2003-05-05 - 4:57 a.m. Paris Lodging I waited to book my hotel for Paris untill two weeks (or was it 10 days) before I left. It wasn't that I didn't do my homework on where to stay. Rather, I was having a really hard time choosing... For once, cost wasn't a driving factor. I'd gotten an unexpectedly significant tax refund and decided it would pay for me to stay at a swanky hotel. The problem I had was two-fold: I was travelling by myself, and to a City I'd never been to before. Thus, I needed to find a fun hotel, or a hotel in a fun neighborhood so there'd be plenty to do. I didn't want to end up sad and lonely at some sexy, sultry hotel surrounded by residences or shops too upscale for me to poke around in. Also, I didn't want to sleep someplace swathed in chintz. Finally, I decided on the modern Hotel Bel Ami in the cafe and shop-littered Saint-Germain des Pr�s neighborhood. As my epinions review shows, it was a fabulous place to stay. I'd make it my home base again when I eventually return to Paris. Perhaps next time though, I'll be less antisocial, and spend some time gossiping in the cafes... I have been awake for more than an hour now, stomach churning, thanks to today being my first day back at work after vacation. My voicemail box is full. I anticipate 600+ emails. And the big project I was working on before I left that was done? Well, the vendors messed it up again, and I must fix it first thing. Yuck. Why did I return from vacation again? any comments? (0 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09