Suggestions on what to get in Europe...

[TazzieRob]

Ok, this will likely open up a huge can of suggestions for everything under the sun... but here goes! 

I'm going to be in Europe in September/October, travelling through Paris, Engelberg, Italy, Austrian Alps and Prague.

I've probably got enough knives and multis... probably... (wouldn't mind a Vic 74mm)... but want to get something to remember the trip by.

Was thinking of a nice pen or watch.  Not looking at super expensive, but excellent quality to price ratio.  What would you suggest? 

[dks]

This shopping guide thread may be a good starting point:

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,55965.0.html

Most countries will have some special edition SAKs, their traditional knives etc.

[Corwyn]

From Paris you definately must get an Opinel and/or a Laguiole.

From Italy you definately must get a Stiletto and a Resolza.

From Prague you definately must get a Rybicka (Mikov fish-knife).

From the rest.. just get some special edition saks... the City series is really prettty...

http://www.knifeplanet.net/iconic-knives-in-europe/

[HarleyXJGuy]

Well don't get what I got the last time I went. It still itches.

[Steinar]

France produces lots and lots of pretty nice gentleman knives I rarely see in non-French webshops, so simply finding a well-stocked knife merchant and entering with an open mind is probably a good idea. Hm, sounds like a pretty good idea outside France too.

Disclaimer: Don't speak French, never been to France. Have ordered knives from that mystical country, though. 

[Etherealicer]

Engelberg:

Panoramaknife Lucerne


But in all seriousness, enjoy the sights and don't chase knifes... visit Zofingen, come have a beer with me


Berne is good too...

[Etherealicer]

Or maybe Lucerne, as this is just next to Engelberg

[ducttapetech]

Well don't get what I got the last time I went. It still itches.

The gift that keeps on giving eh Harley?

Nate
That's us mobile

[pfrsantos]

From Paris you definately must get an Opinel and/or a Laguiole.

From Italy you definately must get a Stiletto and a Resolza.

From Prague you definately must get a Rybicka (Mikov fish-knife).

From the rest.. just get some special edition saks... the City series is really prettty...

http://www.knifeplanet.net/iconic-knives-in-europe/

Yeah, it's pretty much this...

 

[TazzieRob]

Good tips so far, thanks   

Harley, if you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas 

[ColoSwiss]

Sounds like a great trip. Take lots of photos and pick up the occasional souvenir, but don't spend all (or even most) of your time in shops or looking at things through a camera lens. Enjoy the scenery, historical sites, interesting architecture, great museums, fine meals, etc. Know what you're most interested in seeing, but don't be afraid to give in to serendipity.

Have fun!   

One suggestion: In Paris don't miss St Chapelle. Most spectacular stained glass windows I've ever seen.

[Corwyn]

LOOOL now I read your post properly and you saying you don't want knives...
Hm... I can't think of any special pens.. however you'll be going to Switzerland, the home of epic watches.. I won't be giving any suggestions as I don't know what you like... just go in a nice watch shop in Engelberg and look for: Tissot, Omega, Swatch, Zenith, Rolex, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Certina, Patek Phillipe, Longines etc. 

And regarding souvenirs.. don't worry... Paris, Prague and Switzerland are souvenir-treasure-troves 

[Corwyn]

LOOOL now I read your post properly and you saying you don't want knives...
Hm... I can't think of any special pens.. however you'll be going to Switzerland, the home of epic watches.. I won't be giving any suggestions as I don't know what you like... just go in a nice watch shop in Engelberg and look for: Tissot, Omega, Swatch, Zenith, Rolex, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Certina, Patek Phillipe, Longines etc. 

And regarding souvenirs.. don't worry... Paris, Prague and Switzerland are souvenir-treasure-troves 

Ow, ow Caran d'Ache pen 

[Etherealicer]

LOOOL now I read your post properly and you saying you don't want knives...
Hm... I can't think of any special pens.. however you'll be going to Switzerland, the home of epic watches.. I won't be giving any suggestions as I don't know what you like... just go in a nice watch shop in Engelberg and look for: Tissot, Omega, Swatch, Zenith, Rolex, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Certina, Patek Phillipe, Longines etc. 

And regarding souvenirs.. don't worry... Paris, Prague and Switzerland are souvenir-treasure-troves 

Switerland is of course home of Caran d'Ache. They make awesome pens from affordable to bloody expensive

[TazzieRob]

LOOOL now I read your post properly and you saying you don't want knives...
Hm... I can't think of any special pens.. however you'll be going to Switzerland, the home of epic watches.. I won't be giving any suggestions as I don't know what you like... just go in a nice watch shop in Engelberg and look for: Tissot, Omega, Swatch, Zenith, Rolex, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Certina, Patek Phillipe, Longines etc. 

And regarding souvenirs.. don't worry... Paris, Prague and Switzerland are souvenir-treasure-troves 

Ow, ow Caran d'Ache pen 

Well I don't mind the look of the fish knife from Prague, so will likely pick up one of those. I won't be spending the whole time searching out shops to buy stuff, I'm there to see the sights, but if time permits, and is not too far out of the way, a little shopping can also be fun    

[Etherealicer]

Did you know Switzerland is like a Diamond and also has the 4 C's?

Cash, Chocolate, Cheese and Clocks

Italy has great food and wine, just never eat anti-pasti and pasti together... I mean if you bring anti-matter and matter together you get a big bang.
France, well Paris in particular I would avoid . Outside of Paris you can meet nice people and they also have great wine. The food ain't bad either.
Austria has excellent desserts (Kaiserschmarrn you should not miss. If you can get an original Sachertorte go for it. )

Not been to Prague yet, but I hear their beer is  :

[Corwyn]

Did you know Switzerland is like a Diamond and also has the 4 C's?

Cash, Chocolate, Cheese and Clocks

Italy has great food and wine, just never eat anti-pasti and pasti together... I mean if you bring anti-matter and matter together you get a big bang.
France, well Paris in particular I would avoid . Outside of Paris you can meet nice people and they also have great wine. The food ain't bad either.
Austria has excellent desserts (Kaiserschmarrn you should not miss. If you can get an original Sachertorte go for it. )

Not been to Prague yet, but I hear their beer is  :

 

Don't listen to the silly Swiss... Paris is BY FAR the most beautifull city in the world. If there is one place in the world you MUST visit.. it is Paris.. the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Ellysees, the Louvre, Les Jardin de Tuilleries, Notre Dame, Les Invalides, L'Arc de Triomphe, Mont-martre, Versailles, Saint Malo, La Seine, Place de la Concorde etc. .... the thing is ridiculously beautiful and majestic... I've been to over 20 countries I think and I haven't seen anything the same category as Paris... it's just a world of its own...
That being said the people are... meh... with a big "M" especially if you don't speak the language, but you're going there to see the city, not the rude, smug Parisiens and the dirty, begging, stealing, carbombing immigrants 
And yes.. the countryside is amazing as well.. can you say: Loire Valley? Or Nice?

Prague is stunning as well, most beautiful city in Eastern/Central Europe, stunning buildings, great beer, gorgeous women and a nice atmosphere... once again not keen on the locals, but than again, it could be worse.. they could be Parisians 

[Steinar]

I can sympathize with the "snotty Parisians", an endless stream of rude tourists (not because they intend to, but because they don't know the local "codes") can probably be extremely tiring. I live in a very small city, and we mostly just get a few bus loads and cruise ships in the summer, so it's easy trying to be helpful when an older couple is standing on a corner looking confused at a brand new tourist map. I can imagine trying to lead your ordinary life in one of the popular, world famous spots makes tourists more than annoying. Also, France is not known for emphasising foreign language education in their schools.

Oh, and, as Corwyn said, Kaiserschmarrn is not to be missed! (I prefer it with good, tart apple jam on the side, don't know what's customary in Austria.)

Disclaimer: Never been to Paris.

[Etherealicer]

I can sympathize with the "snotty Parisians", an endless stream of rude tourists (not because they intend to, but because they don't know the local "codes") can probably be extremely tiring. I live in a very small city, and we mostly just get a few bus loads and cruise ships in the summer, so it's easy trying to be helpful when an older couple is standing on a corner looking confused at a brand new tourist map. I can imagine trying to lead your ordinary life in one of the popular, world famous spots makes tourists more than annoying. Also, France is not known for emphasising foreign language education in their schools.

Oh, and, as Corwyn said, Kaiserschmarrn is not to be missed! (I prefer it with good, tart apple jam on the side, don't know what's customary in Austria.)

Disclaimer: Never been to Paris.

Yeah but its not just the regular guy. I find Parisians unfriendly...

My worst Paris experience:
I waited at the hotel reception for my key. The girl was talking on her phone (privately, I understand enough French to get that). She showed no intention to give me my key. So, after waiting several minutes, I climbed over the counter and got it myself, without any reaction on her behalf.
This was probably the worst, but there were many more such incidents...

France is pretty and has lots of friendly people, but Paris has an ugly soul

[Corwyn]

Yeah but its not just the regular guy. I find Parisians unfriendly...

My worst Paris experience:
I waited at the hotel reception for my key. The girl was talking on her phone (privately, I understand enough French to get that). She showed no intention to give me my key. So, after waiting several minutes, I climbed over the counter and got it myself, without any reaction on her behalf.
This was probably the worst, but there were many more such incidents...

France is pretty and has lots of friendly people, but Paris has an ugly soul

+1 on that.
Stayed 2 days. Just the first 2 minutes:
Asking in English for a place to leave the baggage: "Nowhere, just take them with you".
Asking in French 5 minutes later same place... "Sure put in the back room, 2 Euros per day"
Asking for a Coke, in English with baggage on me: 25 Eur
Asking for a Coca Cola, in French, T-shirt and shorts: 2 Eur.

Plus lots of beggers, people trying to swindle you, drunks in public transport,  people peeing in subway carts in the middle of the day, passing over boxes of sleeping immigrats in the bus station etc.
As you say, bad soul, but ow so incredibly beautifull, the architecture and history and charm is peerless.
Before coming to Paris, my dream was to move to Paris... after I saw it I wouldn't dream to move there, but I'm still saving to go there for a longer vacation  ...

[derekmac]

We didn't find the people all that bad in Paris.  The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful, and the servers at restaurants were also very nice to us.  There's so much to see there too!!!  If you go, make sure to see the Eiffel Tower at night, it's quite the site!!

I preferred Nice over Paris though.  Very pretty, and probably one of the cleanest places I've ever been to!  You can also take the bus to Monaco, and I think it costs around $2.  Monaco is a must see place!!  If you're an F1 fan, being able to walk the route of the Monaco Grand Prix is very cool!

As to what to get while there?  

[dks]

well, my main experience is in Strasbourg, which is not so bad, apart from the waiters thinking/acting like they were doing you a really huge favour by explaining anything on the menu or getting you your food...

[TazzieRob]

Some great tips on what to see as well, thanks all.

I too have heard about the apparently snobbish attitude of the French. Is it more the Parisians than the country folk? Seems like if you make the effort to speak French they're more than pleased to speak to you, but couldn't care to give you the time of day if you don't try and just bang out everything in English? Being from Tasmania, our accent is a bit "softer" than than the harder Aussie accent, and have been confused with English or even Kiwi...

I guess if you greet someone in their native language with a smile and then state that your skills in that language aren't so good, do you know English? may be a better way of kicking things off?

[Corwyn]

Some great tips on what to see as well, thanks all.

I too have heard about the apparently snobbish attitude of the French. Is it more the Parisians than the country folk? Seems like if you make the effort to speak French they're more than pleased to speak to you, but couldn't care to give you the time of day if you don't try and just bang out everything in English? Being from Tasmania, our accent is a bit "softer" than than the harder Aussie accent, and have been confused with English or even Kiwi...

I guess if you greet someone in their native language with a smile and then state that your skills in that language aren't so good, do you know English? may be a better way of kicking things off?

The Parisians are considered to be snobby. In the other areas, far less so.
Anyway, don't worry, Parisians aren't that bad either (I met the nicest guy selling old comics by the bank of the Seine)... just don't expect everyone to shower you with niceties like in other traditionally tourist-y cities... and as stated before, Paris itself is worth the hassle tenfold...