Versailles, etc

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Geo: 48.8566, 2.35097

Hello all!
I'm so glad the kids posted and hopefully they will be posting again I am going to let you know how I'm doing on this trip.

After visiting the Louvre, it is a definite back breaker, if you go wear the best shoes possible! we ate our lunches out in the Tuileries Garden, where royalty once enjoyed the scenery and then where royalty was lead through to the guillotine. Very strange to actually be someplace that you've read or heard referred to so much.

We then walked to the end of the garden and there on the left is the Orangerie where Monet's "Water Lilies" are, went in and enjoyed them for a little bit. Then crossed the bridge and walked to the D'Orsay and the Legion D'Honour Museums which are maybe 40 meters from each other? We escorted Carlie and Sarah to the door of the D'Orsay while the rest of us went to the other as I've been to the D'Orsay and Joseph was more interested in the Legion of Honor than more art ;-) Spent an hour and a half almost there, then Brenda and Elizabeth waited for the girls at a designated meeting point while Joseph and I went to the RER station to ask some questions about the hours they ran as we were planning on being at Versailles the next day till about 11:30 ish when the garden show was over. When we go down we notice that there is an SNCF office there so we go in and pick up the train tickets we purchased over the internet for our journey to Mont St. Michel, Bayeux, and back to Paris. No problems with that, just have to make sure you have the credit card you bought them with to get them. Interesting guy in the waiting area, would not take a number and kept trying to get ahead of people, the two ahead of me wouldn't let him but when he tried it with me I just let him even though my number was next... he definitely thought I had done him wrong when I took a number and I could tell he was talking about me but of course couldn't understand him. When I finally got to talk to the employee that was to help me get the tickets I told him "je ne compre pas" (I don't understand) and he said, "I didn't either!" So anyway an interesting incident along with a couple of others we've observed. We then had to go to the RER manned booth to get the info on the hours did that then went back to the apt. Took the RER C to St. Michel then got on the 4 to St. Germain des Pres. Finding the right train for the RER was a bit confusing but a nice man helped us get on the right one, the metro is much easier, the RER is not so bad as to avoid, I just need to use it more to understand it better.

Stopped by the Monoprix for a baguette, a chocolate eclair, and maxi pain chocolate. Back to the apt around 6ish to relax for the next day's excursion, was feeling a bit sick... at my frozen quiche that I bought from Picard's, Joseph ate a frozen hamburger, the quiche was good, I think Joseph liked the hamburger but I'll let him tell about that.


SATURDAY: We all woke up at 6 to get to the Chateaux at 9 while getting ready we decided after being so tired from the Louvre do we want to be at Versailles for 12 hours? we said no, so would leave at 12 and just be there for the afternoon and evening. I went back to bed as I was definitely sick now. Slept till 11 and got up to go, when we got to the metro station Carlie's metro card wouldn't work, so I left the area to help her go get help, no one was in the booth so we went back to see if it would let me back in and then I could pass her mine and let her in? didn't think it would work and it didn't! they have already thought of people buying one and using it for multiple people so it won't let you use it twice at the same stop at the same time... so we went back up to try and find someone to help and a woman was there now, she came and let us in no problem.

I'll be back.... will finish later, here's Joseph:


Joseph:
Well, today we'll be seeing the Pantheon and some other stuff. Hopefully, I can go to the Ferrari store, but it might be closed, a lot of things here are closed on Sundays. So far everything has been good, I think we've all had a good time.


Sarah B:
I'm not much for detailed tips on how to get around or what not to do, but I'll give you a small taste of how Paris feels. This morning we woke to deep blue, clear skies over the rooftops across the alley. Our 4th-floor apartment (3rd floor for the French) has a view into a side alley where people will freely walk down the middle of the street and browse the shop windows. The pigeons here are the size of footballs, and the active French joggers have to be aware of going around them or trip. Everywhere you look a dear little cafe is nearby or a priceless fountain spurts water on passers-by. I thought like Seattle or Portland, that there would be many bums or shady figures, but by far this is the safest most beautiful city I have ever been in. I feel as though I could set up my paints and start painting anywhere without fear of my money belt being ripped or cut off. You should be aware of your surroundings for sure, but you don't need to be suspecting of everyone. This place is amazing, and I hope whoever reads this can make it to The City of Lights.


Wendy:
Will make this briefer or I'll never get around to writing the blog about today! We did make it to Versailles, we decided that Joseph, Carlie and myself wanted to see the Trianon's and Marie Antoinette's Hameau first since something was happening that evening and the chateau was closing at 6! so we had to hurry to see everything. Sarah wanted to see the gardens the most so she followed the garden tour, and Brenda and Elizabeth came with us but then after taking the bus decided to go walk the garden and see the Chateau. So we bought the little shuttle round trip ticket for 6,70 euro it took probably 20 minutes for it to drop us off at the Petit Trianon, we stood in line for a looonnngggg time, toured it and then proceeded to the Hameau. While in there at security we saw a man that had a handful of cherries and the guard telling him he needed to put them away. He got very loud and asked her if she wanted to give him the 10 euros he paid for them, etc.... very upset, even though she wasn't saying he had to throw them away... another interesting incident.

So as we were starting on the trail to the Hameau I spied a bench in the shade, I was feeling pretty much like death warmed over so told Carlie and Joseph to go on ahead and I'd wait for them on the bench. It's a 15-minute walk so I figured I had about 45 minutes to relax and recharge. So at about the 25 or 30-minute mark, the grass was beckoning to me and I found a place in the shade and laid down. Now for those that don't know me, I never do this, grass makes me itchy, but at this point, I didn't care and just wanted some rest. Of course, the kids came back after about 1 minute of my laying down ;-) ... So off we went to stand in line for the shuttle, we had to wait for another shuttle after the one that came first was full and not enough people were getting off for us to get seats. The next one came and we decided to not stop off at the Grand Trianon or we wouldn't have time to see Versailles! So the shuttle took us by the Grand Canal and we caught a glimpse of that on our way back to the chateau. When we had earlier broke up our group we had mentioned where we would meet BUT when we went to go back to visit the chateau we couldn't go back through the entrance to the garden, we had to exit and then go back through security. As I wasn't sure if Sarah had gone to the Chateau I was a bit worried about meeting up with her, no fears though as we came out of security there were the other 3 of our group all together on a bench. So, Carlie, Joseph and myself ran to get our free audio guides and take a quick tour as it was 5:30 at this point and they close at 6, was thinking they would probably be open later than that as it can take awhile to get a crowd of that size out of a building so I thought we probably had at least 45 minutes. We went through the whole tour with the audio guide and it only took an half hour! Since I'd been already I really didn't stop like I normally would and look at everything so we were able to meet back up with our group at 6 and then head for the train.


We were back at the apartment no later than 7:30 or 8, I went to bed by 9.


Something for those thinking about going to Versailles, when you exit the garden and if you want to go into the chateau you will have to show your ticket and go back through security so don't go out those doors unless you are prepared to do this. We were fortunate it was the end of the day so the line wasn't long for security...

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Photos

A fountain in the garden of Versailles
Just one of many fountains!!

Lots of wedding pictures here!
We have been seeing many people having wedding pictures taken at the major monuments here, maybe they are models? Very interesting either way.