Paris, France Review

There's no city on earth like Paris. It has grand boulevards, a scenic river, buildings and bridges guilded with gleaming gold, monuments and public sculptures everywhere, and dozens of incomparable museums. Despite what one hears, the people are generally friendly and helpful. Sometimes they can be brusque or impatient, as one also finds in other large cities like New York. English is beginning to be spoken widely, and Parisians have become more tolerant of the imperfect French of tourists. The finest of old-world opulence is available to luxury travelers, but Paris is also excellent for budget travelers. Various suburban neighborhoods offer safe, comfortable two-star hotels in quaint neighborhoods containing excellent local restaurants. Public transportation is excellent, making a car superfluous. Subways (the "Metro") honeycomb the central city and are easy to navigate. Above all, the food in Paris is most memorable, whether in luxury restaurants or in neighborhood cafés. And even in the most modest bistro, service tends to be thoroughly professional. Portion sizes are always reasonable; requests for a take-home box will be refused, possibly with a disdainful comment about this regrettable American custom.