Please do not forget to call your banks and credit cards so you can use them in Paris. If you plan on using your phones there you may also want to call and verify your plan and costs associated with international roaming.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
MHS kiddos, dress code
Good news MHS kids! On Friday March 8th Mr. Root has given Paris travelers permission to be out of dress code, this means that you may wear sweats, comfy pants, and shirts of your choice. You MAY NOT wear short clothes, tank tops or inappropriate attire. You have to pick up a dress code pass from Satterwhite starting next Monday. :) remember you will be wearing this same outfit for our first day in Paris.... Be comfy but sensible.
Quick Luggage/packing Reminders
One checked bag- cannot exceed 50 lbs getting there or returning.
Pack less on the way over to help yourself out.
One personal bag (messenger bag, backpack, etc.)
Can carry a coat on the plane.
In your carry on- one change of undergarments and a fresh t-shirt, just in case. "freshen up" zip loc bag, with travel size toothpaste, toothbrush, travel size deodorant, make-up if you must. It all has to fit in a quart size bag (the liquids). Bring a couple of protein bars even though we know Air France will feed you well. passport, some american money for before we depart in Houston ($10 will do) and 2-3 days Euros.
In your checked bag- make sure you have the following, in addition to your clothing:
- adapter/converter
- TSA locks so you can use your luggage like a safe
- travel alarm clock for the room
- wrist watch for on tour (remember your cell phones may or may not work)
- nail clippers/nail file (you will have toe/feet issues..I promise)
- toiletries
- hair dryer (one per room)
- two pairs of your most comfortable, worn-in, shoes in addition to the ones you wear on the plane.
Good news...our hotel is AWESOME. Preliminary reports are that students will not have to room four to a room, only two to a room. It will make a huge difference in navigating space and schedules.
Pack less on the way over to help yourself out.
One personal bag (messenger bag, backpack, etc.)
Can carry a coat on the plane.
In your carry on- one change of undergarments and a fresh t-shirt, just in case. "freshen up" zip loc bag, with travel size toothpaste, toothbrush, travel size deodorant, make-up if you must. It all has to fit in a quart size bag (the liquids). Bring a couple of protein bars even though we know Air France will feed you well. passport, some american money for before we depart in Houston ($10 will do) and 2-3 days Euros.
In your checked bag- make sure you have the following, in addition to your clothing:
- adapter/converter
- TSA locks so you can use your luggage like a safe
- travel alarm clock for the room
- wrist watch for on tour (remember your cell phones may or may not work)
- nail clippers/nail file (you will have toe/feet issues..I promise)
- toiletries
- hair dryer (one per room)
- two pairs of your most comfortable, worn-in, shoes in addition to the ones you wear on the plane.
Good news...our hotel is AWESOME. Preliminary reports are that students will not have to room four to a room, only two to a room. It will make a huge difference in navigating space and schedules.
The Weather Report in Paris
Our amazing tour guide (you all are going to fall in love with her. She is the most charming person.), Guylaine (ghee-lane-uh) is talking with us regularly at this point and has reported that snow has been in the air. Don't panic! I am watching the weather trends and the ten day forcast goes all the way out to our arrival day and is showing a warming trend. The high on the 9th is currently posted as 57 degrees. This is still very cold by our current temps here and it means that at night and early mornings, it will be bitter cold. Please pack layers but also drape a coat over your arm for the flight there (Don't stress about packing this. They will let you just carry this one the plane.)
I will update the weather on the 7th so you can make any last minute adjustments to the contents of your luggage.
I will update the weather on the 7th so you can make any last minute adjustments to the contents of your luggage.
Siene River Tour and St. Chapelle
Amongst so many other memorable experiences in Paris, we will have two that are my all-time favorites.
If you are NOT a MHS student then you will need to pay a fee to go on the Siene River boat tour. This is not included in the tour price but something we have arranged for the first night that we are in Paris. It's a beautiful way to end the day, strolling the river Siene and seeing all of the beautiful landmarks in Paris that we will be seeing throughout our tour. The "City of Lights" has two souls, one at night and one during the day and both should be seen when visiting. This tour will be free, through fundraising, to all MHS students. All other participants will pay between 13-15 euros for this tour. This amount will be collected before getting on the boat. It's very chilly if riding outside on deck, so bundle up!
http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/index.cfm/home/LID/2?gclid=CKXRg5z21rUCFc9AMgodB0EAlA
There are many architectural sites that are jaw dropping, but perhaps none more than St. Chapelle. This "jewelry box" is a 13th century chapel was built by King Louis the IX to recieve Christian relics, including Christ's Crown of Thorns. This chapel is not part of our tour fee but one that no one should miss. We have arranged for this to be included at a group expense of 5 Euros per person.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle
If you are NOT a MHS student then you will need to pay a fee to go on the Siene River boat tour. This is not included in the tour price but something we have arranged for the first night that we are in Paris. It's a beautiful way to end the day, strolling the river Siene and seeing all of the beautiful landmarks in Paris that we will be seeing throughout our tour. The "City of Lights" has two souls, one at night and one during the day and both should be seen when visiting. This tour will be free, through fundraising, to all MHS students. All other participants will pay between 13-15 euros for this tour. This amount will be collected before getting on the boat. It's very chilly if riding outside on deck, so bundle up!
http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/index.cfm/home/LID/2?gclid=CKXRg5z21rUCFc9AMgodB0EAlA
There are many architectural sites that are jaw dropping, but perhaps none more than St. Chapelle. This "jewelry box" is a 13th century chapel was built by King Louis the IX to recieve Christian relics, including Christ's Crown of Thorns. This chapel is not part of our tour fee but one that no one should miss. We have arranged for this to be included at a group expense of 5 Euros per person.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle
Saturday, January 5, 2013
What do I wear in Paris??
Some of you may already be wondering what kind of clothes people wear in Paris. I found some websites that will be helpful in helping you decide. I can tell you from my own experience in traveling at the exact same time of year on multiple trips that it will be about 50 degrees, plus or minus ten degrees in early mornings and at night. This is about what our average winter temperatures are here.
So what do people wear in Paris, the fashion capital of the world? They wear mostly black pants and shoes, definitely a snazzy wool coat, scarves are a MUST (male and female) and layers of clothes underneat the coat. You can pull off jeans one or two days but won't be welcomed with fondness into a restaurant in the evening time in jeans so plan carefully. If wearing jeans, your best bet is to really choose your snazziest shoes, hip shirt and nice wool pea coat and scarff so you don't look frumpy at all. Shoes will be your most important decision. If you want to offend Parisians and scream "I am an American tourist!" then be sure and pack your baseball hats and tennis shoes. Parisians are quick to judge so I wouldn't advise any such thing and you won't be allowed inside most establishments with the hat. As your tour leader, I will likely tell you to not pack one. Shoes that make EXCELLENT choices are sketcher type shoes (winter varieties) that lace up, are comfy like tennis shoes but aren't tennis shoes. Also, your feet will get cold so wearing a shoe that requires socks, is a good choice. In an effort to keep your feet from aching, I'd recommend at least 2 pairs of shoes, three will be optimal if you have room in your bag. Two casuals you can swap out and one a little dressier but still sensibly comfortable. For everyone over 30 going on the trip, I'd recommend a good pair of Merrell's or Clarks to get you going without foot pain. I personally will be taking three pairs of shoes, one sketcher, one merrell and one clarks.
Coat tip: Buy your coat at a resale shop right before we go. You are likely to only spend a few bucks (under 20) for a good wool coat and then you can leave it in your hotel room when we return to make room for your souvenirs. This is what I do and it worked GREAT!
Clothes: If you need to pick up some clothes for this trip, wait until our winter is over and they are all on the sale racks before we leave in March. There is no need to break the bank for your clothing.
In case you want a second opinion, I have posted some helpful links here to see what people in Paris are wearing.
http://www.myparistrips.com/what-to-wear-in-Paris-France.html
http://www.journeywoman.com/girltalk/paris/paris_packing.html
Here's a great picture of what to expect when we pass people on the streets there.
http://www.wagner.edu/departments/languages/sites/wagner.edu.departments.languages/files/images/Madrid%20255.jpg
So what do people wear in Paris, the fashion capital of the world? They wear mostly black pants and shoes, definitely a snazzy wool coat, scarves are a MUST (male and female) and layers of clothes underneat the coat. You can pull off jeans one or two days but won't be welcomed with fondness into a restaurant in the evening time in jeans so plan carefully. If wearing jeans, your best bet is to really choose your snazziest shoes, hip shirt and nice wool pea coat and scarff so you don't look frumpy at all. Shoes will be your most important decision. If you want to offend Parisians and scream "I am an American tourist!" then be sure and pack your baseball hats and tennis shoes. Parisians are quick to judge so I wouldn't advise any such thing and you won't be allowed inside most establishments with the hat. As your tour leader, I will likely tell you to not pack one. Shoes that make EXCELLENT choices are sketcher type shoes (winter varieties) that lace up, are comfy like tennis shoes but aren't tennis shoes. Also, your feet will get cold so wearing a shoe that requires socks, is a good choice. In an effort to keep your feet from aching, I'd recommend at least 2 pairs of shoes, three will be optimal if you have room in your bag. Two casuals you can swap out and one a little dressier but still sensibly comfortable. For everyone over 30 going on the trip, I'd recommend a good pair of Merrell's or Clarks to get you going without foot pain. I personally will be taking three pairs of shoes, one sketcher, one merrell and one clarks.
Coat tip: Buy your coat at a resale shop right before we go. You are likely to only spend a few bucks (under 20) for a good wool coat and then you can leave it in your hotel room when we return to make room for your souvenirs. This is what I do and it worked GREAT!
Clothes: If you need to pick up some clothes for this trip, wait until our winter is over and they are all on the sale racks before we leave in March. There is no need to break the bank for your clothing.
In case you want a second opinion, I have posted some helpful links here to see what people in Paris are wearing.
http://www.journeywoman.com/girltalk/paris/paris_packing.html
http://www.wagner.edu/departments/languages/sites/wagner.edu.departments.languages/files/images/Madrid%20255.jpg
It's a must! Travel Guide.
All you Paris travelers need to download**, pick up or check out (library book) a Paris travel guide and start learning a little about where we are going, what we are seeing, the food we'll eat, the history of the city, etc. There are all sorts of fascinating facts about any city but Paris is a historically significant city that is also alive and well with modern goings on. The best way to get a quick view of the city and to get your excitement factor way up is to grab one of these books. There are many different varieties to pick up at the store. Frommers is probably the safest bet, followed by Rick Steve's travel guides. I personally love the Eyewitness brand travel guides. The Eyewitness guides come in a more comprehensive book like Frommers and Steve's but they also have a "top ten" guide to all the major cities in the world. These are great for quick reference and for carrying about while there visiting. If budget is of no concern I would consider this trio to be all that you'll need to be well informed:
Rick Steve's or Frommers big guide
Plus...an Eyewitness "Top Ten Paris" guide
Plus... a pocket reference of common french terms for anyone that is not in the French class. YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW SOME French. If nothing else, you need to know some key phrases to ask questions "where is the bathroom?" exchange expected pleasantries "Hello/goodbye Ma'am!, please and thank you." And some simple statements "check please!"
And remember, don't forget places like "half price books" if you want to own your own copy and using the library isn't going to work for you.
**I recommend having an actual book to take with you as you travel, as technology is sketchy while on tour.
Bon Jour!
Rick Steve's or Frommers big guide
Plus...an Eyewitness "Top Ten Paris" guide
Plus... a pocket reference of common french terms for anyone that is not in the French class. YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW SOME French. If nothing else, you need to know some key phrases to ask questions "where is the bathroom?" exchange expected pleasantries "Hello/goodbye Ma'am!, please and thank you." And some simple statements "check please!"
And remember, don't forget places like "half price books" if you want to own your own copy and using the library isn't going to work for you.
**I recommend having an actual book to take with you as you travel, as technology is sketchy while on tour.
Bon Jour!
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