France Friday!

Guess what?!?! We purchased our tickets yesterday! The trip just become so much more real now! I've got to get on it. I'm still stuck in Paris and haven't even begun to research Rome. This will be the first weekend that I haven't worked all year, so I plan on doing some research then.

Have a great weekend! I know I will :)

France Friday!

Well people, I have a dilemma. Every time I feel like I find the perfect hotel for us, I do some more research and I find another one. Then I start to second guess myself. I'm the type of person that likes to look at EVERYTHING before I make a final decision. It's crazy! There are some many hotels in Paris and I feel like I'm driving myself crazy! I have narrowed my decision between 2 hotels:

The Royal Magda Etoile

This hotel has great reviews and is ranked 14th on tripadvisor.com's list of hotels in Paris. There is close to 2000 hotels on this list.

The location is good too. Situated near the Arc de Triomphe in the Palais des Congrès district.

The other hotel that I love is called The Eiffel Seine.

This is a beautiful hotel situated right near the Eiffel Tower. Its ranked 30th on tripadvisor's list. This hotel has not been reviewed as much as the other one. Its slightly more expensive {when I say slightly, I mean like 5 euros more p/day} than the other hotel.

As you can see these are 2 beautiful hotels with great reviews. Now I've got to decide which one. I still can't believe I've spent this much time on Paris hotels. I will probably pull my hair out when it is time to research Rome hotels. While researching, many recommended that you really research the area that you stay at in Paris because it can make or break your trip. Especially if its something that you weren't expecting.

For those that have traveled to Europe, did you exchange your money when you got there or here in the states? Some people say, there aren't as many fees if you do it overseas but I just don't want to worry about it once we get there, since we will be paying for most of the trip in cash. Advice please!

Have a great weekend!

France Friday!

Last time we visited France Friday, we were talking about the leg of the trip that included the south of France (Nice). Well plans have slightly changed since then. Instead of going to Nice, I fell in love with a part of Italy that I have to see while I'm so close......VENICE!

The city looks so romantic and the ambiance seems so magical as most of the city lies under water. Moonlit gondola rides, fantastic food, and historic scenery were just a few of the things that really ignited my interest in visiting this beautiful place.

There are several reasons that made me change my mind about going to Nice. The main reason was the train ride. It is 7 hours to Nice from Paris. Then a couple days later we would have to get on another 8 hr train ride to Rome. Well after doing some research, I discovered there is a fast train that goes from Paris to Venice in 6 hrs with a stop in Milan. The train from Venice to Rome is only 3 hours {Rome is the final leg of our trip to be discussed later!}

I'm really looking forward to visiting this majestic city. I've started to research hotels and they are pretty pricey to say the least but I'm sure it will all be worth it.

Have a great weekend!

France Friday!

After spending 2 nights in Paris, we will be taking a 6 hr train ride to the south of france in Nice. I've found the perfect place for us to stay that has great reviews on tripadvisor.com. The hotel is called Hotel le Petit Trianon. Only having 12 rooms, its a small quaint hotel located right in the heart of Nice.

The hotel is located right next to the famous beaches of the Cote d'Azur and the Promenade des Anglais of Nice.

Its also located near the hotel are historic neighborhoods and lots of shopping! Every room is equipped with air-conditioning and free WIFI access in each room. Rates run around $120.00p/ night with breakfast served in bed for an aditional $10.00. I'm looking forward to it.

France Friday!

We spoke about all things Paris in the previous France Fridays, today we are going to start the next leg of our trip which is a train ride to the south of France......Nice and Monaco! I've always wanted to go especially since {my BFF in my head} Beyonce goes all the time. The south of France is just so breathtaking. Take a look at these marvelous photos:

Since I began researching, I've read many recommendations about how to get to Nice. Some people say fly because it is quick and less expensive. Some say take the 6hr train ride because the scenery is just so beautiful. A flight from Paris to Nice would cost us around $90 one-way each. That's not bad! For the train ride, its a little more complicated. Some say stay away from EuroRail because its so expensive. A train ride from Paris to Nice can easily cost Euro 150 ($210) each {Ouch!}. It gets pretty confusing for me because there are sooooo many rail road companies to choose from. We will eventually be traveling from Nice to Italy {which will definitely be discussed in future France Fridays}, so some say to get a rail pass. Has anyone traveled by train in Europe before? Any advice or help I would REALLY appreciate!

France Friday!

Sorry for the delay, but France Friday is back jack! {Yeah I took it back to the early 90's with that one}. Let's see....we've talked about Paris and the attractions it has to offer, where to stay, eat, and play. Now lets talk about how we are going to get there. Obviously we will be flying and since Delta is the airport hub for Atlanta, we will most likely be flying with them.

I have been closely monitoring Delta flight prices to Paris in May for the last couple of months. I must say.....they don't budge. Not.even.a.little. They have been consistently coming in at between $980-$1100.00 each round trip. That is a big bullet to swallow, but I don't want to wait too late before we purchase them. It's a pretty big gamble because the prices can go either way. We are ready to purchase them, whenever we see a good deal. Thankfully we have already saved up the cash for the trip.

Delta offers two types of planes that fly over. They typically leave in the evening. The Delta Boeing 767-300ER and the Boeing 777-200ER. The 767 is the smaller of the planes and the one that I'm more leaning towards. The 767 looks like this:

It's 2 rows, 3 rows, then another 2 rows. I'm a little crazy and don't like it when I have to sit next to someone I don't know on a plane. I have been lucky in this area, but you never know if someone who is extremely sick, or has a small infant, or needs 3 seat belt extensions will be seated next to you. I would just like to sit next to my husband.

The Delta 777 looks like this:

See how it has 3 rows across 3 aisles? Its a bigger plane and it actually gets you to Paris 20 minutes faster. I can deal with the extra 20 minutes as long as we don't have to sit next to someone random. The flight to Paris is 8 hrs and 40min. This will be the longest flight I've ever been on. I know one thing that will make this flight be smooth.....my best friend named benadryl. Don't judge me. A girl has got to do what a girl has got to do. And if sleep is what I want, sleep is what I'll get......lol!

I found a really cool site called seat expert. You basically go to the site, type in your airlines, flight number, and departure date, and wooo-laaaa! It tells you what seats are the best and worst on the plane. Isn't that cool? I love it. It looks like the second row exit seats would work best for us.

We want to spend around 11-12 days on our European excursion. Does anyone have any suggestions on what day to fly out? I've heard Tues and Weds, but the price doesn't seem to change much. I'm not sure. I will definitely keep you posted on what we end up doing. Until later, have a great weekend!

France Friday!

Don't worry lovely ladies! I haven't forgotten about the rest of the bridal shower pictures, but I couldn't miss my France Friday! As you've previously read, every Friday we chat about our anniversary trip. We are still on the first leg of our trip which is Paris, France. This week lets chat about one of my favorite things to do......EATING!

I stumbled upon this link that lists Paris' top 10 budget friendly eateries. This will be a long vacation for us, so we need to stretch the dollar as far as we can. Anyone have any recommendations?

:::switching gears:::

Have you ever heard of a pro-creation vacation? Yeah me either until I saw this blog.

{Disclaimer: I'm not TTC nor is this trip a pro-creation vacation}

I just think its funny that people will come up with all types of names of a vacation...lol!

France Friday!

Last week we spoke about the first part of our European extravaganza, which is Paris. Today lets talk about accommodations for our three night stay. One of my favorite travel websites is Tripadvisor.com. They offer some amazing free travel guides to answer any questions you may have. While I was perusing through the site, I came across a few recommendations for where to stay. Right now the USD is extremely weak in comparison to the EURO (Euro 1 = $1.40). Lets hope it will strengthen in time for our trip. Take a look at these:

Hotel Royal Magda Etoile

Euro112 p/night

Hotel de la Porte Dorée

EURO65 p/night

Hotel Terminus-Orlean

from 90 € to 110 € p/ night

As you can see, we have so much to choose from. Paris has soooo much to offer. Up next for France Friday is FOOD! I'm a "foodie" so this is what I'm looking forward to the most!

All information was taken from here.

France Friday!

The hubbs and I are planning an exciting trip to Europe for our first anniversary. Every week I plan to have France Friday! Although France will not be our only stop, France Friday (doesn't it sound cute) will reveal every aspect of our trip plus I'll be asking advice when needed. I cannot explain to you how amped up we are for our excursion. Our first stop on this adventure is Paris and Versailles, France. We will be staying for 3 nights. Paris looks like such a beautiful city. It has much to offer with respect to history, art, food (yummy!), and culture. Our list of things to see/do in Paris include:

The Louvre

From its beginnings as a royal fortress to the public institution we see today, discover the Musée du Louvre: its role, its aims, and the expertise of the people who make it work.

Info taken from here.

The Eiffel Tower

Date of birth: March 31, 1889 (hoisting the flag to the top), built for the Universal Exhibition in celebration of the French Revolution.

Info taken from here.


Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It forms the backdrop for an impressive urban ensemble in Paris. The monument surmounts the hill of Chaillot at the center of a star-shaped configuration of 12 radiating avenues.

Info taken from here.

Notre Dame de Paris

Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the world. Notre Dame de Paris was one of the first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction spanned the Gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass show the heavy influence of naturalism unlike that of earlier Romanesque architecture.

Info taken from here.

Versailles

For centuries, the name of the Parisian suburb of Versailles resounded through the consciousness of every aristocratic family in France. The palace here out-dazzled every other kingly residence in Europe.

Info taken from here.

As you can see, we have a jam packed 3 days. We are super excited and ready for the adventure. Happy Friday Everyone!