<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Axi22:
Just curious if this was your first trip abroad?</font>
I was wondering the same thing.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Seat 2A:
Your parents will be well served by this guide, eastwest. So will I and anyone else who's never been Paris and wants an everyday down to earth easy to read starter on what to expect at CDG and Paris. Thanks!
P.S. Your insights on people and customs certainly point to some international experience on your part...</font>
You
must be having a laugh!?
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by eastwest:
As you probably read in Seat 2A's trip report, I was in Paris this weekend on a $20 BA special. His report is so excellent that I'm not even going to try to write one. 
However, my parents are going to Paris in February and asked me to write up some thoughts to make their trip easier. </font>
What an intriguing “guide” – I think it displays a serious lack of judgement and a somehow naïve view of the world.
Makes me wonder why your parents feel the need to leave the cosy USA, where everyone is polite, there are no beggars in the street and - god forbid - no one ever tries to scam you. Also, and I know this sounds crazy, but Taxis work like everywhere else in the world: attract attention, enter, sit down, indicate direction, pay, exit. Your parents (or yourself) won’t get pregnant / kidnapped / ransomed / shipped to the colonies, unless they specifically ask for it and the meter is running.
I am also shocked that you describe people as not speaking English (I assume you mean American) – this is quite clearly amazing that in a foreign country people could be allowed to speak something else than good ol’ American.
I think your parents should stay in Niceville USA (population: 2 + you when visiting) and enjoy some lemonade and pie (which for $20 means almost a year’s supply at 1900 prices).
For reference, the Quartier Latin’s Greek restaurants are amongst the worst, most touristy in Paris (i.e. only a totally naïve traveller would go, so no wonder you rushed there), the tube station is called St Michel (not Michael) and like everywhere else in the World (read, outside of Niceville USA), there are rude people and scam artists. There is a small town in the USA, I think they call it New York, where I read in my local gazette that these things happen occasionally.
I think they don’t need so much of a “how to survive in Paris until the flights land back home” guide, but more of a “how best to discover the city for first timers” guide, which no doubt is a readily available commodity.
As a side note, my thanks for providing me with laughing material for a week, most notably with this quote (concerning the Louvre): “There are lots of naked people in sculpture and in paintings but it isn’t dirty”
Thanks again and keep up the good work.
***
Edited (at 8.30AM) to add: I don’t really mean to be rude to you and do understand the audience you are targeting with your notes (i.e. not frequent travellers) but that doesn’t excuse the naivety that your comments exude, nor does it explains why your parents would need to be assisted to the extent that not finding ice in one’s drink could be treated as an issue.
I think that there is a huge difference between people who don’t travel often and people who are expecting to find a carbon copy of home wherever they go. The latter should stay home.
[This message has been edited by Canista (edited 12-11-2002).]