Jay Swanson's Blog, page 11

How to See Paris’ Six Big Attractions in Under Three Hours

I don’t know if this was ever a goal of yours, but if it isn’t, I’m going to help make it one. And if it was, well I hope this helps.

It’s not really a goal, to be honest, but it’s more for those times when you’re stuck in the airport with a massive layover and no confidence that you can leave and see anything in the time you have. Believe me when I say that you can do it, you just need three hours and seven metro tickets (which, you might as well buy a packet of 10 just in case because it’s about the same cost). Note that this is three hours in Paris. You want to factor travel time to and from the airport if you’re there (which from CDG can be as little as 20 minutes and as much as an hour depending on the train you catch and how long you have to walk in the airport to get to the RER station).

Below the video is a map of the loop I took, so if you don’t start at Gare du Nord you can pick up wherever is closest to you and take whichever direction pleases you most.

Note that on the map there’s a gap between Trocadero and Bir-Hakim/Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel. That’s where I walked. You can continue on line six between Trocadero and Bir-Hakim (the line six stop) or just walk to Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel which is the connected RER C stop.

Obviously it’s best if you take the time to stop and appreciate everything, and I hope you have the time to, but in case you don’t I hope that this helps you to get around and see as much as possible! If you missed my guide to the metro system in Paris, be sure to check that out as well (it’s only three minutes long, none of this 15 minute nonsense). What else would you like help seeing around Paris?

French “Sandwiches” – aka Flavored Baguettes

It’s time for French Friday, and I know I promised in my video yesterday on how to use the metro in Paris that I would do a tour of the “big six” attractions of Paris, and show you how to do it in under 3 hours, but A) the weather here is doubly cloudy today, and B) I wound up with a lot of work to do this morning that I couldn’t put off.

But now that I’ve got it under wraps, I’ll present you with a French Friday in the traditional model: me sitting in front of a computer blathering on. About sandwiches no less. Enjoy!

And seriously, I mean it, French food is among the best in the world. It’s just that, in my opinion, they fall a bit short on the average sandwich. Dangerous territory, the French and food. I’ve been yelled at by more than one French chef, believe you me.

If you enjoy these videos know that on YouTube I’m posting one every day, and I’ll be keeping the blog up to date(ish) but you’ve got a better chance of keeping on top of it all if you subscribe on YouTube.

I leave you with a photo from the Louvre, taken during the filming of the video I made yesterday which I will be posting again with the tour of what I’m calling “the big six.”

How do you like your sandwiches?

 

How to use the Paris Metro (underground/subway)

One thing that can be a bit overwhelming your first time in Paris is the metro system. If you live in New York or London (or anywhere else with a decent underground) then you’re likely to gain your bearings really quickly, but if you’re like the rest of us who have never been on a train, let alone one that goes under a city, then hopefully this video will be of some use. I’ve posted some extra thoughts and graphics below, in case the video goes too fast, but consider this more of a familiarization than anything in any case. You’ll get the hang of it when you get here in person.

There are two different train systems running through Paris, which I didn’t really have time (or need) to mention. One is the Metro, signified by the “M” in a circle, and the other is the RER.

The RER is a regional express train that goes out into the suburbs, and is unreliable if you’re on a timetable. It is, however, a fast way to get all the way from one end of town to the other, and it is the only way out to places like Versailles (RER C).

 

Just a refresher, in case this part was a bit quick: when you get on the metro you aren’t looking for directions like north or south, you’re looking for their terminal stations. So when you look at a line, you see where it is in relation to your current stop, and then the end of the line beyond your desired stop is the direction you want to go. So in this instance if you wanted to head to the Louvre from Charles de Gaulle, Etoile, you’d have to go east (or right) towards Chateau de Vincennes. This means your direction is going to be “Chateau de Vincennes.”

 

Also important is tickets. There are automated ticket machines at almost every station, and in some stations you can buy them from the counter. If the sign above the counter is yellow/orange and says “Information,” then it’s just an information booth. But if it’s blue and says “Vente,” then you can buy them there so long as they aren’t asleep.

 

I hope this helps. If I missed anything please let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to add it, or at the very least answer your questions. Happy traveling!

Be sure to join me tomorrow as I do the “big six” attractions in Paris in under three hours. Why? So if you’re short on time, you can too.

A Vlog a Day in April

A what a what in when?! Yes, that’s right, I’m taking Hank Green up on his challenge to do a video a day through April and so far so good. I didn’t think I’d have much to talk about, but as it turns out I can talk a lot (who knew?). I’m feeling the need to write some more as well, so you can expect some blogs to show up soon in the near future (without video), but aside from that you can definitely expect the videos to flow.

 

So here are the ones I’ve made so far, in no particular order (or a very particular order):

APRIL 1



APRIL 2 – Where I feel bad for stealing a nice guy’s thunder



APRIL 3- where I give you some history and a crappy tour of the outside of the Louvre



 

 

Using the phrase “What’s up?” – French Friday

This round is in French – so I posted a clip in English below (of me DRIVING A GOLF CART IN THE GARDENS OF VERSAILLES). One of the things I run into a lot while abroad is that people don’t know how to respond to the greeting/question “What’s up?” Often they take it as “How are you?” and respond with “I’m fine, thank you.”

This is a very polite answer. It’s also very incorrect. As you probably know, if you’re an American or from the UK, asking “What’s up?” is akin to saying “Hello.” The answer is usually “What’s up.” Unless it’s asked as an honest question, in which case you respond with whatever it is you’re up to (or “Not much.”).

I figured that I’d take a whack at explaining it to my French friends en masse – though I’ve already won myself my first French hater on YouTube. I guess we’ll see how this one goes over.

And yes, you can drive golf carts in the gardens at Versailles. I had no idea this was possible – so I jumped in one and drove it like I stole it (which would be a REALLY bad idea considering how slow they are).



The photo for today’s video was one I took at the front gates of Versailles as we left. Be sure to check out more of my photos on Instagram!

It’s pretty, but you can see why they revolted…

 

French Friday and Norwegian Monday

I’m playing catch up here. I filmed French Friday 8 – The French Accent, right before hopping a plane and leaving the country. In fact, I left my apartment while it was still uploading to YouTube, and had to hope that all would go well. While on my way I filmed some in the style of John Green, gray speckled wall and everything, in a bit of a tip-of-the hat and a moment of reflection on all that’s awesome in my life.

Sometimes we forget to appreciate the simple things we have in life, like clean pants or fresh water or the ability to travel. I know I get annoyed with airports sometimes, but it’s ridiculous when you think of how privileged I am to travel the world and see all of these places.

Anyways, here’s French Friday 8:



And here’s some video from Oslo, Norway (though most is from airports and airplanes):

 

 

Where all have you traveled? Is there anywhere in particular you want to go?

In France, Dogs Are Better than You – French Friday 7

The thing is that if you love dogs, you’re not alone, but in France if you aren’t a dog you might feel very alone. I’ve had some interesting conversations about this, but it’s true, you’ll see a number of French people refuse to interact with their fellow man on almost any basis (beyond the absolutely necessary exchanges) and then go nuts over a furry little puppy. Last week we covered what customer service is often like, and this week you learn how to at least get the clerk’s initial attention. Video time:



Have any awkward canine moments? Feel free to share them in the comments below! Today’s background image was a photo I took today of the Pantheon, here in Paris. Until the construction of the Eiffel Tower, it was the tallest building in Paris (I just learned that today).

10 Reasons to Hate Moths

Or Ten Reasons I Hate Moths, however you want to read into it. This video took way too much work in comparison with the blog it’s based off of. I’ll just tell you that much right now. But enough reading, I know you’d rather watch (or may have just skipped straight to it already).

 



 

Any harrowing close calls with any moths you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments below!

Don’t forget to come back around for French Friday, and another video next Monday to boot!

French Customer Service – or Lack Thereof – French Friday 6

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for French Friday! Initially I was debating a few different subjects to talk about, until I went to lunch with my buddy Jeff and we had a minor encounter with the notorious French customer service. Or lack thereof. To be fair, the restaurant we were at actually has fantastic customer service for the most part. Then again, to be fair again, they’re Portuguese so they don’t really count as French either. But the guy serving us today was French.

In the end, this video isn’t a knock on the French so much as an attempt to help you be aware, before you travel to France, that cultural expectations surrounding service are wildly different. They don’t exist to serve you, you’re lucky to receive what they have to offer. It doesn’t make sense to us, but if you can keep that in mind you’ll be fine.



Have you had any customer service “encounters” worth recounting? Tell me about them in the comments below! And be sure to check back for a new video on Monday!

I’ll leave you with a photo of the Arc de Triomphe I took yesterday – you can find more if you follow me on Instagram!

Mercy Ships Highlight Reel

Not that this is an official video – it’s not, but it’s a little taste of my trip to Conakry last week. I spent eight days with my friends on the Africa Mercy, and had a great time catching up and hanging out. My goal was simply to be an encouragement, to bring treats and hugs and a listening ear, and I think I accomplished all of that.

There’s not a narrative to the video, but I hope you find it interesting nonetheless (more story-driven videos to come):



Also, if you’re wondering about Mercy Ships at all, you should check out this 60 Minutes spot covering the Africa Mercy and her crew. I was there while they were filming, but I managed to effectively dodge the camera crew the whole time (read: I wasn’t all that interesting to them).

 

If you have any questions be sure to leave them in the comments below. I’ll be posting videos of my time spent following various friends around as they worked on and off the ship, including Josh Callow, the ship’s videographer. That was him in the fire gear near the beginning of the video (and the tie as well).