Versailles

Today was wonderful! It was the most beautiful day in Paris blue skies without a cloud in sight. I have been planning for awhile to go to Versailles with Meredith and her mother, yesterday I told them that I couldn't go b/c I had to dance but after seeing the amazing day I decided to skip dance and head to Versailles. I have been wanting to go to Versailles for such a long time and today was the perfect sunny day to do it. To get to Versailles is about a 30 min train ride and you have to buy special ticket to get there. Walking from the train station to the Palace of Versailles I could smell spring and clean air- it was wonderful. Turning the corner and seeing the Palace was an amazing site, it is so big! oh my lord! There was a big line to stand in to get tickets so we cued up... but about 2 mins later people came up to us and sold us their tickets because they had to leave. it was great we got to skip the long ticket line. Meredith and I probably could have gotten in for free but that extra 35mins of not standing in line was worth the 15euros! Then we had to get in a even longer line to get into the Palace. Once we were inside the gold gates it was amazing and big and extremely overwhelming. The first thing that we saw was the two story chapel with the gold alter and organ. Every room that we walked in got more and more fancy and gaudy. The hall of mirrors was incredible, lots of chandeliers, amazing view of the gardens and of course lots and lots of gold. The Queens bedroom was my favorite room of the Palace. Everything was covered in a pretty flower pattern and when I say everything i mean EVERYTHING, wall paper, bed sheets, curtains, couches, pillows... everything- and what wasn't in covered in the pattern was gold-- it was a little much....

After we toured the palace we walked the gardens, which I found to be my favorite part. The gardens lasted forever there was no way we could explore it all. Big ponds that people were rowing boats in and fountains. It was the first time that I have spent time outside in the warm sun in such a long time that it was so nice to be there. We got sandwiches and just sat on the lawn for a good while looking at the swans.

After out little lunch break Meredith and I went to Chateaux de Trianon, Marie- Antoinettes get-a-way place from the Palace of Versailles (it was only a 10 min walk). I found the Chateaux de Trianon to be so charming. It was filled with light and had such a different feel to it than the Palace did. I found the gardens to be prettier as well and more fun to explore.

We stayed there until 5:30 when they started to shoo people away.

It was the perfect sunny day to go- completely worth skipping class to do so... :)

The Queens Bedroom

The Gardens