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Going to Barcelona/Paris for my honeymoon. Anyone been? Any advice on where to visit, tips on my stay, places to eat... etc?

I'm currently working on my itinerary this week, feedback would be welcomed.

When in Paris, make a slight detour north and visit Brussels

More seriously, it depends a lot on what you like. Centre Pompidou is nice and all, but if you're not a huge fan of modern arts, I'd skip it in favour of the Musée d'Orsay. As for the Louvre, decide BEFOREHAND whether you want to wander through the halls and take in all the beauty, or rather just see the highlights (Mona Lisa/Venus of Milo/...). In one case, you can spend 2 full days there and not have seen everything, on the other hand, you can go through it in roughly 90 minutes if you know what you're doing.
The Moulin Rouge may have a famous name, but, if you and your wife are interested in such acts at all...Well, firstly, you've probably seen it done bigger and better in Vegas, and secondly, there are better cabarets in Paris by far. The MR just lives off of its name from days long gone by.
No matte rwhat you're interested in, there's a fair chance someone famous you like is buried in Pere Lachaise (seriously, from Oscar Wilde over Edith Piaf to Maria Callas, just to stay in the artsy sort of things, but famous inventors/politicians/etc as well). Even if not, the cemetery has a unique athmosphere, and its worth going to just for a nice stroll. Some great craftsmanship in the statues, too.
I know that's all terribly cliché, but, well, haven't been to Paris in a couple of years

Barcelona I can't say anything about, never been there.

When I honeymooned in Europe, we went through Paris. Like Bubble said, the Louvre is tough to do in one day, let alone two. Paris is VERY crowded with tourists at the usual spots, so it could be worth it to explore some parts of the city that are less crowded. We didn't go up in the Eiffel tower, for example, because the crowds were crazy.

To be honest, Paris was okay but we really loved Lyon. If you are taking the train to or from Barcelona, you should definitely stop in one or two of the cities outside of Paris. Since you speak French, you'll have no trouble getting around and you can find all kinds of pleasant little surprises in those towns.

If you post a little list of the places your considering visiting, we might be able to let you know we we thought of them.

I've been to Paris. I'll list stuff that I visited, and if you haven't heard of anything, you can use your Google-Fu to see if it appeals to you at all

I stayed at a charming little hotel called Hotel Boissiere; I'm not sure what your budget is, but it's a little bit outside of the heart of Paris (I believe it was either in or right outside the 17th arrondissement) and so it was very reasonably priced. We also had a room with a balcony that looked out on La Defense, so that was kind of neat -- if you decide to stay there, send them an email and ask if any are available first, because eating dinner out on that balcony was awesome. I loved staying there and would probably do so again (unless I had a MASSIVE budget increase) if I could get another room with a balcony; it was only a few blocks to the Metro, which took us to all the touristy sites, but we got to see the "real" Paris a bit too and eat at some more local places (I had the best hot dog of my entire life -- and this is coming from a Chicago girl -- at a boulangerie right down the street from that hotel. It was baked into some sort of sourdough roll with a bit of horseradish and a lot of cheese on top -- OH GOD MOAR.)

If you're going to do the Eiffel Tower, do it at night when the city below is all lit up. You'll have to wait in a bit of a line, but I thought it was very much worth it (even though my ex was being a jackass and made me cry while we were waiting in line ) . Don't go to the very top -- go to the level below it. It's cheaper, and I think you get a better view.

If you think you're going to do a lot of museums, DEFINITELY get a museum pass; it'll save you money quickly and you get to jump the lines at places like Versailles/Louvre/d'Orsay. You can buy them at the airport. I loved the Louvre, but I've also studied classical art, so your mileage may vary depending on where your interests lay (and prepare to be very underwhelmed by the Mona Lisa, if you do go.) I think I would have enjoyed Versailles a lot more if it weren't cold and pissing rain that day -- in the middle of the busy season -- which drove EVERYONE inside, so the crowds were insane. When I next go to Paris, I'll probably go back and hopefully enjoy it more. We also (for some reason) went to Les Invalides when we were there, and while it was neat, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it -- I had a list of places I'd rather have gone, but my ex saw the cannons in front and decided he wanted to look at some old weapons. Whatever. Unless you're a military buff, there are lots of places you'd probably enjoy more.

One of the places you TOTALLY have to go if it at all appeals to you at all is the Catacombs -- it was one of the creepiest, most surreal experiences of my life. Another long line, but if there was any line that was worth it, it was that one.

Both Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle are awesome. Sainte-Chapelle is a bit less famous than Notre-Dame, but it's easy walking distance, and it has gorgeous stained glass windows. Shakespeare and Co. bookstore was a bit of a literary mecca for me, and I had to go by a copy of James Joyce's Ulysses there, but if you're not a MASSIVE book nerd it might not be worth your time.

Visiting the Arc de Triomphe and walking down the Champs-Elysees was fun, but touristy. If your wife likes shopping, she'd probably enjoy it.

It's been a few years since I've been there, but I adored Paris. I thought it lived up to every ounce of its hype. I think you guys will have a blast

MindDetective said:

When I honeymooned in Europe, we went through Paris. Like Bubble said, the Louvre is tough to do in one day, let alone two.

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Oh, yeah, the Louvre is massive. You can rent audio tours, though, that walk you around the really famous highlights -- ours was the Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa, and Winged Victory of Samothrace, and then we obviously got to see a bunch of pieces in between. Unless you and your wife both really, really love art, that's probably enough for most people.

Never been there, but a good friend here at work is Parisian. Let me know if you want an insider's perspective on something, and I'll ask. Full disclosure, though: he prefers Houston to Paris, so maybe his opinion is suspect.

Been quite a while since I was there. I visited Paris, but most of the time I spent in Spain (4 months!) was spent in central and southern Spain (Madrid, Cordoba, Granada). If you're going to be in Europe for any decent length of time (>7 days), I would definitely consider adding the Alhambra/Generalife to your list of destinations. They are much more romantic a destination than any museum. If you're planning on doing any shopping, you might want to stop by Andorra on your way through. Paris has already had a lot said about it. I never got to Barcelona, but there's Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral, sports galore to be had, and beaches. Given the choice between B&P, I would probably choose Barcelona, but that might be because I've already seen Paris.

Just make sure your trip is over before monsoon season sets in (usually starts mid-August).

--Patrick

fade said:

Never been there, but a good friend here at work is Parisian. Let me know if you want an insider's perspective on something, and I'll ask. Full disclosure, though: he prefers Houston to Paris, so maybe his opinion is suspect.

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I've been to Paris multiple times, and I am not surprised. It's a great city for tourists - not so much to live in. My tips:

- Depending on how long you stay, get a metro-pass. They usually sell weekend passes and I think week-passes, which are always cheaper than buying a ticket for every individual trip. Driving in Paris is a nightmare, and the metro is super convenient, aside from the stairs at the Montmartre station, but there's always a lift
- Eat your breakfast in wherever it is you're staying. Go down to your nearest boulangerie at like 8am, get yourself a nice baguette - fresh from the oven - and pick up some cold cuts or cheese, milk and orange juice or a piece of fruit from a nearby convenience store. Unless your hotelprice has breakfast included with the price, but I've never stayed in a hotel in Paris, so I can't judge their food.
- Echoing HowDroll's recommendation for the Eiffel Tower at night. It's amazing. Or, if the weather is particularly nice, you can do it during the day and afterwards relax in the nearby park with an ice cream while sitting in the shade of a tree.
- Also echoing her recommendation for the Catacombs, but be prepared for a long walk, and do it in the morning, otherwise the heat when you come out will be overwhelming.
- The Louvre is, contrary to previous recommendations, easily done in a day, unless you're a superhuge art fan, in which case you'll be standing for hours in every single room. Also, the Mona Lisa is kind of disappointing. Huge crowd, tiny picture, so I was barely able to get a glance in. Again recommending to go in the early morning, you'll beat most of the crowds.

Finally, I'd like to recommend my favourite restaurant in all of Paris: Chartier. The food is simple and traditionally French, but the atmosphere is amazing and given the quality, it's probably one of the cheapest restaurants in Paris. It's also insanely busy once you get past 7pm, with waiting lines stretching all the way out of the alley and onto the street, so I recommend arriving at ~6pm or 6:30, unless you don't mind waiting. And if you do arrive to a waiting line, I heartily recommend toughing it out, because it's great. Tables for two usually go the fastest, though, so even if you do have to wait, it shouldn't be too long. I especially recommend the duck confit (confit de canard). Adress: 7 Rue du Faubourg, Montmartre. If you take the metro, it's the Grand Boulevards line, exit Blvd Montmartre. From there, it's just a minute walk to the nearest side-street (the Rue du Faubourg) and you should see an alley with a sign on your left hand side. Or just follow the line of people

If you can, I would go see the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. It is probably the most beautiful buildings on the planet, to me anyway. But I've never been anywhere over seas, so sorry I don't have any real recommendations for you.


(La Sagrada Familia)

One thing about Paris that was fun is the rent-a-bikes that they have. Take a bike from point A and return it to any of their stations throughout the city. If you do it in under (I think it was) 30 minutes it's free.

The louvre is fun but skip the renaissance stuff. Spoiler alert: its paintings of Jesus. The Roman stuff I thought was way more interesting.

The Rodin museum I thought was pretty cool. It's mostly just a big garden with his statues scattered throughout so it's really relaxing to be there.

As for Paris....I think it's overhyped; Droll thinks it's worth all the hype. You'll have to judge for yourself.
Depending on how long you're staying, though, I will second the suggestion for Lyon, or many other slightly-less-touristy places. Depends on your personal tastes, of course. The benefit of the more touristy places is you'll likely be able to have a guide guide you past the 6 Most Important Places, and leave; having seen everything the books tell you is "important". The benefit of the slightly less touristy (but not entirely untouristy!) places is that you'll be able to drink in the actual athmosphere, enjoy the sights, talk with actual French instead of just other tourists, and so on.
Reims is lovely this time of year. If you don't mind driving a bit further, Bruges is fun for a day (too touristy for my taste, obviously ), Lille is actually a very charming city, and, well, if you actually *do* make it to Brussels, I'd certainly be willing to give you an insider's tour or something.
The other direction, Carcassone is amazing. I have to also second @PatrThom's suggestion for the Alhambra. It's one of the most beautiful man-made places in Europe, if not the world.

Whoa... love the feedback people. Keep it coming.

Right now, I'm slowly working on things, should be able to have a nice first draft by the weekend.

I could put in a word for Sacre Coeur. I found the basilica quite beautiful and the view over Paris from the hill rather impressive. And if you want a portrait of yourselves done, the nearby Place du Tetre is the traditional place for that, and there are a lot of artists there selling their pieces. Also, while I do agree with the assesment that Moulin Rouge is, in fact, nothing all that special, it is nearby to Sacre Coeur and therefore worth seeing, if you are in the area. What I personally found to be a drawback of Montmartre is that there isn't perhaps all that much else to see there in addition to the above, little left of the famous bohemian atmosphere of the great painters of the past who lived there, and it is a bit off the beaten path. But if you are in any way interested in Montmartre, do visit Sacre Coeur.

Personally I would recommend Les Invalides, if you are in any way interested in matters military. The museums there are well worth the visit for military buffs, and the church holds the tomb of Napoleon which is demanding you take a picture of it. Plus, Les Invalides is pretty near to the Eiffel Tower, which you will probably visit regardless.

I wish to second the recommendation to visit the Catacombs. But do consider that the place is pretty macabre, and might not be very suitable for the most sensitive of people.

And a useful thing to notice is that there is a straight line going through Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, and the Louvre. All are places worth seeing, and might make for an efficient one day's worth of program right there.

If the weather's good, organise a picnic at the Parc du Champ in front of the Eiffel Tower.

As for Barcelona:
- The Sagrada Cathedral is a must see for a reason, the interior is fantastic (as in it looks like actual fantasy artwork embedded in the walls and ceilings)
- Las Ramblas is very cool to take leasurely strolls on, it's always busy and lively, so there's plenty to see.
- The Montjuic Castle sits atop a large hill, it's really nice to walk around there ánd you get a great view of the city. There used to be a military history museum which I found very interesting, but I just came across one source that it had closed down in 2009..
- There's a water fountain that does a light show from Thursday-Sunday which is cool to see, it's called the Font Màgica de Montjuïc

Oh, hey, yet another post: the Arche de la Défense is the "modern counterpart" to the Arc de la Triomphe. Not as spectacular, maybe, but if you're getting tired of the old architecture (as a European, I do not understand that. Buildings in Paris are on average a couple of centuries younger than their counterparts over here ), it can be worthwhile to go and have a look at a completely different side of Paris. There're usually art exhibitions there, I don't know what's going on right now but it was nice when I was there.

Bubble181 said:

As for Paris....I think it's overhyped; Droll thinks it's worth all the hype. You'll have to judge for yourself.

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You've probably traveled a lot more of Europe than I have, though It was my first (and, sadly, only) trip over there, and I'd only been to a few other cities in the U.S./Canada previously. I didn't have a lot to compare it to. I have no idea if I would have found it so enchanting if I'd had visits to other European cities in my arsenal -- but I'm also a huge francophile (was a dual English/French major in college for awhile until I switched schools), and visiting Paris had been my dream for years and years, so take my opinion accordingly.

Oh, regarding the Eiffel Tower, if you are interested in one-upping most of the lazybones tourists who have visited there, consider climbing the stairs instead of using the elevator. You can get to the second level by using the stairs, though you will have to take the elevator from there to visit the top.

Some of the more engineering-minded visitors to Paris might enjoy the trip of the parisian sewers. There is a rather extensive exposé of the sewer system, it's history and the history of sewage treatment, and draining of the marshlands surrounding Paris. While trudging through the sewers might not be a very romantic experience for a honeymoon, more technical-oriented visitors might enjoy it; I know I and my posse did.

I only spent a weekend there, and spent most of it just walking the streets and eating baguettes (I figured, hey, it's France! I gotta try the baguettes!)

One piece of advice I can give is to remember the phrase "Parlez-vous anglais?" If you don't use it, there will be plenty of people who will pretend that they don't speak English even if they do, because they'll think you're an obnoxious tourist who doesn't even try to communicate on their terms.

Also: The crepe stands are amazing. If you see a crepe stand, buy a crepe. One with Nutella, preferably.

If TV has taught me anything, you should wear a red beret and a black and white striped shirt if you want to fit in.

Also, if looking for places to eat, I recommend watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations episodes on Paris (I think he did two of them). They might not all be cheap - I wouldn't know, I only started getting into the show after my last visit to Paris - but you can be assured they're quality.

I have a friend currently living in Gibraltar who travels to Spain regularly. I'll see if she has gone to Barcelona (I seem to remember she and her family went there for vacation) and if she has any recommendations.

Jay said:

Going to Barcelona/Paris for my honeymoon. Anyone been? Any advice on where to visit, tips on my stay, places to eat... etc?

I'm currently working on my itinerary this week, feedback would be welcomed.

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When are you going? We're going three weeks in September

If I can give you any advice about Paris, take the TGV to the south and avoid Paris altogether, hahah.

Soliloquy said:

One piece of advice I can give is to remember the phrase "Parlez-vous anglais?"

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You do know that Jay is French-Canadian, non? Although he has his particularities with how the True French speak French, there proabably won't be that much of a language issue

(Although I will say, the thought of Jay walking around asking other French speakers if they speak English, and then trying to have a broken conversation in English makes me smile)

Adam said:

You do know that Jay is French-Canadian, non? Although he has his particularities with how the True French speak French, there proabably won't be that much of a language issue

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Well if theres one thing cultural stereotypes have taught me, the only nationality French people hate more than Americans are french canadians.

I wonder how an italian french-canadian will be treated by the locals in Paris.

When our french won't work cause they have baguettes in their mouth in their dirty french accent, I wonder how they react when I'll change to italian than american.

Bordel de merde!

blotsfan said:

Well if theres one thing cultural stereotypes have taught me, the only nationality French people hate more than Americans are french canadians.

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Nope.Us germans.

Arrête de ces conneries, putain merde alors! *chuckles*

Honestly, I've never been a big fan of Paris, but then, I'm not a fan of doing "touristy" things, anyways - which kinda spoiled Rome for me, honestly. *grins*

My parents, however, went for a second honeymoon that happened to coincide with some celebration of the Eiffel Tower... I want to say it was the 200th anniversary of it's construction, or somesuch... The photos Dad took back up the statement that it's a wonderful sight at night. And his photos of the Catacombs are magnificent. I've been wanting to pay it a visit since I saw them. Les Invalides sounds like a treat, too!

fade said:

If TV has taught me anything, you should wear a red beret and a black and white striped shirt if you want to fit in.

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I went to a fashion show in Paris. While I was waiting outside this man came up who looked just like that. I am not sure what he was doing, I am sure it was just a play on the stereotype, but it was so funny. I took some pics with him but I don't remember what happened to them.

I really loved Paris. When I was there they were having some kind of music festival in the area around the tower. It was really fun. Or maybe it is like that all the time.

Officer_Charon said:

Honestly, I've never been a big fan of Paris, but then, I'm not a fan of doing "touristy" things, anyways - which kinda spoiled Rome for me, honestly. *grins*

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Right on, brother.

I visited Denbrought in Barcelona earlier this summer and had a great time. La Sagrada Familia cathedral is a must-see, definitely the most impressive cathedral I've been to. Parque Guell is also really great for a morning of walking around and is filled with Gaudi architecture. If you like art museums, MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia) is very good. If you don't mind heading out of town about an hour or so, Montserrat is a pretty cool cliffside church/monastery.

I had a good time in Barcelona but only got to see a small part of the city. Silver Jelly could probably give you more detailed advice.

Been to Paris once, staid at a tiny hotel for ten days.

I have to concur with my fellow Finn about Sacre Coeur and visiting the Montmartre. Worth a go, and the basilica is definitely a sight worth seeing alongside the more famous Notre Dame. Louvre... yes, it's a huge place, but if you focus on things that interest you instead of trying to scope out every piece of art there you can do it in a day. Versailles is also worth a visit if it's a nice day and you don't rush things. Walk around. Enjoy the sights.

Hotel des Invalides... yes, definitely a place to go if you are into weaponry and military history. I would also recommend taking time to just walk along the Seine and study the bridges there, a lot of them are works of art in their own right.

North_Ranger said:

I would also recommend taking time to just walk along the Seine and study the bridges there, a lot of them are works of art in their own right.

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Agreed. Don't take the guide tours by boat, though, they're expensive and boring.

And most of the time you can't see anything but the river embankments anyway.

Paris was a beautiful city for sure, but the people weren't terribly friendly. My friends and I were mostly in the touristy spots, though, so I'm sure that was part of it. Don't skip the cathedrals, they're amazing, even if religion isn't your thing. Sadly Notre Dame was under renovation when I was there so the construction scaffolds took some of the majesty out of it. I was in Spain too, but I think we only hit Madrid and I don't remember much, it wasn't terribly exciting.

If I could really go anywhere I've been in Europe again, though, I'd pick Italy. Rome, Pompeii, Vatican City, and all the little vineyard/castle towns were awesome and the food's amazing.

Paris DOES have an unusually high percentage of snottiness per capita, and that's by FRANCE'S standards. *wry smile* A lot of French, at least where I used to live, had a generally poor opinion of Parisians.

Officer_Charon said:

Paris DOES have an unusually high percentage of snottiness per capita, and that's by FRANCE'S standards. *wry smile* A lot of French, at least where I used to live, had a generally poor opinion of Parisians.

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Yeah, outside of Paris people were more friendly. Might just be the grating issue of constantly dealing with tourists/stereotypes/etc. I'm sure if I lived in a big tourist city I'd feel the same eventually.

It DOES explain a lot about New York...

Just out of curiosity for those of you who didn't think Parisians were very friendly -- do you speak French at all? I found there to be a definite difference in how I was treated when I spoke French vs. when I didn't.

I found there to be a difference when I even TRIED to speak French. You do get credit for trying.

Also, regarding Granada, if your schedule does not permit visiting this time around, then definitely go next time. It's pretty damned impressive.

--Patrick

HowDroll said:

Just out of curiosity for those of you who didn't think Parisians were very friendly -- do you speak French at all? I found there to be a definite difference in how I was treated when I spoke French vs. when I didn't.

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I don't, however a friend that was with us did (and was born in Southern France, English was her second language), but she was treated like we were. Whether it was an accent in her French or her association with us, I don't know.

I may have been in barcelona once or twice, tell me what kinds of things you would like to see (museums, architecture, "must be seen" places?) and I can suggest you what the best places are!

( my "basic" suggestions though are basically what Baerdog said! )

Honestly, you should visit BCN just to see Silver Jelly and Tegid get up to waaaaacky antics.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/388168_10150430883292277_1939385902_n.jpg

WACKYNESS WORTH SEEING!

¡Muy caliente!

¡Ayayayayayayyyy!

HowDroll said:

Just out of curiosity for those of you who didn't think Parisians were very friendly -- do you speak French at all? I found there to be a definite difference in how I was treated when I spoke French vs. when I didn't.

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When asking for directions or help from people with public functions, not all but certainly most of them were kind of grumpy and short with the replies, whether I made an effort to speak a few words of French or just asked them if they parlez-vous anglais straight away.

Then again, you should never go to a highly tourist-populated place during a holiday season...

Silver Jelly said:

WACKINESS WORTH SEEING!

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This is what happens when someone mistranslates "lengua" when they really should have used "idioma."

--Patrick

Now that I've taken the week to check out what we initially want to do and get the information for it. It's now time to start answering some posts and consult with people with experiences of the places we plan to go to.

Bubble181 said:

When in Paris, make a slight detour north and visit Brussels

As for the Louvre, decide BEFOREHAND whether you want to wander through the halls and take in all the beauty, or rather just see the highlights (Mona Lisa/Venus of Milo/...). In one case, you can spend 2 full days there and not have seen everything, on the other hand, you can go through it in roughly 90 minutes if you know what you're doing.

The Moulin Rouge may have a famous name, but, if you and your wife are interested in such acts at all...Well, firstly, you've probably seen it done bigger and better in Vegas, and secondly, there are better cabarets in Paris by far. The MR just lives off of its name from days long gone by.

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Merci beaucoup pour ton feedback.

Sadly, we don't have time for Brussels and most likely other places like Toulouse or Carcasonne. Mostly because from what I initially saw (will check again), train fares in Europe are ridiculous... pay triple the far of a flight directly to Barcelona and only take 1/6 of the time? Yes please.

We are going to check out the Louvre and will plan to take it in for one entire day. We plan to go see the big three and spend the rest of the day admiring the rest until we get bored/tired. I've checked a lot of online tips and recommendations on this place such as ideal days, preferred entrances, even gallery maps.

Sadly, I'm not interested in the Moulin Rouge. Maybe we'll check a show but a lot of reviews state it's not what it used to be and eating there is basically expensive tourist crap. So, it's not on my list.

MindDetective said:

When I honeymooned in Europe, we went through Paris. Like Bubble said, the Louvre is tough to do in one day, let alone two. Paris is VERY crowded with tourists at the usual spots, so it could be worth it to explore some parts of the city that are less crowded. We didn't go up in the Eiffel tower, for example, because the crowds were crazy.

To be honest, Paris was okay but we really loved Lyon. If you are taking the train to or from Barcelona, you should definitely stop in one or two of the cities outside of Paris. Since you speak French, you'll have no trouble getting around and you can find all kinds of pleasant little surprises in those towns.

If you post a little list of the places your considering visiting, we might be able to let you know we we thought of them.

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Merci mec.

I do have an initial list but I'm not ready to post it yet... I'll do it later, maybe in about a week or so.

As for Lyon, I'd love to... but not on this trip and while Paris is indeed a tourist trap, we have to do it. We always wanted to and the wife will be happy. Since I speak the language and have been checking out the proper tips and guides on how to visit busy sites like the Louvre and Eiffel tower..... I hope that with a "zen-like" approach I can endure the waits.

Maybe one day I'll go backpacking in Europe... but not on this day.

HowDroll said:

I had the best hot dog of my entire life -- and this is coming from a Chicago girl -- at a boulangerie right down the street from that hotel. It was baked into some sort of sourdough roll with a bit of horseradish and a lot of cheese on top -- OH GOD MOAR.

If you're going to do the Eiffel Tower, do it at night when the city below is all lit up. You'll have to wait in a bit of a line, but I thought it was very much worth it. Don't go to the very top -- go to the level below it. It's cheaper, and I think you get a better view.

If you think you're going to do a lot of museums, DEFINITELY get a museum pass; it'll save you money quickly and you get to jump the lines at places like Versailles/Louvre/d'Orsay... etc

One of the places you TOTALLY have to go if it at all appeals to you at all is the Catacombs -- it was one of the creepiest, most surreal experiences of my life. Another long line, but if there was any line that was worth it, it was that one.

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We haven't checked hotels yet but will sooner rather than later once we have checked flights better and assign the proper dates to our Europe 2012 excursion! I know it'll be at a Bed & Breakfast... let's be honest.... breakfast in Paris baby... YEAAAAAAAH.

As far as french Boulangeries, yes, they are renowned and have many of the sort here in Montreal.

We do plan to visit the Eiffel tower at night since it's a better overall experience. The night shows, the better view, smaller crowds... and yes, I did notice many mentioning that the 2nd etage has the best view... sorry to hear that your ex was a dumbass and gave you a hard time at one of the most notable places in the world. I promise to be zen-like during the long waits.... zen.... like.

Thank you for the recommendation of the museum pass, I do indeed plan to visit all three and getting the pass info is definitely on my to do list.

We plan to go to the Catacombs... heard the lines are long there as well since they only allow 200 people inside at all times.... looks like I'll wake up early that morning.

As for the rest of your recommendations, we're kindred spirits, they are all on our list and I thank you kindly for your feedback.

Wahad said:

- Depending on how long you stay, get a metro-pass. They usually sell weekend passes and I think week-passes, which are always cheaper than buying a ticket for every individual trip. Driving in Paris is a nightmare, and the metro is super convenient, aside from the stairs at the Montmartre station, but there's always a lift

- Eat your breakfast in wherever it is you're staying. Go down to your nearest boulangerie at like 8am, get yourself a nice baguette - fresh from the oven - and pick up some cold cuts or cheese, milk and orange juice or a piece of fruit from a nearby convenience store. Unless your hotelprice has breakfast included with the price, but I've never stayed in a hotel in Paris, so I can't judge their food.

- Echoing HowDroll's recommendation for the Eiffel Tower at night. It's amazing. Or, if the weather is particularly nice, you can do it during the day and afterwards relax in the nearby park with an ice cream while sitting in the shade of a tree.

Finally, I'd like to recommend my favourite restaurant in all of Paris: Chartier.

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We do plan to get metro passes for our stay as our main method of transportation will indeed be the metro. Apparently Paris has one of the best in the world.

I don't think we'll have any problems finding a good breakfast or lunch in Paris. Dinners are still to be researched though.

We do plan to visit the Trocadero which will give us exactly the view you were speaking of of the Eiffel tower at night and beat most crowds early in the morning. I'm easy to convince... the wife however loves her sleep but she tends to be a trooper about this stuff during our vacations... we can sleep at home... we shouldn't be sleeping in Vegas/Paris/Rome... etc.

Thank you for the glowing resto recommendation. It's now on my potential list.

LittleKagsin said:

If you can, I would go see the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. It is probably the most beautiful buildings on the planet, to me anyway. But I've never been anywhere over seas, so sorry I don't have any real recommendations for you.

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You should get on that Kaggie, get the hubby to take you to nice places!

And yes, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is indeed on my list!

Merci la femme.

TommiR said:

I could put in a word for Sacre Coeur. I found the basilica quite beautiful and the view over Paris from the hill rather impressive. And if you want a portrait of yourselves done, the nearby Place du Tetre is the traditional place for that, and there are a lot of artists there selling their pieces.

Personally I would recommend Les Invalides, if you are in any way interested in matters military. The museums there are well worth the visit for military buffs, and the church holds the tomb of Napoleon which is demanding you take a picture of it. Plus, Les Invalides is pretty near to the Eiffel Tower, which you will probably visit regardless.

And a useful thing to notice is that there is a straight line going through Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, and the Louvre. All are places worth seeing, and might make for an efficient one day's worth of program right there.

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Both the Sacre Coeur and the Place du Tetre is indeed on my list! Thanks TIMMMMMAAAAAAHY for the recommendations.

Napoleon's Tomb (Les Invalides) is on my optional list... simply because I'm unsure how much time we'll be staying.

Jax said:

As for Barcelona:
- The Sagrada Cathedral is a must see for a reason, the interior is fantastic (as in it looks like actual fantasy artwork embedded in the walls and ceilings)
- Las Ramblas is very cool to take leasurely strolls on, it's always busy and lively, so there's plenty to see.
- The Montjuic Castle sits atop a large hill, it's really nice to walk around there ánd you get a great view of the city. There used to be a military history museum which I found very interesting, but I just came across one source that it had closed down in 2009..
- There's a water fountain that does a light show from Thursday-Sunday which is cool to see, it's called the Font Màgica de Montjuïc

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Than k you for some Barcelona tips.

All of these are on my list, we're excited to see them to say the least!

Soliloquy said:

I only spent a weekend there, and spent most of it just walking the streets and eating baguettes (I figured, hey, it's France! I gotta try the baguettes!)

One piece of advice I can give is to remember the phrase "Parlez-vous anglais?" If you don't use it, there will be plenty of people who will pretend that they don't speak English even if they do, because they'll think you're an obnoxious tourist who doesn't even try to communicate on their terms.

Also: The crepe stands are amazing. If you see a crepe stand, buy a crepe. One with Nutella, preferably.

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Thank you for the recommendation of the crepe stand, that's a must!

As for language barrier, I speak fluent French, English and Italian and some Spanish and Japanese. So I think I should be fine beyond trying to understand the terrible Parisian french accent.

WasabiPoptart said:

I have a friend currently living in Gibraltar who travels to Spain regularly. I'll see if she has gone to Barcelona (I seem to remember she and her family went there for vacation) and if she has any recommendations.

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Please do, especially dining recommendations. We plan to eat well... TAPAAAAAAAS!!!!!!!

Adam said:

When are you going? We're going three weeks in September
hah.

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Guess we'll miss eachother.... we're going mid-August.

Baerdog said:

La Sagrada Familia cathedral is a must-see, definitely the most impressive cathedral I've been to. Parque Guell is also really great for a morning of walking around and is filled with Gaudi architecture. If you like art museums, MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia) is very good. If you don't mind heading out of town about an hour or so, Montserrat is a pretty cool cliffside church/monastery.

I had a good time in Barcelona but only got to see a small part of the city. Silver Jelly could probably give you more detailed advice.

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Silver Jelly is a sexy beast.

Thanks for the recommendations for Barcelona. Oddly enough, they are all on our list... we'll be doing a Gaudi binge this summer I think...

Wahad said:

Agreed. Don't take the guide tours by boat, though, they're expensive and boring.

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Any recommendations though? The woman does want to do the Seine thing and it goes beyond the "take the bus boat".

CynicismKills said:

Paris was a beautiful city for sure, but the people weren't terribly friendly. My friends and I were mostly in the touristy spots, though, so I'm sure that was part of it.

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I expect them to be generally indifferent/rude. Parisians are renowned for their character and snobbishness, it's nothing new.

Can't blame them, they see a shitload of tourists EVERY SINGLE DAY and most of them couldn't be bothered to speak to them in a language they don't understand. Most of them who live/work at the touristy spots are numbed by the sheer numbers and frankly, don't give a fuck.

I hope my charming smile and good looks along with my french will win them over and help me if I need help.

HowDroll said:

Just out of curiosity for those of you who didn't think Parisians were very friendly -- do you speak French at all? I found there to be a definite difference in how I was treated when I spoke French vs. when I didn't.

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Yep, pretty much this.

The only place where I didn't get credit for speaking their language was Naples.... where they have completely murdered the language.

Silver Jelly said:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/388168_10150430883292277_1939385902_n.jpg

WACKYNESS WORTH SEEING!

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Ummmm thanks but no thanks?




I'll have a list in about a week's time. Maybe I'll copy/paste my itinerary and ask for advice.

Oh, the lines in Paris aren't so bad, really. Tourist watching is an activity in itself, and if you and your wife are at all social, you can always find people from all over the world to chat with while you're waiting. It's easy to be zen when you remember that you're on vacation in one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

Jay said:

Any recommendations though? The woman does want to do the Seine thing and it goes beyond the "take the bus boat"

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You could do it if you don't have a lot of time, - I took the tour when I was in Paris for a day with my high-school class - but personally I found going to the actual places themselves more interesting than taking a boat to see them from afar.

I'm late to the party but extra Barcelona pointers from a Barceloneesian:


- Pretty much anything Gaudi (Sagrada Familia, La Pedreda/Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Parc Güell, Colonia Güell), which I understand you already have on your preliminary list.
- Gastronomy?: There are some pretty famous restaurants here and around. Ferran Adrià, who was considered for a while the best cook in the world, opened a new restaurant with his brother (I think) called Tickets. Anyway, I can't recommend any specific restaurant or cook because they're expensive as fuck and have never gone to any of them, but if you can spend the money it's supposed to be a fantastic experience going to any of these modern famous restaurants. Going to a good traditional restaurant is also a nice idea, but I'm at a loss as to what to recommend. I'll try to think about it.
- The Tibidabo (the mountain that limits the city on the West) has a nice view of the city... in the sense that you can see it all from a height, not in the sense that it's a beautiful thing to see. I dunno, I take people up there all the time, but I'm not really sure it's worth it.
- For a drink at night, Gracia neighborhood or the older part of the city (The Raval, the Barri Gotic, the Born)have a lot of personality, and are quite lively at night (I prefer Gracia personally).


- If you can travel around Catalonia (~250 km North, South and West of Barcelona) on minitrips, I really recommend the rocky beaches of the Costa Brava (everyone agrees that the town of Cadaques is gorgeous, and there's the Dali museum in Figueres, these you can maybe see on a one day trip and I think it's really worth it) or going to the Pyrinees (some nice medieval towns, nice landscapes), and a lot nearer Barcelona you have Montserrat (already mentioned by Baer), which I wholeheartedly recommend, if only because it's a very curious geological formation, visually.

I think that's all... You've probably already heard about most of these but whatever, if only one is new to you then that's enough! If you have any specific questions later on I'm sure we'll be of much more help

Here's another clearly very usful tip for you: http://www.kwanumzen.org/?zen_center=paris-zen-center

As for dinner: don't get your hopes up. For all the fame they have, the French cuisine really isn't as awesome as it should be.

Bubble181 said:

Here's another clearly very usful tip for you: http://www.kwanumzen.org/?zen_center=paris-zen-center

As for dinner: don't get your hopes up. For all the fame they have, the French cuisine really isn't as awesome as it should be.

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Sez you. French cooking is awesome.

With all due respect, if you can't admit French food is great nor have anything positive to say about either Barcelona or Paris at one point or another maybe you should quit posting in this thread as I don't want negative nancies to take away from the overall amazing good sound advice from multiple people.

tegid said:

- Pretty much anything Gaudi (Sagrada Familia, La Pedreda/Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Parc Güell, Colonia Güell), which I understand you already have on your preliminary list.
- Gastronomy?: There are some pretty famous restaurants here and around. Ferran Adrià, who was considered for a while the best cook in the world, opened a new restaurant with his brother (I think) called Tickets. Anyway, I can't recommend any specific restaurant or cook because they're expensive as fuck and have never gone to any of them, but if you can spend the money it's supposed to be a fantastic experience going to any of these modern famous restaurants. Going to a good traditional restaurant is also a nice idea, but I'm at a loss as to what to recommend. I'll try to think about it.
- The Tibidabo (the mountain that limits the city on the West) has a nice view of the city... in the sense that you can see it all from a height, not in the sense that it's a beautiful thing to see. I dunno, I take people up there all the time, but I'm not really sure it's worth it.
- For a drink at night, Gracia neighborhood or the older part of the city (The Raval, the Barri Gotic, the Born)have a lot of personality, and are quite lively at night (I prefer Gracia personally).


- If you can travel around Catalonia (~250 km North, South and West of Barcelona) on minitrips, I really recommend the rocky beaches of the Costa Brava (everyone agrees that the town of Cadaques is gorgeous, and there's the Dali museum in Figueres, these you can maybe see on a one day trip and I think it's really worth it) or going to the Pyrinees (some nice medieval towns, nice landscapes), and a lot nearer Barcelona you have Montserrat (already mentioned by Baer), which I wholeheartedly recommend, if only because it's a very curious geological formation, visually.

I think that's all... You've probably already heard about most of these but whatever, if only one is new to you then that's enough! If you have any specific questions later on I'm sure we'll be of much more help

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Thank you kindly for this advice. A lot of Google-fu shall be done tonight due to this.

Gracias!

Sounds like you've gotten a lot of good advice about sights to see and places to go, so let me offer up another tidbit. In Paris, be ever vigilant against pickpockets and beggars. Visiting the Eiffel Tower was where I came closest to having someone snatch my bag. There are beggars who will come up to you and ask for money in front of Notre Dame and other churches. They may use their children to tug at your heartstrings. Ignore them. Once you give them money, you're a mark. Another thing to be aware of is dishonest merchants selling knickknacks and such on the street. A common scam is to get a pretty woman to come to the stall and to get her close enough to loop a string around her wrist and not let her go until she buys something. Not all of them do this, but it happens so be aware. Thieves are a concern in any big European city but due to all the tourists in Paris they have a lot more practice.

Paris and Barcelona are beautiful cities with rich cultures and I'm sure you'll be great. By being alert and aware of your surroundings, you won't have to deal with the stress of having your things stolen.

Baerdog said:

Sounds like you've gotten a lot of good advice about sights to see and places to go, so let me offer up another tidbit. In Paris, be ever vigilant against pickpockets and beggars. Visiting the Eiffel Tower was where I came closest to having someone snatch my bag. There are beggars who will come up to you and ask for money in front of Notre Dame and other churches. They may use their children to tug at your heartstrings. Ignore them. Once you give them money, you're a mark.

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This is also true for Barcelona

Jay said:

you should quit posting in this thread, negative nancy

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Hey now, I *do* have a lot of positive things to say about Paris. Since I've never been to Barcelona, the only thing I can say about that is that I'd like to go there too.
However, there's about a million websites ,books and guides pointing out the good. There's a lot less pointing out the bad. I thought Paris the world and was disappointed. It's better to go and be amazed at how awesome it is, than to go and be let down because it isn't literal Heaven on Earth.
That said, I *did* mention quite a few positives in my first two posts. Or what, saying you should have a look at Père Lachaise doesn't count as positive? How about my mention of the Arche de la Défense? Besides, I said "you might as well skip the Moulin Rouge" and your reply is.... "I'm going to skip the Moulin Rouge". Alright, so you already heard the same advice elsewhere - sorry about that. I still maintain it's better to warn you about something and have you avoid it or go there with lower expectations, than to sing its praises and watch you get disappointed.

As for the French cuisine: I'm very serious and absolutely not sarcastic or chauvinistic when I say the Belgian cuisine is, generally, better, to my taste.
To put it one way: in Germany, you get unrefined food, but lots of it. In France, you get refined food, but little of it. In the Netherlands, you get unrefined food and little of it. In Belgium you get refined food and lots of it. These being the stereotypes, of course, and at least 3 of those are false - I've eaten very good in both the Netherlands and Germany, and I know plenty of places with "Belgian" cuisine who aren't exactly refined and offer small portions to boot.
However, I've eaten at star restaurants in 7 countries, and France was by far the weakest of the lot when I compare those (it's obviously unfair to compare a hot dog stand in New York with El Bulli) (obviously this whole bit is based on personal taste and not an objective judgement; and equally obviously it's anecdotal. Anyone trying to tell you otherwise on this sort of matter is fooling themselves.) I only meant to say that, from my point of view, there's a pretty decent chance you'll eat better in Spain than in France, compared to the price.

Here's another bit of positive advicez for you; there's an exposition in Paris at the moment (and I think it's still there for a few more months) which has come to Brussels as well a few months ago. It's a pretty amazing recosntruction of the Tomb of Tutankhamon. If you're at all interested in Egyptian art/history/..., be sure to check it out.

And a last bit, and after this, fine, I'll leave the thread if you insist on nothing but positive news (though others have posted as "negatively" as I have): the palace of Versailles is neat; the gardens are especially nice unless you don't like "artificial" gardens (it's the embodiment of everything a French garden wants to be, and everything an English garden tries to avoid). I loved the water and light show they have in the evenings, over the fountains. I can't compare to Vegas, of course, so you might be disappointed...Vegas tends to do everything "bigger". I wouldn't go there *just* for the water fountain thing, but if you *do* plan to go to Versailles, be sure to stay 'till after dark.

Jay - I'm still waiting to hear back from my friend. She and her family are moving back to the US soon, so I think she may be elbow deep in getting their house packed up.

5 nights in Paris, 4 nights in Barcelona.

Flights booked, hotels booked, time to look at restos.

Gonna have to read this thread again during lunch.

Thanks for the advice peeps, much obliged.

Once in Barcelona it might be worth a day trip to Sitges. Small town on the coast, great views.

Sadly, no time, we got an itinerary for each day. We're booked.

Hey, I'm pretty bad with restaurants, but in case I can help, can I ask about your itinerary in and around Barcelona? I don't want to start recommending restaurants that you won't be able to get to!

Oh good, hadn't heard anything in a while. I was beginning to wonder if you'd just called off the whole trip. Make sure you let us know how y'all were treated.

--Patrick

Tuesday - Leave Montreal, flight at 9 PM.

Wednesday - Land in Paris (direct flight) at 10 AM local time. Hope to sleep in the plane. Hotel is a 5 minute walk from the Eiffel Tower. Easy day planned with places of interest such as St-Germain-des-Pres, Pantheon, Luxembourg gardens, Trocadero and Pont Alexander the III. No plans for resto this day, we'll try to find a decent bistro and hit the sack early. Jet lag and all.

Thursday - Wake up early and go to the Sacre-Ceour and Palais Garnier in the morning. Parc des Buttes Chaumont in the afternoon and Eiffel Tower at night. Reservation are already set for dinner at 9PM at the 58 Tour Eiffel... special seat view.

Friday - Wake up early and hit the Louvre. Then go to the Jardins Tuilerie, Place de la Concorde amd Arc de Triomphe. Reservation are already set for dinner at 7PM for a dinner cruise on the Seine.

Saturday - Wake up early... yeah I know. Chateau Versailles all day. No dinner plans yet.

Sunday - Wake up... derrr.... Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Sainte-Chapelle in the morning. Musee d'Orsay in the afternoon. No dinner plans yet.

Monday - Flight at 7:30 from Paris to Barcelona. Check in hotel then go to Tididabo Mountain for the afternoon. Hit Magic Mountain at Monjuic and Placa Espagne in the evening. Dinner at some Tapas on the Ramblas.

Tuesday - Familia Sagrada, Casa Battlo, Hopital Sant Pau, Casa Mila and Passeig da Gracia. Dinner at some Tapas on the Ramblas.

Wednesday - Cattedrale Santa Maria del mar, Arc de Triomf, Ciutadella Park, Gothic Quarter, Port Vell, La Barceloneta, Coloumbus monument, Palaca Reial, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Palau Grell, Cathedral de Santa Eulalia... dinner at the Port.

Thursday - Guell Park and Casa Museo Gaudi... then if we have time or missed anything on Wednesday, hit the beach! Dinner on the Ramblas.

Friday - Breakfast on the Ramblas, leave Barcelona at 13h30, back to Montreal.


Then start planning my November cruise in the Caribbean

You are forgetting to include how much coffee you will be drinking to get up so early every day, but you should be able to seriously decimate some tapas after all that running around.

--Patrick

Expresso EVERYWHERE

I assume you're staying near the ramblas? I recommend looking for some place in the ciutat vella/barri gotic (barri=quarter, in catalan), Raval or el Born for the tapas, especially the Born is supposed to have fancier places. Although to be fair these neighborhoods may look a bit dangerous and quite dirty, especially at night. I'm super sleepy right now, I'll try to think of something more specific...

Welp, tomorrow night my flight leaves for Paris.

Wish me luck!

Any special requests?

Trick your new bride to do the 'fake hold the Eiffel Tower like it is a penis" trick photograph...

Currently in Paris.....

Short term goals accomplished

Visited a few places...

Ate a baguette

Ate parties

Ate waffles with ice cream...

Paris is a bigger city to visit compared to Rome....[DOUBLEPOST=1345045586][/DOUBLEPOST]Ate pastries.... Wtf

iPad autocorrect fail

I read panties at first damn

Bro, this Eiffel tower is tight. Can't wait to go there tonight

Oh, if you get free there is supposed to be an awesome English language bookstore in that area....

http://www.villagevoicebookshop.com/

Nope, they closed two weeks ago.[DOUBLEPOST=1345127779][/DOUBLEPOST]Dammit, found the right one, and it's still open.

http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/

Louvre was huuuuuuge. Went there at 9 ... No wait with online ticket...

I was the first person at the Mona lisa ... That was sweet

Got out before Asia invaded the big three.

My favorite by far was the Napoleon apartments... Just wow.

I'll upload when I'll get back.

Going to a local resto..... Not going far my feet are killing me from all that walking.... Louvre to the arc of triumph

Good times


Versailles tomorow

Just got back from Versailles ... Was there a 9am.... So yeah... 9 hours... We checked everything....

Dudes... This place is gorgeous.... Highlights were the palace to the grand canal... And the queen's hamlet.... Amazing.... I'll upload pics when i get back.

Tonight dinner on a boat on the seine...

Am I good husband or what?

Tomorrow the Notre dame cathedral...the twin tours to fight the French white wizard... Then musee d'orsay

Will be the last day in Paris.

Need to buy souvenirs

Jay said:

Need to buy souvenirs

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Make sure you get the French ones, and not those cheap knockoffs.

--Patrick

Yep.

Today I saw 2 polIcemen on Horses.... Gallop after one of these not so legal sellers.....

They caught him.... Even after he dropped his merchandise to run faster...

The french officer cameback to pick it up... I took a picture.... Then walked up to him and causally asked him in French what deals he had available....

He laughed pretty hard


Then went

Vous les québécois vous Etes drole.


Anyways back to my room..... Dinner was awesome and romantic.....the only English channel beyond bbc news and CNN.... Is playing a twilight movie.


Fml

I warned you.

Unless I got it completely wrong, I'm guessing that translates to: "Oh, Québécois, you so funny."

--Patrick

Went to see Notre DAme cathedral tHis morning... Was nice. Also la petite chapel le...meh... Then to musee d'orsay...meh.....

Resting at a cafe right now looking at the Eiffel tower...killing time..... Drinking tiny coffees

Btw you want to know why Parisians smell? Because they don't believe in ac.... Even in 43 degree celcius weather.

Tomorrow morning... Off to Barcelona.

We love Barcelona...

Yesterday we visited tibidabo mountain and had a nice view. A couple proposed 5 feet from us... It was awesome. I ask for their camera after the excitement was done and took pictures of them.

We've been eating real good here... Last night I had my first tapas and that shit is awesome and now officially I'm my need to find back in montreal . We ate it again for lunch in a small nice little tapas... It was just as good. For breakfast we found a place that makes home made strawberry creeps and juice mixtures... Awesome stuff.

We visited a bunch of places... Tomorrow we go to the sangria segrada and ciutadella park and the port... After tomorrow we go to gull park and finally to chill on the beach.

Looking forward to go out and eat tonight.

The tripadvisor app has been a life saver.

Jay said:

strawberry creeps
...
sangria segrada

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I'm not one to make fun of typos (Lord knows I make plenty), and I know that we dirty foreigners have dirty foreign keyboards, but these two are just funny. I sincerely hope the creeps weren't too creepy, and I definitely intend to try and find the Holy Sangria when/if I ever find myself in Spain

That aside, I'm glad you're having fun. But I'm glad you're a bit further away now, though. Since you got to Paris, we've had a heat wave; since you're in Barcelona, our temperatures have dropped by 10°C. THANK YOU. I CAN BREATHE AGAIN!

Dude it's hot as fuck here now as well... My entire trip it's been 40 Celsius or warmer... I've sweat a ton.

So far tho... I'm loving Barcelona far more thanparis... Mostly because food is better in general and they be
I've in ac. Sadly, everyone sounds lame speaking Spanish.

As far the above..lol... Autocorrect on the iPad... Sangria...lol

Hey I'm sorry I didn't get back to you on any restaurant recommendations, but you seem to be doing fine with the tapas so far!

Love that you love Barcelona! Whatddayamean everybody sounds lame speaking Spanish? We also speak Catalan around here, a roman language a bit more similar to French (but still closer to Spanish). Keep an ear out for it

Bumble, we have a heat wave right now right here, it's following Jay around Europe!

tegid said:

Bumble, we have a heat wave right now right here, it's following Jay around Europe!

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Watch out or I'll draw your picture

I know you're in a heat wave too, it really is following that crazy Quebequois. Jay, how hot is your new wife, anyway? Clearly we Europeans aren't used to that level

And autocorrect: that's a perfectly good reason for such slips, and better than what I can offer. Still want to see the Holy Sangria Church though, I'm sure a lot of people'd come if you replaced the mass wine with some good sangria

Bubble181 said:

As for dinner: don't get your hopes up. For all the fame they have, the French cuisine really isn't as awesome as it should be.

Click to expand...

Jay said:

French food is great

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Bubble181 said:

(obviously this whole bit is based on personal taste and not an objective judgement; and equally obviously it's anecdotal. Anyone trying to tell you otherwise on this sort of matter is fooling themselves.) I only meant to say that, from my point of view, there's a pretty decent chance you'll eat better in Spain than in France, compared to the price.

Click to expand...

Jay said:

So far tho... I'm loving Barcelona far more thanparis... Mostly because food is better in general

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I know I can come off as overly pessimistic, and I am certainly far more negative than I should be (I'm working on it! Ask my therapist!) , but if you manage to read past the negative tone and read what I meant to say instead of what I said...

Bubble181 said:

Watch out or I'll draw your picture

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That was... uh... autocorrect? I don't know how it slipped, I totally knew who I was writing to

Jay! You may want to try the paella (saffroned rice dish), but you'll most probably find the tapas to be so much better (It's a matter of personal taste only in part. Tapas are a lot easier to get right).

Bubble181 said:

i know you're in a heat wave too, it really is following that crazy Quebequois. Jay, how hot is your new wife, anyway? Clearly we Europeans aren't used to that level

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Check our wedding pictures, when she wants to be, she can look pretty amazing.... But sadly her hair straightener doesn't work, even with our converter and the ones in our hotel are shit. So she ties it up and has been going comfy style.

As far as the heat goes, it's been better the last few days... Either because this sad sack of Canadian meat has been dried up by European heat... Or I'm getting used to it.

As far as Paris and French food goes.... Well I was optimistic about Parisian particular but wanted to be a good husband and take the lady there. Now it's done... And French food is still pretty good and would have eaten better if most of Paris didn't take off for vacation.

We had tapas 2 night in a row... Tonight I'm hoping for some paella...like my mom used to make with arroz con pollo... Well see if we can find a place that makes it decent enough around port bell.

This morning we went to the familia degradation ..l thank god we were there around 8:15... We were20th in line..... By 9 there were over 500 people waiting... So we were ahead of schedule.... Hey.

Then we did. Few other sites, went for lunch on the ramblas... I just got some palates... The sauce is awesome bro.

Patatates

Now we're. Ack to the hotel... Going to chill...


Then round 3 were off to park citadella then off to port vell

I love your autocorrect function

Last day in Barcelona.... We'll be visiting guell park for a few hours.. Heard it is very nice then coming back to the hotel to use the pool on the roof.

We leave tomorrow at 1 pm local time and land in Montreal at 3 pm. Lol

We ate at a small local resto yesterday... The paella was amazing and I have a new love for patates bravas

Bravas are amazing!!!

Enjoy the park, it's really nice (well, you must be there already). And have a safe trip back home!

It was ok.... We want early because of report of shitloads of people... These reports were correct even at 8 in the morning.

Park was ok... But it was a butt chaumont in Paris.

Anyways, chilling on the rooftop of the hotel right now, with wifi, enjoying the sun and some sangria.

And fine foreign ass.

Mmmm

You haven't, by any chance, had a chance to visit this small chapel in Zaragoza? They've got a really...unique...fresco in there now
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19349921

Hahah yeah, it's like that scene in Mr. Bean.

Nope!

I did have churros with chocolate though.


Mmmmmm,m,mmmmm

One more churros run and off to the airport for an 8 hour flight.

Looking forward to go home.

I'll have some pictures up over the weekend... Some with awesome sites....... And some more of jay derping in front of known locations....


At the cost of.... 10 likes... Yessssssssssssss......

Jay derping around the world

Will a 'love it' count for more?

I want to see the derping!!

Jay said:

At the cost of.... 10 likes...

Click to expand...

"Likes" are currency now? I thought HalBucks were our currency.

--Patrick

Jay is a "like" vampire - he feeds on our emotions... and Kags .gifs

FEED JAY, FEEEEEEED!!

(at the risk of sounding like a creeper)

I dunno about Jay, but _I'M_ hungry!

Om, nom O_C, om nom!!

I think I'll make more gifs today - work on getting those dancing gifs done.

LittleKagsin said:

Om, nom O_C, om nom!!

I think I'll make more gifs today - work on getting those dancing gifs done.

Click to expand...

Looks like Adam is getting some competition. Gif-off!

Oh. In that case I guess it's more like...a spiritual successor?

The point is that forum-member gifs are always a good thing.

I will spiritually succeed Adam to the best of my abilities!

Then you need to add text, too. *chuckles*

Welp, just got home.

8 hour flights... SUUUUUCK.

I'll have some pictures up soon enough.

Jay said:

Welp, just got home.

8 hour flights... SUUUUUCK.

I'll have some pictures up soon enough.

Click to expand...

Of your flight? Pass.

Damn, I've been speaking to Adam on Steam all this time (and playing games) and I didn't even know he stopped coming here.

TIL Adam no longer posts on Halforums.

Anyways... downloading 1.4 Gigs of pictures....

See if you can't persuade him to come back, won't you?

Also, welcome home. Though I do still resent you for not visiting Finland

Jay Derping Around Yurop.




I'll post my best shots of the trip later on once I go through the 950 pictures or so.

YAY!!