The Catacombes were our first stop of the day. It's basically a bunch a bones in a web of tunnels about four stories below Paris. It's really rather disturbing. Just walking around, in the dark, in tunnels, filled with human bones is enough to make anyone extremely freaked out. Not to mention the fact that the tunnels are lined with messages and quotes about death that I hopefully translated pretty well. I remember, near the beginning of the tour, there being a small exhibit of photographs that had been taken from another catacomb in another European city. The description stated that this photographer stayed overnight, in the pitch dark, making crazy photographs of the dead bodies. Creepy. I don't want that job. Also, in that catacomb, descendants would come to continually clothe their ancestors. Ew. Dear beautiful descendants, if I'm buried in some catacomb, I give you permission to NOT come and clothe me.
Next stop was the grand palace of Versailles!!!! Absolutely beautiful! I'm so glad we stuck through the terrible RER train system which first took us to a terrible, sketchy neighborhood outside Paris to make it to Versailles. We hopped the ticket counter to go back and get on the right train. This was one of those classic times where I was very thankful to be with a guy. If I had been alone or with another girl, we would surely have been approached, asked if we needed help, and then gotten mugged. But, somehow, just the presence of a guy makes life a whole lot less complicated and much more safe. Anyway, Versailles was amazing and beautiful. It was a cold and rainy day, and I want to make sure that I get back sometime in my life in the spring or summer when the gardens are in full bloom and the fountains are flowing. The Hall of Mirrors was undoubtedly my favorite room, and it was great to see the royal bedrooms. I just love thinking that royals stayed there, made history with their sky high hair, and usually got their heads chopped off. It's neat to stand in the same places and pretend you can see them there going about their lives three hundred years ago.
Also, lovely readers who might be EU students, any student studying abroad in the European Union gets into many attractions for a discount or for free. We got into Versailles FO' FREE! Which means that I could keep my 18€ and go shopping, right? Shopping for things that are solid gold to keep in tune with Versailles, of course. And yes, they did need a solid gold gate in front of the largest, most beautiful palace in the world.
That night, we SPRINTED to make dinner at a restaurant ON the Seine River. Our reservations were for 8, and we were there about 8:15. We seriously sprinted from the nearest metro station at the Eiffel Tower to the restaurant about five football fields away. Dinner was absolutely amazing! The food was excellent, and we apparently kept each other company because dinner ended up lasting about three hours. We're still not sure how time can completely escape, but it most certainly did in Paris, that night and in general. It also helped that we could see the Eiffel Tower's light show from where we ate...
It was no doubt one of the most fabulous days I have ever had. Asher is officially my single most favorite travel buddy ever! Also, more is still to be continued...
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