May 9-13, 2009
Yuanting and I at Boulevard Saint Michel
Kenny and I at Eiffel Tower
Our last day in Paris was spent at the lavish grounds of the Chateau de Versailles. Getting there took about forty minutes by train, and there was a long queue waiting to get in. Tickets were pretty pricey at 25 euros for the entire palace, including Marie Antoinette’s residence but it was worth it. French gardens are so so beautiful, especially because I am a big fan of symmetry.
Traveling makes one think about heritage and culture. Visiting museums are all about reliving the past and understanding the background of a time gone by. I guess my visit to the Chateau left me wanting to know more about French aristocrats and also mentally envisioning how life was like back then. That said, to live in a palace like this one that was so richly decorated was pretty overwhelming for the senses.
Now, if only I could have a chandelier in my bedroom too...
Sometimes all you need is a bed, a chandelier and a carpet. Really like the soft lighting and period atmosphere.
More chandeliers! And so symmetrical.
Such prim and proper hedges. Love the lines that it creates.
Oh yeah, it was pretty chilly out there despite the sun.
What a nice backyard to have
Marie Antoinette insisted on her own quarters within the palace
View of the Chateau from near the lake
Portraits on board the boat we rented
And me, courtesy of Kenny
Isn't it great to stay till most tourists leave, so you don't get people in your face?
That evening, we had a traditional French dinner of cheese fondue. It didn’t go down too well for us and it was a meal we definitely did not enjoy. Raclette was much better, in my opinion! The cheese fondue we had consisted of three different types of cheese. They serve it with meat, potatoes and bread, which you dip into the pot of melted cheese. It’s too rich and you need to be a cheese fan to be able to take it. Glad we had the experience but never again. Went off to the Eiffel Tower after dinner for night photos.
The next morning, just before our afternoon flight to Rome, we spent it exploring the area around our hotel – Montmartre. It used to be the bohemian hangout of Paris (the setting of Moulin Rouge) for struggling artists and children of the cultural revolution. Around the Basilica of Sacre Coeur, the area is still home to artists, albeit targeted at the tourists who arrive in droves. I really liked the atmosphere and laidback charm of the area. Once again, I let my imagination run wild thinking of how the place used to be fifty years ago.. Wild, noisy, crazy. Home to the Parisian underground.
Basilica de Sacre Coeur
We came across many buskers, mostly musicians and those statues in costumes, but came across a group of goofy Brazilian guys performing the capoeira. It’s a form of dance/martial art, pretty interesting to watch and quite amazing how physically demanding it is.
Audience participation
So he stayed up in the air for some time....
Goofy Brazilian
After the entertaining performance, we wandered off into Montmartre proper, where you still see remnants of the artistic past of the area. There are many typically Parisian cafes, where people sit and watch other people – an activity more important than the drinking of coffee. Lots of artists and caricature artists, souvenir shops and such. Very touristy, and maybe a little damaged, in terms of how the area could have eroded its authenticity in order to fit the expectations of tourists. Still charming to some extent, atmospheric, but quite unreal.
The blue goes very well with the orange, hmmm some ideas for the bedroom maybe.
Taken from hip level, nice angle and great to snap unsuspecting people
Off to the Paris Orly airport for our flight to Roma…
