Woke up this morning to throbbing feet, I've developed a deep blister down to dark red layer (not pink, not red, think maroon) and I've almost run out of blister protection. I've now resorted to using mole skin, which just slides off.
First thing this morning Mary and I walked, well I hobbled, to the La Motte Picquet-Grenelle Sunday Market. It wasn't as impressive this time because they were just starting to set up, but we did find warm pain au chocolate and almond pastry.
When we finished with the market we made our way to the Fat Tire Bike Tour office. We strolled in at 8:46 for our 9AM tour and were subsequently assigned to the late group, which was a very accurate description of our tourmates.
The tour started out with a short ride to the Javel metro station, where we had an issue with locating a station attendant to open a gate for us to walk our bikes through. In the end we resorted to lifting them all over the gates. Eventually we boarded a train bound for Versailles.
Once we arrived in Versailles we proceeded to a Sunday Market, where we were set us free to procure items for a picnic lunch. We had a little trouble purchasing items, I tried paying to early, and we ordered too much from produce vendors (.5 kilo of amazing marinated green olives and some tasteless apricots). We thankfully were able to purchase our bread (bagette traditional and frommage loaf) and wine (Rose) without issue.
Once everyone had their items we set off for the palace grounds, which were immense. A various points our guide would stop and provide history about the Chataue. Eventually, we stopped at the corner of the Grand Canal for our lunch.
After lunch, we picked up the pace, which consisted of climbing several large grades (tiring for everyone). After about 20 minutes of upward riding, we reached the front entrance. We waited in line for about 35 minutes, finally walking into the main courtyard. The opulance is very apparent from the start and builds even more as you make your way to the area dedicated to the rule of Louis the XIV. The experience crescendos into the Hall of Mirrors, which was used as a throne room. On a negative note, this place is definitely subject to crowds, especially pre-arranged tour groups. Plan accordingly, the crowds are evidently less in the spring and fall.
Before setting out to explore the Palace, our guide instructed us all to reassemble at the bikes by 5:15. Of course, one person went missing. The wife in an Australian couple came shambling back to the group around 5:35. According to her husband, she does this all the time and they do not carry cell phones. If it happens all the time, wouldn't that mean maybe you should stay together for the sake of the other 17 people on the tour? Oh well, we missed our train and ended up waiting an additional 20 minutes. We did not get back to the FTBT office until 6:45. Ce la vie, it's Europe, this is about enjoyment and culture, not about schedules. Well we are off for dinner.
Evening update - As part of our hotel reservation if I mentioned Rick Steves' Paris book, we would get free tickets for a Seine River cruise. After a long day Mary and I wanted to keep it simple for dinner and go somewhere close to the boat tour. We settled on a small super touristy location between Musee du Branly and the Eiffel tower. While our waiter was very busy and did not feel inclined to humor my bad french (he dealt with us in English the whole time), the food was good and we did not want for anything.
We decided to start with some appetizers (entree or starters in French). Mary had onion soup, while I elected for escargot, which was delicious. For our main plates, I went with a Croque Madame (ham, cheese, toasted with baked cheese and a fried egg on top), while Mary had a hamburger (chopped steak top with a fried egg).
After dinner we walked down to Pont d'Alma for our boat tour with Bauteux Mouches. While the concept is good, the actual excecution left much to be desired. The sites were excellent, but the only option to buy drinks was on the shore before we left. If they would have had a bar or if we had known we could bring wine, the experience may have been better. Secondly, a new trend is mass fast paced Chinese tourism in Europe. We went on a 10PM tour, where the boat was almost filled to capacity (1000 people max) with Chinese tourists. Halfway through the tour, many were falling asleep in their seats. Now I have no problem with a crowded tour, but I do have a problem with flash photography right in my face, crowding, and shoving/pushing to exit the boat.
Between our experience with the same behavior in the halls of Versailles and this boat tour, we are thinking of changing our tour strategy in the future to avoid a repeat of this bad experience. I have to wonder though, in the past is this how people viewed newly traveling Americans? We have definitely been described as loud, obnoxious, crass, and rude, it seems like now the torch has been passed to the new guys.
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