Paris

August 20, 2009 Thursday
Paris

We got up early ad took the bus and the train out to Versailles. It was a blistering hot day and eve though we had tickets, we stood in a very long line to get it. Then after we got in we were in hoards of people touring the Palace. I guess I’m just a warped individual but I was less than excited about it. It just seemed to me like one more REALLY big building filled with lovely ceiling art and dark pictures of old kings on the walls!! I was even disappointed in the Hall of Mirrors!! I don’t know what I thought it was going to be bit it just wasn’t the grand, mirrored place I had imagined. Perhaps the fact that it was crammed with people and it was hot and stuffy may have contributed to my disappointment. Ah well. I saw Versailles and I’m very glad that I got there but I will not be raving about what a terrific place it is!! By the time we got out the lines were all gone. I think we should have come later!!!

We feel pretty smart that we manage to get around the city with all the different kinds of transportation. Actually, the Metro and trains and buses are very well marked and if you pay attention to where you got on, you can always get back

There is a HUGE bird house for pigeons just a few blocks away from where we are staying and we spotted it this morning while we were on the bus, so when we got back, we decided to walk to it to see it up close and personal!. It is really interesting and I took all kinds of pictures of it! It is located in a lovely park that has a beautiful fountain, pool and lots of flowers as well as a vegetable garden complete with scarecrow. While we were there, a young man came up to Don and wanted Don to take his picture….with OUR camera!! Don realized that there was something wrong with the guy and blew him off and then the guy walked over to me and kind of fell into me almost knocking me off my feet!! It was SO weird. I finally got disentangled from him and the next thing we knew, a nicely dressed man came from the other side of the fountain and grabbed a park official. When we walked a bit further we were able to see that the young man had stepped into the pool with all his clothes and shoes on and had also placed his backpack in the pool!!!!!!! The park official was trying to convince him to get out!! Oh boy, there are nuts everywhere!

We are going back to our restaurant/bar tonight for dinner again!! I figure that there is no point in trying a new place when we found a place with such delightful food!! Tonight I’m getting the salmon with pasta. I saw it being served last night and it looked terrific. I’ve been thinking about it all day and I’m really looking forward to it.

Speaking of food, I had forgotten how dumb their breakfasts are. I always end up eating a croissant with cheese and a slice of ham tucked into it. Ham sandwiches for breakfast are just not my ideal but when in Rome (or Paris) do as………..

I HAVE to tell about our tiny shower. It wins the prize for the tiniest shower I’ve ever seen or been in. It is so funny!! If you move in it you either turn the water off (because you bumped into the faucet) or you fall out into the tiny bathroom!! The curtain likes to cling to your body and it is a stitch!! This morning I heard the shower going on and off and I finally asked Don what he was doing and he said that it was just easier to turn it off when he was washing than to fight to keep it going!!! I’m not sure but he may have foud the definitive solution!

Tomorrow Sacre Coeur.