One of the richest assets the city of Paris has as a tourist destination is its location on the river Seine.  Aside from the practicalities of being able to transport goods on the river, it makes Paris all kinds of photogenic.  There are bridges criss-crossing the river linking the city’s neighborhoods on either side, and  a long walking path along the Seine makes for a lovely stroll in nicer weather.  Many of the major tourist attractions, like Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and Musee D’Orsay are located along the river or at least close enough to be seen from the river.  This makes a boat cruise on the Seine a terrific introduction for visitors to the City of Lights.

A Bateaux Mouches boat

Unfortunately, for most of the week I was there, the weather was so wet and cold, I wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of a boat cruise.  Finally, on Saturday night, after a brilliantly sunny day in Paris, I decided it was now or never.  I happened to be walking along the Seine anyway near Pont de l’Alma and saw the Bateaux Mouches landing.  It was an ideal time for a boat cruise, as the sun would set in less than an hour.  So I bought my ticket (10 Euros) for a cruise departing at 4:30pm, as the sun was setting.  (There are more expensive options if you want to join a lunch or dinner cruise.)

Contemporary Paris seen from the Seine

Was it worth it? Absolutely.  The only downside of tours like this is the other passengers.  There were a large number of teenagers being loud and obnoxious and unsupervised children running all over the boat. While the former was annoying, the latter really upset me. What would have happened if they had fallen overboard and no one noticed?  On the bright side, I noticed I wasn’t the only solo passenger aboard the cruise.

Notre Dame from the Seine

The cruise itself was as lovely as you would expect at sunset and dusk. . . except that it was also brutally cold, thanks to the wind blowing off the water.  I could have sat downstairs in the heated enclosed room, but I toughed it out on the upper deck, because I really wanted photographs of everything.  One by one, everyone sitting outside got up and went inside. I was one of the last holdouts, but after an hour, even I couldn’t take it any more.  The heated enclosure was like heaven at that point.

The Eiffel Tower as seen from the river

The Bateaux Mouches cruises are narrated in several different languages (English, French, Spanish, German, and others I couldn’t identify) so tourists can identify what buildings and monuments they are looking at.  I really appreciated that at the time, though in reviewing my photos, I realize I can’t remember what some of them are. It was also fun to practice my knowledge of German, Spanish and French during those narrations.

For a different perspective of the major buildings and monuments of Paris, I highly recommend the boat cruise on the Seine.  In warm weather, I imagine this would be one of the most worthwhile activities you could enjoy in Paris.  But even in winter, it’s beautiful.  Just bundle up before you go.

Cruising the Seine is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Eiffel Tower at Sunset from Montmartre

Is it any wonder Paris has always been a dream destination of mine?  It’s got such a romantic allure.  The first thing I always think of when I think of Paris is its most iconic landmark, the magnificent Eiffel Tower, reaching for the sky.  So naturally, the first thing I did when I arrived in Paris was visit. . .Notre Dame.  Wait–huh?

View of Eiffel Tower from Ferris Wheel, Place de la Concorde

Yeah, that’s right.  I didn’t visit the Eiffel Tower first. I didn’t even visit it second.  I didn’t actually get around to going to the Eiffel Tower until day 5 of my trip.  Not that I didn’t get to see teasing glimpses of it playing peekaboo with me as I toured other areas of Paris, such as Montmartre.  In fact, that’s pretty much what I was looking for as I toured the rest of Paris.  I wanted to see what kinds of photos I could take of the Eiffel Tower from other areas of the city.  While the Eiffel Tower is visible from some places in Paris, I was surprised that you can’t actually see it everywhere in Paris.  I mean, are you kidding?  Something that tall??? 

Base of Eiffel Tower

Other than my cat-like desire to stalk my prey from afar before pouncing on it, part of me put it off because I wanted to savor the anticipation of seeing it.  I was “saving the best for last”–a risky tactic which has bitten me in the ass before, like when I was scheduled to visit the Mayan ruins at Tulum in Mexico at the end of my week there, and spent the entire night before throwing up from food poisoning.

But the more practical reason for saving the Eiffel Tower for late in my stay was geography; I wanted to wait until I was staying in the 7th arrondissement, where it was within walking distance of my hotel.  But I thought about it all week long.  Oh, the anticipation!  Should I go up?  Should I not go up?  How will it feel to be standing at the base?  How tall is it really when you’re standing right next to it?

Misty night

On Friday evening, I finally walked up the Champs de Mars to the Eiffel Tower. . .only to find it shrouded in mist, the upper quarter of the tower missing, like the Invisible Man beneath his wrappings.  That was kind of a let down (though it did make for some great photos).

On Saturday, the sun was shining, so I went back and got the full view.  I also got a terrific nighttime view of it that night from my bateaux mouches boat tour of the Seine.  And you know what? I’m glad I saved it until later in my trip because Saturday was one of only two sunny days during my entire week in Paris, and it was really nice to enjoy the area around the Eiffel Tower on a beautiful, sunny day.  In this particular case, the risk paid off beautifully.

Am I crazy for saving it for last?  When you travel to a dream locale, do you save the best for last, or do you do it first?  What influences the order in which you see sights?

Stalking the Eiffel Tower is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons in Vermont.  I can’t quite decide if I love it more than summer or not. I do love the warmth and sunshine of summer, but there’s something special about the fall. . .If only it weren’t immediately followed by my least favorite season, winter.

Autumn is a treat for the senses:  Brilliants reds, oranges and yellows explode like fireworks across the landscape.  The dry, fallen leaves on the sidewalks bring out the kid in me, as I scuff my feet through them, enjoying the rustling sound they make and the crunch beneath my steps. And the tastes. . . oh the tastes of Autumn!  Hot mulled apple cider with fresh, warm cider donuts–could there be a more perfect snack on a brisk day?  Speaking of brisk, the days are becoming crisp and cool and the nights downright cold.  People start firing up their wood stoves, and there’s a smoky overlay to the air, along with the smell of decaying leaves. It’s strange to love the smell of something decaying, but I don’t know a single Vermonter who doesn’t love the smell of the leaves in fall. The sound of Autumn is the honking of geese flying south and the rustling of tree branches in the wind.

If you want to enjoy these sensory experiences, too, October is the best month to visit.  It is impossible to predict in advance when foliage will peak (I’ve seen it peak as early as early September), but generally, October is a safe bet.  Also, foliage peaks at different times in various parts of the state, so if it’s past peak in one part of the state, chances are it’s peak elsewhere just a few hours’ drive away.  Be forewarned that you will run into thousands of other leaf-peepers during October in Vermont, so be sure to book lodging well in advance and be prepared for the unthinkable:  Bumper to bumper traffic in picturesque little towns like Stowe.  Also be very cautious about other drivers on the road: sometimes the foliage is just so spectacular it distracts drivers and accidents happen.

This is Autumn in Vermont.

If you’d like to see more of my Autumn photos, check out my galleries on Smugmug.

Burlington Vacations

Photo Blog: Autumn in Vermont is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Overlooking the Sydney Opera House

I travel by myself a lot, and I am always taking photos and filming myself. Often people make comments to me about my photos and videos and want to know how I am able to get them just right. The secret is practice makes perfect, and I always take more than one photo and film more than one take.  If you do that and follow some of my tips listed below you will never have a problem again!

Tip #1 Don’t be afraid to do it or worry about looking silly to other people!

• You don’t. You look just like any other person who wants a photo of themselves. Would you rather not get that great shot of yourself in front of the coolest thing in the world just to know that no one looked at you funny? Not me.

Tip #2 Be spatially aware.

• Make sure the camera isn’t zoomed in too close or too far out. Try to avoid having your arm in the shot.  That way it looks more natural.

Tip #3 Framing

• Unless the photo is of you and only you, try to frame it so that you are on either side of the photo so the subject of the photo (when not yourself) is featured and can be seen.

Tip #4 Take more than one photo

• Or take more than one take of your video. In the age of digital cameras you always have a quick reference guide right in your hand to see if you have captured the image or video exactly as you like it.

Tip #5 Don’t rush it.

• You may never visit this place again. Stop and take your time (“smell the roses”).  Give yourself the time to get the exact shot that you would like.

Cailin in Barcelona

Tip #6 Don’t forget to smile!

Tip #7 Tools of the trade

• If you want to photograph or film yourself in front of large landscapes or objects, you may want to consider buying an Xshot camera extender. (You can find a link to them on my site.) This allows you to have the camera much further away from you so you can get more scenery and/or more people in the photo with you without needing someone else to snap the shot for you.

The XShot Camera Extender

Tip #8 Let strangers help you.

• If you are struggling, let the nice stranger who offers take your picture for you. I often hate the pictures the random stranger takes of me, but you never know when they might get a good one of you and it’s all about good karma right? At least you can make them feel good about helping you. (Obviously make sure you feel safe with the stranger taking your camera to do this and are in a safe place.)

Cailin in Edinburgh

Tip #9 Try to keep the camera in your left hand.

• For photos, hold the camera in your left hand, even if you’re right-handed. When the camera is facing you, the button is on the left side.  If you use your left hand, your arm won’t be in the photo. Also make sure the landscape or subject of the photo is over your right shoulder, otherwise you will have that arm-in-the-photo problem again. It also looks more natural to have it to your right, as that is the way your body will be turned because your left arm is jutting out to hold the camera.

If you follow all of these tips you should have great photos to remember your solo travels and moments.

Thanks so much for the tips, Cailin!  So, readers, do you have any other self-photography or self-video-related questions for Cailin?  Feel free to post them in the comments below.

Cailin O’Neil is first a traveler, then a filmmaker. She has traveled mostly solo for the past 3 years to 23 different countries blogging and filming along the way. In 2009 she fulfilled her biggest dream by producing and funding the filming of the first episode of her travel TV show “Travel Yourself”. Currently in post production, Cailin now balances editing the show with freelance work in film and TV in her home town of Halifax, Nova Scotia while fitting in more travels every chance she gets.

Tips for Self Portraits and Video While Traveling Solo is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Burlington City Arts Cow

There used to be a saying that there were more cows than people in Vermont.  I’m not sure that’s true any more; but we still do have quite a lot of cows.  Even more this summer, as Burlington is hosting its own unofficial version of a cow parade.  In case you’re unaware of this phenomenon, the Cow Parade is a public art event hosted in various cities featuring life-sized fiberglass cows that have been painted by local artists. The artists use them as a unique canvas.  Often, the artwork reflects something about the culture in the region in which they’re being exhibited.  (As is noted in the comments below, Burlington’s event is not a sanctioned event by the official Cow Parade organization.)

I saw the Cow Parade several years ago in Las Vegas, where there were cows painted to look like a magician, and Elvis, and even a Las Vegas showgirl (that was hilarious!).  Vermont’s cows look understandably different.  They’ve been on display for the past month or so around downtown Burlington, and will remain on display until they’re auctioned off in October.  I’d say you had until then to come see them in person, but you might want to come sooner rather than later, since 6 of the cows so far have been vandalized.  Shameful, I know. The lack of respect for public works of art is a black eye on this city.

Here are a few shots I took of the cow art.  Pretty creative stuff.

Edu-Cow (this is a college town)

The Leunigs Waiter Cow (see his broken left foreleg? Vandals.)

The Cabot Cheese Cow, decked out in Vermont plaid

Thunder Cow, named after the local racetrack, Thunder Road

Sugarbush Cow, highlighting outdoor sports in Vermont

I like to call this one Veggie Cow

This cow has a cityscape of Burlington overlooking Lake Champlain

One of my favorites, the Airport Cow!

The other side of the Airport Cow

My favorite: Winter Landscape Cow (ironic, since I hate winter!)

Close up of the Winter Landscape Cow

Burlington Cow Parade is a post from: SoloFriendly.com