Versailles: Parents in Paris

 

This was a wonderful surprise. Trying to maximise my parents time we decided to take a train and do a day trip to Versailles.

After all it was the top hit for every web link when l typed 'day trips from Paris' in google.

 

After reading trip advisor they mentioned that the palace should be seen before 10am or post 3pm. As we arrived at 10am and noticed that the queue challenged that of a free concert for Beyonce we decided to head into the gardens.

 

 

l am no gardener but these bad boys were delightful to look at.

 

 

They had bullet shaped trees and beautiful flowers.

 

 

Musical fountains.

 

 

And water features.

 

 

Everywhere looked stunning.

 

 

And was groomed to perfection – not a gardener in sight.

 

 

Mamma and papa – love!

 

 

For Fiona & Brent Livy – look how good l am at photographing trees after borrowing your camera 😉

 

 

Then onto Le Grand Trianon.

 

 

How do they keep furniture in such perfect condition for 300 years when my leather dining chairs already have a minute tear in them?

 

 

Marie Antoinette's bedroom.

 

 

My mum was starting to regret buying her Paris wallpaper and was thinking of more grander bedroom decoration schemes by this stage.

 

 

At this point l also want to add that on the trip my dad had not taken one picture (aside from me), yet low and behold as soon as he saw this green table the smart phone came out, he took some shots for the lads back home and my mum and l got to sit through an unwanted history lesson on how originally the pool table (or could be snooker – l wasn't totally listening) had teeny, tiny holes and it would have been very difficult to pot the ball. I would like to add that this was the only photo my dad took the whole holiday.

 

No not the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame or Sacre Coeur, but a pool/snooker table.

 

 

This was my favourite room by far, my dad also gave his seal of approval that l could decorate my spare bedroom in ode to this as they were Leeds United colours.

 

 

Who knew emerald and cerise matched?

 

 

l nearly had my camera confiscated for taking a picture of the below and l still have no idea what it is they ushered me out that quickly…

…well clearly it is a chandelier but why it was out of bounds i'll never know?

 

 

Then with the tummies a rumbling we stumbled across a jacket potato stall – not very French l will admit but once you have been subjected to the tiny potatoes that they serve in Australia, that clearly would never constitute as a jacket potato – you will take them anywhere.

 

 

With a cider.

 

 

Mild chicken curry minus a chair. Looking good dad!

 

 

Chilli con carne minus the mince meat…

…What the?

 

 

As my dads bottom was still hurting from the bike trip (4 days ago) and he wasn't having a bar of another bike ride around the park, we convinced him that an hour on the lake could be fun.

 

 

Initially we were having a nightmare until we realised that he was sat the wrong way round.

 

 

Tranquility.

 

 

Note that there is only one picture of me (trying) doing this. I was so slow that my dad had to resemble James Cracknell to get us back in time. I admit am no rower and can confirm my left arm is stronger than my right arm which means the boat inevitably loves the wall.

 

 

My dad with his brief rest bite for my photo opportunity. Note also at this point my mum has been seen nowhere near the oars and has leisurely placed herself at the back of the boat in a horizontal position.

 

 

Back on dry land.

 

 

The best musical fountain – although l appreciate that it would be hard to tell without a video clip.

 

 

l must explain a little more about the sculpture below. This was the front of the sculpture, however at the back which is a little difficult to see – there is a queue. When l enquired what the queue was for, the person in the queue advised that if you take a picture from the back of the sculpture whatever stands in front of the sculpture will be in the photograph. Obviously at this stage mama and papa where asked to stand at the front of the sculpture whilst l took a picture.

 

 

l don't know about you but l personally can see nada. The only difference being l queued up for it!

 

 

Queues were becoming a theme at this stage and at 3:30pm we decided to brave the palace in the suggested time frame via trip advisor.

 

 

The Golden Gate.

 

 

Now do not let this picture fool you. To take this you had to join another queue that allowed you to take a picture of a cordoned off room which was not accessible – hence no people in the shot.

 

 

The rest of the palace was a nightmare. In reference to my previous comment, free Beyonce tickets could not have commanded these crowds!

 

 

It was like being on the subway in peak hour traffic – oxygen was at a shortage and we were traveling at approximately one mille step per minute with complimentary foot stomping.

 

 

My only other comment on this is to the crowd controller…

 

 

You're fired…

Thank you to the sculpture for agreeing with me.

A sharp exit ensured we left the palace, my dad may not be able to speak French but his favourite word in reference to the palace became 'Sortie'.

 

My opinion to anyone who intends to visit – miss the palace! I actually don't know what all the fuss is about? If you are that desperate to see a wall lined with mirrors, please visit my bedroom in Baltic Street.

 

It costs 8€ to go into the gardens, 5€ to go into the Le Grand Trianon, the park is free and THEN 16€ to go into the Palace? My comments on the Palace should not be confused with Versaille. Even my parents agreed that they could have happily have spent the whole day in the gardens and park, and we have block paving both front and rear of the house so l can confirm there are no tree lovers amongst us.

 

You can hire bikes, hire crazy auto cars, hire rowing boats, have lunch or basically just meander through the green maze but the palace is only advisable should you be a fan of the mosh pit or the atmosphere of peak hour subway congestion.

 

My favourite thing about today…

…my mum hoping that after our day of sightseeing l wouldn't notice the plimsoles she had teamed with a ball gown for dinner 😉

 

 

Mickey and Jo you are not aware yet but at this point l will hand over to you as our parents are en route to gatecrashing your holiday in Spain in approximately 18 hours. Haha! SURPRISE!

 

N xo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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