France Thread 2 (Paris and all other cities) *Check Pg. 1 for reference links*

[engroselle]

hi!
hubby and i were thinking if we should go to Paris or US on April 15-20 (bale we'll leave Manila ng April 15 then flight back will be on April 20). dito lang kasi mahaba vacation nya from work...

considering yung travel time for both destinations, short lang time namin to go around...

saan po better pumunta? cheaper and mas sulit. hehe
wala pa ako US visa but hubby has one. Schengen visa, wala pa kami pareho...

thanks po sa sasagot!

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ personally, i feel na super-bitin yung 5 days for either Paris or US.. well, Paris is doable in 5 days. parang di lang sulit ang airfare and Schengen visa fee (since usually e single entry binibigay nila, unless nakarami ka na Schengen visas before).

As for US visa fee, sulit naman yun since most likely e multiple visa ibibigay nila if approved. Not sure lang about airfare during April.. for February, RT airfare MNL-JFK/LAX-MNL nakuha namin via Delta is nasa $1300. for a five-day trip, you need to choose which specific city/state lang din pupuntahan nyo... parang bitin super.

but, that's just me, hehe. Ayaw nyo ba somewhere nearer na lang like Japan?

[engroselle]

thanks sis for the reply!
re airfare, meron ako nakita na 924usd rt/pax for MNL-CDG.
Glendale nya gusto stay. na-try na nya kasi dun. kaya malamang sa LA lang kami.

paris airfare naman is 952usd rt/pax sa dates na yun.

if paris kami pupunta, how many dates dapat?
if LA naman, how many days din?

does japan require visa sis?

thanks!

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ yes sis, me visa din ang Japan. Pero mura lang (1200-2000, dpends which agency ka magpapa-process ng visa), and mabilis lang mag-apply (you can get your visa less than a week after submitting all requirements sa agency). No need to schedule interviews, etc.

I believe doable naman ang 5 days in Paris, or even LA.. Depends na lang sa inyo if you feel that the hassles of visa application, travel time and airfare rate na makukuha nyo is sulit for a five-day stay. Sa amin kasi ni hubby, para sulit ang either US or Europe airfare, we should stay for at least 10days (for EU, 2 countries per trip; for US, at least 2 states per trip). Hehe..

[engroselle]

naku di pwede si hubby ng 10 days. baka wala na sya work pagbalik namin. haha!

most probably Paris lang i-explore namin. sa US naman, baka LA lang.

in terms of budget excluding airfare, saan mas cheaper?... sa paris kasi, food trip ng locals and tourist spots lang kami. i read mahal ang restos dun,e... sa US naman, sights lang din. not even planning to go to Univ studios kasi same lang din daw sa SG.

with japan naman, is it true na dapat gamitin mo yung visa within 3 months or else mae-expire sya?

thanks!

if budget po is P100k, including airfare, saan po namin mas mae-enjoy yun? Paris or LA or Japan?

[bagaholic_chewy]

Ok na kami ni husband sa choco croissant (my favorite, nagbabaon pa ako for snacks while sightseeing hahah!) and baguette for breakfast so we usually budget €10 breakfast for two na yun. For lunch, neighborhood cafes have set menu for average €15-€20/pax. For dinner, average €20-€30/pax. So yun base budget namin. Of course me allowance for the occasional pricier meals. And minsan naman, mura lang food namin (like if we decide to just have picnic lunch sa park).

Let's wait for the other sisses, especially mama_squeak, expert yun sa Paris. they can provide more insights.

[mama squeak!]

@engroselle, if you only have 5 days to spend either in Paris or in LA considering your travel time and the money you will be shelling out isa lang ang comment ko, sayang naman.

So as not to be off topic, I will just be discussing your proposed Paris trip.

Here's an estimate breakdown, conservative na ito ha:

For the big ticket items: Php118,000.00

RT airfare for 2 = Php90500.00 including taxes
Schengen visa X 2 = Php7500.00 including phone appointment fees
April 16-20 rental with airbnb (Php4000/night X 5 days) = Php20,000 including airbnb fees

Food: Php18,500.00 (EUR300)

BRFST: 1 pc. baguette EUR0.90 (Php55.00). You can even have leftovers for a lunch sandwich for 2.
            butter or jam EUR1.50 (Php92.00). Good for your entire stay na ito.
            coffee/cream/sugar EUR8.00 (Php490.00). Good for your entire stay.

**Most of the time the apartment has the basics like coffee, cream and sugar. Minsan meron din mga jams na mga leftover ng previous tenants. But kami we prefer to buy our own supplies at the grocery. 
           
LUNCH: You can either make baon your leftover baguette or buy from the cafes or popular kebab places. Average menu for a "Super Ass" (Super Assiette or Big Plate) is EUR6-8/person. Typically that would include a big sandwich, fries and a salad. Drinks or sodas are normally priced at EUR2.00 (Php120).

DINNER: A bit pricier if you will be eating at the cafes or restaurants. There are prix-fixe (fixed price) menu ranging from EUR15 (Php920) all the way up to EUR50-100 for the more fine dining restaurants or Michelin starred ones.

What we usually do when we're there, 2 main meals a day lang kami. Breakfast and an early dinner. We usually have a snack for lunch since busy kaming nag-iikot. Kaya I always slim down every time I come from a trip there hehe. Plus walking pa the whole day.

**Though the tap water in Paris is safe to drink, we still prefer to buy bottled mineral water at the local grocery. The cheapest liter of mineral water you can buy is EUR1.00 (Php60). While a decent bottle of wine can be had for EUR3.00 (Php190)

Transportation/Museum Passes: Option 1 EUR252 (Php15,500)

Option 1: train + metro from airport to apartment vv. EUR40 (Php2450.00) for 2 pax**Cheapest but not convenient if you have big bags
               OR
Option 2: taxi (depends on the location of your apartment ex. 9th arr = EUR45 (Php2760)  per trip**A bit pricey but very convenient. A reliable taxi company is Taxi G7 (tel. no. +33 1 41 27 66 99) .

Option 1: 5-day Paris Visite Pass EUR34,70 (Php2125) X 2 = EUR69,40 (Php4250)***transpo pass to get around Paris
               OR
Option 2: Carnet of 10 tickets EUR13,70 (Php840) X 2 = EUR27,40 (Php1678) ***depends how extensive you will be using the bus or metro
           
4-day Paris Museum Pass EUR56 (Php3430) X 2 = EUR112 (Php6860)
Eiffel Tower entrance all the way to the summit via elevator EUR15 (Php919) X 2 = EUR30 (Php1838)

Miscellaneous/Shopping:
 
Eiffel Tower key chains (mini) EUR1 for 3pcs.
T-shirts (adult) EUR8-10
Macarons (Pierre Herme/Laduree/neighborhood patisserie) EUR1.50-2/piece
Nutella Crepes EUR3-4

Estimated expense not including the shopping and miscellaneous items: Php155K/5 days for 2 persons**if you stick to your budget

For more tips you can visit my blog. Just search for my Paris posts. 

[reineedace]

whew tapos na din mag back read...

Ano ba pwedeng magawa sa 3d2n sa Paris? Ok i know you will tell me that this is sooo bitin pero kasi we will be attending my friend's wedding sa Italy and side trip lang namin yung Paris so yun na lang yung days na pwede maisingit sa schedule.. 5 couples kami in total and gusto lang talaga namin makita yung iconic places like eiffel, arc de triomphe, notre dam and lourve of course..

Will it be ok to check in to hostels ba? yung ibang hostels kasi offers private room for double occupancy lang.. I know all about airbnb pero nahihirapan akong maghanap ng apartment nah may 5 rooms.. eh mahirap naman din if hiwa2lay pa kami ng apartment diba?! and of course we do not want naman to splurge sa hotels since di naman kami maarte ng friends ko.. I rather splurge sa food and shopping hahaha! basta malinis nah accomodation ok na kami.. we have to consider our budget din kasi kasi di naman kami mayaman.. haha! kung di lang talaga wedding ng friend namin di namin ipupush through ang italy trip namin.. Thanks po sa kung sino man makakasagot..

[mama squeak!]

Re: European Tours Thread 4
« Reply #30 on: January 30, 2014, 12:17:41 pm »
@mamasqueak wow! nainggit ako dun sa Orient Express! Enjoy the good food in Lyon and don't misd Bernachon and the Paul Bocuse hall of gourmet food! Also if you so prefer, Lyon has a tourism project where yung mga locals nila have a volunteer program to tour for free ang mga tourists. Free sya then iseset up ka sa isang volunteer depending on your interest. Usually two hour walking tour lang, nice way to mingle with the local.  sa visitlyon website sya.

Enjoy! Lyon is super close sa Geneva haha! One train ride away lang


@letters_to_cleo, sis I copy/pasted your reply from the other thread here so my reply won't be OT.

I read about Bernachon plus with your blog post recos so I booked a table for lunch! And mabilis silang sumagot I was surprised haha. Good luck my diet! Ngayon pa lang naglalaway na ako. We'll definitely be doing the foodie rounds.

I checked the visitlyon website and we'll be getting the 48 hour card since we'll have two full days in Lyon. Baka we won't avail na of the free tour since hubby and I usually want to go on our own. I also  downloaded walking tours in my iPad mini so I guess we'll be good. Bahala na si Batman. Lol!

Kakatempt nga to take the train to Geneva but bitin na our stay as is. Hopefully next time when hubby and I go to Basel for the Baselworld show.

OMG! Dream come true for me and hubby yang Orient Express talaga! I'll be sure to write about it after the trip. Super excited!

 

[letters_to_cleo]

^That's great sis! Sulit the visit lyon card! once you purchased your cards na, and if you want join the free river cruise don't forget to book beforehand :-) also some of the free passes ( yung marionnette theatre show and some other shows) needs reservations, so better email them once you purchase your visitlyon na for the date and time of the shows/activities you want to join. Mabilis naman silang magreply :-) I hope to go back to Lyon this year ulit for a weekender, sana makascore ulit ako ng murang tix :-) love talaga lyon, kasi its quite small and not too daunting to visit like Paris (na andaming happenings). I hope you'll like the place (and the food!) too!  Now we shall await your entries and  (lots please!) envy-inducing pics of your Orient Express experience.

[mama squeak!]

^sis, I bought na our Lyon Card online. Q lang please, when did you book your river cruise? Thru email or when you were in Lyon na? Hubby and I are also interested in the marionette show. I emailed the tourism office where I got the Lyon card for the schedule and how to book pero until now no response.

Got a confirmed lunch reservation for Bernachon pala. I read your blog and I'll be trying the goodies you wrote about and more. Excited much!     

[letters_to_cleo]

^Hello Mama squeak!  Through email lang :-)  Then when you get your card you can confirm your final sched sa Tourism Center  in case my changes:-)  Though if yung 2 day pass ang kinuha nyo, pwede naman na when you pick up the cards na lang.  But try emailing them again, para plantsado na lahat the sched even before you go there nung sa akin kasi three days before my trip I emailed them, then sumagot naman. Niconfirm ko lang ulit the time nung kinuha ko the cards :-)  Enjoy Lyon!

[mama squeak!]

^thanks sis! Kaya pala di pa sumasagot sa akin masyado akong advanced magtanong. Sige I'll email them nearer our arrival dates. I'm sure we will enjoy Lyon just like you did.

 

[caterpillar-girl]

gracei_sg, when you're in the Notre Dame Cathedral area, try to drop by Shakespeare and Co., the iconic bookstore. It's a quirky little cultural landmark, and it's just steps away from Notre Dame.

Also, try to catch evensong in Notre Dame. Or Sacre Couer, since you're staying in Montmartre anway.

Have fun!

[charm0220]

Hello.. we're just starting to plan our honeymoon trip.. Bear with me kung nasagot na ba yung question ko but i hope to get your feedback.. We want sana to have our honeymoon right after our wedding.. end of November to Mid December 2014. My h2b's boss is an Italian and he's not recommending us to go ng ganun season, sabi niya better ng April. we're planning to go to Paris, Italy and London. ayoko naman sana ng April kasi ang tagal.. pero if talagang hindi namen maeenjoy ng december i think walang choice but to move it. talaga bang not advisable to go there ng december?

[letters_to_cleo]

Nice din naman ang Paris/Italy/London ng December.  Though ayun nga malamig as far as I remember hindi naman sobrang OA sa lamig unlike say Korea. Iba kasi ang vista and vibe ng places depende sa season sis eh, so nasa inyo talaga.  Yung April kasi is Spring so ang weather parang Baguio lang. Pag December eh Christmassy na, sale season na and may mga Christmas markets.  So to be honest, what you need to find out is ano yung gusto nyong makita talaga.  Yung Versailles mas maganda pag spring, but even in mid to late Dec pwede pa rin naman mamasyal :-)

[mama squeak!]

^Correct! I agree with letters_to_cleo. Depends talaga yan sa traveler kung ano ang preference nila. Christmas season is nice since you get to see all the Christmas displays plus my favorite, the Christmas markets! But be ready with the wet and cold weather. Mas masarap matulog and magcuddle na lang. Hehe. Lastly, daylight hours in December will be shorter. The operating hours of the attractions will of course be shorter too. By the way you don't get snow until late January if you're looking forward to that. Although weather is getting weirder these days.

Now Spring time is also a great time to visit. Mind you if you are allergic to pollens this may not be the right time to go since everything will be blooming and pollens will be everywhere. Probably late spring towards summer would be the best time. But if you're not the allergic type then you'll be experiencing longer daylight hours, cool weather, sunshine with some showers (bring travel umbrellas). Plus not much crowd since school isn't out yet.

Whatever month you decide to go to Europe will always be a good time. What's important is what you and your hubby want. You're going there for your honeymoon anyway, anything else is extra.

[caterpillar-girl]

Hi charm0220, I think Europe is pretty any time of the year you go. And it's Europe, so I think you will still enjoy no matter what, especially if it's your first time. As others have said it just depends on your personal preferences, what you want to see or do. Hindi rin sya peak season so prices may be lower. Having said that, I see your husband's boss' point, that the "best" time might be Spring. I was in Ireland in September, and there were times I would get so cold, I would rather stay indoors than sightsee. That's just September. But then I'm really lamigin hehe. So I said the next time, I'm coming back there during Spring.  I would also consider the daylight hours, like mama squeak said. You'd have to be prepared for the possibility of sunset at 4 pm, something like that. 

If this is a once in a lifetime trip, I would go when the hours are longer, when there's less chance of rain, and when the beautiful European gardens are in full bloom.  I would do a "short" honeymoon somewhere in the Philippines first, or maybe in Asia, then postpone the "major" European vacation to Spring.

[little_princess]

Personally, I would prefer going during mid-Spring to Summer as compared to Winter kasi a lot of attractions are close or have shorter operational hours. Mas sulit pag longer sunlight

Plus during Spring/Summer, the flowers are in bloom and you will see lots of beautiful colors and flowers compared to Winter where it's darker and a bit more gloomy. You can explore and appreciate the gardens more.

[vain_kixie]

We went to Paris end of November last year. Half of the time we were there it was raining. Although we enjoyed, it was a little difficult to tour Europe around that time. One, it was rainy nga, second our bags wouldn't have been lighter if we came earlier like maybe September. Less tourist lang around fall/winter time.