay away from the mimes.
http://www.ricksteves.com – Seriously. the dude has it all. Buy his current guide and it will Show You The Light. We saved much $$ and time (shortcuts baby). He does lie a bit here and there (really Rick, only a couple hours in the Louvre?)
And – go to Rheims. Take the train and tour the champagne houses. Then try to find the train again. Such good times.
so jealous!
friend of mine went to berlin and probably has some good recs for food/drink –
http://youngna.com/?paged=4
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/travel/11HotelsOne.html?em
NY Times tells all about it
Wow, you make Europe sound like a scary, expensive toilet. Rest assured, I will have my children feeding you out of coconuts and singing you to sleep under the tropic moon.
If you don’t Sprechen the Deutsch, I’d be careful not to drink more than 5-6 liters of bier (“thimbles” I believe you call them) before attempting to navigate public transportation. It’s just not a good idea and things will get a little dicey.
As for Paris, I’ve only seen the airport. I think it’s free to sleep there, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I took a left fork in the jet-way once, only to find 2 security personnel hovering over 3 travelers stripped to various degrees & laying on the floor. I assume they weren’t sleeping and I’m sure they got the clap. I was asked to walk away & when again the fork appeared, I chose wisely.
On the other hand…
Depending on your health insurance and in a purely economic sense, it may be better to save on your hotel accomodations & just take some antibiotics when you get home.
This should be a good hotel – it looks a bit like Old Europe, though:
http://www.arts-hotel-paris.com/English/Frameset.html
The really grown-up thing would be visiting l´Atelier Constantin Brancusi at Centre Pompidou. And it would do you good, I promise.
there’s also ‘the public option’ *(park bench)
HI Annie,
glad you finally make it! After eating yourself to bits in Paris, you’ll definitely need some proper beers in Berlin. It so happens that I am from Berlin, still here, so I’ll drop you an Email tomorrow with things you can do to drink beer and besides of that.
Grüße aus dem neuen New york der Achtziger,
Gunnar
Thanks everyone who helped me out. I actually checked out all the rec’s. Someone sent me information about an apartment rental they’re staying in right now, so I’m gonna do that! I love the Annietown peeps!
Gunnar: That’d be SO AWESOME!!!!!