Day 8: Versailles and New Friends

First off, I apologize for my lapse in posting.
As some of you have assumed, I was out having fun and running out of time to write my blog! I have been keeping interesting hours that would have some people somewhat shocked, but it's the way things are done by the young Parisians!

So, I left off with my trip into Tours. That was probably the most exhausting part of my visit since it was quite fast paced, and the rest is more spread out even with my itinerary! So what this meant was that Wednesday I was extremely tired! I had arrived back at my apartment around midnight, called my niece to wish her a happy B-day and went to sleep. So I did not wake up very early for my trip to Versailles. In fact, I made it a late morning, not getting out of bed till ten! Once I did get out, I was up and running in no time.

I made myself some breakfast at home, with a lovely baguette I stepped out to get. I love the bread here! It is simple but amazing, and honestly like nothing I have ever tasted! During breakfast I went over my notes and guidebook to refresh my memory on how to get to Versailles and how to best buy tickets. With that being done, I walked over to St.Michel RER station, and purchased my combo train/entrance ticket to Versailles. I did this because the lines at Versailles tend to be long, and pre-purchasing tends to be a good deal and less hassle.The RER station was a bit confusing to navigate at first, but I did manage to get on the proper platform. I was surprised because by this point in my trip, I had tourists and French people asking me for directions. My guess as to why is that I tend to hate not knowing where I am going, so even when lost I am still good at feigning confidence which some people assume is knowledge!

The train itself was pretty neat, it was a double decker like the Illinois Metra, but both floors were much roomier and comfortable. So comfortable in fact that I almost resorted to my Metra commute naptime! Unfortunately, RER does not stop in Schaumburg, so I was careful to remain conscious! The ride was roughly 45 minutes, and when we arrived at the station, it seems we exited in hordes! The signs were pretty clear, but even if they weren't, it would be just following the crowd.

Upon approaching the Palace, it was a bit (a big bit) amazing. Even after seeing some of the Loire Chateaux, I still could not stop to stare in amazement at the sheer size and design of Versailles. The walk up to the entrance was littered with people selling key chains and souvenirs, not too mention, the hordes of people attempting to get in. The line for tickets was pretty long, but fortunately the line for security was not too bad. What is really nice about the ticket you purchase, is that the audio guide is not an additional cost. The rooms are all very well marked, so the tour is not hard o follow.

I must admit, none of the rooms were intriguing until I entered the Hall of Mirrors. Up until then, I had seen similar rooms in the other chateaux. But when you enter the Hall of Mirrors, it is somehing else entirely. It is the height of elegance and wealth, and when you first see it, it seems like it is an enormous glittering room. In reality, the room is not that big, the mirrors on one side give the illusion of great size. Nonetheless, it is a very elegant and grand room. Afterwards, I also enjoyed the Queen's apartments. I liked the style they were built in and decorated.

Once I finished the main tour, I headed outside for a view of the grounds.
If anything ever took your breath away, it had to be the view! The expanse of land, water, and gardens that lay out in front of you when stepped out was beautiful! To one side you had a garden with potted plants and palm trees. On the other side fountains, and straight ahead were additional gardens and a beautiful fountain. It was enough to make your head spin!

I started with a walk in the garden of potted trees. It was quite empty but beautiful in the design and layout. Next I walked towards the maze like hedges near the fountain. It was a bit chilly, but I found myself a sunny spot and ate my baguette sandwich while admiring the landscape artistry. After a quick lunch break, I walked further down the lane towards the opposite end of the grounds but stopped at the lake to watch the rowboats and swans. It was so peaceful and pretty, that I sat down and started reading a book and watching the people and the waterfowl. I am not sure how long I stayed there, I did not finish much of the book, but I did see some interesting ways of steering a boat!

I explored a little further down the lane, but had to turn back if I was going to make it to my dinner plans! I strolled back to the main buildings and then right back to the train station. I could tell I was tired and comfy because once again my Chicago Metra habit kicked in and I was practically asleep on the train! I managed to stay awake and get to my apartment with enough time to get ready for dinner.

The plan was to meet a friend at the St.Michel metro stop and then search out dinner with her and some additional friends. Well, problem is, St.Michel has multiple metro exits! It took us awhile to find each other but eventually we did! Sophie is an Australian au pair living in Paris, who I met through a travel website geared at students and young adults. Sophie introduced me to some of her friends, Caitlin(American) and Sara (Aussie) both also au pairs, and a French girl Charlene who also introduced me to another French girl. By this time names were flying around in my head, and accents left and right! Much to my surprise, I learned I had a heavy Chicago accent! I was a bit incredulous but the Aussies, American, and French all assured me this was so! They all thought it was neat, while I was loving their accents in turn!

We strolled the Latin Quarter quite a bit, searching for a good restaurant that could take our group in. We had fun strolling around and learning new things about each other. The restaurant we ended up at for dinner was a newish place in the Latin Quarter called Watt. It had very modern decor, and very reasonable prices. I had my first taste of risotto with forest mushrooms and some great white wine. The total for 6 people (including 2 bottles of wine) was only 120 Euros! Delicious food, great wine, and fun company! It was great to meet new people who were so very different from me and who I typically hang out with. By the end of dinner I was invited to a Saturday night get together at Caitlin's apartment.

Before we parted ways, we had to have dessert. Sophie highly recommended the Nutella Banana crepe and neither I nor the two au pairs had tried it. The two French girls and Sophie got their gelato, while the rest of us were initiated into the wonderful world of banana and Nutella! I do like Nutella crepes, but with the added banana it is heaven! We walked back to the Metro where everyone but me had to catch a train train (I planned on walking, a 15 minute stroll). We all said good night after making tentative plans for Saturday.