Advertisement
Published: August 15th 2013
Edit Blog Post
Approaching Versailles
I was still briefly ignorant of what horrors awaited me. The one day I decide to sleep in a little, and all hell breaks loose. I got out to Versailles just a bit later than I had planned, maybe an hour, and the crowds had truly arrived. I've seen so many people, swarming and churning everywhere. And even though I had my ticket before arriving, the line to get in, which is slow because of security, wound literally like a snake around the entire front square. Up and down probably for like 8 twists. I just simply refused to stand in such a line, in the baking hot sun. I probably would have been there for 2 hours, just to get it! And the crowds inside! Oh-la-la.
Thoroughly disturbed by the endless crowds, I limped away - I decided I strained my right foot, which I can barely feel, let alone put weight on. Coffee certainly wouldn't help, neither would a beer to take me down from my frustration. So I decided on a mid-morning Manhattan. This has I think become one of my favorite trip memories. I hobbled over to a little cafe right by the Versailles train station, and asked for one. They didn't know what I meant,
Are These People Insane?
Up and down like this all the way to that building way to the right. I'll do many things, but this is not one of them. My Manhattan was waiting. but were curious, and invited me to make it myself. So I limped over to the bar, got the liquors together, and started mixing. They even had bitters, and, since I thought I deserved it, I put in two cheeries. Perfectly took the edge off, sipping it down as I watched the poor, sad tourists flocking by, not knowing what awaited them. Honestly, if I had to describe Hell that would probably be it: up and down a square in the sun, like rats stuck in a maze. So, if you ever go to Versailles, stop first at the bar right to the left of the station and order a Manhattan. They took down the ingredients, and will probably have it - you'll know who to thank.
On the train back to Paris, I shook the dirt off my feet, and started anew, mainly seeing museums. I went to the Orangerie, where Monet's famous water-lilies are, and then back to the Louvre for a couple of hours. I went to a new wing - the Richelieu, and enjoyed the fewer people almost more than the art. Was going to also drop by the Orsay, but it randomly closed early.
Odd, if not Cruel
These are all over France, and are meant for the blind. But I've never seen a blind person use them. And then, they dead-end in front of sights. But how can the blind see these sights? It just seems mean. Didn't mind though and wandered back to the area where my hotel is, lingered over a cafe for an hour or so, and am now watching The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in French. Which is interesting because I've learned that Clint Eastwood truly does not translate well - he sounds kind of like a sissy in French (but he still squints, haha).
Tomorrow I take the Eurostar under the English Channel, getting to London in only like two hours. Should be fun, but I'm so close to just chucking my itinerary and sitting around in bars and cafes all day.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.124s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 7; qc: 52; dbt: 0.0946s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb