Hi there everyone,

Between the 21st and around the 25th of next month I'm going to France with my wife and from there to the UK where we will be until the 7th of May. We're staying in Hemel Hempstead or thereabouts, she because she wants to see her cricketing mates in the UK and me because I want to make photographs (hopefully of something more interesting than her cricketing mates!!).

So, the pretext for this is to provide advance notice that there will be a fair number of opportunities for spotting an A900 and an A200 purchased in Boston and operated mostly in Australia around those times.

The REAL purpose of the post is to seek the advice of the native British members of the group about appropriate things to point both cameras at while I'm there so I don't have to talk cricket!!

All ideas, suggestions, tips etc are welcome as are any suggestions that might involve some coordinated activity including UK and Australian Alphas (which may also include a beer). The only things we have planned at the moment is dawn hot air ballooning somewhere in the vicinity of Hemel Hempstead and the obligatory trip to London. Oh, and to get back to the subject of beer, it's my wife's birthday on the 29th of April and the original intention was to spend it doing the monopoly pub crawl but some cheeky bloody prince or other decided to get married in London on the same day and, although we've tried calling him to get him to change the date on the basis that we planned the day first, he has refused to do so - so, as an alternative, there will be a few drinks at the Paper Mill Pub in Hemel Hempstead on the 29th to which anyone who is interested is invited!!

Dunno about the UK, but where are you staying in France?

Hi Bossel. Unfortunately the French part of the trip is fairly limited. Paris only and only for a couple of days followed by a car trip to catch the ferry to the UK (complete with a stop at the Hypermart in Calais for the purpose of provisioning the rest of the trip I think) so, beyond the obligatory stops at the Eiffel Tower, the Arc, Notre Dame etc, I'm hoping for a chance to do some street photography and that will be about the extent of it I think lest I incur the rath of my travelling companions (wife).

Ideas still very welcome though

In Montmartre go get a Salade au Relais Gascon -they have two locations, the original Rue des Abbesses @ rue Hudon, the new one rue Lepic. BTW if it is a Friday or Saturday and it is about 9:00 PM, go to Cafe Hudon, they used to have live music, specially local jazz bands.

Near Opera Garnier or La Bourse, go get a Confit de Cannard (duck confit) au Lintillac (rue Saint Augustin, between AVE de L'Opera and Bourse)

If you are near Bastille, go to La Fee Verte (rue de la Roquette, 3 blocks from the Place de la Bastille) and say hello to Marieke, the owner. Lunch time is specially good, but just a coffee or a couple of beers is good also.

If you are still near Bastille, go to Boulevard Beaumarchais where you can find many camera stores (new and used)

From Bastille, walk to the Marais and stop at the Hotel de Sully, they have photo exhibits all the time (I saw Karsh and Eugene Smith there) Agathe Galliard's gallery used to be in that neighborhood also, but I think she had to move...

Last time I went to Paris (almost 2 years ago) i went for the first time to the Petit Palais and I was impressed and thankful (and wondering why I never went before...)

I can not tell about Calais (I went to London by Eurostar) or the UK in general because i only spent one weekend in London, about 8 years ago...

Enjoy your trip!

Thanks Pako, good suggestions - added all of them to the list!