The Time Has Come for You to Travel on Your Own

This is where we part ways and you take all of the valuable information I've given to you and put it to good use. I wish I could tag along but I've had my fun and now it's your turn. Some final words of advice and suggestions...

Just have fun, try not to worry too much about logistics and your budget, save money but have a good time and relax. Don't be afraid to meet new people or step out of your comfort zone. Be respectful of each countries' culture. Keep a journal! Save your tickets and maps (you can make a map collage in your room when you get home!). People watch. Try new food and drinks. Get lost and don't use a map, ask people around you for directions. Try to pick up a new language. See a movie and a concert. Rent a paddle boat on a river. Find at least one park in each city to take a break in. Enjoy.

May I Also Suggest...

Ireland
Spain
Germany
The Netherlands
Greece
Switzerland
Morocco
Turkey

Na shledanou! Au Revoir! Ciao! Good bye!

Cross Club

Since this is a study abroad blog for students, and I've failed to focus on the night life in most of the cities I've discussed, I'm going to go into detail about one of my favorite clubs from Prague: Cross Club.


Cross Club, a very eclectic club located in Prague 7, was originally a very exclusive underground club with a “friends only” policy. The club only emerged from the underground scene when in 2004 it finally obtained all its permits and licenses from Prague’s bureaucrats. What makes this club so appealing is the constantly changing design of the interior and the wide variety of entertainment it offers. While it can be argued that if you are a strong supporter of alternative culture Cross Club is your perfect venue. However the variety of entertainment and the unique design also offer something to those who are not so alternatively inclined.

The variety of entertainment the club has to offer is what makes Cross Club such a desirable venue. Not only does the club host bands and DJs from all over the world but they also offer performances from experimental theater, poetry readings, exhibitions, and project Ghettolledge. Ghettolledge I found particularly interesting because this is also known as a street university where professors and recognized experts lecture on various subjects. What makes this club so popular is that it gives the customers choices. Rather than having a certain band or speaker forced upon them as their only option Cross Club offers a variety of choices that meet the wants of a diverse clientele. In order to keep up with Prague’s varying interest in music the club also offers a variety of music styles. These styles include ska, punk, world music, and various forms of techno, rave, and reggae.

Much like Prague’s alternative culture scene the design of Cross Club is always changing and gives it a very lively feel. It is this constant change in design that gives the club its distinct atmosphere. While the overall look and design of the club has changed significantly the original design of the club can be seen in the upstairs bar area. Here the lounge area, with foosball room, and cozy seating area still serves as the perfect place for students to relax. However, the club also serves as an exhibition space for a multitude of unique designs and inventions. Most of these designs emit light and give the club its distinctive look. What is just as interesting about these light fixtures is that an electrician who has never taken any art or design courses designed them.

The club’s manager originally asked Frantisek “Fanda” Chmelik to install basic wiring for the club and instead Fanda unleashed his creativity on the space. Chmelik created various contraptions that resemble machinery and lights that he often incorporated into murals or mosaics. It is almost as if the inner workings of his chaotic mind have manifested themselves in the different designs of each room. The bar utilizes the shapes of church-organ pipes for it’s general design. In the next room over the pipes are inverted and become miniature wall-mounted tables, which are also equipped with a single pipe that provides just enough light to illuminate the ashtray. Throughout the club Chmelik reinvents various objects to use as centerpieces or to mount on the walls. Overall the club has a very futuristic and organic feel to it. Because Chemelik has been a part of Cross Club from its inception he has been able to work in an environment of absolute creative freedom. It is also important to note that the area in which Cross Club is located used to be part of Prague’s industrial district, and therefore the mechanical design of the venue compliments the building’s history.

Ultimately Cross Club is a favorite of the Prague nightlife scene because it has shed its veil of exclusivity and caters to locals and tourists alike. There is something for everyone to enjoy at Cross Club and I will definitely take any of my friends who are visiting Prague to Cross Club.

Prague

Prague is an amazing city with so many things to offer. Prague is one of the few cities, formerly under the rule of the Communist regime, that has made an incredible come back. The city is now one of Europe's top destinations for travelers and study abroad students alike. Prague has incredible history, architecture, culture, food, and entertainment.

Luckily for you the Czech Republic still uses the Czech Koruna which comes out to 18.99 koruna per US dollar. Once again like in Budapest (although not as much as you could in Budapest) you can really get your money's worth. Now is the time to spend a little more on a nice dinner or nice souvenirs for family and friends back home (the Czech hand painted egg ornament is an important Czech tradition and favorite souvenir). Another word of advice, don't tip too much. Tipping is not common among Czechs but since you are a foreigner you are expected to leave something. In all my time in Prague I never tipped more than 20 Czech korunas for a meal, which is the equivalent of $1.05. Don't expect exceptional service in Prague either, unless you're lucky enough to stay at a five star hotel the general rule in the Czech Republic is "the customer is always wrong." Don't be offended if you get an unfriendly waiter or are forced to wait 20 minutes for your check, it's just the norm.

Something else to keep in mind... the Czech Republic only came out of the rule of the Communist regime 21 years ago, and besides the fact that many of the older generation actually long for the days of Communism (it may sound ridiculous but imagine a world where everyone has a job and people are generally well off and you can understand their disdain for the harsh effects of a Capitalist system). The Czech Republic itself is also only 21 years old as it was split apart from Slovakia following the fall of Communism-- this has created a fair amount of tension over ownership of films, songs, and novels that were once Czechoslovakian. Their languages are only slightly different and Czechs get a long fine with Slovaks but there is still some underlying tension you should be aware of before you claim something is solely Czech or Slovak etc. As you keep this in mind it's good to know that the Czech culture is still very much affected by its Communist years. This manifests itself in a very quiet populace-- the Czechs aren't generally loud, especially in public on trams or in metro stations-- and you would do well to follow suit. It is also a common courtesy to give your seat up on a tram or subway car to the elderly, disabled, or pregnant women-- if you do you'll get an appreciative smile and quiet thank you-- help defeat the loud rude American stereotype and be sure to do this.

To get a proper history lesson and to really appreciate the architecture in Prague you must visit the following:
-Prague Castle (Prazsky hrad) the largest castle in the world with St. Vitus Cathedral
-Old Town (Staré Město) with its Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock
-Charles Bridge (Karlův Most)
-New Town (Nové město) and the historic Wenceslas Square (this square was filled to the brim with people demanding the end of Communism after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989)
-Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter) with its Infant Jesus of Prague and its picturesque streets
-Josefov (the old Jewish quarter) with Old Jewish Cemetery and Old New Synagogue
-The Lennon Wall (after John Lennon was shot a Mexican student studying abroad in Prague painted his portrait on a wall in the neighborhood along the Vltava river close to the Charles Bridge)-- now students and travelers from all over the world sign their names on the wall
-Vysehrad (located in Prague 2)- this is the ancient castle was built in the 10th century overlooking the Vltava River. It is also next to my former school in Prague and holds a special place in my heart because I had to walk past it to get to class everyday.
-Try to see a show at the National Theatre (Narodni Divadlo)-- their ballets are fantastic.

Something Fun I Want To Share:

I wrote this blog post while I was studying abroad this past spring semester. I thought it'd be great to share as I near the end of this blog because it's an interesting way for me and you as a traveler to reflect on how different it is to be in the middle of your travels and then to look back at them at a later date. I think this post says a lot about what one can expect while studying abroad or extensively traveling at such a young age, and maybe provide you with a few more tips or important things to prepare for before traveling.

April 2010:
When I saw the email from Matt asking that we submit a blog entry on our experiences abroad I became very excited because there is so much I want to share with all of you. When I actually sat down to start writing this though I realized that it is an almost impossible task because I don’t even know how to sum up my study abroad experience so far in a blog entry. I’ll just stick to generalities. In a nutshell since coming to Prague I’ve traveled to Paris, Budapest, London, Vienna, Galway, Dublin, Krakow, Venice, Florence, and Rome. I have learned a few Czech phrases (Czech is a horribly difficult language), tried Czech cuisine, and traveled to various cities around the Czech Republic. I have made bonds with people that will last a lifetime. I have made travel memories with friends that we still love laughing about. I have gone on pub-crawls, I’ve gone spelunking, visited a bathhouse, and seen Auschwitz. I had to endure the coldest day in Prague in 20 years, while touring the Prague castle; it was 9 degrees. I’ve booked numerous flights, hostels, and train tickets. I’ve had to learn how to use the Prague public transportation without anyone’s help. Above all I had to learn to plan a trip completely on my own, acclimate to the Czech culture, deal with the occasional tinge of home sickness, and do my best to stay in touch with friends back home. Studying abroad is like freshman year all over again, you get to reinvent yourself, and as everyone continuously reminds me “everything here is not real.” People go out almost every night, and I have no idea how they aren’t always exhausted. I have loved the cheap prices here, and how small and manageable the city is. I absolutely detest the fact that you have to pay for ketchup, bread, butter, and water. Besides that I have thoroughly enjoyed traveling almost every weekend and meeting amazing people from all over the U.S. and Europe. Studying abroad has really allowed me to take a step back from my usual life and realize what is truly important to me and what I miss the most.

My friends and I in Florence (luckily all of them also go to USC and we've remained very close to this day):

Time to Back Track... Prague!!!

We are reaching the final stop of our trip: Prague. I studied abroad in this city for almost five months and I absolutely loved it. Before I go into great detail about my time there, comment on the culture, entertainment, history, and what to do I want to give you a sampling of Prague that is completely free of my opinions.

Photographs, won't do the real beauty of Prague justice but they certainly help. I want to share two movie trailers: one is a Czechoslovakian New Wave film and the other is a modern Czech film. I want to juxtapose these two because I want you to come to a conclusion on your own about the changes in entertainment from when Czechoslovakia was under Communist rule to the modern day Czech Republic.

The view of Prague Castle from across the Vltava River:






The park next to my school:





Having fun with friends in Prague's Old Town Square:




Having a good old time on the famous Charles Bridge:




Now for the trailers:

Jiri Menzel's 1966 film "Closely Watched Trains"



Jiri Menzel's 2006 film "I Served the King of England"




Both are based on novels by the esteemed Czech writer Bohumil Hrabel and deal with similar coming of age issues, but notice their differences based on the radically different political periods they were made in.

Exploring Budapest

Budapest is a very interesting city. It has come along way since the fall of Communism but it is still very much an evolving, growing city. The economic changes of the early 1990s resulted in declining living standards for most Hungarians. In 1991 most state subsidies were removed which lead to a severe recession. The economy has slowly been improving and continued to improve once Hungary decided to join the European Union in 2004. While Hungary's economy is still struggling the good thing for you as a student traveler is that your visit to Budapest will be an extremely affordable one. If you're traveling to Hungary from Italy your most economic means of travel would be to fly to Prague and then take an overnight bus to Budapest. They are extremely affordable and actually very safe. Most of their passengers are students and the occasional local. Do your best to book an overnight bus so you can spend a full two to three days in Budapest. Be sure to get out of the bus when it stops in Slovakia just so you can take a quick look around.

Things you must do in Budapest:
1. Go Cave Exploring! With a guide of course! See: http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.com/caving-in-budapest.html
This was definitely one of my most memorable experiences from studying abroad. They do give you a jumpsuit to crawl around in but make sure you prepare by wearing proper shoes, and be prepared for some fairly intense cave exploring. It may sound scary but it's definitely worth it!
2. Go to a bath house! Budapest is known for its bath houses which are basically giant outdoor jacuzzi's. When my friends and I went it started snowing while we were in the outdoor bath house, it was pretty amazing. See this website for more information: http://www.spasbudapest.com/furdo.php?idx=2
3. Visit the Central Market Hall. Watch out for pickpocketers and seedy looking individuals eyeing your wallets but this is the best place to buy inexpensive but authentic Hungarian souvenirs. While you're at it enjoy some very delicious authentic Hungarian food in between shopping.
4. Walk across the Chain Bridge and admire the differences between Buda and Pest which are split by the Danube river.
5. Visit Castle Hill- Here you can see the Royal Palace and Matthias Church, plus you'll get the best panoramic views of the city from a top this hill.
6. Definitely visit the Terror Museum- Here you can learn about the Nazi and Communist regime in Hungary- two very horribly powerful regimes that were responsible for mass murders, and controling the government.

Below: My friends and I have a little too much fun posing with an important Hungarian monument in front of the Hungarian Parliament.

Budapest! Already?

Yes it's time to get a move on. All of the cities you've visited have been pretty mainstream Western European cities. Why not end your trip with a visit to Budapest and one more city to be named at a later date...

On a very very good note the currency in Hungary called the forint, is not worth very much at all. One Hungarian Forint is the equivalent of 0.0048 US dollars... so don't go crazy but your dollars will definitely go a long way here.

Fun fact: The country is home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second largest thermal lake in the world (Lake Hévíz), the largest lake in Central Europe (Lake Balaton), and the largest natural grasslands in Europe (Hortobágy).

To get you revved up for the next post which will go into further detail of what to expect and what to do in Hungary here are some fun photos:

Venice, Florence, Rome: Go!

Italy is the perfect country to visit if you have four to five days to spare. You can see at least three cities and spend a day to a day and half in each, and if you plan your visits efficiently you can see almost everything one should see when visiting those cities.

Now for a quick and easy to follow check list of things to do in each city:

Venice:

1. If you can, make sure you visit Venice during Carnival. It starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Mardi Gras. Carnival began as a way to celebrate and express oneself regardless of class-- by wearing a mask you were able to hide your identity and therefore your social class. Today at least 30,000 visitors come to Venice for Carnival each year.
2. Fork out the money and take a Gondola ride, you won't regret it.
3. Walk through the Piazza San Marco and ignore the urge to feed the pigeons- they will swarm around you if you start to feed them.
4. Visit Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell' Accademia): this museum contains the most important collection of paintings of the Venetian school, with masterpieces by Bellini, Titian, Giorgione, Tintoretto, Veronese, Tiepolo, and Rosalba Carriera.
5. Get lost in the maze of Venetian streets.
6. Share a giant box of Italian pizza with friends for lunch while sitting along the water's edge of one of the many canals.
7. Buy a Carnival mask.
8. Enjoy and marvel at the beautiful Venetian Gothic architecture.



Florence:

1. Visit the Uffizi-- one of the most famous and important art galleries in the world. It contains works by: da Vinci, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raffaello to name a few... oh and it has the largest collection of Botticelli's works in the world.
2. Visit the Galleria dell' Accademia just to see Michelangelo's David.
3. Visit the the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore-- it is one of the most important landmarks of Florence and is one Italy's largest churches.
4. Visit the Piazza della Signoria as it is one of the focal points of the city and while you're walking around take note of all the statues lining the square. You'll find a copy of the David as well as two copies of statues by Donatello-- among others with very interesting histories.
5. Enjoy views like this one:



Rome: (I'll refrain from going into too much detail on these since they are such iconic and well known landmarks.

1. The Colseum- prepare for long lines and very annoying tourists.
2. The Vatican and Vatican Museums- the Sistine Chapel is a must see.
3. The Spanish Steps- watch out for crowds, it can get pretty overwhelming.
4. Trevi Fountain- don't miss when you're throwing your penny over your shoulder!
5. The Pantheon- one of the temples dedicated to all the gods of Ancient Rome.
6. Fork out the money for a nice Italian dinner.

Buongiorno Italia!

As much as I love France it's time to move on. Luckily the next stop is an amazing one. Italy. So many cities to visit, so little time, but luckily it's very easy to visit multiple cities in less than 5 days. Now is definitely the time to improve your time management skills.

Luckily you're still using the Euro so there is no need to exchange currencies. The economy was definitely hit hard by the recession and it's slowly making it's way back just like the rest of the world. But keep in mind that Italy is known for its higher prices; it is still a fairly touristy destination. You can always find great deals if you look hard enough. While I was in Italy the best thing I bought was a leather bracelet in a marketplace. All of my friends got matching ones and we still have them to this day. So spend less and focus more on making memories.

Best airlines from Paris to just about anywhere in Italy: Easyjet. If you don't mind flying to another city first and then catching a connecting flight to Italy use Wizz Air or Smart Wings. Keep in mind that with these discount airlines you may have to fly out of one of the smaller Parisian airports and usually land in a more rural airport of Milan or Rome. Either way it's definitely worth the price.

Getting around Italy: trains, trains, trains. Tren Italia is your best bet for inexpensive train rides. You've probably heard a lot about Eurostar and the Eurorail pass but for a student it is truly a rip off and will cost you an arm and a leg. Just make sure you don't decide to buy your train tickets last minute during a holiday weekend-- especially Easter. My friends and I bought our train tickets from Venice to Florence last minute during Easter weekend and ended up having to spend extra on first class tickets since second class was completely sold out. Plan ahead and save money.

Another tip: watch out for pickpocketers. Italy is notorious for them. As long as you are a smart traveler and always aware of your surroundings this won't be a problem. Don't be the dumb tourist.

These tips should help during your entire stay in Italy, in my next post I'll go into specifics for multiple Italian cities.

Film and Television In Europe: Why It Must Change

Being a film studies major I couldn’t help but research the state of film and television in Europe and how it is affected by the American film and television industry. In a previous post I discussed the issue of European identity and how Europe’s history of war, genocide, and immigration between countries makes it difficult for each country to maintain a strong sense of traditional nationalism. I concluded that the while the answer to maintaining a modern sense of nationalism through the creation of the European Union is a hopeful stab at maintaining unity between nations that have been divided by wars and regimes and whose demographics have changed immensely due to immigration—that ultimately Europe must face its dark history and move beyond its prejudices towards immigrants and changing borders in order to truly move forward. This issue can also be applied, on a smaller level, in terms of the state of European media and how it must change to stay a viable business in Europe.

The face of Europe is changing, and it is only appropriate that the face of European television change with it. According to Rana Dogar’s Newsweek article For decades, Americans sold TV programs and Europeans bought them. Now
Europe's making its own shows--and audiences are thrilled.; Changing Channels;
[Atlantic Edition], she makes the comment: “when people watch TV they want to see themselves.” This can directly be applied to the changing face of the European population and its media preferences. Europe has a growing population of minorities ranging from Asians, Indians, Middle Easterners, and south-eastern Europeans -- this multi-cultural group cannot be expected to strictly value the outdated homogenous nationalistic values generally present in public service broadcasting. Likewise, if Europe wants to hold its own against the dominating American film and television industries, it must create transnational programming that can transcend borders. It could be argued that increased transnational television programming is simply a form of commercialization that will yield low-brow programming aimed to please the uneducated masses. However, it is clear that an increase in transnational marketing by European television companies is yielding both high quality and more mainstream programming. It is this adaptation that has allowed European media companies to continue to compete against the dominant American companies.

It is important to first discredit the claim that transnational European programming is only capable of producing low quality television or that transnational European programming will be the end of public service broadcasting quality television. “The Count of Monte Cristo” is a prime example of how transnational television can retain the qualities of a public service broadcast program. In case you aren’t familiar with it here is a clip from the film that features the male and female leads and also gives you a sense of the look, style, and high caliber acting within this public service broadcast mini series.



Its male lead is Frenchman Gerard Depardieu and its female lead is an Italian woman named Ornella Muti. Sticking to the tradition of European television programming it is long, has a high production value, and is a period piece that idealizes Europe in its aesthetics. Nonetheless, this mini-series was a hit in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia; and it will soon be on cable in America. This mini-series was a success because deregulation is allowing companies to partner in order to create Pan-European production and distribution networks. This allows programs to maintain the qualities of public service broadcast programs that some of the audience still demands while integrating an international cast and crew to please a multicultural audience over multiple countries and even continents.

Another way in which the idea of a transnational European media system works to benefit European transnational programming is through “glocalization,” or globilization at the local level. In Jean Chalaby’s article Transnational Television in Europe-- The Role of Pan-European Channels, she argues that “, localization facilitates the process of globalization because it allows transnational media players to overcome cultural diversity and operate efficiently in a multinational environment.” Examples of this include the copying of “MTV,” the increase of local advertising, an increase in subtitles and dubbing of popular foreign programs, and local programming on networks like “CNN” and “CNBC.” These efforts allow European television to transcend the generally dominant force of American television by increasing ratings through reaching out to audiences on a local level. While these transnational programs may not maintain the nationalistic values of individual countries, most can be argued to maintain the values of modern Europe as a whole. In this way, nationalistic values can be maintained in a new way: an integrated way that is a reflection of the lives of modern Europeans.

While the “protectionist” or the traditional pro Public Broadcasting Service view is a noble one that struggles to maintain the national cultural values and identities of individual countries in the face of an ever-changing Europe, this is no longer feasible. Some qualities of this type of programming will continue to be used, however a multicultural influence must be present in order to reach out to a larger European audience. Europeans are proving that they can hold their own against American programming, whether it be through high-quality public service broadcasting type programming with a multicultural appeal or more modern transnational programming. Europeans are proving that they are capable of creating both while maintaining an overarching transnational appeal.

I feel that film and television have very strong influences on culture and are a way to maintain a sense of unity in a transnational environment. Media in general has a way of transcending borders and uniting people on a more basic level. While one must accept the fact that Europe will continue to struggle with its dark history and prejudices for quite some time, I feel that film and television will be the one of the means by which to unite Europe as a whole—by uniting them over shared common interests in media—and emphasizing that while Europeans may be separated by borders and cultural differences they can still agree on the pleasure and common themes of popular culture.

The perfect example of transnational programming is the television show Eurovision in which nations send their most popular musical talent to compete against other European nations for the title of Eurovision Winner. This show is a hit across Europe and features act from all over Europe. Here is a clip of the latest winner from Germany:

"This, Madame, is Versailles."

Now that you've finally made it to Versailles it's time to reflect on the 2006 film Marie Antoinette film as you walk around the palace and its grounds. Also keep in mind that Marie Antoinette was actually shot on location at Versailles; the sets are authentic, and while the costumes have a semi modern look they are also very much based on the authentic clothing seen at the court of Versailles in 18th century France.

Note: there is often a long line to purchase a ticket to enter the Palace, you are allowed to enter the grounds for free but seeing the Palace is a crucial part of the Versailles experience.



If you really want the full experience you should definitely purchase an audio guide so you can learn about the rich history of the palace and learn about the monarchs and the royal relatives that inhabited the palace before Marie Antoinette's time.

You should also definitely walk around the grounds and see the Grand Trianon (a "little" escape Louis XIV built for his wife) as well as Marie Antoinette's Estate-- her own personal escape from the protocol of Versailles.

Overall Versailles is a quintessential example of the beauty European royalty manifested in architecture. This is also the perfect day trip to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the French countryside.

Your next stop: Versailles.

Before you get there watch this:




Then read this:

http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/movies/13mari.html

Keep this paragraph from the article in mind:

Ms. Coppola, who drew upon Antonia Fraser’s revisionist biography of Marie Antoinette, “Marie Antoinette: The Journey,” in preparing her script, is less a historian than a pop anthropologist, and her portrait of the young queen, played with wily charm by Kirsten Dunst, is not so much a psychological portrait as a tableau of mood and atmosphere. Highly theatrical and yet also intimate and informal, “Marie Antoinette” lets its story slink almost casually through its lovingly composed and rendered images.


While the film may be an American take on a European Monarch for me the film Marie Antoinette was the perfect way to acquire a more intimate understanding of Marie Antoinette compared to what I learned about her in my AP European History course. Keep this in mind as you make your way to Versailles... more on that in my next post.

The Catacombs of Paris

Start off the "touristy" part of your trip to Paris with a trip to the Catacombs of Paris. The catacombs are a famous underground ossuary located south of the former city gate which is now called Denfert-Rochereau. The ossuary fills a renovated section of caverns and tunnels that are the remains of Paris' stone mines. The catacombs were opened in the late 18th century and the underground cemetery became an underground tourist attraction in the early 19th century, and has been open to the public on a regular basis since 1867.

Plan on waiting in long line to see this unusually creepy bit of French history. In case you weren't sure an ossuary contains human skeletal remains. The remains were brought to the catacombs in the 18th century because parish cemeteries within the city of Paris were becoming so overcrowded that they were posing health threats to the people living nearby. Because of this city officials finally decided that the best idea was to move the remains underground into old quarries, now called the Catacombs. Since its creation the Catacombs now house approximately the remains of six million Parisians. It may sound grotesque but the bones are actually quite artfully placed. The bones are stacked as a form of decoration that line the quarry walls and many bones have been turned into sculptures. Keep in mind that you must descend down a spiral staircase of 19 meters, but the unusual sight of bones turned into art is definitely worth the sometimes dizzying decline into the underworld of Paris.

Euros and the Sad Fact That Paris Is Overpriced

As of today 1 Euro is the equivalent of $1.31. So luckily it isn't as bad as the exchange rate from the dollar to the pound but it still means the dollar isn't worth very much. The other problem is Paris is a pretty expensive city. I came across an article that actually has some pretty helpful tips for budgeting in Paris. Unfortunately for me I did not read this article before I went to Paris and did not do a very good job of converting dollars to euros in my head. Basically I spent way over budget, but I had an amazing time! In the end I decided Paris was worth the price. Just don't make the same mistake I did and read the list of prices below to work out a proper budget for yourself:

Cup of coffee: €2.50+
Ticket to the Louvre: €9.50 plus the optional €6 audio guide
Lunch at a restaurant: €10+
Pint of beer in a bar: €6

Ways to beat the prices:
1. Stay at a hostel- as I mentioned before Hostelworld is the perfect website to book a hostel and save. I made the mistake of staying at a Best Western by the Louvre (the room was the size of a shoe box) and I spent €200 for three nights, granted I split the price with a friend but I should have realized hostels were a much more affordable option.

2. Try to only eat at a nice restaurant once or twice for dinner. You can save so much money by eating at a small falafel stand or cafe for lunch or having a baguette for breakfast that way you can save your money for a glass of champagne at dinner. If you save up for one dinner make it an especially memorable one. Think of it as a reward for being so frugal.

3. Save your money for museums and other popular Parisian tourist attractions. Some of them are pretty touristy but you will really regret not climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower just because you didn't budget yourself.

4. Say no to taxis! Paris is a beautiful city, walk around! The metro system is also pretty affordable so you can always rely on that for those trips across the city.

5. Be frugal but don't forget to have fun and splurge on one or two souvenirs!