England

[tnmike]

Hey guys...I know some of you fellas live in England. My other half and I are going to London in a couple of weeks and never been. Taking a day trip to Paris. Any suggestions on things to do, ways to save cash, etc? You can respond to my personal email if you want. Thanks for any help you can give me! The trip is short so don't want to waste time trying to figure things out.

 

[panthera]

Victoria and Albert

Museum in London is beyond wonderful.
Esp:
Basement: Rather decent restaurant at a (for London) reasonable price.
Ground Floor: You have to see the "cartoons".
Upper Floors: Frank Loyd Wright, Rodin.

And that is just a tiny bit of it.

I mention the V&A because of our common interests...you'll see when you walk in through the door...Of course there are one or two other "minor" museums to be mentioned, Natural History, Tate...

Pub grub is great. Don't believe a word you've heard about how bad English food is. Things have changed enormously over the last 10-15 years.
Fish and Chip shops are worth the grease. I love the mushy peas and the pickles and the plaice.
Nobody has as many good Indian/Pakistani and Italian restaurants.
Do do all the touristy stuff, esp. the double-decker bus tours.

Expect to fall in love with London.

Oh, and don't forget to walk with your ears and nose. This is a truly great city, not just optically.

I won't presume to imply you are gay or black, but London will show you the difference between tolerance and acceptance.

Lucky you!

 

[hoovermatic]

Go on the London Eye at twilight for a fabulous view of the city. Sit in the relative peace of Westminster Abbey and close your eyes and allow your imagination to wander back to the days when fires burnt within to provide light and there were no fancy pews to sit on, all of the historic events that have taken place there and hear the echoes of history bouncing off the walls and oozing from the stonework. Climb up the dome of St Paul's and step outside and enjoy the view. Step back inside and if you're lucky and there is music being performed feel it drift up through the air and echo around that amazing space and wash all over you. Just two or three things to do in an amazing city. To quote the lines from a song "when you walk down the street, feel the history under your feet"

Whatever you do, ENJOY.

PS: Don't forget to go to Soho, if that's your thing. You'll love it!!

 

[rapunzel]

You will fall in love with London, but be enchanted and blown away by Paris. It's scale is grand, even London's most amazing buildings and public places pale in size and comparison. Only Russia has grander and bigger architecture. A day trip will hardly let you get a look in. There is simply too much to see and in my books it is the most beautiful city in Western Europe, well worth an extended visit.

I found the Parisians just as friendly and accomodating as people in most other modern cities. Though, be aware that pedestrians in Paris take their lives in their own hands, as drivers are very impatient and generally claim right of way regardless of traffic lights. City blocks in Paris are huge, the Louvre alone is almost a kilometer long, just to give you an idea of scale. So walking between places will take a long time. What looks reasonably close on the map may well be half an hours walk apart. Get yourself a map of the city, you'll need it, as you'll be overwhelmed. The Paris underground is apparently clean and user friendly - but I don't know as I've never used it.

What places should you go and see? If you are really just on a day trip, get on a pre-organized bus trip around town and get up the Eiffel Tower. The view is great and it is about the only thing worth a day trip if you want to get a feel for the city. There would be enough time to go to Monmartre and check out the Sacre Coeur. The Opera Grandier is also well worth a visit and close to Galleries Lafayette and Printemps, two of Paris' major shopping temples.

Everything in Paris is worth seeing. Get yourself a tourist guide and decide in advance where to go and what you want to see. Otherwise, once you get off the train you'll just be too gobsmacked to take it all in, let alone decide where to go.

Bonne chance

 

[rapunzel]

N.B. - Be prepared to pay close to $10 for a cup of coffee. Paris is known for its grand prices,especially where the tourists hang out.

 

[58limited]

I've never been to London, but I took a weekend bus tour to Paris when I was in the army. If you have time, I recommend a boat ride on the river. The Eiffel Tower great, and the Louvre is a must. If you are short on time, simply driving (or riding a bus) around the city to see the architecture is worhwhile - take lots of pictures.

 

[pushtorelease]

I was in London last month - expensive, oh yeah but so worth every pence. Walk across the Millenium Bridge from St. Pauls to the Tate Modern - loved it! Check out the National Portrait Gallery and then there's the book shops.....days could be lost in them, especially when you're used to the chain types we have here now. Pret a Manger for lunch - a sandwich shop chain that's really good and on every corner. Don't forget to buy an Oyster Card for the tube & buses - you can get anywhere & everywhere fast. Skip the cabs unless absolutely necessary, pricey & usually slower than hoppin the train. Walk all you can, it is a wonderful city. Enjoy!

 

[sudsmaster]

If I went to Paris I'd get a $10 glass of wine before I got a $10 cup of coffee ;-)

 

[rapunzel]

Yep, $10 will get you a glass of plonk ;o) even in Paris.

 

[abcomatic]

I just came home from England and loved it! Pub food is great too! Use the tube, easy to do and fast. Take bus no.9 to go to Trafalgar sq., beautiful. St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, etc was wonderful. The tower of London, tower bridge, well, I could go on forever. Keep in mind the street signs are on the sides of buildings and not on poles like we are used to. Pedestrians have no rights there so you had best be on the curb when the lights change or they will run you over. lol have fun and i wish i was going back. Gary

 

[whirlcool]

Some of the best food I have had in London was in some of the pubs and chip shops. Great way to meet the locals around 5pm. Just try to stay somewhat reserved. Lots of Brits don't like "loud and over opiniated yanks.(Americans).

Also remember that the buses in London don't follow a circuitous route like the ones here do. They may start off as one route number and then change to a different one later without ever returning to your starting point. You may end up in a part of town that you hadn't bargained on. It will also drive the conductor to distraction! And on the tube make sure you "mind the gap!" and always be aware of the "Wayout"

This one is important! Always look BOTH ways when stepping out into traffic. They drive on the opposite side of the road and when you look one way, you may be just a second away from being hit from the opposite direction!

My favourite museums are the Tate-Modern, The British Museum (which can take DAYS to do), and the National Maritime Museum up a little from London. After all England was the commander of the seas at one time.

 

[tnmike]

A BIG THANK YOU!

Hey guys,

Thanks so much for the input. I have read all your responses and plan to use them on my trip. Unfortunately neither my better half nor I have much time left due to family holiday "requirements". I appreciate very much your advisement on how to make the most of the limited time! A BIG HUG for all of ya!!! I hope all you guys have a great Holiday Season!

 

[toggleswitch]

Ti-ping is just a city in China!

~Any suggestions on............ways to save cash, etc?

Beware of excess tipping.

IIRC, in the UK and the continent service charges may already be included in the price (check) of say a restaurant.

Also save your receipts and get a refund of the V.A.T (value-added tax) which is built-in to the prices you pay. It is not gnerally separately enumerated and charged as we are used to. (I don't remember HOW to get a refund, but I'm sure it can be easily researched).

 

[robm]

The science museum

Hi there

I hope you have a great time in London. I was brought up in the place, so it's never the same if you live there.

One place you could go to is the science museum. In the basement they have a display of old vintage washers amongst other things.

I have given you a link below.

Rob

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/galleries/secret_life_of_the_home.aspx?keywords=home

 

[rapunzel]

Excellent point there Mr Toggleswitch - duty free shopping is a must when going overseas. May I add that it is important to mention, when making purchases that one wishes to reclaim the VAT on, that one is only a passing tourist and for what purpose the receipts are required. Though, do not assume that providing such important information will motivate the person, checking out your goods, to provide the correct details on your receipts. I've had this happen to me where I did collect and keep all purchase slips, but, upon presentation at the airport to reclaim the sales tax, I was informed that the invoices weren't itemized correctly and, hence, useless. So, moral of the story, before you leave the airport upon arrival in Europe, ask what steps one needs to take to reclaim VAT and what needs to be on the receipts to validate claims. Because, if they can wriggle out of their obligation to refund, due to a minor technicality, they will. Especially when they know that you are not in a position to go back and have the error corrected as your flight home is leaving in an hour.

Cheers

Rapunzel