The first morning in Paris begins with breakfast in the hotel around 8:30 am. Our guide tells us not to expect much, but the food choices are very nice. We have croissants, corn flake cereal, milk, orange juice, water, coffee, apples, ham slices, and various bread spreads.
Our group sits at the round table in the back of the room. Table talk this morning is at a minimum, seems everyone is still sleepy. Eating helps bring our energy levels back up which we are going to need because we are traveling to Versailles. There will be lots of walking.
The skies are overcast and threaten to shower on and off. We bring either our jackets or umbrellas. Even though the sun is not beating down on us, it still feels very muggy. This makes the walk from the train, about a mile to the actual estate grounds, harder than usual.
As I approach the estate grounds I see the size of the buildings are massive, and very impressive. It is one of those times where you have to see it to fully appreciate the experience.
click on More information and a slide show-Versailles Estate
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| Even the roof' tops have gold leaf |
Our tickets are pre bought but we still have to stand in line for about 45 minutes. Can't believe what happens, a young girl and boy cut in line in front of me and another student. I make the comment that we were here first, so the female doesn't challenge me, but gets right back in line directly behind us instead of leaving the line and going to the end. To my surprise they are not asked to move and laugh at not getting caught.
As I wander the halls of Versailles I can't help to be amazed that I am walking on the same stairways and areas that Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XIV. To best describe what I see is their lifestyle was exuberance on steroids. It seems as if it could be guilded in gold or made in some grand way it was. No expense was spared in creating this palace.
These pictures are just a small sample of the tour
One of my classmates tours with me and we have fun looking at the exhibits together and shopping at one of the conveniently located gift shops. We stop there between exhibit halls. I see some Marie-Antoinette's replica perfume in cute little bottles and buy some for my daughters, and then find a Napolean Bonaparte t-shirt for my husband's Father's Day gift. Later we stumble on to the Cafe and stop in to have a quick bite of lunch, tomato and cheese wraps that were very refreshing. When we finish we head to the Gardens.
AFTERNOON
Excuse the videography, I did not realize my camera was turned sideways, but it gives you a small sense of the sights and sounds of one area of this massive garden.
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| I am in heaven, finally get to visit a garden. What a garden it is! |
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| Just one of the many fountains in the garden |
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| The end of the pathway I looking back at Versailles |
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| Entrance to one of the side gardens-A secret garden perhaps |
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| Even the fountains are guilded in gold |
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| One of the many beautiful garden features |
Time to leave and head back to the train. When we get to town everyone is hungry and we walk around the market area looking for some place to have lunch. Since I already ate earlier, I am able to take this time and do a quick shopping trip. I spot a store where I can get my husband his French Father's Day card, a few skeins of yarn, and a coffee mug. When I finish I rejoin the group. Around the corner is a Gelato stand, this time I buy raspberry flavor. So good and cold on a hot day. Then I see my roommate eating a chocolate eclair. I have to get one and oh my is it amazingly delicious. Wish I could have more.
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| A market where you can buy sandwiches |
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| Another treat one group member is eating-strawberry mousse filled pastry |
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| First bite of my eclair was so yummy Traditional French Chocolate Eclair Recipe |
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| Art on a wall |
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| Fun art objects in a large fountain outside museum |
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| She has the right idea, soaking her feet in the fountain. |
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| street vendors and artist everywhere in front of Pompidou |
Our first stop is the exhibit Atelier Brancusi
Constantin Brancusi (article) bequeathed his studio belongings to the French State on the condition that eh Museum would reconstruct it exactly as it stood on his death.
My professor tells me about a movie showing in the museum, have to admit it sounds strange to me at first, but my curiosity gets me, especially after he tells me it is a great place to rest.
20 Minute Clip of Clock Movie
I go inside the theatre where The Clock movie by artist, Christian Marclay is playing and the area is dark, cool, and lined with rows of white leather sofas. My kind of place. I really get into this movie, it was funny, interesting, clever. I wish I could have stayed and watched the whole 24 hours.
Funny thing happened after I left the movie. My blister on the bottom of my foot was really hurting, so I thought I would go to the information counter and ask if they had a bandage in a first aid kit. Language barriers gave the women behind the counter the impression I needed serious medical care. They said they would call the pompier. I asked what is that? They conversed in French and said uh, in English, Fire Department. I was NO, NO. I only have a blister on my foot. Hobbled a little bit away and the lady called me back and said, Pharmacie, I said yes, yes. There was one 2 blocks away, but no way I could make it.
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| Main Floor and shopping |
I go back to the Cafe and people watch from the second floor. See some performance art. Sketch awhile. Overhear a private conversation of two ladies about their husbands. They speak in English and French. One lady's husband apparently just came back from Dubai and is hooked on green coffee and now can't settle down, bouncing off the walls.
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| A human May pole performance |
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| 5th Floor Modern Art |
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| Escalator Tube |
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| View from 5th Floor |
EVENING:
Time to look for a place to eat dinner. We cannot decide as a group on one place so we split into two groups. My group finds a sandwich place and I settle on a tomato, cheese, and lettuce on a baguette. This meal is satisfying especially on such a hot day.
Several in the group want to go back to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up at night and ride the elevator to the top. I am not good with heights and the elevator is all glass and leaves you on the observation deck for 2 hours while waiting for a ride back down. I am dog tired and we will have much more walking to do to get to the site.
I am happy to discover several others in our group who are not interested in seeing the Eiffel Tower again and like myself would instead like head back to the hotel.
We discuss the route to take on the Subway, and agree to text our professor when we safely arrive. As we head back, our group decides to walk Flanuer style back to the hotel. That is a casual stroll taking in the sights, especially since we only have one more day in Paris. We laugh, and take more pictures. A lovely way to end the evening. Arrive around 10:30 p.m. The other group doesn't get in until 1 a.m. They had a wonderful time too.
We discuss the route to take on the Subway, and agree to text our professor when we safely arrive. As we head back, our group decides to walk Flanuer style back to the hotel. That is a casual stroll taking in the sights, especially since we only have one more day in Paris. We laugh, and take more pictures. A lovely way to end the evening. Arrive around 10:30 p.m. The other group doesn't get in until 1 a.m. They had a wonderful time too.
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