"A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life." - Thomas Jefferson

     I used a quote from Thomas Jefferson for the title of this post because I believe his words capture the essence of Paris beautifully. It really is a lovely city! Before I went several people told me that Paris was dirty and that I would see a lot of dog poop, and that the city kind of smells. To be honest though, I really thought Paris was really quite clean compared to some of the places that I have visited. And I didn't smell anything foul, although I don't exactly have the strongest sense of smell. All together I found Paris to be a very beautiful and magical place. 

     When we returned from Versailles on Sunday afternoon I really wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower again so that I could see it in the daylight so that is where we headed first. We also attempted to see the Paris Statue of Liberty but the area along the river was starting to look a little sketchy and we remembered our huger and experience with waiting on food from the day before. I had done a little research about good places to eat prior to coming on the trip, and one of those places was right next to the Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre so we headed there. It being a weekend and early evening we didn't have a lot of luck with those places but we were able to find a restaurant a few blocks down the street. I had a Croque Madame and french fries and the food was delicious. We also shared a crepe which really didn't taste any different to me than any other crepe I have had. I was a little shocked when I found out that the water we had requested cost 8 Euros. 

Below  (right side) is the outside of the Air B&B we stayed in.

     

While I'm sad that I didn't get to visit any museums while in Paris, I am putting my faith in what I read in the Rick Steve's book when he says assume you'll be back. He said that the number one mistake most Americans make when visiting Paris is trying to do to many things in too little time. So going into this trip I tried to realistically plan and I felt like I did a great job accomplishing all of the things I set out to do in Paris. 

Our final destination of the evening was the Arc de Triomphe and walking the Champs Elysees. When we came out of the nearest metro station we were delighted by the beautiful sight awaiting us. The coolest part was that we were able to see the Luxor Obelisk and the Place de la Concorde (the square where many, including Marie Antoinette were guillotined during the French Revolution).

And here are a few photos my sister took on her phone.

She took the Cinderella picture for my daughter.

A very fancy metro station called Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The Palace of Versailles

I have dreamed of seeing the Palace of Versailles for the last thirteen years, ever since I took (and aced with a 5) AP European History. I found things that we learned about famous inhabitants like the "Sun King" (Louis XIV) and Marie Antoinette (wife of Louis XVI) to be fascinating. Learning about the Hall of Mirrors especially intrigued me because it sounded so grand. 

I visited on a Sunday, along with thousands of other people. At first I found myself wishing for fewer visitors, and then I embraced the idea of the throngs of people because I imagine at times the Palace was packed with people. For example when Marie Antoinette gave birth to her first child, about 200 courtiers crowed into her room! The room got so hot and stuffy that she fainted. Anyway I figured all of the people visiting with me made the experience more realistic (wishful thinking). 

Since I used to teach history, I feel it is my duty share a few fun facts about Versailles before my photos.

• Aside from being a royal residence from 1682-1789, Versailles is famous because it is a symbol of the system of Absolute Monarchy that existed in Europe at the time.
• The Palace of Versailles is where leaders met and signed a treaty to end World War I. 
• The core of the palace originally functioned as a hunting lodge to Louis XIII. 
• Louis XIV, the "Sun King," ruled France for 72 years. 
• The Hall of Mirrors is 240 feet long and the chandeliers used to be lit with 3,000 candles. 

Before I left on my trip, my four year-old insisted that I bring a picture that she drew so that she could pretend she was with me on my trip. I tried to be mindful of her request as I visited different landmarks. 

Marie Antoinette's room, including the secret door from which she left on the night that mobs came to kill her. 

The grounds were absolutely stunning, and huge! We wandered down to the Grand Trianon, and I really wanted to see more of Marie Antoinette's favorite places on the estate but I worried about getting lost and we were short on time. 

 

The closest I came to escargot on my trip. :)

Since I'm behind the camera much of the time, my sister was kind enough to snap these pictures for me with her Iphone.