Are PARISites planning on using boat's tours or looking to book private tours? Any guidance on where a private tour is best? Are most going to Heidelberg or are some going to Mainz? If we have a large group, any chance we can get a bus to ourselves that day?

Anyone leaving Amsterdam by train or are all flying out? If by train, which train? We will probably book train soon and would love company if anyone is taking train back towards Paris.

Bing, Carol, Jan and I would also lile to know
if there is any plans for touring Paris.

yes,
we plan to take the escorted tour with the group. Then we have to determine what to do the other day. My Aunt and Uncle have not been to Paris so they will have a different agenda. Actually I have to find again Freddie's personal recommendations previously posted. It was one of the best guides I saw, and Arlene agreed. A great way to start a tour...

We may hire a car, but would love to know any plans made by others

Sorry for being ambiguous; I am interested in the tours once we board the Amacello. ;)

Most of the stops are fairly small towns so would think that the tours included by the ship is more than sufficient. This summer we were also on AMA with the first half of the itinerary identical to the first half of PARIS.

Heidelberg vs Mainz - I would say that Heidelberg is more interesting and more to see even though it is about a 2 hour bus ride from Frankfurt / Mainz. Mainz is also charming though.

Recommend you tour Heidelberg. We have visited both cities but lived in Heidelberg for over a year in the mid nineties. Heidelberg has a rich history, key sights include; Heidelberg Castle (13th Century), Alte Brucke (Old Bridge with multiple Arches), Old Town, Funicular Railway where u will get interesting views over the Neckar valley, the Rhine valley (pls see link below--railway runs in winter) very old Churchs (St. Peters, Church of the Holy Spirit (built o/a 1236, 1196 respectively). The Christmas Fair (Heidelberger Weihnachtsmarkt)is open from Nov 25 thru Dec 22.

For beer lovers the Heidelberger Brauerei (Brewery) is one of the oldest in Germany (circ 1603)

Hope this helps

Photos of key sights:

http://www.heidelberg-guide.com/gallery_photos.html

Funicular Railway link:
http://www.bergbahn-heidelberg.de/

Cindy:
Guess I was talking about our free day in Paris.
Yes we plan on doing the included 1/2 day tour put on by the company.
I made a copy of Freddie's suggestions. So do have that.
Bing & Carol have been to Paris before but we have not had time to sit down and talk about it.
Don't think they are interested in doing the "normal" required 1st time tourist tours from a comment Carol made.

Hi Jim......i think we may do the hop on and off bus thing as well as the half day tour. Our relatives have not been in Paris, so will want to see the sights. David is doing a full day at the Louve, I may do 1/2 day. It will be a wonderful trip!!!!!! Can't wait...actually....we may have documents soon!

I have done zero research for this trip but I know some good restaurant ideas on slow travel site - one of these days I will check it out indepth - I use them for Rome and couple of reports with google maps are outstanding!!!

fyi, pls see Avid Cruiser's interesting river cruise reviews site below:

http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/cruise-companies/ama-waterways/

I found a good site regarding European Christmas Markets. Note the "Top 10" list; Brussels is at No. 5. If anyone wants to take Thalys up from Paris to Brussels for the day Saturday, 5 December, Arlene and I will meet you at the station for a quick tour of Brussels and the Christmas Market. It is only 1:22 from Paris - Nord and Bussels - Midi and round trip tickets can be had for around 100 euros (2nd) or 148 euros (1st). It is an easy one day trip (made it many times now).

Let us know. ;)

By the way, here is another story from the same website to whet our appetite for the Christmas markets. :D

Need a little help here.
Need to change dollars to Euros and would like to
have some suggestions on the best way to do it.
1st of all you need to realize going to a bank is out of the question. They don't do that here.
Contacted AAA and it is 1 euro = $1.61 and under $1K
they charge $12.00.
Now as of a few minutes ago 11/16/09 on the internet it was showing 1 euro = $1.49790.
Would it be best for us to wait and buy them at the airport assuming Salt Lake airport has a exchange booth or maybe at Paris airport when we arrive?
Comments appreciated.

Jim,
Why can't you just get your Euro's once you land at CDG airport from an ATM machine? This is what we always do without any problems. OR if you want to trade USD$ in, there are currency exchangers within CDG airport.

Thank you Marcie.
That was my question. :hug:

We do the same thing as Marcie Jim. David was in Germany last week, plopped the card in the ATM and had all the beer money anyone could need. :)

Same thing we do Jim - never had problem with an ATM card - we usually have few euros left over from previous trips but not much -

I agree Jim.. Wait til you get to the airport to get some Euros.. I got the AAA travel pack the first time we went to Europe and the rate was terrible , but was nervous about not having some Euros when we touched down.... Never again...

FV