Versailles for a picnic.

We looked up the forecast (sunny all day) and ventured beyond (kind of) out of Paris for Versailles. In retrospect, Cliff thinks he may have been seeing the Paris-Texas forecast as it drizzled all day. Still that is better than Oregon coast weather but we left the coats and umbrellas back in the apartment. This time of year, the best of a Versailles visit is the inside since the gardens are pretty bare so it all worked out. I do keep marveling at how easy it is to travel about such a grand city, train-metro-bus always nearby and easy.

We brought along a little picnic and at the last moment I picked up my first pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant). Oh what I have been missing....the bread is fabulous but this is heaven.

When you leave the train station to venture forth to the palace of elegance, you are greeted with McDonalds & Starbucks (I wish I was kidding). Fortunately I still could walk quickly and we strolled up to the gold-gilded gates. (At least I don't think they are solid gold!). Versailles is immense, although it used to encompass 7800 hectacres and now only is ~800). We toured the main palace which included the king & queen's rooms (where Marie Antoinette initially escaped the revolutionary mob through a side-door) and Marie's (we're on first name basis now) little enclave where she had her own mini-palace and country hamlet so she could play milkmaid. Alexa really liked the idea of having a play-town instead of a playroom!

The gardens have great bones (Sharon would appreciate this) but you can tell that you really need to be here in the summer to fully appreciate it. The beds had all been turned over for the winter and none of the fountains operate. In the grand canal, families were renting boats and local teenagers were practicing in their rowing sculls. In parts of the grounds, various cub scout groups were playing games and families with baby carriages or bicycles were everywhere (it is Saturday).

We had a lovely picnic sitting on the steps of the palace (shielded under a doorway) overlooking the gardens. Alexa ate some cheese (!!!)...she said I could not post any of the pictures of this event (I admit, Cliff did bribe her). People watching is always great fun and Alexa has been enjoying feeding birds (but still gets a bit anxious the closer they get).

In the end we were pretty cold and getting damp (still just misty-drizzle) and now I'll admit it...we went back to Starbucks where I got a venti Latte which I thoroughlly enjoyed on the train ride back. It was cold outside! Excuses-excuses.

A lovely stroll down 'our' street where we picked up some dinner and wine. Alexa had her first hot chocolate (they ran out the night before just before we got there). Alexa is now admiring her postcard collection of her favorite paintings while I'm downloading today's pictures (which I'll add after typing). I am starting to get sad thinking about tomorrow when Cliff will be leaving in the evening and we then leave the next morning. I thought I would want to go to Italy on our next adventure but may have to come back to Paris first. We haven't seen but a tiny fraction, including some performances, but this is a place one will always long to return to. I can't wait but we will make the most of our last day.

Au revoir!