Well, I am packed and ready to go to Mauritius and on to Johannesburg. I am checked in but not on to Cape Town. If I have to be delayed again I hope it is in Mauritius. This is a small vacation island in the Indian Ocean. I could get stuck in worse places.
Back to the Paris program:
On Friday we got a late start and headed for Versailles. We took the train and it took about a half hour to get there. Of course it was us and 50,000 other people. The crowds were worse than those in China at the Forbidden City and there is a billion people in China. The line at the tourist agency(at least what we thought was the Tourist information center) was very long. An opportunity to beat the line and buy a guided tour for a lot more money and we took it. Although it worked out fine, we found the real tourist desk around the corner with no line and this was just a travel agent. So be it!
When you first look at Versailles your eyes are drawn to a hideous modern sculpture. But looking beyond it you see why the French Revolution took place. The Chateau is absolutely stunning and opulent. The gilded gates and the entire facade were fit for a king!
We had a couple of hours before our tour of the interior so I walked through the gardens. I spent an hour walking through mazes and areas with scultures and fountains. None of the fountains were operating as they only are put on for special shows, for an additional fee, I might add.
At 3:30 we met our guide William. He was worth the price of admission. he should be on the stage and he had that distinctive Parisian accent which added to the show. He was great. The interior, especially the Hall of Mirrors was breathtaking. Although none of the original furniture remains, the marble, crystal chandeliers, and walls are original. The king and the queen's bedrooms were unbelievable. There were original portraits and even a Napoleon room from when he lived there. Along with William's stories, this was a great experience.
Another hilight of Versailles was the local Starbucks. Oh did that coffee taste good!
Below are some pictures at Versailles. Maybe later today I will get to work on Giverny and Rouen.
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| m i not right about the sculpture? |
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| The Front Door |
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| The back yard! |
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| Imagine having to be the gardener! |
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| Three statues |
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| Some garden color |
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| A view from the back door |
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| We were not alone in the Hall of Mirrors |
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| A view from above the crowd |
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