Sainte Chapelle and the Batobus

The lower chapel of Sainte Chapelle is lovely and old, having been built in 1248, but David and I couldn't help but wonder why we'd waited twenty minutes in line to see this place that didn't seem particularly special.  Why was it ranked almost as high on tourist lists as Notre Dame?

Then we climbed the spiral staircase.  When we got to the top, we understood.

Guess Who's French

                                                             Is this woman French? 

                                                        Or how about these two?

Best Bargain in Paris

I bought this hot-from-the-oven baguette for  €.79 or about $1.07.  There cannot be a more delicious bargain in the world!

Meandering in Paris

The last time we were in Paris a few years ago, David and I jammed our days with museums, seeing all the famous ones and many no one has ever heard of, and, while we enjoyed our ten days, we needed a week of bed rest afterward.  So this time we decided to take Paris a little more slowly, savoring a bit each day instead of gulping huge chunks all at once. Not quite as relaxed as this man who set up his bed on the sidewalk, but almost.

Our Place in Paris

After one of the world's most beautiful weddings, when David and I were thrilled to welcome Melissa into our family, we flew to rain-drenched Paris.  Philippe met us at the front door and welcomed us to this city we love.  David and I were too tired to do much but sit on the couch last night, but the pain au chocolate (chocolate croissants), room to breathe (American Airlines seems to have reached a new low in stuffing people into its planes), and comfortable seating made us happy.

Living room corner with fireplace.

You will be astonished when you hear the price of our centrally located, one-bedroom apartment.

France and Germany on $54 a Day (so far)

The front door leading to our Paris apartment.  This is our second visit so it'll feel almost like home.

I think the world would be a far better place if it didn't have numbers, but David does not share my philosophy.  He actually enjoys creating spreadsheets, relishes the opportunity to force figures into compliant columns, and basks in the glow of bank statements that balance to the penny.

In some ways his penchant for particulars is helpful because he is the one who keeps us on track, financially speaking, when we travel.  While I keep a daily  guesstimate in mind that's usually in the ballpark, David tracks the exact euro amounts in black and white.

That's how I know that, so far, we are spending only $54 a day per person for our trip to France and Germany.

But I'll bet you don't believe me.   I didn't either when David first gave me the figures. 

Not when a Women Traveling Together tour of Amsterdam, Belgium and Paris costs $491 a day.  When the man who shares much of my travel philosophy, Rick Steves, charges $323 per day for a tour of Eastern France, the area we'll be seeing. When even Untours, the non-tour company that arranges an apartment and transportation but leaves you to your own devices, charges $284 a day for a week's apartment rental in France and in Germany. 

Mastering the Paris Metro

David's Never-Get-Lost Sheet

David hates to get lost, so, short of hiring a guide to accompany us--something a Tightwad Traveler seldom considers--he does the next best thing.  His approach is free and effective.  We haven't gotten lost yet!

Countdown Is On

David and I are putting the final touches on our preparations for Europe, and, as always, our thoughts turn to food.

Riding the Rails in Europe

The Points Guy blog post today is all about European train travel.  The author, Madrid-based Lori Zaino, notes the same advantages to train travel that I've mentioned before.  Read her article for tips on routes and prices.

Vacation Glitch Solutions

David and I had a flat tire in the medieval Breton city of Dinan, France.

Everyone hopes his trip will go smoothly with the only surprises being serendipitous ones like finding a perfect deli with mouth-watering delicacies at a fraction of a restaurant's price, but, unfortunately,  mini-disasters can occur.

David and I will never forget the flat tire that marred an otherwise perfect trip to the Brittany area of France.  Luckily, our wonderful hosts, from whom we had rented a hundred-year-old granite three story house, helped us locate and deal with a tire company.  But if you don't happen to have a helpful landlady, what should you do if disaster strikes?