It was quite the ordeal to get there. We thought if we just took the metro to le Pont du Versailles, that we would be at Versailles. But it wasn't that simple. Apparently, other tourists have had the same problem because when we arrived there were printed directions in eight languages telling us how to get to Versailles from where we were. So we rode the metro, the tram, and some kind of train-like transportation just to get there - 2 hours.
Then, when we finally arrived we began waiting in line to enter. I overheard a British couple talking about the ticket line, it turns out, that's not what we were in. So we got out of the entrance line and into the ticket line and then back into the entrance line - 1 hour.
Upon finally arriving in the palace, we were amazed! Everything was so shiny and fancy. The layout was very confusing because just about every room we entered was someone's bedroom, be it mistress or king, and they were all decorated very grandly.
Of course, you're all waiting to hear about the famous hall of mirrors. It's everything it claims to be.
All in all, Versailles was a beautiful place! I really loved being there, and per Kacie's idea, we even took pebbles from the courtyard.
Upon returning to Paris, we visited the Luxembourg Gardens, which turned out to be my favorite place in Paris. There were picturesque children playing with sailboats in a fountain. The garden even had palm trees and live music. I also figured out where the phrase French kissing comes from. They are not shy about their affections in France.
They had these ingenious swings where a child sits on each side, and the parents push from outside of the swing's enclosure. Very efficient.
It was a peaceful getaway in the middle of a busy city and gave me some time to relax.
We then visited the Musée de Cluny, which was a Renaissance building that held Renaissance art. Such a cool experience. The old building really made me appreciate the impressive restoration of the art because I could compare the condition of the two.
We also had Berthillion crème de la glacée on Ile St. Louis, a place known for it's ice cream and crowded with tourists. It was only my second ice cream cone in France, but it was definitely better than any ice cream I've ever tasted.
We shopped at the Monoprix supermarket for dinner, and I ended up with pasta salad, tabbouleh, and kinder chocolate bars. We were baffled by the nationality of the chocolate because kinder sounds German, but they were called bueno bars, which is Spanish, and we bought them in a French grocery store. They're interracial candy bars. I like it.
On Sunday, what promised to be a leisurely morning before a peaceful train ride to Vichy turned into a mad dash of split-second timing. We thought we had enough time to take the metro back to buy souvenirs in quaint shops juxtaposed next to the mammoth Notre Dame and eat crepes from a stand we had seen, but in actuality, I should have woken up earlier.
On the way up, we walked like we had somewhere to be, getting a bit lost as usual. We found a shop, and I bought a music box that plays la vie en rose. Then I got a nutella crepe. So. Good. We then realized that it was 11, we were 30 minutes from our hotel, I hadn't packed yet, and our taxi was coming at 11:30.
We jay-walked, skipped down stairs, operated the ticket machines like beasts, navigated the metro system without any errors, literally threw things into my suitcase, fought with the tiny elevator to take me to the rez-de-chaussée instead of the first floor, and arrived in the hotel lobby 10 minutes late, sweating, but before the taxi. After that, our taxi trip was delayed by the longest biking tour you will ever see in your life. A steady stream of bikes crossed the intersection for a good 10 minutes before finally the driver turned around and drove like a true Parisian to get us to the train station on time.
After settling on the train, I snacked; I read; I napped; I looked at the countryside. I had a lot of tension to ease.
My host family is great! It's a mom, Marie-franca, a dad, Lionel, a boy, Sonni, and a girl, Mila. They're the cutest family and are patient with me when I don't understand them. Mila is literally the cutest thing. Every word that comes out of her mouth sounds adorable, and she loves to ride le cheval - me. "J'aime Alissa!" she exclaimed as I galloped around the living room.
Lionel used to be a rugby player for 12 years, and now, he owns his own company that makes plush sports balls that zip open to reveal the team mascot. They're really cool!
There is also a Suiss student staying here named Marco, who speaks German, French, and English. Show off. He's quiet but nice.
I'm quickly learning French already after only being with my host family for four hours. Clearly, the best learning environment is a home. I can ask them to repeat something, or use another word, or speak in English, and they can correct my grammar mistakes without laughing at me. Having a conversation in a language you are unfamiliar with is tricky, but you soon learn to describe things in ways you wouldn't have thought to use in your own language. It's certainly a challenge, but I'm loving it already.
Tomorrow, we report to Cavilam at 8 a.m. for convocation, and it looks like we're going on a historic tour of Vichy when school lets out. I'm loving Vichy so far. A lot more than Paris actually. I can't wait to continue to explore!
Until next time,
Alissa
I'm so impressed! Sounds like a marvelous time and you sound like a pro at this whole traversing-the-world adventure. Love hearing about your journey. :D
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