MCLU Does Europe

Matt, Megan and I have tickets to London for June, which means we can plan out the nitty-gritty details the month before, right? Unfortunately, Katherine is going to France in May, and mentioned that hostels in Paris are already booking up for the summer. What the heck, who plans vacations 4 months in advance?

Ergo, in the last week, I've spent an awful lot of time researching London and Paris (in lieu doing work). It's finally starting to feel real; in a few short months, I'll be across the pond, humming "An American in Paris" to myself while getting pick-pocketed by gypsies. Gulp. Travel guide tip: if you are circled by a swarm of gypsy children in Southern Italy, your best bet is to act just a tad crazy. In fact, one proven technique is to "jump up, do a full spin, and come down in a karate stance with a primal scream." Other advice includes opening a Capital One credit card (they don't charge foreign transaction surcharges) and not flashing the two-fingered "V" victory symbol in Britain (it's their version of giving someone the finger).

Finding a place to stay was more complicated than I had originally anticipated. The line between hostels and cheap hotels is blurry, and then you have a myriad of other options like renting an apartment, bed & breakfasts, university dorm housing, sleeping on trains, and couch surfing. Moreover, the things you take for granted in the cheapest US motels (a/c, towels & linens, breakfast, soap) are oftentimes not included in hostels and hotels. Is it too much to ask for a shower curtain to be present? The cultural disparity is frightening. No wonder they never bathe in France.

After reading a lot of reviews and Google mapping locations, I decided to chance the Hotel Jarry in Paris. Although we could end up in a stiflingly hot room on the 6th floor (there's no elevator), the reviews seemed to indicate the rooms were reasonably clean. Moreover, it's located in the 10eme arrondissement, fairly close to the city center and the heart of "bobo" (bourgeois boheme) chic. We've also got a triple room booked at the Clink Hostel in London. (Tagline: Cells now open! Come and sleep in an authentic prison cell. Is that British for "really small rooms"?) Personally, I am hoping that we meet the Techno Twins while hanging out at the Costume Party at the hostel bar.

Thus far, we have a myriad of sights to see and activities to do in the two cities. We have tickets to see Dave Brubeck with the London Symphony Orchestra, and plan on getting tickets for Sister Act. I'd also really like to see Camden Market in London, and there's always the age-old standby of people-watching. And of course, I have been keeping an eye out for interesting (and cheap) eats in the cities. At this point, both London and Paris have well-developed neighborhoods which are "very ethnic," so we can always take a break from the blood pudding and steak frites for a good falafel sandwich. Jen has also mentioned a restaurant that sells only soufflés.

Now, you should all pray that the Euro and Pound exchange rates continue dropping.