We'll take a diversion from our regular Paris blogs.   One my favorite day trips is to take the easy 1 ½ hour train ride up to Brussels (known as Bruxelles in French).  Trains run frequently from Gare du Nord into Brussels Midi station.  The round trip fare is less than $100 if you book in advance.

Brussels is a terrific walking city.  It’s funky, it’s gothic, and you just cannot beat the mussels and beer.  You must have a Belgian waffle and bring home some chocolate with you.    In many ways it is much different than Paris.  English is widely spoken.   For Brussels tourist info, including a map, try this link: http://www.visitbelgium.com/  

Read the Paris blog and find out what to see on a day trip to Brussels.

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Much has been written on the web lately regarding the use of credit cards and ATM cards overseas.   I have investigated the situation rather thoroughly.  In this Paris blog I will give you some advice and warnings about using credit cards and ATM cards in Paris. 

I will talk about the practicalities in using your cards and which cards offer the best "deal".  I will also talk about if you should bring your cards to Paris at all or if you should just bring euros.   In any case, I am sure that you will find this Paris blog of use to you.

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People often ask me what area they should stay in Paris.   In fact, just about any area isn’t bad.  Paris is serviced by an excellent transportation system.  It is a safe city, providing ordinary precautions are taken.   Good resources and services such as restaurants and stores are widely spread throughout the city.  

However, when I conducted a recent survey on www.travelingprofessor.com, respondents overwhelmingly responded that “location” should be the foremost reason for selecting a hotel.  In my opinion, the best place to stay in Paris for a traveler is the Latin Quarter.

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I get this question (or some variation of it) all of the time.   Some people are intimidated about going to Paris because they think the “language barrier” will be a problem.   They want to know how much French they will be required to learn before they travel to Paris and they also want to know if the French speak enough English to communicate with them.   In this blog, I will tell you exactly what you need to know in order to communicate with our French friends in Paris.

I really take pleasure in hosting "guest bloggers" on my Paris blog.   They seem to have special insight and an intimate knowledge of their own little slices of heaven in Paris.    This guest Paris blog is by a true lover of Paris culture and dining, Bill.  He visits Paris quite frequently and owns an apartment in Le Marais section of Paris.  Please enjoy his descriptions of five great places to eat while visiting the most diverse, interesting, and captivating of all areas in Paris:

Choosing “great” restaurants in Paris provides the same difficulty for me as when people ask me “what is the best place to stay in Paris?” or “what are the best things to do in Paris?”  So the following five places in my own neighborhood, the Marais, are ones that I consider great for a variety of different reasons.

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