Today's the last day that we'll be running around Paris, and boy are we glad! After 2 weeks our shoulders have become numb from the weight of the overflowing bags and wriggling babies.
Today's itinerary is a visit to Versailles, the official residence of Louis XIV. Everyone was simply gushing over Versailles and told us that a visit to Paris wouldnt be complete if we didnt see it, so in spite of the constant ache in our battered bodies, we braved the half hour train ride out of Paris to view its reputed magnificence.
Apparently it was so grand, so luxurious, and so expensive to maintain that its upkeep and maintenance, including the care and feeding of staff and the royal family, consumed as much as 25 percent of the total income of France!
Thankfully the queue was bearable when we arrived so we got into the Palace itself rather quickly. However, we were a little horrified when they told us that strollers and even the baby carrier werent allowed inside. How were we to manage 2 crazy toddlers, who were bent on getting their hands on everything, while trying to explore the extensive palace grounds??
In front of the main facade of the Palace
Well too bad for Louis XIV then! We wont be held responsible for any damaged piece of history, his modern day staff had confiscated the very contraptions we had that could restrain our inquisitive babes!
It was heaven for the girls! There were so many things to see and touch and destroy!!
Kings and queens once held court before this fireplace...and what are the girls doing there?
Playing their favourite, row row row your boat!
While their mummies played the part of the wide eyed tourist to great effect!
Some views of the opulent interior, including the chapel (top left) and the bedchambers of the king and queen
Kara making herself at home and hoping to jump onto the huge 4 poster bed
At the heart of the Palace is the Galerie des Glaces or the Hall of Mirrors; it is located between the Peace Drawing Room and the War Drawing Room. It is a spectacular hallway that contains 357 mirrors, placed in seventeen arcades that match seventeen windows on the opposite wall. These mirrors were of an unprecedented size for that particular era.
Louis XIV had also ordered that the benefits of his government be painted on the ceiling; his painter had him appear as a Roman Emperor, a great administrator of his kingdom, and victorious over foreign powers.
If you ask me, this room simply screams narcissicm! Paintings of himself on the ceiling and mirrors everywhere? Just an excuse for Louis XIV to constantly admire and remind himself how great he was!
The Galerie des Glaces
This section of the Hall of Mirrors was undergoing restoration, but the chadeliers still cast dancing lights all around which lent a rare but surreal atmosphere to the otherwise supercilious surroundings
The largest formal gardens ever created in the grounds of Versailles
At the end of our tour, both the girls had fallen asleep in our arms. We were right at the other end of the Palace, so the guys had to go back to the entrance to retrieve the stroller and carrier, while Evon and I waited on benches at the exit.
When they returned, a snooty guard nearby informed them brusquely that strollers were not allowed in the Palace and that if we wanted to load the babies, we had to do it outside in the cold. Come on, we were like just 3metres away, couldnt you bend your thoughtless rules just a little and spare some consideration to the sleeping babies? The stroller definitely weighs much less than your 80kg frame and if you think you're not making a dent in the precious Palace's floor, why should it??
In the end, we just ignored his ramblings and Caleb wheeled the stroller right past him. We loaded the babies slowly, all the while shooting the guard dirty looks and making sure he knew that we were NOT HAPPY with his attitude. After all, it was our last day in France and we were quite fed up with the Parisians' (some of them) uppity attitude and their efficiency at getting things done, if at all.
I forgot to mention that in Paris, in the hierarchy of privileges, babies are ranked below dogs. Why do I say this? Because when we were outside a cafe along Champs-Elysees and the girls started to climb the steps up into the premises, we were stopped by yet another snooty waiter who informed us in condescending tones that babies were not allowed. We were stunned and incensed when just at that moment, a woman with a dog in tow jauntily sauntered inside.
Perhaps that is why the guard treated us the way he did at Versailles. Perhaps it is an unwritten rule that concessions are not to be given to babies, ever!
We were oh so angry...including Terelle!
Us feeding the girls on the train ride back..they were obviously NOT ENJOYING their food...
I dont blame them, 2 weeks of mushy and tasteless jar food is definitely not appetising!
We headed to St Lazare for some last minute shopping. It was another busy town with tons of people and large department stores.
The flurry of activity, just outside the train station
Figuring out the route to a mega sports store
We didnt buy anything in the end cos everything was just too expensive. As we debated on where to go for a good dinner to round off our holiday, the girls were busy taking the store apart.
Terelle finally helping to do some serious research for a good restaurant, probably cos she was hungry too!
We didnt want to venture far as we were all drop dead tired so we decided to try out this little eatery near the Metro. We were pleasantly surprised when we found out that they served authentic Parisian food and even had baby chairs!
Tucking into a sumptous feast...
...while the girls had a rolling good (bread) time!
And leaving a mess after it all
Somewhere in Paris, among the restaurant circles, we believe we have been blacklisted; because our kids made a huge mess by throwing rice, crayons and papers on the floor, smearing food on the baby chairs and even leaving their artistic imprints on the walls.
Dont track us down please...we are truly apologetic...
2 comments:
That is why, for the consideration of all the other patrons, toddlers are not allowed. Dogs are much better-trained. To be in another's country, live according to another's rules, not your own. Something you might like to note
It's saddening to see that there are people who are beginning to think that dogs are capable of being "better trained" than human beings. Maybe 'anonymous' here is just like the french, who are, till today still unable to control their kids and "train" them to behave properly in public. Hence it's easier to just ban children from public places, incase visitors and tourist witness first hand how hopeless they are at raising kids. Funny how people can make grand statements like "To be in another's country, live according to another's rules", when they probably have never been in the shoes of being a parent and having to witness the indignity of seeing one's child relegated to a status below that of a dog.
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