<p>The irony is exquisite-- here I am in terrorism central (with yet another vague but ominous warning from the US State Department this week) and I'm so looking forward to getting out of town for a little R & R in the form of few days in Europe followed a couple of weeks in the States. So, I choose Paris, thinking about a total immersion in the Louvre with some wonderful food thrown in for starters and what happens? A zillion crazed protesters on the streets!</p>
<p>What's your opinion? Should I carry on with my Paris plans or decamp for Italy?</p>
<p>My cousin and his wife were visiting Paris for the first time about two weeks ago, when the very first, mini protest happened. </p>
<p>Their "flat" was about a block from Bon Marche and they saw the protesters, but it was small and contained, and they were able to enjoy their first visit. They loved everything about Paris.</p>
<p>But, now!! I am certain they would NOT go-you have seen the news clips, and it doesn't look like you would get real R and R ............IMHO</p>
<p>Then you can stop in and have a coffee with me on your way down!</p>
<p>I've been in the midst of protests in Rome....and still managed to find a quiet area. Paris is such a large city....and it is a laugh to think that you'd be worried coming from Uncertainty Central!</p>
<p>Well, we wanted to go to Paris over Easter break, and decided that right now wasn't a good idea, so we decided to go to Rome instead. I hadn't heard anything about Italy at all, but hear stuff about Paris all the time here. (Thanks for the link.) We'll still probably go; just be careful. Don't want to be foolhardy, but don't like living in fear, either.</p>
<p>It's funny that Prague has become a suggestion of a "safe" place. We're figuring that when we move home, if we can't sell our car, we can just drive it to Prague and step away for a few minutes. People here often joke that they visit Czech and Poland now and then just to visit their [stolen] cars. (But Prague is - I agree - generally non-violent.)</p>
<p>"What's your opinion? Should I carry on with my Paris plans or decamp for Italy?"</p>
<p>Both! (take me, take me!) We can time the walk between the McDonald's on the Left Bank and the one on the Champs d'Elysee, and see if it takes longer during a demonstration! ;)</p>
<p>Just lovely. My D is going to France for the summer and to Italy for the fall. We'll carry on. </p>
<p>I recall two years ago (maybe it was three, my mind is going) when D had a school trip to France and major questions were raised if they would still go on the trip due to protests and anti-American sentiments at the time in France with regards to war in Iraq and the parents of the students going voted to still have them go. </p>
<p>My D will go to France this summer and Italy in the fall and I do not foresee changing those plans. Other D just mentioned last night flying over to France to meet up with sister to travel for a week. I guess it is something new to worry about....I'll add it to my list.</p>
<p>PS...pretty soon, there will be no place safe left to go! Hey, what about coming here to VT? It is very low key....the worst right now is mud season.....pales in comparison.</p>
<p>Cheers...so true, so true....but please don't rush it, this semester ain't over yet, LOL. But yeah, feels like the kids JUST started college. </p>
<p>While my daughter is going to France for the summer, she won't be in Paris that much. I'm not gonna worry. (too much!) They do lots of things that make me worry but I really do want them to do these things and so they do with my blessing.</p>
<p>I am Italian (from Rome) and a good student protest should not put anyone off! Would you have not gone to NYC during the Columbia student riots in the 1970's? Nah... and you would have had a great NYC experience.</p>
<p>mammamia, you have to understand that I LIVE in country that the US State Department has warned its citizens to avoid for the last 8 years! I was hoping to get out of the frying pan, not into the fire. :) </p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm going to folllow the advice that I give everyone regarding Indonesia and forge ahead with Paris.</p>
<p>So, it was my H's big birthday 2 weeks ago and we had a trip planned to....Bangkok....just as it looked like they were going to overthrow the PM. Our thoughts, we live here (embassy/state department warning central) and don't have a choice(sort of) but we can choose or not choose to vacation in the midst of even more potential problems. We have cancelled/replanned so many vacations the last few years due to birds, planes, meetings.... and we decided ultimately to cancel this one. Hope Paris is wonderful....everything quieted down in Bangkok the minute we cancelled our trip!</p>
<p>Thanks Weenie, for the hotel link -- but 250 is a bit steep. Any other suggestions? </p>
<p>RyanAir is how we plan to get there from Germany. Haven't bought tickets yet; haven't decided which day to fly. Saturday from Frankfurt is 15, for instance (plus taxes and fees -- which will probably be huge.)</p>
<p>I lived in Paris during the early '80s when there was a spate of bombings. Stayed out of large open air markets and movies... of course 22 year olds are bullet proof, right?</p>
<p>IMO you have not fully experienced Parisian culture until you have been witness to a massive "greve"... One of the best ones I ever saw was a huge strike of all the public transport workers; it closed down the metro, train, & bus system entirely, leading to a city-wide gridlock-- as all Parisians who had cars decided to drive. </p>
<p>It defined Parisians, for me, when I saw an exasperated man stuck in the mess simply exit his vehicle. He slammed the door with a roar of "Merde!" and-- leaving the car in the middle of the clogged street-- found a seat at a nearby cafe and calmly ordered a carafe of wine. He settled in for a nice relaxing smoke, turning a deaf ear to the frustrated honking of all the cars behind his.</p>
