Versailles

Today, Elena and I headed for Versailles. We got roundtrip tickets plus a palace entry ticket for €21,65 each. Then we boarded the train for Versailles. It was about a half hour and we got there. We didn't know where to go, so we just followed the crowd. Turns out we were right in doing that since they were all going to the palace as well. We arrived and went into a long line. We were in that line probably for 20 minutes. Then we finally got in. Then we got in another line to get an audio guide. We had to get into that line twice because we didn't know that the audio guide was free and originally only I lined up. Elena had to get an audioguide as well.

Now we were ready to visit. We went through all the rooms of Louis XIV and his relatives. Lots of statues, paintings, tapestries, wall coverings, furniture, busts, ceiling paintings, chandeliers, mirrors, and marble fireplaces. There was a fireplace in each room. I guess even back then they had lots of chimneys. There was very little about the fate of the royal family and the tour of the apartments ended just before the Napoleon I room.

We wandered around the gardens and made it to Marie Antoinette's residence and the Queen's Hamlet which looks like a Hobbit-ville.

Again, there were too many tourists taking too many pictures. We got a lunch of French Onion Soup, French Fries, and a beer. Elena graciously paid. If I had known that, I would have gotten a bigger beer. ;-)

I lost my return ticket, so I had to buy another one for €2,80. Dammit!