Tuesday
Over the weekend, when I was trying to figure out what to do for my last few days, I ran into the problem that a lot of tourist areas are closed on Mondays. I decided that, since we went to the Catacombs, I'd opt for Versailles over the Notre Dame crypts. Also, since everything had been so easy to navigate thus far, I didn't really look up details on how to get there. Slight mistake.
Okay, so for Paris trainy public transpo, there's the metro and the RER. I have no idea what the difference is, except you have to buy an RER ticket separately and it's a little more expensive. There are also specific spots you have to get them, and we originally went to the wrong spot. (Oops. Forgot to tell you that BroInLaw came with to get me on the right train.) So we backtracked and got to the right stop, got the right ticket, and I got to the right platform.
Neither of the trains seemed to be going where I needed to though. We tried to figure it out for a few minutes, and then I told BroInLaw to head out and start his errands. He wasn't keen on the idea, but I promised I'd either make my way to Versailles or head back to home base. Why haven't I just been calling it HB this whole time? That would have saved me some keystrokes. Oh wellsies.
So, this platform was terrifying. It looked like the place where someone might rape and kill you. Dark, dirty, concrete, and veryvery empty. Well, I sat there for a while hoping the right train would come along. No dice. I scrutinized my map over and over, trying to figure it out. A few times I considered just hopping on the train and seeing where it took me, and eventually that's what I did. My thought was that I'd take it to the Champs de Mars and WorstCaseScenario I'd head up to the Eiffel Tower and whatever other trouble I could get into.
That was the correct option. I was able to get on the right Versailles train from Champs de Mars, and jumped into the first empty seat I found. I sat across from a Filipino couple who eventually started talking to me. The woman said they would have talked to me sooner but she thought I was European (score!) and the language barrier is more difficult. We chatted a bit, they were very nice...when we got to Versailles I wished them well and went on my way.
As I was walking to the station, the couple caught back up with me and asked my name. Just like that, I had new friends for the day! It was great, because I was able to be in some of my pictures. Anyway we got tickets for Palais de Versailles, Jardin de Versailles, and Marie Antionette's Trianon. Our plan, assuming the line would be really long at the palace, was to check out the gardens and Marie's property first.
After walking just a little ways, the palace opened up before us. And...wow.
Just ignore all the people, that's what I usually do. We (smartly) bypassed these lines. 
I think the gardens were my favorite part though; I could have spent days in there. That may partly be because there was so much more space so it didn't feel like you were smushed in there with everyone else. But they were absolutely gorgeous!
They seemed to go on forever!
As you can see, there was a lot of grass and/or really short shrubbery shaped into the swirl patterns. Just beyond that, check out the line of trees. That wasn't just a line of trees, it was more like a tree maze. But there were kind of pockets in the maze, and each pocket had statues or fountains or something. And when you were in the little pockets, it felt so secluded and intimate. I kept thinking what it would have been like to be a child growing up there and having that as your playground. It was unreal.
If you look to the left of the picture, you can see a long body of water, which was the next point of interest: The Grand Canal. More beauty:
The statue isn't actually in the Grand Canal; it's the water beyond.
Next, on the the Trianon. I didn't actually get to see a whole lot, I was trying to be conscious of time. But, of course all of her stuff was luxurious. It was really interesting to think of all the feasts and balls and everything they had back then, and what they had to work with. Even the furniture--EVERYTHING was in matching material, straight to fabric on the walls. No automatic ovens, no KitchenAid tools, no freezers, no dishwashers. The crazy giant dresses for every little thing, with multiple wardrobe changes each day; the insane huge wigs worn for any occasion; the spectacularly expensive jewelry for each outfit. And all of it done by hand. Pretty amazing.
After this part, my Filipino friends and I went our separate ways. I wanted to check out the gift shop; I was on the hunt for some macarons, and they wanted to start up to the palace. I wandered leisurely back up through the gardens to the front. I did a little happy dance on the inside as I walked right up to the front door, picked up my audio guide, and started the tour.
Though there weren't a lot of people waiting, there were still too many people for comfort on the inside. But I did get a chance to see the artwork, multiple bedrooms and staterooms, and learn a lot more.
I think I spend the entire walk through the Hall of Mirrors with my jaw hanging down. And (a bit surprisingly for me) the mirrors weren't even the best part. I don't even know how many chandeliers there were, and they glittered and shone. There were also a whole lot more painted ceilings.
I didn't spend as much time in the palace as I would have liked to, either, mostly because the crowds were so dense and it got really stuffy and uncomfortable. I also decided I'd done enough walking and I was tired enough to go home. So I jumped onto the train that would take me back to Champs de Mars, then back to Porte Neuilly.
That night we had a picnic in the Bois de Boulogne. With it having been so close to my sister's place, I'm really bummed I didn't go jogging or even wander around in there. It was a nice, peaceful park with a good size pond right where we decided to eat. We even had a naughty puppy try to jump into our picnic, but he was adorable.
Wednesday
The trip to the airport and back to the States was pretty uneventful, though all of the lines were long. Being absolutely exhausted, uncomfortable, and hurty, I definitely took advantage of the free wine. Even the layover at O'Hare wasn't too bad, though they did move the gate a couple of times.
However, once we landed at my last stop, we just stayed. And stayed, and stayed. We sat on the plane, outside of the airport, for an hour. And I was forced to listen to three exceptionally obnoxious southern boys sitting behind me. Because they "didn't have" a gate for us. But mostly because American is BS and nothing goes smoothly ever. It's a wonder they're still in business. Oh wait, it's because of idiots like me who swear to never use them again and then find a really good deal. I only have myself to blame!
But we finally got inside, and there was Tee waiting for me. When I saw him, I started running. For real running, which was difficult with my stupid legs. And then I kind of propelled myself into him and squeezed him as hard as I could. I was very excited to see him.
I'm sorry, guys, this post took forever. I'm having a "flare-up" and I've been completely exhausted and feeling crappy again. Also, what a stupid thing to call it. My body's attacking me like an evil, sneaky little army. Maybe I can come up with some other fun way to say it.
Anyway, it was a wonderful, wonderful trip. I'm so glad (and grateful) that I got to go to France, not once, but twice, in one year. And I'm so glad I got the extra time to spend with Sister (ugh, I could have been calling her Soeur this whole time! I am dropping the ball, people!) and BroInLaw. I hope to make it back someday, and to be able to explore the rest of Europe. Since then I've been furiously devouring books and documentaries about European history.
But, you know what they say...someday my Prince will come.
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