I'm going to Paris!

I'm going to Paris! I am so thrilled!

I've been packing and studying French language (Rosetta Stone) and reading my Frommer's (and Citywise Paris map and Paris Guide and many more--see end of this post) and generally getting ready for the big trip. Only a couple of days to go and so much more to do and learn! The Louvre! The Eiffel Tower! Cafe au lait! Chocolat!....can't wait...

John's cousin Liz started talking to me about making this trip about a year and a half ago -- she was planning to rent an apartment for a month and wanted to invite some of her friends to time-share with her. It took me awhile to sign on (although, of course, I WANTED to from the instant she first mentioned it to me at the 2007 Pulpwood Queens' Girlfriend Week-end) but, now, I am just about ready to go to the City of Lights!

Liz got into the apartment in the 9th Arrondissement on June 1st. Several of her friends (Pulpwood Queens also) are spending a week or so with her...my turn starts on the 20th and ends on the 30th. I hope they are having a good time....I haven't spoken with Liz since she got there..and, after checking the exchange rate, I hope the money is holding out and that mine will also.

At least the weather is pleasant -- I've been keeping up with Paris' weather (on the Weather Underground website) and it should be really great when I get there: lows in the 40s, highs in 60s, 70s. It has had me a little confused about what to wear, though -- I'm taking pants (mostly) and t-shirts with jackets....and sandals and athletic shoes. I'm afraid comfort is going to win out over couture (Je suis Americaine, after all.)

BlogNote: I've been wanting to try out blogging (and I hope this works out) -- I thought it was going to be about books and my library in the barn...but the trip to Paris is proving to motivate me to actually get this started. I intend to post daily and upload pictures from the day's activities. This is just an experiment but hopefully it will allow me to share the trip with my family and friends.

BookList: In closing this initial post, I include a book list...I am a Librarian in a Barn, after all.

Frommer's Paris 2008 by Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince (2007)
Frommer's is always a good place to start for travel info, maps, etc. Generally good travel tips as well. (Checked out from Fort Smith Public Library (FSPL))

Frommer's Portable Paris 2001 by Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince (2000)
I got this one from the library (recently weeded, considered out-of-date); I wish I had a 2008 version but the info probably has not changed much (in general) -- small things like the Euro replacing the French franc but I plan to carry this one with me for its more compact size.

Frommer's 24 Great Walks in Paris by Peter and Oriel Caine (2008)
Great info about 1 to 2.5 mile walks in the city to see the most; includes restaurants in the vicinity of the great places you will want to see (with addresses, hours, phone number, dress code, cuisine, etc.) as well as the hours and phone numbers of museums and other places of interest. (Amazon)

Streetwise Paris by Michael Brown (rev. 2008)
Laminated city street map of Paris with map of Metro to carry. Comes highly recommended (Amazon). We'll see.

Paris Changing by Christopher Rauschenberg (2007)
Great photographs by author of scenes in Paris previously taken by famous French photographer Eugene Atget, who photographed Paris from 1888-1927. Some of these scenes have hardly changed; some have changed radically. (Amazon)