Muriel

Here is the pamphlet I got for Moulin Rouge this past December.

Soirée Dîner-Spectacle (7pm)
Dinner and Show + 1/2 Champagne
Menu: French Cancan = 145 euro
Menu: Toulouse-Lautrec = 160 euro
Menu: Belle Epoque = 175 euro

Show Only + 1/2 Champagne
9pm = 99 euro
11pm = 89 euro

Just incase anyone was wondering the prices…

Punk parisian boys were spitting into the air blowing thing in front of the Moulin Rouge, and some landed on my husband’s jacket while we were sitting there. If you know Paul, then you know he could’ve flipped out at the fact that someone else’s fluids were anywhere on his things. He covers his drinks if someone around him coughs for heaven’s sake…

So, he walked up to them and started asking for their jackets, pants, euros, anything to make them realize he was upset at their shenanigans. They were tattling on their friend who did it, saying to take his watch or belt. Hopefully, they got the idea that they can’t just do stuff like that and have no repercussions…

Moulin Rouge is very expensive for their dinner and show. Just a show is like 99 euro, so be prepared to spend a lot of money to get in. We didn’t go, even though I wanted to, but I realized we could better spend that money elsewhere. Perhaps next time, when we’re richer, we’ll splurge.

I don’t know why Paris is called the City of Lights, but the Eiffel Tower twinkling every hour in the evening for 10 minutes is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

I have always loved France and all things French. I don’t know why, but perhaps it was a past life. My first visit here was with my new husband for our honeymoon, and I saved the Eiffel Tower for my 23rd birthday during our trip.

Granted, the tower is wonderful to see. It has beautiful lines and has a special place in my heart – but I was surprised that it was, well, fat. I don’t know how else to put it, but the tower is not “slender” and “thin” like as seen in photos. It’s probably some optical illusion because my pictures of it came out fine, looking like the ol’ tower I recognized. But, in person? Wow – chubby Eiffel, non?

Anyway! My tip: don’t let the “Bosnian” girls with their multilanguage signs ruin your day. They will walk up to you and everyone, several times, asking if you speak English and if you have food or money to give them.

One girl, right when we got there, kept asking us for food that we had in a small plastic bag. My husband stopped, which I think was his fault, and kept telling her no. SHE REACHED HER HAND into our plastic bag, saying “just one, just one” and grabbed the whole mess of cherries we had bought from Mireille’s little shop.

I couldn’t believe it. I was completely stunned.

After that, I was pretty upset, since those were for my birthday picnic, it was my first time here, etc. (Plus, those cherries weren’t cheap. At all.) I’m usually the person that wants to give money or food, but after that little stunt, I couldn’t stand any of those girls. Any time they came up to us, my husband would ask for euro, and we would tell them in French that their friend stole from us today and to get our food back.

They learned to leave us alone after a while…

Since I didn’t want that beginning to our visit to ruin the rest of the day, I got over it. At least, I didn’t let it bother me to where I didn’t enjoy the tower.

The line is long for the elevators, so buy tickets in advance if you can. Pickpockets abound in Paris, so I had a purse that zipped shut and no pockets. My husband carried his wallet in his front pocket and any extra cash in a flat carrying thing that latches to his belt loop and sits inside his pants. I know, somewhat gross, but the money didn’t touch him, just the pouch. We never got pickpocketed and never saw anything like that, but everyone will tell you to watch out.

Whether your going up or down, there are peddlers and vendors who know you’re a tourist. If you stop to listen to them, they will NOT leave you alone.

We were leaving Sacre-Coeur and a guy (from Africa, he says), grabbed my husband’s finger very kindly and started braiding a bracelet. I thought, ‘oh, how nice, a token for our honeymoon.’ Another guy (also from Africa) grabs my finger and starts doing the same thing. They were very nice, congratulated us on our marriage, wished us the best, etc.

Then they said “10-10”, and I thought, 10 euro for both? Well, that’s a bit much, but hey, whatever. Then they reiterated 10 EURO FOR EACH – can you believe that? We didn’t even ask for the damn pieces of string!

I lied and said I had no euro and gave them a $20 bill, which I knew was about 13.50 euros. Then one of them had the nerve to ask for the change in my hand “for a cup of coffee”. WTF?! I just GAVE you a $20 bill! Coffee is expensive there, but I’m sure 13 euros would cover it.

Peddlers in Paris have no sense of value – they will ask for an outrageous amount and won’t really barter down for it.

So, I thought I would warn anyone who visits. Our cousin had been here and hadn’t bothered to warn us about these people; that they even followed her all the way to the Moulin Rouge! I think we should ask her for $20…

PS. Sacre-Coeur and it’s hill is gorgeous; stay up there as long as possible before dodging the “vendors” at the bottom.

Okay, I actually have extended family here but we only stopped by for lunch on our way home from a Boise business trip. They gave us a little driving tour.

Don’t get me wrong, the mountains are beautiful and the people seem nice. Perhaps the hype from my in-laws made me have higher expectations than I should’ve…

It’s bloody hot there, with not much entertainment-wise. Basically a small town becoming a city at this point.

The buildings in the old part of “downtown” are very quaint and charming…and then you hit this massive, White Temple of Doom. Just kidding – it’s very impressive. It is literally white though, almost blindingly so.

Red Mountain Spa is here, surrounded by (surprise) red rock. Frankly, I got bored of the red rock. A quick drive-by and you say, “ooh how purty,” but it’s not that great when that’s all the scenery you have to look at.

It’s very close to Zion, so that’s pretty neat. Too bad we didn’t go to Zion…

Also, if they cut down on how many GOLF COURSES THERE ARE, maybe the influx of population wouldn’t be so bad right now. =D

(Oh, and we ate at The Pizza Factory which has awesome breadsticks that they bake twirled around a stick. Yum! Not the stick, but the bread.)

Stayed downtown overnight on our way to Boise. Ate at Squatters for dinner by walking from our hotel, noticed a very clean and seemingly safe city with an eclectic group of people.

Frankly, I like SLC more than Boise, I don’t know if that says something or not.

I noticed all the girls wearing long skirts and thick black shoes. Very…interesting, to say the least.

I’m not Mormon, but the place is beautiful and the people are kind. A major tourist spot, but I wouldn’t travel here on purpose. I was on a business trip and figured I’m in SLC, might as well poke around the Square.

Even though I rated Boise as not worth visiting, it’s not that bad. But still not worth visiting in my opinion, i.e. spending vacation money to travel here? Bleh. Having to travel here on business? Not so bleh.

Although, I must say that the new restaurant in downtown called, 8th Street Wine Co. has delicious food.

But, Maggie Moo’s raspberry ice cream? It actually tastes like the smell of lipstick. Almost like rose ice cream but without the good taste.

All in all, downtown is a clean area, surrounded by farm land. Travel further from downtown, and I’m sure you’ll hit those outdoor recreational sights that makes Boise purty.

I have to mention that the people aren’t, um, eclectic – so to speak. At least, compared to what I’m accustomed to…

Sorry, but this place isn’t worth their charge. We had free tickets and still didn’t like the park!

Legoland is made to bring your young children, but not in a good way. Adults can’t ride two at a time; you either ride with a child, or by yourself. I’m a small person, and even I knew the rides were a tad too small to be comfortable. We only had two kids in our group of 11, so several of us didn’t ride, or I rode by myself most of the time.

Most of the workers aren’t very friendly. It seems that even they know the park isn’t a great place.

The park design is very plain in general, it’s nothing like the other options here in So. Cal.

Any good points I have to mention are the two rides they offer for 3 and up: they can drive a little car or boat by themselves! That’s pretty fun for the little ones. There is a coaster (that more than one adult can actually go on) that’s exciting, but somewhat freakish – the turns are very sharp and you are in a little car, so flipping over or falling out is an obvious possibility. Another good thing was Miniland – famous cities/sites all made out of real size Legos. I could’ve just spent all day viewing those details! (The rest of the park is out of larger Legos, which just looks…I don’t know, cheap and not as impressive. We went during the holiday events (for my birthday), and seeing a large Christmas tree or Santas made out of large Legos isn’t that great.)

Other than that – never again. I won’t pay, and really, I don’t think I’ll go with a free ticket. For an 1.5-hour drive, it’s just a waste of time. Disneyland, Magic Mtn, and even Universal are closer and a way better choice.

Don’t drive on the strip. I stayed away from it for the most part until I thought, “it’s Sunday. It shouldn’t be too bad.” Well it took 15 minutes to go half a block – and not even a hotel size block, but the one from MGM.

Just drive along Koval or the other side streets until you need to crossover. Then, valet at any major hotel because it’s FREE (just tip the driver).

I <3 free valet.