re: Paris or London which would you prefer to spend a couple of days in?

London was super expensive when I went there. It was really nice but kind of bland for such a major city. (not saying there isn't plenty of awesome stuff to see, just not as much as other major Euro cities I've been to) It was easy to get around and it was nice to be able to speak the language.

Paris was gorgeous architecturally wise and had amazing museums but the people tended to have less patience w/my lack of language skills compared to elsewhere in Europe. (this was right before we invaded Iraq so that may have been a big part of it) The biggest issue I had with Paris was it was really dirty. They were just spraying all the garbage on the streets into the sewers. The tour guide even pointed it out like it was a smart thing to do.

Anyway, both cities on the whole were great places to visit. If you speak enough French to ask for basic directions, I'd go to Paris. If you don't want to deal with the hassle of running into people that can't speak English, go to London.

Either way you will have a great time.