Selina had some friends over that night, and we had a little soiree in the backyard. I drank a couple of bottles of Norman cider (yum!) and played with the cat.
Anyhoo, it was Anna's birthday on Saturday, so Selina made pancakes for breakfast, with champagne and strawberries. Mum had sent me over some birthday candles, which I had brought to Paris (along with Anna's pressie), and I stuck them in a pancake so we could sing Happy Birthday.
After our yummy brekkie, we set off to Versailles. Sel lives very centrally, by Parc Monceau, and we could see the Arc de Triomph on our way to the train.
We arrived to massive queues outside the palace gates, sparing dim memories of visiting Disneyland. There was one queue to buy tickets, and another for entry. Fortunately we had bought a transport and entry package at the train station, so after a quarter of an hour or so, we were in! "All for the glory of France."
At first glance, it was like being in a popular part of the Louvre. Marbled walls and scads of annoying tourists. (Yes, including us.) I crowd-surfed over to the info booth to grab some maps and then, while trying to get outside to the gardens first (it was sunny) we ended up inside instead.Apparently parts of the Opera were closed, but we dutifully made our way through the sumptuous private chapel...
The opulent, yet kind of ugly, private apartments...
The bedrooms of the various Louises (assuming that's the plural of Louis?)...
And the famous Hall of Mirrors, which was pretty impressive, despite the mirrors looking like they needed a good do-over with Mr Muscle.
Current restoration work:
We finally made it outside, where we met up with Selina's friend Catharine. The weather was fantastic, if rather fierce, as we wandered about the vast and somewhat featureless grounds. I have to admit that I found the sheer scale a little unwelcoming.
Nice flowers, though!
The 'other' palace, the Grand Trianon:
Marie Antoinette's gardens:
Recovering afterward
And finding our way home on the labyrinthine Metro system
That night we went out to a number of Parisienne bars and nightclubs, and didn't get home until 4! After a bit of a sleep in, we did manage to have a walkabout on Sunday - eat a nutella crepe - and look in the shops. I bought a fancy coffee plunger from Bodum.
This is the first place Anna and I came to in Paris:
More ambling:
Memorial for the deportation of Parisienne Jews:
Bookshop from Before Sunset:
I've decided I like Paris a lot when there's no pressure to do anything except wander about aimlessly, drinking espresso and eating. Farewell!
