Sorry, I pooped out last night.

Day 2 (Yesterday)

Saturday was Versailles...the #1 item on my "must see" list. It was good, but not for the reasons I expected. First, I fully realize the crowds are probably 10% of what they are in peak season. Including London, I have not really waited in a line for anything (just a very slight line at Notre Dame.) Versailles was the same. However, once in the palace, the crowds were just annoying. Mostly because of the photo taking. Seriously, I like to take pictures, but some people are way over the top. And going through the rooms is a one-way trip with everyone filtering through a single doorway. needless to say, I accelerated through it as quickly as possible. I escaped to a hallway at one time, and there were about 20 statues in this long hall. I watched a guy go from one statue to the next, taking picures of each. I swear it is about collecting pictures; so many people don't even seem to look at whatever it is they are photographing. Ok, enough ranting.

A few years ago my book club read Abundance, a fictional book on Marie Antoinette. In it, you hear a lot about life at Versailles, especially how she liked to escape to this village Louis XVI gave her. It is maybe a mile away from the Chateau, and it was a working village, including a farm. Like Marie (because I am so like Marie), I loved this village. The vast majority of visitors do not venture out this way, so it was a calming visit. I have a bunch of pictures I'll post. Also out this was was a 'mini-Chateau" that Louis XiV had build to get away from the stress of "court" (the main Chateau) and to house his mistress. This place was called the Grand Trianon. (Marie's place is called the "Petite Trianon." Of course all this is surrounded by gardens, woods, ponds etc. I think the entire estate is 8 square miles. The only problem with Versailles is that I could not navigate the estate. I fancy myself pretty good with a map and direction. Heck, I just drove around the countryside without any problem. I lost count of how many times I got turned around on that estate...and I had a map. I'll blame it on the mapmakers, but I'm thinking it had to be at least partially me. I mean, I'd be in the woods without another human in site. And I'd be sure I was headed in the right direction, just to come to a clearing and realize I had gone in the exact opposite direction. In a way it was good, I was getting to tired to visit Marie's village, but I went to it because I stumbled upon it by accident. Since I was there, I figured I might at well enjoy it. anyways, repeatedly getting lost when I was hungry, tired, and in dire need of a bathroom got pretty old. I spent about 4 hours at the estate, then came home, ate dinner, and went to bed by 8. I was in a lousy mood, freezing, and sure I was getting sick....so no blogging.

Speaking of dinner, mine is just about done. I'm going to save this entry and do a new one for Day 3 after I eat. PS. the picture attached is from today...the first day I could see the top of the eiffel tower! It was been very foggy, especially yesterday where the later it got, the foggier.