21 Adventerous Days in Europe on a
Rick Steves Tour
Europe Bound!
The tour was over after breakfast. It was a weird feeling to know we wouldn’t be meeting up with the group to have some more adventures. Even so, I was ready to do some exploring on our own. Mike and I decided to stay in Paris two extra nights. I was happy we decided to do that because there was still so much of Paris to see.
Taking in the grandiosity of Versailles and all it included- history, beauty, and corruption.
France
Paris and Versailles
May 25, 2013
Tour Day 21 (Tour over after breakfast)
Wow Moment
Food
For breakfast we enjoyed yummy foods from the Rue Cler. For lunch we purchased some food from Boulangerie, a little pastry and sandwich shop we visited many times. We enjoyed croquettes and a lemon meringue tart. For dinner we had a quick meal at Versailles - a crepe and a mini pizza.
Travel Tip
Versailles or not? I was really conflicted about whether or not I wanted to visit Versailles on one of our extra days. I had conflicting opinions from sources I trusted. Ultimately we decided to visit Versailles and I’m really glad we did. Visiting Versailles really broke up the Paris scene. It was nice to get out and see a different part of France and to enjoy the country. Also Versailles is breathtaking and an experience in and of itself. It is a hard decision to make but I do recommend it.
We spent the morning walking around the Eiffel tower taking some more shots. We then headed to the Rue Cler. With my extra day I really wanted to slow down and enjoy French life. I spent the morning going to different shops purchasing samples of chocolates, macaroons, fruit, cheese, and tarts. It was a very fun experience.
In the afternoon we actually met up with some tour buddies who also stayed another day and headed to Versailles. Luckily, despite some confusion, we made it on the right train and settled in a bit for our half hour ride.
Eventually we made it in Versailles and I was amazed. We walked through the hall of mirrors, saw the room where the revolutionaries caught the queen and king, and saw the king and queen's quarters. It was one of those proximity experiences that I couldn’t believe I was standing in this place where something so historic occurred.
Afterwards we made it out to the gardens. At first glance the gardens go as far as the eye can see. It was remarkable. We grabbed something to eat then started to wander. It would actually take hours and hours to see all the grounds and Mike and I did not have that much time. We essentially just gravitated towards what seemed most interesting. Each corner we turned there was some other part of the garden that was beautiful. Sooner than we liked Versailles was closing.
We made our way back to the RER (train) and back to Paris. We were both exhausted and spent the evening relaxing.
