Let them eat cake

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Today was not only our final day in Paris but also the last day in the European leg of our trip. Once more we were packing our suitcases and heading for the airport. Surprisingly our flight was not at the crack of dawn and so we had the day to visit one last place- the Palace at Versailles.

Packing reminded us how much stuff we were no longer going to need. Our next destination is the snow and so summer dresses and sandals will no longer be any use. We sorted what we didn't need and searched for a post office. A lovely lady told us where to go - in a nice way of course- and then let us know the post office isn't open until the afternoon because it is August. We took the bags back to the hotel and calculated what time we would have to be back to post the stuff and still make it to the airport.

Versailles is really easy to get to on the train. In fact the public transport in Paris has been really good for everything. We had to wait for some time for the train though as most of them seemed to be delayed. Eventually we got on and sped off to Versailles. The trains are double decker like the Sydney trains but the upper deck was full so we sat downstairs. There wasn't really much to see out of the windows anyway.

As we got off the train we bought tickets at the information office across the road. We paid slightly more but when we got to the palace we were glad we did. The queue was horrendous. Paris seemed to be all queues whereas Italy had none. We still had to queue for security and then again for the complimentary audio guide. The crowds were mad. You could hardly walk and you definitely couldn't see very much in each of the rooms. We managed to see what we wanted and then headed into the gardens. One strange thing we saw inside was the modern art. It was displayed all around the palace but really didn't fit. We liked some of it but perhaps there was another way to display it.

The gardens were beautiful but windy. We were going to hire bikes but it was a long walk to the hire place. Instead we ate cheese and bread by a fountain. We had bought the cheese at a wonderful fromagerie near the hotel. There was so much choice but what we bought was great. Then we walked around some more of the gardens. Quite a lot was inaccessible but we saw enough.

On the way back to the train we bought sundaes at a cafe. They weren't as big as we remembered French sundaes. Harriet got a shock when she ate her mint sauce as it was actually Creme de menthe and very strong. Maybe that was why she slept the whole way back to the city. What was Toby's excuse?

We mailed our parcels and lugged our cases to the airport on the train. We got a bit worried when we changed line as the trains were delayed like they had been in the morning. There had been an incident earlier in the day and everything seemed messed up. We thought we were going to have to find a different way to the airport but a train came just as we were about to make other plans.

The airport was packed and so was our flight. Somehow Harriet got upgraded to business class for the Paris - Madrid leg and Fiona had a middle seat in the very back row! Toby was near the front but none us were near each other. The next flight we were all together though.

We had thoroughly enjoyed Paris. The bread was amazing and the Eiffel tower is very cool. The bikes were equally annoying and useful. The queues are unbelievable whether it's at Notre Dame, Musee D'Orsay, Disneyland or the Eiffel Tower. The sundaes aren't what they used to be. The Seine can be very smelly and the best way to stop thieves is to shout at them. But it was fantastic.

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