Use Rechargeable Batteries for Smart Phones in Paris
Suitable for iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 & 4S
Suitable for Samsung Galaxy S3/S4/Note
One little teeny tiny item that is a GREAT additional to your travel items is a rechargeable battery for your smart phones. When I was out and about walking all day long, I couldn’t always find a place to plug in my iPhone and charge it, so this little piece of technology was marvellous! I carried it in my bag with my iPhone, and it was charged for whenever I needed it. Also great if you’re stuck in a train station, bus station or airport for long periods of time without a way to charge your phone.
I found the perfect one which is only 6x6x1.5 cm / approximately 2.5×2.5×0.5″ in size.
I loved them so much I am thrilled to be able to share them with you — with my own Paris photos on them!
Buy Now for $US18.97 + $5.00 shipping
These are my unique designs, and only available from me — they are printed as soon as an order is received, and the total turnaround and shipping is approximately 14 days (or less).
Please note: AbfabDesigns.com may appear on your statement/receipt.
To charge the battery
Plug into your laptop or other USB port whilst plugged into the power
Battery types: Lithium ion batteries
Dimension: 6x6x1.5 cm / approximately 2.5×2.5×0.5″ in size
Weight: 51g
Charging time: approximately 3 hours
Black USB cable included
Compatible with iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 & 4S
To charge the iPhone
Plug the recharged battery into your iPhone (if you don’t have any other way to charge the phone), and allow it to charge.
A word of caution when you’re in Paris and you’re walking around with smart phones
iPhone, Android, or iPad/tablets etc
Don’t be paranoid, be sensible with your phone, and DON’T make it easy for thieves to grab and run off with your expensive technology.
DON’T sit your phone/iPad on a café table (which I’m guilty of here in Australia) because these devices can fetch around 500 Euros on the black market.
Be cautious and careful and put your smart phone away where it can’t be grabbed when you’re walking the streets of Paris, in cafés and on public transport. If you have a backpack, handbag or some other bag you can carry in front of you where you can keep an eye on it, that’s best.
PS — BACK UP YOUR SMART DEVICE’S DATA before you arrive in Paris — better to be safe than sorry, right?
Looking at maps and information on your smart phone in Paris
If you’re standing in the street and want to look up maps etc, considering going inside a cafe or somewhere more secure. Thieves are grabbing phones out of tourists’ hands because they’re small, easy to grab and easy to sell.
Make it harder, go and sit somewhere where it will be more difficult to snatch anything out of your hands.
I know all this sounds scary, but it makes sense when you’re travelling to be super vigilant with anything you own that costs hundreds of dollars to replace.
How to back up smart phones
Plug your phone into your laptop.
iTunes will launch
an automatic back-up will be performed by iTunes.
While you’re in Paris, it’ll be a good idea to back up your phone often, especially if your taking lots of photos and videos, and adding lots of new friends into your Contact list.
Got any tips on using smart phones when travelling? I’d love to hear from you – I can post your tips here on this page — thanks in advance!
06/17/14 by Paris-Travel | Blog | Comments Off on The romantic lock bridge in Paris – Pont des Arts
Heard of the romantic lock bridge in Paris?
If you’re feeling romantic and you’re on foot, you might want to walk across the Pont des Arts, to see the multitude of locks which romantic couples have left on the bridge. Often called the “Lock Bridge” or “Love Lock Bridge”, romantic couples add locks to the sides of the bridge.
The local want to ban the practice, but no law has been created yet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC-r93coyBM
Built between 1802 and 1804 under the reign of Napoleon, the bridge is a favourite with local and visiting visiting artists.
The “love lock” ritual started in other countries, and finally reached Paris in 2008, finding a home on the Pont des Arts – now lovers are also going to the Pont de l’Archevêché near Notre Dame cathedral.
For your romantic adventure, once you’re on the Pont des Arts there are great views up and down the River Seine so take in your surroundings – the beautiful, centuries-old historical buildings from the Ile de la Cité, to the Louvre and Pont Neuf – you can also see the top of Sainte Chapelle church in the distance.
If it’s a lovely day, bring food and drink and have a little picnic with your loved one.
Map to the locks on the Pont des Arts (the Bridge of Arts)
When I lived in Paris all those years ago, the thought of “food trucks” (like in the USA) were unheard of.
Zoom forward to the 21st Century and “Voila!” they’ve definitely arrived and become popular
Grab a hamburger for €8.50
add fries for a total of €10.50
The very first food truck was launched by an American from California who was studying at a culinary school, and saw an opportunity. Called “le Camion Qui Fume” (the Smoking Truck), it can be found at different locations at different times, so check the website for the up-to-the-minute schedule or follow them on Twitter:
I’ve done it! I’ve created a book — and it’s available on Kindle first!
This does not mean that you can’t read it if you don’t have a kindle — not at all!
Here’s a snapshot of one of the pages of my new Kindle book on my iPhone:
It’s a short photo book with about 20 pages (with paintings of some things I love to do when I’m there), as my first foray into Kindle, and I’m quite pleased with how it turned out.
Now, getting back to Kindle – if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle App on your smart phone, and you can also download the Kindle Reader on either Macs or Windows PCs, so that’s easy! The quick video walks you through how to download the software.
You can read all Kindle books on your laptops and desktop computers — in fact that’s what I do as I don’t have a Kindle :-) OK — so what’s my book about? The truth of the matter is I love Paris, I used to live there, and every time I visit I take at least 1,000 photos and video clips. For my first Kindle book about Paris, I thought I might just make a small book with some of my favourite photos.
I got to thinking about that, and thought I’d like to do something slightly differently from everyone else — so I’ve made paintings from my original photos and I’m really pleased to share them with people who read my Kindle book.
Come walk with me through Paris, it’s about 20 pages long, I do hope you enjoy it.
07/14/13 by Paris-Travel | Blog | Comments Off on What is Bastille Day?
Have you ever wondered, “What is Bastille Day?”
It’s Le quatorze juillet !
To be honest, it’s only non-French people who call the 14th of July “Bastille Day”, so please don’t say “Happy Bastille Day!” to your French friends or other French people – ok?
I’ve lived in Paris so I am familiar with this day commemorating the French Revolution, but thought I’d get a Wikipedia explanation for you:
“Bastille Day is the name given in English speaking countries to the French National Day, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale and commonly Le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July).
The French National Day commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution with the Storming of the Bastille on the 14 July 1789, as well as the Fête de la Fédération on the 14 July 1790.
Celebrations are held all over France. The oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe is held on the morning of 14 July, on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic, French officials and foreign guests.”
If I’m lucky enough to be in Paris for le Quatorze Juillet (Bastille Day), I generally celebrate with friends by having a picnic or going out to dinner.
There will be plenty of restaurants open for this national holiday, but a make sure you BOOK IN ADVANCE so you will have a guaranteed reservation.
So now you can answer the question, “What is Bastille Day?” by saying, “It’s le quatorze juillet !”
06/25/12 by Paris-Travel | Blog | Comments Off on Is rue Saint Denis in Paris dangerous for tourists?
I have been asked, “Is rue Saint Denis in Paris dangerous?”
Rue Saint Denis is Paris’ “red light district” where the ladies of the night meet gentlemen who are looking for company.
OK so that’s a polite way to put it :-)
Many people are nervous about the rue Saint Denis but if you’re sensible and keep your wits about you, you’ll be fine. As with any city’s streets you’re not familiar with, keep a hold of your handbag and make sure wallets are secure. Don’t pull out your smartphone and flash it around.
I rented an apartment in a little street off rue St Denis in the 2nd arrondissement, and there were ‘ladies of the night’ on the corner of my little street during the day. I spoke with several local residents over several days who advised that it’s perfectly safe during the day, and up until late at night.
During the day there are many businesses open from clothing, handbag and shoe stores. to cafes and restaurants, and it’s also the wholesale fashion district.
Yes the rue St Denis might have a seedy appearance in some areas, but it’s also rich and colourful with many ethnic shops and restaurants. One well-known example is Passage Brady, which houses some marvellous and authentic Indian restaurants.
Visit rue Saint Denis and Passage Brady, Paris
Passage Brady
46 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis
75010 Paris
Nearby Opéra – Grands Boulevards, République – Gares de l’Est et du Nord – 10e Arrondissement
India in Paris! Passage Brady, built in 1828, is one of the rare Parisian arcades composed of two parts which are separated by Boulevard de Strasbourg. On one side, the arcade is covered by a glass roof, and on the other it is in the open air. A visit to Passage Brady is an invitation to a visual, sensory and aromatic journey. Commonly referred to as ‘Little India’, it houses numerous Indo-Pakistani, Mauritian and Reunion businesses. People come here for a break to eat tasty, spicy food, to buy exotic products, and even to hire colourful outfits! This beautifully decorated universe is also accessible via 22 or 33 Boulevard de Strasbourg and 43 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin (for the open-air part).
Is rue St Denis dangerous? Not if you pay attention :-)
What was your experience in this part of Paris? Please do let me know:
record an audio for me – big button on the right of this web page
“Teena can you recommend things to do in Paris in January?”
Frances is wondering what they can do in Paris in only 2 days in January.
Message: We “nutsys” are coming to Paris Jan.7 for two days. I am looking for a couple of fun and interesting things to do. We are staying at the Hotel Powers ( rue Francois 1ere). I can’t walk long distances, and with the “wonderful” weather, I am hoping you could give us an idea. Are there any flea markets open at that time?
Teena says …
Hi there Frances,
What a fun time you’ll have, although 2 days isn’t nearly long enough to get a feel for such a wonderful city :-)
As I don’t know what you consider to be fun, I’m not sure what to recommend – you could go iceskating (not sure if this is possible for you or not), champagne cruise, browse ancient bookshops – here is my Paris tours page which might give you some ideas:
12/24/10 by Paris-France | Blog, Q and A | Comments Off on Is there a lost and found in Paris?
How can Ramy find his camera which was lost in Paris? Hello I am Ramy from Egypt and I spent my honey moon in paris during the last two weeks of November…i was really fantastic..but we lost our camera in the bus number 70 that goes to place de clichy and we could reach it before we return back to Egypt…can any one help or guide to reach it again.
Teena says …
Hi Ramy,
Thanks for visiting my Paris website, and congratulations on your marriage.
What a shame you left your camera on the bus in Paris.
The first thing to do immediately you lose something on a bus is to contact the bus company.
If you lost your camera almost a month ago, it’s unlikely that you will ever get it back.
You can still try by contacting the Department of Lost and Found in Paris:
The Department of Lost and Found Police Headquarters,
36 rue des Morillons,
75015 Paris
Metro: Convention.
Tel: 0.821.00.25.25
Open from Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This group is responsible for collecting items gathered in Paris, in the three surburb departments and the Roissy and Orly airports.
Each day, 600-700 lost items end up in this service which have been gathered from from individuals, the RATP, department stores, museums, taxis and other departments of the inner suburbs (92, 93 and 94).
Before going to the Lost and Found Department, try to remember the exact location of the loss and try to get there.
If you have lost something in the street within five days, contact the nearest police station.
If you’ve lost something in the metro or bus within 24 hours, ask at the metro station.
If you have lost something in a taxi, try to call the taxi (by finding the phone and identification number of the taxi on the bill).
Another option is to try to contact “les objets trouvés” in Paris
email: servicedesobjetstrouves-paris@interieur.gouv.fr
Tél. 01 55 76 20 20 or 08 21 00 25 25
36, rue des Morillons
75015 Paris
Best of luck, and Season’s Greetings!
Teena
Teena Hughes http://A-Night-in-Paris.com
Read along on my website as I take you
to my favourite streets, cafes, chocolate
shops, River Seine, and much, much more!
Enjoy the festive season – I’m sending best wishes from my place to yours :-)
Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!
Joyeux Noël!
Hi there, I hope you’re ready for the holiday season …
I wish you a wonderful time wherever you are, whatever you celebrate, and may all your dreams come true in 2011!
Well it’s still snowing in Paris, and it’s very, very cold – so if you’re there, make sure you put on plenty of warm clothes, wear thermal gloves & socks, and keep DRY!
In today’s newsletter, I want to tell you about a whole bunch of pages I’ve written about Paris over Christmas. You can start with this page:
and then follow the links to read all the fabulous things to do and see! Yes, many small businesses might be closed over Christmas, but there are still a ton of things to do in this fabulous city over Christmas.
PS – did you find time to have your photo taken with Santa before the final day on 22nd December? I hope so!
MAISON DU PERE NOEL – SANTA CLAUS HOUSE
Speaking of Santa, here’s a quick little video of Pere Noel’s House in Paris:
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Here are a few more little treats I have for you today today, a couple of videos taken in Paris to put you in the mood of being in the City of Life & Love!
This video below shows the fabulous and free merry-go-round at L’Hotel de Ville (like City Hall):
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A video taken on 18th December 2010, from an apartment in the XIV (14th arrondissement) – how brave the market stall owners are under those gazebos on a very VERY cold Paris evening!
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Ahhhhhh, ice skating at l’Hotel de Ville (for the bigger kids):
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How about some well-known Christmas songs – sung in French:
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The wonderful colourful AFRICOLOR Festival is coming to a close on Christmas Eve
Tribal beats
Wild and groovy music
25 different events have been held from 12th November 2010 right up to 24th December 2010
If you’re going to be in Paris at the end of the year, this is a wonderful selection of musicians sharing their music with the world.
Hello I am Ramy from Egypt and I spent my honey moon in paris during the last two weeks of November…i was really fantastic..but we lost our camera in the bus number 70 that goes to place de clichy and we could reach it before we return back to Egypt…can any one help or guide to reach it again.
LET'S CHAT