I woke up several times ahead of my 5:30 a.m. alarm on the morning of my grand Palace of Versailles expedition (in lieu of a Marais open-air market visit and wine-tasting excursion with the rest of the group).
I reluctantly - realizing sleep would remain elusive - got up at 5 a.m., worked out, got dressed, and inhaled breakfast (eggs, croissants, and yogurt) before Louis appeared (as he does) and whisked Edna and me down the street and to the Metro, where he graciously guided us onto our connections and eventually to the RER C before leaving us to journey the rest of the way. From there it was an easy ride (maybe an hour total), but a big deal for me, who was still more-than-a-little afraid of the big bad Metro. I clutched my map tightly and mentally checked off each stop along the way (too anxious to do anything else) until we reached our Versailles stop and left the station, crossing the street and taking in (as much as one can) our first glimpse of the palace as we waited in line outside the golden gate.
Inside was crowded! Claustrophobia and fear of trampling kept me hustling, a bit faster than I would have liked, through the history gallery, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Hall of Battles, where Edna and I reunited (thanks to our cellphones) after being separated in the throng. By 11:30 I was ready for a meal break. We walked outside to the gardens, leaving most of the crowd behind, and took some photos until Edna announced she was ready to leave. I'll admit I was disappointed (I wanted to eat and then go another round, exploring Marie Antoinette's hamlet), but that's the inevitable downside of traveling with someone: you gain a co-navigator - for which I was grateful - but lose your autonomy.
So we walked around the corner to a Starbucks cafe (they really are everywhere), grabbed food and drinks to go, and walked to the nearby train station, catching the 12:25 back to Paris, and easily making the connections like pros (which we definitely were not). It was a quick visit - much quicker than I would have liked - but undoubtedly worthwhile. I saw Versailles (knowing I might not have another opportunity to do so) and gained confidence to use the Metro on my own (which I never would have considered prior to that trip).
As if going to Versailles wasn't enough excitement for one day (wait, there's more!), I rejoined the tour group in the hotel lobby at 5:30 p.m. for dinner at the ultra-classy La Fermette Marbouf for dinner, followed by a Seine River cruise. The evening's events played out painfully slowly, however, so I had more than enough time to prepare myself.
First we took a long Metro ride to the Pont de l'Alma/Champs Elysees area (near the scene of Princess Diana's fatal car accident) and then waited - approximately forever (I was hungry) - outside the restaurant for our reserved time. And then, finally, got inside and waited even longer (more pleasantly, though, with white wine and bread) for dinner to be served. Dinner was a mystery meal filled with new taste sensations. It began with foie gras on toasted bread, which I was happy to try but didn't enjoy eating, continued with lamb shoulder and vegetables and concluded with a classic souffle. Overall, it was an impressive meal in a beautiful setting, much nicer than I would have chosen. (Cafes were more my style and price range. Fortunately I didn't have to pick up this check...)
