This weekend I went to Paris again to help a friend celebrate her birthday and because her boyfriend was in America and there was a free bed. It was so nice to be back in such a short time – seeing her again, drinking on Rue du Lappe for two nights in a row, travelling metro lines that were now familiar and seeing the roofs, spires and statues that were so fresh last visit and seem homely the second time.
The visit was perhaps slightly better than the first one as I was not sick, I knew the ropes and I got to talk to and party with young people that knew Paris better than I did. Her friends were mostly English with a smattering of Vietnamese, Canadians Germans and Greeks, and they were all there for placements in their University language degrees. This was great, not only for the fact I again had translators for more effortless communication, but the company was well travelled and very intelligent.
On Friday we went to Versailles, spending an hour in the State Apartments and three hours in the gardens. The gardens were quite an adventure as we meandered in circles trying to see most the vast grounds. We spent an inordinate amount of time in the Queen's Hamlet – a custom-built village in the grounds with fantastically quaint houses, canals, bridges, vegetable gardens and fields. It was basically a full-scale dolls village and we were so enchanted we made grand plans to rent it out and have a dress-up weekend party. We miscalculated the time somewhat and had to head back across half the garden in the dusk and settling dark, which was a cold and dark journey that rewarded us with the spectacular sight of the palace illuminated for the night.
On Saturday we went shopping. Or rather I went shopping. There is only one purchase I can confirm and that was the completion of my holy mission for both my trips to Paris – the purchase of the ultimate pair of black boots. Photo attached. Aren't they LUVVERLY?
Saturday night was her party and we went out to a superb and fantastically cheap meal and then out to their local, Rue du Lappe for late-night drinks. We ended up in a funky, red velvet upholstered bar with a bar whose lights hung under lampshades of cymbals that were set swaying and chiming by bartenders with drumsticks. True to form, when in another country all together I was chatted up by a rather cute Irishman. Can't escape 'em.
Sunday all the Parisien attractions and museums were free, so we went to Musee D'Orsay and due to limited time we decided on the Impressionists and the Art Nouveau galleries. I got to stand in front of glowing Renoirs, halcyon Monets and walls covered in vibrant Toulouse-Lautrec sketches. The Art Nouveau galleries were filled with gorgeous furniture that was so gracefully shaped it looked more grown from than carved from the wood.
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