An Ethnic Itinerary from Gare du Nord to Montmartr

[jazz]

Here is an exceptional walking itinerary from my friend who has lived in Paris for 35 years. It is excellent and I have walked parts of it:
www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1528781&start=0&tstart=0
Enjoy! Kerouac is an exceptional writer about Paris.

[luckyluc]

Merci Jazz, that is a good link. I do enjoy Kerouac writing on Fodor's I think he would be a great addition on OPF.

[GitteK]

Wauw, either he has snitched all that text from some "secret guide book" - or else this kerouac is indeed an observant and very unusual Paris chronicler. I am not much for "ethnic" myself, especially not fundamentalist islamistic neighbourhoods where people may give you nasty scowls or worse. But I do take my hat off and bow to kerouac's superiority in the art of cruising the Parisian back alleys.

>>> I must stress that rue Myrha is totally safe at any “reasonable” hour of the day or evening, but I would still urge visitors to be somewhat discreet on this street. I have taken many pictures on the street, but I always look around to see if anyone is staring at me, particularly with a scowl. It is not at all a street of thieves, but it is a hotbed of fundamentalist Islam, and the locals can be suspicious of your motives (police spies taking photos?). At worst, you will be insulted in a strange language, but nothing will happen to you. Please do visit the street, even if you don’t take out your camera. It is a truly remarkable place.<<<

[Jody]

Oh , I have read his posts on Fodor's for ages. He really knows his Paris. I think he is originally from Louisiana and has a French parent. Such fun to count him as a friend. Isn't he in the travel business in some form or other. I know he's the local Velib expert on Fodor's!!

[jazz]

Gitte: No, Kerouac has not 'snitched all that text from some secret guide book.....or else this Kerouac is 'indeed and observant and very unusual Paris observer". He does indeed, 'know his Paris', and is a powerful poster on LonelyPlanet Thorntree and Fodor's. Also on TTRefuge, which is very difficult to access...he IS an observant and very unusual Paris observer, he has lived in Paris for 35 years.

[sunshine817]

Good heavens...isn't it possible that Kerouac is just really, really good..and a really, really good writer? Can't he be good without being a plagiarist?

Kerouac sounds like a really interesting individual...the kind you'd tag along with just to see what you discovered!

[jazz]

Yes...Kerouac is an excellent and original writer.

[Jody]

I don't know where I got the idea he worked for an airline!! He reminds me of another Paris friend of mine and Darcy, Michael Osman. Michael is an American artist, well educated at the Philadelphia Academy. He does tours for a set rate for however many people you have in your group, He will stay out with you for 8 or 10 hours or as long as your feet will hold out. And he is so know knowledgeable about anything you want to see. You can take one of his planned tours or he will customize a tour for you.

I'd love to have a GTG with kerouac

[jazz]

Kerouac2 does work for an airline but he is not a tour guide. If you are fortunate and he takes you 'for a walk'...it is very lovely.

[Darcy]

Like demarais, I have been reading Kerouac's posts on Fodors for years, and he is good, really, really good!!

Demarais, you and I and thousands of others would love to get together with him.

[Jody]

I hope the next time we are in Paris..please God let it be in Oct 2009!,, we will have chance to meet him/ We had a lovely GTG with several Fodor's posters this past October.

[GitteK]

we must get kerouac to join OPF ! What a fabulous catch that would be ! I must take a closer look at the Fodor's travel site, if that's the kind of Paris tips you can pick up there.

sunshine817 - I never intended to insinuate that kerouac was a plagiaist, but with the accuracy and level of detail in his itinerary, logically it had to be either something taken out of a book OR something written by "an observant and very unusual Paris chronicler" (as I wrote).

He does indeed seem to be an amazing treasure box of insider Paris knowledge.