Day Four: Versailles, the funniest one liner of the trip, Musée de Picasso, being supremely tired, and preserving our energies for the big night tomorrow.
Day 4 was another early day, primarily because we were taking one of the RER trains to Versailles. We found a RER station at Pont D’Alma (just near the Seine and about a 15 minute walk north from our hotel.) Today’s weather was temperate, a bit humid, but still overcast.
After a deja vu version of yesterday’s breakfast (coke and prosciutto, sausage, spreadable cheese on sweet bread), we headed out to figure out the RER. Bought the tickets, and easy-peazy, man.
We arrived at Versailles’ Train station much quicker than either of us anticipated (maybe 25 minutes at most), and it was an easy 5 minute walk to the most ridiculously large, over the top former residence you’ve ever seen. The only adjective that continues to initially come to mind is “immense.”
We opted for the 20€ all you can eat (joking; all you can handle) tour of the Palace, which includes the audio tour, the gardens, the Musée de Parliament and of course the kings & queens chambers and all the various rooms of the entire Palace. It was maybe 10 AM at this point, and we were off.
Versailles is stunning in its opulence, but suffered from the rundown of so many years, coupled with the fact that it was undergoing a massive, 3 year renovation (not to be completed ‘til 2007). While they were happy to take our full price admission, it is perhaps not as impressive as you might think it could be. It was built in the 1660’s by Louis XIV (what kind of bad ass do you have to be to name yourself the Sun King?), but wasn’t finished until after his death.
Perhaps the most glorious of all the rooms was the Palace Chapel as you first enter. It seemed to be the cleanest of all the areas, having most likely just been renovated.
Here you see pictures of the hall of mirrors being restored (see the mural covers on the opposite wall).
It could be true that the gardens of Versailles are the most or one of the most beautiful in the world. It could be true if we came when they weren’t being renovated. A bit disappointed in the lack of floral activity, the gardens looked much more like early December rather than late April.
And the fountains weren’t working.
Still, as we strolled along the long passage ways, you can’t not appreciate what it is and what it could be. This place is just immense in size.
Imagine the goal and the subsequent failure of the goal
So, I wanted to walk all the way to the end of the pond, the “Grand Canal” if you will.
Christina did not. LOL
So, we tried, making it as far as here….
giving up right where the canals intersect. (Try to pick out the Chateau in the distance!)
The reason I couldn’t convince her was the crossing canal extended much farther than either of us realized. On bicycles, maybe. On foot? Forget it, man.
(We should have taken these!)
It was right at this point, where we came up with the funniest line of the trip:
Christina noticed kids on a field trip. To which she remarked, “Wow, when you live in France, you get to go on a field trip to Versailles. I think I went to the Pomona Museum of Natural History.”
To which I remarked, “Yea, these kids go to Versailles, you went to the Pomona Museum of Natural History, and I went to the Frito Lay Factory on Lee Road.”
LOL (audio coming)
We turned around and began our LONG walk back to the Palace. Upon arriving to the top of the garden area, we stopped in for some sandwiches and sat down on one of the many park-like benches. The other undeniable thing is the amount of black matrix-like looking bugs. They didn’t attack, but they certainly didn’t leave you alone either. They were all over the place.
The Musée de Histoire was closed for renovation (representing a pretty large wing of the Palace), so we went to the Musée de Parliament.
Is anyone here? Man, this place is dead! One security guard walked up looking sleepy but assuring us the Parliament Museum was open. Politics: it’s just not for the kids anymore.
And no wonder; this place was boring and mismanaged. It reminded me of the one time I forced my nephew to sit with me in the Hall of Presidents at Disney World. I think I’m the only person in the world who still considers that a “ride.” LOL
While some of the aspects of it were interesting, it had a small town, ignored museum feel to it. We had to surrender our Passports just to use the Audio headphone things, and the retarded things rarely worked! The only way I could get it to work at one point was to face the opposite direction of the TV’s and movie screens inside the Parliament house.
Ok, remember how our feet were hurting the first day? Well, that pain was no longer partial to only wreaking havoc on our feet. It was now enjoying the endless possibilities; namely calves, knee joints, and hip joints. But it wasn’t as much “achy” now as it was just “dead legs”: we couldn’t get them to move!
Since feet strength and leg strength both greatly determine your enjoyment of Versailles, we realized this was a place you ABSOLUTELY can not see in one day. It’s just too big.
Well…we tried. At least that much we did.
So at around 3’ish PM we headed back to Paris. The short and sweet train ride dropped us a little further and, as we got off at Hotel Des Invalides, to take the 8 to the 1. At this intersection of a train station we watched a string septet perform.
Quick note about the Metro in Paris: While the 1 is certainly the line more often used, the 8 is my favorite. Why? This ride is aggressive and angry. When it starts up, it hurls itself down dark curves, throwing its body into each turn. It howls at every opportunity, like the Mother beast in Aliens. “Screech! Yowl! Scrape! Scream!” it spits!
I loved every time we got on this line, because it felt like our last time on this earth. Exhilarating. LOL
Musée de Picasso
Ah, Picasso, such a misunderstood artist. I like much of his early work, and while some of his later work can frustrate me, I’ve always had a big sincere appreciation of the wealth of his work in general and was one of my early influences as a painter (before discovering Vincent and Cezanne).
But the best news!!!!!! At the Musée de Picasso, they were running an exhibit of Francis Bacon, whom I ADORE! And even better, this exhibit had my absolute favorite Bacon paintings, a self-portrait.
Score. I was thrilled.
Here are some of the finer Picasso’s:
(one of my faves from his blue period)
(Check out the two cars that make his head!)
As we neared the end of Picasso’s museum, we found ourselves sitting down after almost every corner. We just couldn’t take the pain anymore. This is, without question, the most either of us have ever walked in a one week period. Actually, for Christina, this is the most she’s probably walked in her life, combined!
We had no choice. As it was nearing 7 PM, we walked down a couple more streets since we were obvious gluttons for punishment. Today’s end was nearing for the simple reason that we had to prepare for what was to be the highlight of our trip, the thing we had been waiting on for just over a year!
So, for dinner, we opted for a small bistro one block from the hotel and yes, ordered the Escargot (Why? Because escargot rules). Just some chicken dishes and I think she had a salad. It didn’t matter because the pain in our legs was overriding any thoughts that required memorization. We faded fast, but were thrilled with what we had seen so far on our trip.
And all of this knowing, like kids before Christmas day, what potentially laid in store for tomorrow.
Day 4 complete.
Next up: ALAIN DUCASSE: RESERVATIONS FOR TWO.
