London England, Paris France (advice?)

[DA H.N.I.C.]

My wife and I are heading overseas to London and Paris pretty soon to go kick it and we're wondering if anyone can give us some good advice on what to do and what to expect as this will be our first INT'L outing.

Thanks in advance for any help!

-D

[DA H.N.I.C.]

***Have to bump this up again***

All the info we've gathered so far is from the internet, but it would be really helpful to hear from those who have actually been to England and France before.

[ekaz]

***Have to bump this up again***

All the info we've gathered so far is from the internet, but it would be really helpful to hear from those who have actually been to England and France before.

France....french fres? french toast? french bread?
England, no clue.


Actually no clue on either but a bump for you!

[Magnum Power]

Dress conservatively and look like the locals. Ive been to Paris and found it to be veery nice. Just look out for the dog crap all over the sidewalks. Check your bill before you pay, or before you order. I had a 20 franc charge once for coke. The rest of the meal was so cheap. Plan a whole day, at least for the Louve Museum. And dont miss the museum that is at the opposite end of the plaza from the Eiffel Tower. It is the French Natural History Museum. Take a boat ride on the Seign, your wife will love it. And lastly, post some pics when you get back.

[DA H.N.I.C.]

Dress conservatively and look like the locals. Ive been to Paris and found it to be veery nice. Just look out for the dog crap all over the sidewalks. Check your bill before you pay, or before you order. I had a 20 franc charge once for coke. The rest of the meal was so cheap. Plan a whole day, at least for the Louve Museum. And dont miss the museum that is at the opposite end of the plaza from the Eiffel Tower. It is the French Natural History Museum. Take a boat ride on the Seign, your wife will love it. And lastly, post some pics when you get back.

So, it's a bad idea to wear throwback jerseys? LOL
The internet warned us about the overcharging in Paris. Like being in Bel-Air or something!!
The Louvre is a DEFINITE!! I heard you can take pictures while you're inside! But I also heard that you can't take pics of the Mona Lisa, and it's kind of a letdown when you see it anyway.
Our hotel is going to only be 500 meters from the Eiffel so we'll be doing some walking around.
Is the Seign like the river/roads in Sicily? Gotta mark that down on the things to do list.

As for pictures, I plan on filling all the cameras, uploading the pics, and filling the cameras again.
I'm gonna do a pic thread like something MOTOR would do!! LOL

Thanks for the info!

[Go Mango]

You'll enjoy it immensely.
Other things to do in Paris is a full city bus tour. Try to do a tour of Père Lachaise Cemetery, resting place of Jim Morrison and many other famous people.
Notre Dame is a MUST see. Sacre Coeur Basilica is yet another.
As Magnum power said, the Louvre, a Seine boat tour, and YES watch for prices, one of the worst was for bottled water, try to take your own drinks with you on any tours.
London?? Hmmm I haven't had a visit there in many years, other than an 5 hour driving stint when I had a friend over with me and wanted to visit great grand parents graves, and yes they HAD to be at opposite sides of London. Warm weak beer. Best advice is to head north for 7.5 hours and see my homeland of Scotland.
OK, truth for London now:
Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace;The Tower of London tour; Tower Bridge, I actually knew a double decker bus driver that is/was famous for saving all the passengers by driving over the bridge as it malfunctioned and opened on them;
londontouristmap.jpg

[Sixpak]

The Tower of London and Tower bridge would be my 2 must see's, there are other castles close to London as well. The Millenium wheel is worth going on for a great view, it's about 440 feet tall Ferris wheel with enclosed seats. There are boat tours on the river Thames as well if your driving then Stonehenge is about a 2 hour drive, and then Salisbury cathedral is only 20 minutes from there, and if you want a good meal and a beer then East Chisenbury is about 20 miles north, My grandad used to own the Red Lion pub there. There are lots of things to see and do, it just depends on how much time you have.

I don't know about France, I lived in the UK for 13 years and never got there, the British and the French don't really like each other.

Enjoy yourselves !!

[FlyByU]

Wear comfortable shoes, lots of walking.

While in London, hit every pub you can. Make it a point to have a few meals in a pub. Fish and chips is a safe bet. If you are going to drive, be careful and look both ways like 10 times. Wrong side of the road takes a bit to get used to. Same with crossing the street, look right for cars not left, lol. You will love England, I lived there for 3 years and miss it everyday.

When in France, tell them to kiss your arse

[GasGunR]

in London, (we were there about 3 weeks ago), look up walkingtours.com they have quite a few tours worth taking. Get a map of the underground, (subway), and study it, its the best way to get around in London. There is construction in the underground on weekends so soome stops routes may be closed. Buy a day pass each day, its cheaper than individual fares.

There are premiums for traveling on trains and the subway in London in the morning till around 9:30 a.m. Sleep in

St Pauls cathedral, Westminster Abby are good tours in your interested in old churches. The blood curdling london murder tour isn't so blood curdling. We missed the Jack the Ripper tour:(

Have a great trip

[BritishNate]

I am from Oxford England, If you are going to be in the heart of london dont worry about getting a car....the public transport system is good. Make sure if you like fish and chips you get it while you are there.....

The London Eye is a really cool thing to go on you can see the whole of London!!

[DA H.N.I.C.]

You'll enjoy it immensely.
Other things to do in Paris is a full city bus tour. Try to do a tour of Père Lachaise Cemetery, resting place of Jim Morrison and many other famous people.
Notre Dame is a MUST see. Sacre Coeur Basilica is yet another.
As Magnum power said, the Louvre, a Seine boat tour, and YES watch for prices, one of the worst was for bottled water, try to take your own drinks with you on any tours.
London?? Hmmm I haven't had a visit there in many years, other than an 5 hour driving stint when I had a friend over with me and wanted to visit great grand parents graves, and yes they HAD to be at opposite sides of London. Warm weak beer. Best advice is to head north for 7.5 hours and see my homeland of Scotland.
OK, truth for London now:
Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace;The Tower of London tour; Tower Bridge, I actually knew a double decker bus driver that is/was famous for saving all the passengers by driving over the bridge as it malfunctioned and opened on them;
londontouristmap.jpg

The bus tour thing is in our radar right now. We've been looking at going on a "hop on, hop off" tour.
I heard wine is actually cheaper than water and pop in Paris!?
I definitely want to watch the "beefeaters" at the changing of the guard. Word, is that it's a 45 minute ceremony everyday at 11:30am or so.
Not sure about the bridge, though. Got this "thing" about bridges

The Tower of London and Tower bridge would be my 2 must see's, there are other castles close to London as well. The Millenium wheel is worth going on for a great view, it's about 440 feet tall Ferris wheel with enclosed seats. There are boat tours on the river Thames as well if your driving then Stonehenge is about a 2 hour drive, and then Salisbury cathedral is only 20 minutes from there, and if you want a good meal and a beer then East Chisenbury is about 20 miles north, My grandad used to own the Red Lion pub there. There are lots of things to see and do, it just depends on how much time you have.

I don't know about France, I lived in the UK for 13 years and never got there, the British and the French don't really like each other.

Enjoy yourselves !!

I really want to see Buckingham palace!! Where the hell is it? LMAO. I heard about the Millenium wheel: all glass enclosed, right?
Stonehenge is already on our schedule. I GOTTA get my wife to take pics of me leaning against it. Heard it's basically in the middle of nowhere.
Is it hard to get used to the food in these places? And where is the nearest McDonald's!!!!

Wear comfortable shoes, lots of walking.

While in London, hit every pub you can. Make it a point to have a few meals in a pub. Fish and chips is a safe bet. If you are going to drive, be careful and look both ways like 10 times. Wrong side of the road takes a bit to get used to. Same with crossing the street, look right for cars not left, lol. You will love England, I lived there for 3 years and miss it everyday.

When in France, tell them to kiss your arse

Pub? My wife is DETERMINED to go to every one she sees................cool with me! Just take one mo' sip! HAHAHAHAHA
Driving is NOT gonna happen. I've seen enough editions of "Bad drivers, UK" to last a lifetime!!
Dan, you lived in London for 3 years? What for?

Oh, BTW, I'm not telling anyone to kiss ANYTHING! Trying to play it low key. LMAO

in London, (we were there about 3 weeks ago), look up walkingtours.com they have quite a few tours worth taking. Get a map of the underground, (subway), and study it, its the best way to get around in London. There is construction in the underground on weekends so soome stops routes may be closed. Buy a day pass each day, its cheaper than individual fares.

There are premiums for traveling on trains and the subway in London in the morning till around 9:30 a.m. Sleep in

St Pauls cathedral, Westminster Abby are good tours in your interested in old churches. The blood curdling london murder tour isn't so blood curdling. We missed the Jack the Ripper tour:(

Have a great trip

www.walkingtours.com got it! I'll check it out. Thanks Don!!
As for a Subway map, we've been looking at it online. Reminds me of the areas around Brooklyn, Harlem, and Manhattan...........extensive!!!

Jack the Ripper tour!!? HELL no! I'm a "fraidy cat"!!

I am from Oxford England, If you are going to be in the heart of london dont worry about getting a car....the public transport system is good. Make sure if you like fish and chips you get it while you are there.....

The London Eye is a really cool thing to go on you can see the whole of London!!

You know, Nate, I always wondered why you're called "British"!
We booked tickets through the "Chunnel" on the Eurostar. That goes under the water if I'm not mistaken.
Fish 'n Chips sounds goooooooood! Last time I had that was when I was a kid and we went to Arthur Treachers!! Whoa!

[FlyByU]

I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath which is about an hour and a half North of London.

We tried to get into the city atleast once a month, you cannot see it all in 3 years

You will love it, have fun.

[magnum hemi80]

hi
i m french
if you went in france don't forget to visit Reims.It's the "champagne" town.2/3 hours to paris.

[Sixpak]

I really want to see Buckingham palace!! Where the hell is it? LMAO. I heard about the Millenium wheel: all glass enclosed, right?
Stonehenge is already on our schedule. I GOTTA get my wife to take pics of me leaning against it. Heard it's basically in the middle of nowhere.
Is it hard to get used to the food in these places? And where is the nearest McDonald's!!!

I think you'll find Buckingham palace pretty easily, Millenium wheel is enclosed in glass. Stonehenge is now fenced off now, you can't get to the rocks, my old man used to tell me him and his pals would go to the rocks to drink after the pub's closed, break beer bottles and piss on them (this was before they were a tourist attraction) McDonalds, I don't even eat that here. If your getting fish and chips then you've got to get it wrapped in newspaper, I swear it makes them taste better, Lots of salt and malt vinegar.

[DA H.N.I.C.]

I think you'll find Buckingham palace pretty easily, Millenium wheel is enclosed in glass. Stonehenge is now fenced off now, you can't get to the rocks, my old man used to tell me him and his pals would go to the rocks to drink after the pub's closed, break beer bottles and piss on them (this was before they were a tourist attraction) McDonalds, I don't even eat that here. If your getting fish and chips then you've got to get it wrapped in newspaper, I swear it makes them taste better, Lots of salt and malt vinegar.

Stonhenge is fenced off now!!? DAMMIT!!!!!!! That was one of the main things I wanted to see up close!!!

Oh well, I'm still going!