We left our apartment earlier than usual today to try to get to Versailles at a decent time. We expected it to take around 45 minutes to an hour. The travel time was fairly accurate, although we did have a pickpocket scare in one of the Metro stations. We had to change two different train lines in order the board the proper train to get us out to Versailles. For our European trip, I purchased a great tote bag from LL Bean that can also double as a backpack. It is very durable, as it is made out of ripstop nylon and has great interlocking zippers. I sound like a Bean ad. Well, during our first train change, I was carrying Jack down the stairs, so I was wearing the bag as a backpack. We rounded a corner and an old guy was sitting in the landing of the stairwell playing an accordion very loudly. This is unusual, as there aren't many buskers in the Metro stations, but we didn't pay him much attention. As I continued down the stairs, I felt a vibration on my back. I looked behind me and a pickpocket had managed to unzip both of the zippers on my bag and was reaching his hands inside. He must have been working in league with the accordion player, so that I wouldn't hear the zippers opening. Luckily, they are very strong zippers, so I could feel it. I yelled at the guy, yelled for Dan and yelled for one of our friends that was traveling with us. The guy immediately put his hand in his pocket. He was trapped on the subway platform with us, so our friend cornered him while Dan and I made sure he hadn't taken anything. They guy didn't even flinch or acknowledge that we were talking to him. I had stuffed my wallet and our passports deep into the bag, so he wasn't able to take anything. Jack teared up a little because he was worried that the guy took his animal crackers. It was a close call. We had several people in Paris warn us about pickpockets and had witnessed three girls trying to take a guy's wallet out of his front pocket on the subway, but this was our first real experience with it (and hopefully our last). We know the warning signs now and I learned to carry my bag a different way.
After all of that excitement, we boarded our train to Versailles. Our guidebooks had told us to expect a 2 to 3 hour wait to get in, but so far the guidebooks had greatly exaggerated the wait time. Also, we thought we were going to be able to skip the queue, because we were using the Paris Museum Pass (which I highly recommend). Everywhere else, we had been able to skip lines, but not at Versailles. It ended up taking us 2.5 hours of waiting in line to get to the entrance. We decided to feed the kids a picnic while we were waiting to help kill some time. Thus, the kids sat on the cobblestones in front of the golden gate of Versailles and ate sandwiches where Kings have crossed over the years. Pretty amazing, if you let that digest. It is kind of like using the restroom at Yarborough's in Lexington, so that you know you have washed your hands in the same sink as Elvis Presley, a different type of king. OK, maybe not the same, but you get my point. Here is a picture of Jack with his baguette:
Versailles was beautiful, opulent, humongous, all you would expect of the Sun King and more.
I didn't take many pictures inside, because we were inundated by large tour groups the entire time. It was hard enough keeping up with the kids in the large mass of people and still looking around a little. I was most impressed with the Hall of Mirrors. My picture doesn't do it justice, but it was absolutely beautiful. This was where the Treaty of Versailles was signed.
After exiting the palace, of which we only made it through a portion because it is so enormous, we thought we were going to stroll through the gardens and over to the Petit Trianon, Marie Antionette's retreat. We changed our minds, when we discovered that it would cost around $50 additional just for all of us to enter the gardens, it would be at least a 25 minute walk each way (probably longer on the kids' pace and with no stroller allowed for Jack) and the wait for the little tram was at least 45 minutes each way. After the earlier wait, we decided to scrap that plan and head back to Paris before the kids melted down. Instead, we took them back to the playground at the Tuileries and let them play for an hour. They were much happier and I think we made the right decision. Maybe we can take the kids back to see the grounds surrounding Versailles when Jack gets older. After the playground, we enjoyed one final dinner in Paris with our friends, as they are heading back to NC tomorrow. We are sad to see them go! We have one more full day in Paris, so it will be fun to see what that brings. We are planning on Notre Dame and Sainte-Chappelle. We shall see. I have learned never to make firm plans with 4 kids involved.
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