10 Unique things to do in much-visited Paris

I'm Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel, where I design unique trips for adventurous travelers. 

Here are 10 wonderful things to do in Paris that many travelers miss.  

But don't YOU miss out!  Read details below, then

set up a 20-minute complimentary call if you have questions!

Join a French couple for dinner in their home
This is not about food.  It's about cultural exchange.
Meet the French owner, Emilie, will pair you up with one of her hosts who's got similar interests and lifestyle, and then you join them for a simple, catered dinner in their home.  Experience dinner like a typical Parisian, and make a friend along the way.
Website:  http://www.meetingthefrench.com

Visit Saint Chapelle, in light and dark
This tiny royal medieval chapel, right on Isle de Cite, only steps from Notre Dame, is a literal glass box with floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows towering floors above you.
Visit during the day to appreciate the color-infused chapel (a Museum Pass will help to skip the lines)
and return at night to be entranced by a quartet or chapel choir.
Website: http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr


Sleep on a barge in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower
You'll enjoy a glass of wine on your OWN deck, under the twinkling lights of the Tower, and then step on the quay in the morning where you bike awaits for a short pedal to your nearby croissant shop.
You're in the heart of the action, yet set apart from the crowded streets.
And what a COOL place to sleep!
Website: http://hotels.about.com/od/paris/ig/Paris-/House-Boat-Seine-Dl.htm#.

Grab a seat at the longest--continuously-running, French-language-only play in Paris
Ionesco's famous comedy, The Bald Soprano, is a one-hour show that has not missed a night since the 1950s.   Produced in the Theater de la Huchette down in St Germain off of Paris' Left Bank,  it's easy to get tickets to this 7pm ritual, either by calling the theater in advance, or just showing up at the door!  And don't speak French?  Ne vous inquietez pas!  It's absurd comedy, so you'll be able to follow.
Website: http://www.theatre-huchette.com/en/

Meet my bike guide for a 2-wheeled escort into hidden corners of the city
Pam is a local.  She knows where to pick up your Velib, what spots are particularly atmospheric, all the colorful history, and she can even devise you a route that's car-free!

Write your first chapter at Shakespeare and Company
This bookstore in Paris is an institution dating back to the early 1900s.  Run since the early 1900s by Sylvia Beach, it's now located right on the Left Bank, and you can rummage through this warren of literature, pause to tinkle the keys on the 2nd floor piano, or grab one of the many cubbies to write our your own first chapter -- or write a page in your travel journal!   Wonder if Ezra Pound or Hemingway sat in that cubby?   Just imagine!
There are frequent readings and book signings too.
Website: http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com

Take a romantic stroll through a storied cemetery
Pere LaChaise in eastern Paris protects the remains of Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, and many more notable characters.  The artful tombs are as much sculpture garden as cemetery and a stroll here - whether the day be still and sunny or gray and drizzl - will be a touchstone to your Paris adventure.
Meet me at Pere LaChaise is a wonderful little book (order it before you leave home) to self-guide you through this collection.
And afterwards?    Dinner at the trestle-tables, elbow-to-elbow with other travelers and locals, at Mama Shelter's bohemian outfit, is my recommendation!
Website: http://www.pere-lachaise.com/perelachaise.php?lang=en

Tango by the Seine
During the warm months in this City of Light, tango reigns on the banks of the Seine.  Drop-in classes start around 7pm , followed by open dancing which runs deep into the evening.
No partner needed.  And it's free!
Follow their Facebook page

Just hang out on the banks of the Seine! 
From picnicking to people-watching to accordion music to impromptu DJs, it's the best spot in town! Just watch this youtube!

Join an ex-60 Minutes-writer for a unique literary walking tour
David Burke is a published author of the literary writers' lives in Paris.  He guides small (or private) groups at very moderate cost on his different themed tours.   From Lost Generation to the Racey Writers of the Marais, you really should not miss him!
Website: http://writersinpariswalkingtours.blogspot.com/p/walks.html

Want to visit Paris' literary cafes on your own?  

I have designed a special Cafe-A-Day:  a self-guided route with stops at all the top cafes 

where Hemingway, Stein, and others hung out - 

L'Hotel where Oscar Wilde died

or Harry's, an American institution deconstructed from NYC and rebuilt, one Ivy League banner at a time, on Rue Daunou,

and many more. 

To get this complimentary report, email Melanie here. 

D-Day turns 70: Need a guide?

Want to learn about this pivotal moment in history, D Day, but have special requests?  A certain D Day beach?  A certain D Day story?  

At TLT, I specialize in designing a 100% customized experience for each client. 

Call me today to hear more:  (609)923-0304

Next week, D-Day marks its 70th anniversary on the beaches of Normandy, France.

• D Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history, Operation Overlord
• Of the 150,000 soldiers, almost 1 in 15 died by the end of that D Day.
• D Day forced the Germans to fight on 2 fronts, thus marking the beginning of the end of WW II.

To appreciate this staggering D Day story, wouldn't a guide be worthwhile?   Here are my 3 favorites:

Paul Woodadge, the famous D Day Historian: 

This gentleman is an Institution in the Normandy area.  He never subcontracts and never combines groups, but rather personally guides each client on their individual journey.
One of his favorites is the American Experience, for example, which runs every Monday/Tuesday.   He also offers Band of Brothers, and even a more specialty tour of the Falaise Gap.

Cost for private:  €600 for 9 hours


Guillaume Marie, of Normandy D Day Tours: 
 Private tours can be arranged with this local guide who is very eager and easy to work with.

Cost:  €260
What's included:  pickup and drop off from Bayeux hotel,  private transportation 5 hours of fully guided tour customized to your specific D Day interests

Group Tours through D Day Battle Tours: 
Recommended by Rick Steves, these D Day tours can be either private or public.

For €110pp, you can choose from 1 or 2 day journeys, and even ride in an authentic WW II jeep!



Want a concise history article about D Day?  Click here.

Interested in an excellent reading list about D Day?  Here's one!





I'm Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel where I research and design unique trips for adventurous travelers.  

Look for more Normandy experience ideas on this blog, or 
select a time for a private call to ask all your questions!

Orcas under the rainbow (and other luxuries on Uncruise)

For an Alaska like you've never imagined... 

off the beaten path, full of glaciers and grizzlies, fishing and fireweed.... 

schedule a call with Melanie, owner of Tough Love Travel, today!

I spent last week in southeastern Alaska, cruising the Inside Passage on an Uncruise boat that was something between a ferry and a research vessel.   The cabins were modest, the shower resembled a contraption you’d find on a small sailboat, and the dining room was a row of booths.  There wasn’t an inch of marble countertop in sight. 

Yet, it was a decadently luxurious experience for me and my fellow 38 guests.  Let me tell you how… 

Someone heard that I was an early riser, after which coffee was brewed every morning at 4:00am.

We returned from snorkeling with the lavender sunstars of Saginaw Bay and were greeted by Chris, who’d set up a hot cider bar on the fantail (“Would you like a splash of Captain Morgans?”).  He served us in the hot tub!

Whales surfaced by LeConte Glacier.  

Our captain – free from a strict schedule and as giddy as a 6-year-old on Christmas morning– cut the boat engines so we could float around the bay, gawking at and photographing these giant migrants to our heart’s delight.   2 hours later, we moved on.

In the village of Petersburg, Uncruise hooked us up with an old salt named Grant who escorted us on a Dock Walk and introduced us to a deckhand on the Island Pride.   Tales of gaffing hooks and sneaky sperm whales gave us a taste of the purse seining culture upon which this southeastern Alaskan village was built. 

5’ seas and 50-knot winds broadcast through the radio, so the crew spirited us to sheltered Whitney Island where, free from foul weather, they set up a beach party on a narrow spit of sand, complete with low tide walk and s’mores over a beach bonfire. 

                                 

Phil, one of our adventure guides, surprised my hiking group with a sack of warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, to buoy our spirits as the first drops of liquid sunshine fell in the fairy forest of Ideal Cove. 

Each evening we sat down to 3-course feasts – halibut and other Alaskan fish bought straight off the boats on Wrangell wharf, crunchy red kale salad with fresh grapefruit, and beautifully sauteed leafy green vegetables. 

Each morning started with a crisp fruit salad, complete with plump blackberries and kiwi. 

One morning I revisited the breakfast buffet for a 2nd scone (did I mention the full-time pastry chef who spoiled us daily with handmade breads, Alaska berry compotes, and a bottomless cookie jar?) and noticed that that bowl of amazing fruit salad had been devoured, leaving only delicious juice in the bottom.  I poured the juice into a glass, and (secretly, I thought) savored the remains.  Justin, the steward, did notice though, and the next morning, he greeted me with a glass of fruit salad juice, freshly pressed in the kitchen, just for me. 

One morning the Alaska State Ferry appeared down the channel.  It was the first (and would be the only) ship we saw all week.   All the typical cruise ships were relegated to the main channels and over-touristed port towns.  We had the pristine wilderness to ourselves!

And what a front row seat we had!

We had access to special places that most people only dream of, thanks to Uncruise’s maneuverable shallow-draft ship.   Its flexible port-free sailing plan enabled us to pause for wildlife when it magically appeared, and its doting crew – well, they made the trip!  

So as bald eagles put on a fishing show, diving a mere 20’ in front of our skiff, their mustard colored talons piercing their fish as they winged away with might and grace… 

and as Orcas breached under a brilliant rainbow one afternoon (you can’t make this stuff up!)….

not a good shot - but I had to prove to you that Orcas and rainbows were in the same shot!

We soaked in an Alaskan cruise experience that was quite rare, and entirely unforgettable. 

I finally understand what Uncruise means by:

“Unrushed.  Uncrowded.  Unbelievable.”

You want to see an Alaska that is unique, and natural?   I did too! 

Let me share my secrets with you for an Alaska, like you never imagined!

The "Slow Safari"

To have your Safari trip custom-designed just for you, Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel, is the one to speak to.  Select your complimentary consultation time by clicking here.

Would you like to laze in bed and hear the Bush wake up around you, rather than you wake up the Bush?

Would you like for the animals to come to you, rather than go on a wild jeep chase in search of them?

Would you like to feel immersed in the safari? 

Then consider the newest concept in safari experience:  The Slow Safari

No Schedule on Slow Safari

At a typical safari park, the morning game drive starts at the crack of dawn.  Don't get me wrong.... I love having coffee service to my tent at 6am, but it's not exactly relaxing. 

On slow safari, you can sleep in, waking at your leisure and - from your pillow! --  listen to the hippos bellow from the river or the zebra graze the grasses just outside your canvas. 

If you want to get up early for a day trip to Ngorogoro Crater, that's fine too. 

But it is your choice. 

You absorb, not attack, the Bush on Slow Safari

On slow safari, you can float in the pool as the dikdiks ramble past, only 100 yards away.

On slow safari, you can lounge over lunch, from your perch in the Eagle's Aerie, the private dining space atop the main lodge.  From here, you can see a warthog nurse her 5 piglets, and the giraffes sitting for a spell, on the far savannah.

Every Last Detail is important on Slow Safari

Sundowners (or sunset drinks and snacks) are standard at many safari parks, but how often do you arrive at the lakeshore at sunset, with a private table set up just for you?  A uniformed waiter appears from behind the jeep with your favorite drink, and you wonder:  "How did they know I preferred Captain Morgan's and how did it get out here?"

As the sun creeps below the far ridge, the flock of flamingoes on the far shore fades from view, but the guide lights torches and a small campfire to warm you. 

Other details on slow safari?  

Each tent is nestled in a private setting so you can photograph the zebras at their watering hole as you enjoy your breakfast in your bathrobe, on your personal deck, with 360* coverage. 

And for you food aficionados out there, the cuisine is flawless!  A cooling gazpacho is accented by the tiniest crunch of vegetable afloat...  the table is decorated with bright linens and weighty hand-carved forks... the freshest fruit and delectable petite biscotti is offered...  

I never sat down, in the lounge or by the fire pit lounge, without one of the staff arriving within minutes to offer me a beverage. 

Dinner - flexible times, and venues - on Slow Safari

Most safari parks serve dinner at 7:30.  I find it so frustrating to arrive from the afternoon's bush walk to a welcoming bonfire, and to be just soaking in the warmth (of the flames and the scene) when they push me off to a dinner table. 

At slow safari, you just stay there,  until YOU are ready for dinner. 

Then, they'll lead you to your own mysterious dinner venue.  The first night, we meandered down a foot trail into the woods where a small table was set with candles and ice bucket, cloistered under the umbrella of a large tree in whose trunk tiny tea lights had been set. 

Another couple was escorted to the open air library, replete with leather couches and a spotlight on the bush just below them. 

Each party receives their own personal venue and service.  This is a trademark of slow safari. 

Personal Service on Slow Safari

You'll never ask for a towel at the pool, or a drink on the porch.   It simply appears.

Your personal ascari (or watchman) stands at the end of your boardwalk throughout the night, in case you need anything!

There are only 12 tents so your hostess greets you personally and attends to your every preference. 

Where is this Slow Safari spot?  Call Melanie @ Tough Love Travel to find out!  (609)923-0304

Sleep underwater at a beach in Each Africa!

                                                            Have questions about East Africa?  

Kenya vs Tanzania?   Where exactly is the Great Migration?  How do you define "luxury"? 

Ask Melanie, the head designer at Tough Love Travel:  (609) 923-0304

Many people want some beach after their Bush adventure. 

You, too?

If so, I want to share my best secret from a beach in East Africa:

The Manta Resort

Where is it?
This beach in East Africa is on Pemba Island, in Zanzibar, on the Tanzanian coast

What's on the beach in East Africa?
It's an intimate seaside resort of oceanfront huts with private balconies for sunset (left) and garden rooms tucked back in the foliage (right). And then....


there is one UNDERWATER room!

Sleep underwater? How does that work? 

This beach in East Africa has a private floating island with your bedroom four meters below the surface. It is yours to enjoy while sunbathing and stargazing on the top deck, lounging and dining on the water deck and sleeping surrounded by a tropical marine environment.

Spotlighting the water around you at night from your underwater room will be absolutely breathtaking.

Feeling claustrophobic
Me too! When I watched the video, I couldn't imagine sleeping underwater, alone, surrounded by all that dark ocean. Illuminating the grand creatures only seemed to make me feel more nervous.

BUT THEN I heard that you could have the bed moved to the rooftop and sleep under the stars, only meters off the beach of East Africa, yet surrounded by sea. ....now we're talkin'...

Watch for yourself...

More photos of this beach in East Africa?
Just click here.

It's the Manta Resort. As they say:

You've just stumbled upon one of those rare gems that few people ever get to see. It's the Manta Resort of Pemba Island. Not necessarily for all.

Want more unbelievably unique lodging ideas? 

From sleeping above a European bakery to overnighting in a dirt-floored Quechuan home high up in the Andes, 

from a treehouse in Oregon to a lighthouse on its coast, 
from safari camps to the beach in East Africa,

Melanie's got the contacts! 

Schedule your complimentary call with her by clicking here. 

10 can't-believe-they're-real Photos of East Africa

I am proud to present my Top 10 Safari Shots! 

Warning to you professional photographers out there:   these don't get top scores for photography perfection, but rather for their "WOW! Really?!" factor.  

#1:  The day breaks at Rekero Camp

#2:  The Masai and their mandatory mobiles 

#3:  The Tiniest babe

#4:  Meandering elephant and river

#5:  A dip with the dikdiks 

Check out animals grazing in background.

#6:  Sundowners for just YOU! 

The jeep, in mid-gamedrive, comes upon sundowners-for-2, set out on this remote lakeshore.  You wonder: "How did they know I liked Captain Morgans and how did it get all the way out here?"

#7:  Lone giraffe at dusk:

#8:  Creatures, as far as the eye can see

#9:  King of the savannah in mating ritual

#10:  Will I fit?

At Giraffe Manor, in Nairobi

Honorable Mention:    Bush Breakfast

Are you wondering: 

Which month is best to travel to East Africa?

What animals will I see?

Is it safe?  Do I need vaccinations? 

Can I relax at a beach after safari? 

Recently back from safari in Kenya and Tanzania, 

Melanie Tucker has answers for you. 

Call (609) 923-0304

or email melanie@toughlovetravel.com  her now!

Kenya vs Tanzania: 5 big differences

I've recently returned from East Africa and here's a series of blogs to share all that I learned. 

Have questions?   Feel free to email, by clicking here!

Do you wonder which country in East Africa is best for your safari?  Although both offer extraordinary safari experiences, Kenya has 5 advantages in my opinion.  Here they are:

1.  LOGISTICS:  Nothing beats the logistics of a Kenya arrival.  Into the international airport on the eastern side of the city, you can pop 20 minutes over to the Wilson airport for a hopper flight out to the Bush, and you have arrived in Safari country!
You never have to enter the capital city unless you want to join the local market.

And you have your pick of many lodges near the airport, from the famous Giraffe Manor in Karen (see blog later this week) at  $700pp/night all-inclusive,  to the officer's club that's right on the grounds of the Wilson airport for $80/room/night.   Don't discount this AeroClub - it's the original hangout where bush pilots traditionally gathered between jaunts into Kenya's wilds, and many private pilots still room here, dining on the covered patio with a literal front row seat to check out the grounded small planes and watch the landing of new arrivals.

         In other words, in Kenya, you can make your international arrival and, with only one plane change and a mere 40 minute flight, you're amongst the zebra!

2.  TEMPERATURE:  Both countries are right at the equator (pack your sunscreen or buy it there for $25/tube!) but Kenya's higher elevation means that you'll be sleeping with a blanket rather than reaching for the Tanzanian fan! 

3.  COST:   Flights into Nairobi, Kenya cost around $850, compared to flights in Tanzania's Kilimajaro airport which can easily run around $1400.   VISAs - minor items in comparison - run $50pp for Kenya and $100pp for Tanzania.

4.  WILDLIFE:   The Mara delivers!   40 minutes out of Wilson airport in Nairobi, you'll be bumping down on a dirt airstrip in the Mara of western Kenya where your guide and Masai escort wait with a jeep to take you to your camp.  Whether your camp is 30 minutes away or 2 hours is immaterial, because you are game-driving, right out of the gate.    

And the Mara delivers!  Even when the Great Migration is centered in a different region, the Mara's "residential" herds are deep and impressive.  At times, our 360* view around the plains took in literally thousands of creatures.  One morning, we enjoyed a Bush breakfast under an acacia tree while baby zebras and their mothers grazed past, eland posted on termite mounds, dikdiks skipped through the herds, and a family of mighty elephants were silhouetted on the nearby ridge. 

  

And don't forget the BIG CATS:  Lions (and leopards and cheetahs) are in both countries, but it was in the Mara that I felt we had the most access. We watched a pride of lionesses hunt through the grasses one   morning.   The night before, we had our sundowner drinks IN the jeep while we visited with 2 lionesses whose 7 cubs were enjoying a late playdate.   And this fine male, off with his mating partner, sat regally on the rise overlooking the plains. 

5.  The Masai:  Although the Masai tribes populate the western regions of both countries,  it was in Kenya that I got to visit a manyata, or Masai village.  I went into one of the dung-thatched huts and spent some time exchanging questions with the young Masai woman who lived there.   With the help of my Swahili-translating guide,  I learned about their wedding customs, the school and clinic of their tribe, the significance of their beading, and where the baby cows sleep (yes, that's INSIDE the hut).  Stay tuned for an entire post about visiting a manyata.

For more details about safari-going in East Africa, schedule a free call with Melanie, the head designer at Tough Love Travel

and stay tuned to this blog for: 

Most Amazing Safari Photos

Our feathered friends in the Swamp

Meet the Masai

The babies of East Africa

...and much more.