Trip to Paris

[quote author="Trooper" date=1235046211]



On the bright side, I might finally get to work daywatch and be a normal person again. I've been on nights for over a year now and it officially sucks. Not sure what it will be like to be on a normal schedule again !



<img src="http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:tduykgSysZ-zZM::http://www.a-t-s.net/shared/images/destinations/Paris3.jpg" alt="" /></blockquote>


Yea, Wendy was on the night shift for a while - 3 years. It monkied with alot of things, i'm sure things will work out for ya.

Good luck

-bix
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1235012142]If I may add - Trooper - don't wear white tennis shoes. My Euro friends always joke how they can point out American tourists by the dead give-away of white tennies.</blockquote>


yes trooper babe, make sure you blend in with the locals by wearing orange sneakers, purple jackets, and yellow socks...
 
a few things off the beaten path, but google first to make sure they're still open:

1- notre dame has a crypt that you enter through a side door from outside the church. neato if you're into architecture.

2- on ile saint louis (ile means island in french), a really small island next to notre dame, there is an ice cream shop called Berthillon that was considered best in paris when i was a kid.

3- catacombs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Paris)...i'll let you decide if it's for you...



my whippersnapper days! didn't have money, so breakfast and lunch was french bread dipped in chocolate sauce. 4 days in a row like that...
 
<em>french bread dipped in chocolate sauce</em>



WANT ! Nom nom nom nom nom.



<<< <em>Trooper decides against orange shoes. Has to draw the line somewhere. </em>
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1235053215]<em>french bread dipped in chocolate sauce</em>



WANT ! Nom nom nom nom nom.



<<< <em>Trooper decides against orange shoes. Has to draw the line somewhere. </em></blockquote>


hey hey hey...since you haven't been in europe, you can take the eurostar train from paris to london for under $100 each way, travel time under 2.5 hrs. i wonder if there are overnight trains that you can double as hotel room...check this out: www.eurostar.com
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1234962124]Tell me what you mean about the food ipo. I heart crepes, but not for 4 days straight.</blockquote>


Troop, are you only going for 4 Days? Or?
 
Well, I'm hoping for 5 Petah - with 2 days dedicated to traveling there and back, so 7 total. I know it seems like a big fuss for only 4 or 5 days, but I'm on a mission.



almon, thanks for the info on the train but I won't have time to do that. At least not this trip.



<img src="http://images.inmagine.com/img/pixtal/pt078/CD078080.jpg" alt="" />
 
[quote author="k.o." date=1235034911]



Learn some simple phrases in French. I must admit that I found the French the rudest generally out of any of the countries I visited in Europe. But, that is probably because I tried English a lot. And I was a young American male. I tried to smile, be friendly, etc., but I had problems, including literally having a French agent at a train station ignore me when trying to ask a question. A buddy of mine got a much better reception when trying to speak a phrase or two in French.



</blockquote>


If they don't speak English, then speaking really loudly and getting in their face usually works...
 
[quote author="Oscar" date=1235083240]Umm... leave your gun at home, France might surrender.</blockquote>


I'm over half German. They'll surrender whether or not I am carrying.
 
Hey, Troop. I found this website called <a href="http://www.parisescapes.com/paris_wear.html">"Paris Escapes"</a> and it gives all sorts of tips including more on how to not dress like an American so that you aren't an easy mark for pick-pockets. Hope this helps.



Example:



<img src="http://www.parisescapes.com/images/paris_wear_men.jpg" alt="" />
 
[quote author="Oscar" date=1235083240]Umm... leave your gun at home, France might surrender.</blockquote>
Troop - just curious, will you travel with your gun?

If so, how does that work on the plane, etc.

I'm assuming you wouldn't be able to carry it on the plane,

but would it be difficult to put it through your checked luggage?

Would it be worth the hassle?
 
[quote author="CalGal" date=1235084643][quote author="Oscar" date=1235083240]Umm... leave your gun at home, France might surrender.</blockquote>
Troop - just curious, will you travel with your gun?

If so, how does that work on the plane, etc.

I'm assuming you wouldn't be able to carry it on the plane,

but would it be difficult to put it through your checked luggage?

Would it be worth the hassle?</blockquote>


I think I can answer this one...



Paris = no guns, most of europe = no guns.



The only place I can think of that does allow firearms is Switzerland and for almost the same reason we did (US far back in the Constitutional phase). The Swiss do hold yearly Sch?tzenfest's, a festival of marksmanship.



As for travelling with a firearm, yes you can, but it must be "safed" and never out of your possession, you posses no ammo (dependent upon airlines, states and even then, they limit the ammo and it must be in a "safe" and in a locked container). For our "officers" (FBI, CIA and other Govt Officers) they might throw them some "consideration", but reports are conflicting and nobody is really straight forward as to what they will do.



Also this is some talk about England, Germany and France limiting even KNIVES to a grand total of 4" deployed.



Anyways good luck and keep it safe.



-bix
 
[quote author="WINEX" date=1235078541]

If they don't speak English, then speaking really loudly and getting in their face usually works...</blockquote>


I was at the Hertz office at Rhein-Main airport in Frankfurt when I heard an American tourist angrily telling the clerk how "stupid" it was that everything is shown in kilometers instead of miles.
 
[quote author="k.o." date=1235034911]

Learn some simple phrases in French. I must admit that I found the French the rudest generally out of any of the countries I visited in Europe. But, that is probably because I tried English a lot. And I was a young American male. I tried to smile, be friendly, etc., but I had problems, including literally having a French agent at a train station ignore me when trying to ask a question. A buddy of mine got a much better reception when trying to speak a phrase or two in French.



</blockquote>


I've been to France numerous times, the longest time I stayed there was six weeks. My experience has been the opposite of what most Americans describe about the French. I've found the French to be very helpful to people who can't speak French. Perhaps it is because I don't look obviously American. A couple of examples: I was visiting a friend in a small town and I needed to call her to pick me up at the train station. The phones at the train station only took phone cards which I didn't have so I walked down to the local village and into a bar and using English and sign language, asked the bartender if I could use his phone which he happily provided. After the call, the bartender would not accept any money from me for the call and bought me a drink to welcome me to their little village. Another example, I was in Paris on Bastille Day and I was trying to find my way to the parade (one of the few military parades still around since the fall of the USSR) so I asked a police officer in English how to get to the parade. The officer's English was not good enough to explain to me how to get there so he gave me a ride in his patrol car to the viewing area of the parade. I don't think you'll get that kind of service from the typical American cop.
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1235084549]Hey, Troop. I found this website called <a href="http://www.parisescapes.com/paris_wear.html">"Paris Escapes"</a> and it gives all sorts of tips including more on how to not dress like an American so that you aren't an easy mark for pick-pockets. Hope this helps.</blockquote>


Good suggestion SoCal but Troop won't have any problem, she already looks very european.....unless she wears her Cop uniform, that would be a dead give away.



But Paris is an awesome Place, loadsa stuff to see and do...



You can see/do a lot in 4 Days, you will have an awesome time Troop!!
 
<em>Troop - just curious, will you travel with your gun?

If so, how does that work on the plane, etc.

I?m assuming you wouldn?t be able to carry it on the plane,

but would it be difficult to put it through your checked luggage?

Would it be worth the hassle? </em>



No, CalGal - they'll be in my locker. No guns go overseas. I recently traveled to a police conference in D.C., was a breeze to bring the gun. Simply had to have it unloaded, ammo in separate container, all within a locked airline approved box. THEN it had to be placed in checked baggage. Had to show police I.D. to special secret squirrel airline person while proving it was unloaded and locked. This is done in a back room behind the airline ticket counter.



Bix, hate to contradict you but absolutely no one is allowed on a plane with a gun anymore, not even an unloaded and "safe" one....and not even gov't or PD that aren't traveling on official business. Even then, it takes a letter from your Chief of Police to request the courtesy. The only peeps with <strong>GUNS ON A PLANE</strong> !!!! (couldn't help myself) are Air Marshals and select pilots.



<img src="http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:HGCI9kF6Il_2sM::www.iwatchstuff.com/images/2006/03/snakes-on-a-plane-logo.jpg" alt="" />
 
<em>Another example, I was in Paris on Bastille Day and I was trying to find my way to the parade (one of the few military parades still around since the fall of the USSR) so I asked a police officer in English how to get to the parade. The officer?s English was not good enough to explain to me how to get there so he gave me a ride in his patrol car to the viewing area of the parade. <strong>I don?t think you?ll get that kind of service from the typical American cop</strong>.</em>



Oh, ye of little faith.



You do recall that I worked Hollywood Division, correct? And I'm sure you're aware of just how many foreign tourists visit HWD on a daily basis. Well, I used to have a spot where I parked and wrote reports. It was in one of the upper parking lots of the John Anson Ford Ampitheater....and don't you know, at least twice a week, some foreign tourist would come toodling up the drive (completely lost) and pull right up to me. "Sprechka ze Deutsch?", "Jag ar Svenska?", etc, etc..... uh, no I speak English. Sorry.



Next question...well, not really a question...just an utterance :



"Hollywood Sign?"



The lost English speaking ones got clear directions and drove off. The foreigners were told to "follow me"....and I must have led about 100 cars up the windy and confusing drive in the Hills to the entrance of the sign. And yes, one German dude was on foot with a map. He said he was going to try and hike up to it and I laughed at him. Told him to get in the car <strong>and drove him to the sign.</strong> He took a picture of me and my black and white at the top and tapped his laptop computer - I wasn't sure what he meant, other than perhaps my photo is now on some sort of hippy German blog.



<img src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1949/130/117/597118468/s597118468_1205361_1492.jpg" alt="" />
 
Now that those issues are addressed, I have an update. My Lieutenant advised me tonight that I cannot take 7 days off in a row in March because too many other Sgt's are either in training or on their own pre-scheduled vacations (oh yes, and two having surgery). :(



I was able to get her to try and change my regularly scheduled vacation from October to April. The request needs to be approved by my Captain....so I hang on pins and needles. Should know in another day or two. The only bright side to pushing it back from March to April is: more time to plan and more days to spend there. I won't be limited to 7 days and instead have the ability to stay 3 weeks. Not likely, but a nice thought.



Will keep you posted.
 
[quote author="tulip" date=1234963698]IPO,



We were in Paris a couple of years ago, I remember I love the foods. We get a few stare when we order our coke with a cup of ice. It was cold in February...but we American drink our soda with ice no matter how cold it is outside. heheheheheh</blockquote>


Yeah, if you ask for ice they will give you one or two cubes.
 
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