and I'm done with my 1st week in Paris
dimanche, 15 janvier 2006
Woke up early for Versailles. I was so dead.
Got there a few min late, but we were waiting anyways. We took the SNCF out to the Chateau de Versailles
It is absolutely humongous. Made a couple of videos to send back home. I can't believe that one family lived there in such decadence. They totally got what they had coming at them, lol
Went on the 8euro walk-around. It was just too much luxury, it was kind of cool.
And the paintings hanging everywhere were really cool, some of them were just huge. I think my favorite painting was the emperor's coronaton. The people depicted were bigger than life-size.
500x375
I took a picture of Marie-Antoinette and her children's portrait. I knew she wasn't as beautiful as I used to imagine, but it was still kind of disappointing, lol.
I had a staring contest with busts and imitated the pompous looking sculptures of noteworthy figures. The Hallway of Mirrors was pretty, although it's undergoing renovation.
Went out to the gardens and was impressed by its vastness. It's crazy to think that over 200 years ago, it once was a hunting ground for royalty on their high horses, chasing little foxes through the orchards.
It's too bad that it's winter and the fountains weren't on. However, it was cool to see the ice on the lake. Plus, autumn/winter has its own charms.
Took pictures of the French and tourists enjoying the gardens. It was quite fun
500x375
Found a pink marble mansion. Elizabeth said it was probably a guest house. That's some freaking guest house
Left around 3:45 and got back at like 4:30. Did my first load of laundry in Paris. The washing machine takes an hr to wash clothes, and then everything is hang-dry. Took me 20min to hang up the clothes, so I left my apartment kind of late. I wanted to go on the Bateaux Mouche - a boat tour of the Seine River. It would have been fine, because the group didn't even leave Bosquet until 7:20, and the boat didn't leave until 7:45. EXCEPT, even though my bus was supposed to come every 8min, it didn't come for at least 25min. And when it got there, it was hella crowded. And then because of that, I missed by transfer.... literally by seconds, and that was with me running. I don' t know what was the deal, but I got to the bridge just as the boat was leaving.
I was mad that I had spent the last 50min trying to do a 20min commute, so I bought myself a ticket anyways and went on the tour by myself. The next boat left 45min later, but I killed time by calling Andy's house, talking to his mom, and then calling him at work and talking to him until I ran out of minutes.
The tour itself was quasi-miserable - it was freezing cold on top, but that was the best place to be go see everything. I stayed up there during the first half before retreating to the lower deck inside. It was really pretty and further supports my theory that Paris by nite is better =D
500x375
Took the bus home, and now here I am... officially caught up on my journal. Huzzah for my 1st week in Paris!!!
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ok, so flikr has an upload quota, so I think I'll revert back to shutterfly.
I'll upload all of them asap, and when I do, you'll be able to find them at http://ParisStine.shutterfly.com
Also, you can keep up with me either on my LJ or on my yahoo!360 - http://360.yahoo.com/parisstine
Woke up early for Versailles. I was so dead.
Got there a few min late, but we were waiting anyways. We took the SNCF out to the Chateau de Versailles
It is absolutely humongous. Made a couple of videos to send back home. I can't believe that one family lived there in such decadence. They totally got what they had coming at them, lol
Went on the 8euro walk-around. It was just too much luxury, it was kind of cool.
And the paintings hanging everywhere were really cool, some of them were just huge. I think my favorite painting was the emperor's coronaton. The people depicted were bigger than life-size.
500x375
I took a picture of Marie-Antoinette and her children's portrait. I knew she wasn't as beautiful as I used to imagine, but it was still kind of disappointing, lol.
I had a staring contest with busts and imitated the pompous looking sculptures of noteworthy figures. The Hallway of Mirrors was pretty, although it's undergoing renovation.
Went out to the gardens and was impressed by its vastness. It's crazy to think that over 200 years ago, it once was a hunting ground for royalty on their high horses, chasing little foxes through the orchards.
It's too bad that it's winter and the fountains weren't on. However, it was cool to see the ice on the lake. Plus, autumn/winter has its own charms.
Took pictures of the French and tourists enjoying the gardens. It was quite fun
500x375
Found a pink marble mansion. Elizabeth said it was probably a guest house. That's some freaking guest house
Left around 3:45 and got back at like 4:30. Did my first load of laundry in Paris. The washing machine takes an hr to wash clothes, and then everything is hang-dry. Took me 20min to hang up the clothes, so I left my apartment kind of late. I wanted to go on the Bateaux Mouche - a boat tour of the Seine River. It would have been fine, because the group didn't even leave Bosquet until 7:20, and the boat didn't leave until 7:45. EXCEPT, even though my bus was supposed to come every 8min, it didn't come for at least 25min. And when it got there, it was hella crowded. And then because of that, I missed by transfer.... literally by seconds, and that was with me running. I don' t know what was the deal, but I got to the bridge just as the boat was leaving.
I was mad that I had spent the last 50min trying to do a 20min commute, so I bought myself a ticket anyways and went on the tour by myself. The next boat left 45min later, but I killed time by calling Andy's house, talking to his mom, and then calling him at work and talking to him until I ran out of minutes.
The tour itself was quasi-miserable - it was freezing cold on top, but that was the best place to be go see everything. I stayed up there during the first half before retreating to the lower deck inside. It was really pretty and further supports my theory that Paris by nite is better =D
500x375
Took the bus home, and now here I am... officially caught up on my journal. Huzzah for my 1st week in Paris!!!
-----------
ok, so flikr has an upload quota, so I think I'll revert back to shutterfly.
I'll upload all of them asap, and when I do, you'll be able to find them at http://ParisStine.shutterfly.com
Also, you can keep up with me either on my LJ or on my yahoo!360 - http://360.yahoo.com/parisstine