I Turn My Camera On

Saturday was Versailles, and I had a blast. I've been before, and I thought I'd seen almost everything then. However, this time, I brought my Nikon D40 and my fisheye lens, and I was set.



We got to the town in about 10 minutes, because the train was express and didn't make any stops. It took about an hour to walk through and do the inside of the Chateau, and I spent most of it rubbing my eyes: The whole damn place is coated in gold and red, and everything is so beautiful and opulent.



I think my favorite part of the inside is looking outside to the garden from the enormous glass doors in every room.



Once we got outside, the fountains were on and Baroque music was playing. We strolled around for another hour or two, sneaking around the smaller gardens and taking jumping pictures in front of the huge, gorgeous fountains. I really REALLY love those damn gardens.



Our program met in the afternoon to take the "train" down to the Trianons and the Hamlet. I think that part of the grounds are my true favorite: there are almost no huge crowds of people fighting to get through, and everything is simpler and prettier.



My French professor gave us some background on each spot, and we learned about the gardens and the buildings. We also got to see Marie Antoinette's theater, which has never previously been open to the public.



I think most of my pictures turned out amazing, and they are each and every one on flickr.

We got back to the train station sweaty, tired, and hungry, and took the long train home to Paris. On Sunday, I met up with Jess and John to see Notre Dame.





We ended up walking from there to the Ile Saint-Louis for Berthillon, and then to the Louvre.



We sort of lounged on the Tuileries for awhile, and then walked down the Champs Elysées to see the Arc de Triomphe.




That night, we went to a club near the Champs Elysées for Janelle's birthday. The Samoian rugby team was there, and they were almost gorilla-like. Monday I had class until about 6, and then I went to Le Bon Marché to return my damn hair-eating hair-dryer. Of course, there was some issue with my receipt so I got a credit instead of a refund. Chyea! Then after a hasty Chinese takeout from a place by the Gare de l'Est, I met up with a few people for Caitlin's birthday on the Champ de Mars. There was a group of drunken Scots in kilts, and of course we ended up meeting all of them and learning their drinking songs. They're in town for the Scotland v. France football game, and it ended up being entirely silly and strange: At one point, I realized I was surrounded by guys in skirts who were hoisting cheap beer and hollering, while a homeless man stood around and played his portable keyboard, and gypsies weaved in and out of us trying to sell warm rosé.

Eek.

Tomorrow is more class. That should be fun.