My decision to go to Paris was an important one for me: I'd been going back and forth and when and where to travel, and I had this sudden moment of "James, if you're going to travel at all, you need to shut up and do it. Otherwise, you'll spend the semester trying to decide." And so, I decided to shut up and pay €35 (about $50) for the bus to Paris, realizing I was being ridiculous.
The bus left around 8:30. Since I'd managed to get a flat tire on my bike (more on that in another post), I walked to the station. Usually this would be ok, but since I had had a cold for the past few days, getting up early did mean that I was still sick for my first day in Paris. Regardless, at 8:30 I was on a bus to the City of Light! The bus ride went through Liège and Brussels, both in Belgium, meaning that it took about twice as long as simply going directly, but I really didn't mind the drive, especially through the French countryside. As someone who loves the small details that change from country to country, I was amused to observe that Belgian highways have signs warning of deteriorated roadways (the government would go broke trying to put those up in most Canadian provinces). Belgium is also bilingual, but does it very differently than in New Brunswick: in Belgium, there's a French part (Wallonia), a Dutch Part (Flanders), and Brussels,the capital, which is bilingual (there are also German speaking areas, but they're within other regions). The signs are bilingual in Brussels, but not in Wallonia or Flanders; this is a little odd when you consider that the highway from Liege (French speaking) to Brussels goes back and forth between Wallonia and Flanders, sometimes for only a few KM at a time, and each time the signs change language. But it's hilarious when you consider that the places also have different names in the two languages, so the signs point to Liege, then Luik (the Dutch name for Liege), then back to Liege, as you weave between the two regions.
Anyway, on to France, where we arrived in Paris at about 3:00 PM. I went straight to my hostel, which turned out to be far outside of the city (for those who know the area, I was outside the Périphérique, technically in the City of Pantin, near the 19e). After checking in, I decided to go for a walk, which brought me through the 10th district and along the St Martin Canal, where I stopped with a sandwich I'd picked up. I was still feeling defeated by my cold, however, and so by the time I arrived at Place de la République, I was fairly concerned I was going to vomit all over some important French national monument, and so I went back to the hostel to sleep.
The next day, I was up early (thanks to my hostel roommates being loud) and was out at about 8 AM or so. This was actually perfect, as it gave me time to make it out to Versailles quickly. Even though it's not high tourist season, Paris is still a major destination, and getting to places early is advised. I had been wondering whether I would be permitted free entry-EU residents under 26 are allowed in free to most Paris attractions, but seeing as our Dutch residence permits didn't arrive yet, I didn't exactly have convincing proof of this. It really helped that I spoke French, as I was able to explain that I only have a student card to prove it, and sure enough was granted entry for free to this and all other museums where it was offered. This also meant I skipped the ticket-purchasing line, saving a lot of time.
For those who don't know, Versailles was the French royal palace and, as such, was massive and opulent. Room after room was beautifully decorated and filled with portraits and fancy furnishings. The Chateau itself was of course great to see, albeit crowded (I can't imagine at the height of tourist season). Leaving the building itself, one then enters the massive grounds surrounding it. Thankfully, the gardens were large enough to absorb the number of tourists, and I often found myself wandering completely alone. This is where I learned that it turns out that I love European gardens, both for the opportunity to add a bit of nature to my city-trip, but also for the amazing smells of the flowers. I spent a good chunk of time wandering (only some of it due to being lost), before making it to the Trianon, a smaller palace on the far end of the gardens, and then proceeding to the Queen's Hamlet, before exiting the site.
Having had a well-planned and smooth morning, this was of course where my day started going a little sideways. I planned next to walk to Versailles-Rive Gauche station and take a train to Montparnasse. Instead, I walked to Versailles-Rive Droite and asked for a train to Montmartre. After getting on board and looking at the map, I realized I was not going where I intended, and wound up in the centre of Paris. I ended up wandering around, wondering why I was in such a bad mood, until I realized that I also hadn't eaten since breakfast. For those who've never been to Paris, you simply don't want to eat in the city centre-combos that cost €5.90 elsewhere were at about €9.90, and I saw menus that had a glass of Coke for €5.50.
While wandering looking for reasonably priced food, I made the decision to spend a few hours in the Orsay Museum. This was also free, and, unlike the horror stories I've read from high tourist season, took mere minutes to get a ticket. The museum is in a former railway station, which itself is impressive, and hosts an array of beautiful artwork that even an uninitiated person such as myself could appreciate. I was also highly amused to note that there was a ban on selfie sticks on the inside.
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