Day 149

On the RER in Paris on the way to day two at Versailles. Originally it was just a daytrip, but they closed the gardens due to bad weather and so we got complimentary tickets to come back. I’m so glad we did, the gardens and Marie Antoinette’s estate were a whole bazillion times even better than the house.

(And yes, that’s a glimpse of The Great Bag Purchase of 2008 from two days previously )

Day 150

Must. Have. Souvenir.

I’ll take this one please

Day 151

We were supposed to go home today, but HURRAH we’re STILL IN PARIS! Plus a chance to get to see some Pope action. After much walking between various street checkpoints we were *finally* allowed through the barriers to get a prime road-side position. People had come from all over France and the crowd was predominantly large groups of people accompanied by their local priests. We were right behind a group of girl guides and girl guides in groups are loud enough on their own, but girl guides in groups about to see the Pope are D.E.A.F.E.N.I.N.G.

Day 152

The fire in the Eurotunnel the day before had somewhat changed our plans. It’s just as well we’re Go With The Flow People as we changed them again this morning at 20 minutes notice. One minute we had train tickets to Calais and reservations on the Sea France ferry to Dover, and the next minute we had new boarding passes for the first Eurostar out of Paris since the accident. It was when we were on the train waiting to get clearance to enter the tunnel that I cancelled our ferry tickets. I’ve always been a last-minute person!

Day 144

Did I mention I have a lot of hair? It’s very fine, but there’s LOTS of it, so much so that hair salons always request that “next time could I PURLEASE mention it so that I can be scheduled for extra time?” After I shampoo and condition I usually let it dry on its own as fine hair is particularly susceptible to drying out easily and going into a frizzy flyaway mess. If I wash it in the early morning, it’s usually in the final stages of being dry by about 2 or 3 pm in the afternoon. Yes, washing and drying my hair is quite an undertaking and it’s usually planned *well* in advance.

Day 145

A sneaky shot taken in the loo during my sister’s wedding reception last Saturday. I was a bridesmaid and had a nice lady from M•A•C do my makeup and I did my hair myself, which is why by this late hour my face was still intact yet my hair looked like I’d been dragged through a bush backwards. I don’t usually wear this much eye (or brow) makeup but it was something that I was assured would look better in the formal photographs. I wish I had a picture of the back of my hair as I was surprisingly pleased with how it turned out- I did a french braid ‘chignon’, i.e. a french braid with the bottom bit tucked up behind and underneath the braid on the back of my head, and I had little red roses at the junctions between the different bits of hair in the braid (you follow??!). I’m sure there’s a photo somewhere, at least I hope there is. I’d lost sleep over what to do with my hair as it’s so difficult to manage…

Day 146

Far too early in the morning after the night before, but we’re on our way to Paris!

Day 147

We’re here!! A late afternoon break at Les Deux Magots in Saint Germain des Prés, one of the prettiest pavement cafés in Paris. And a glass of wine and crackers to celebrate a brand new bag purchase

Day 148

In the Hall of Mirrors, one of the grandest rooms at the handsome Palace of Versailles just outside Paris (the chateau where Marie Antoinette resided and where the Treaty ending the First World War was signed). The palace was absolutely stunning except our visit coincided with displays of modern art which replaced a lot of the beautiful antique furniture. In one of the rooms a giant priceless antique chandelier had been removed and in its place was hung a large inflatable lobster suspended from the ceiling by a bright red plastic chain. Nice. In the courtyard out front was an enormous representation of a miscellaneous balloon sculpture that resembled a dog turd. Even Nicer. I’ve never really been a fan of modern art but this took the biscuit.

…than be stuck in Paris because of a fire in the Eurotunnel *sigh*

After five happy days in the French Capital we were due to return to England on Friday but obviously that didn’t happen and we ended up having to extend our trip. Damn shame, eh? I mean of all the places to be stuck

Anyway, we’re safely back now and actually managed to return on the first Eurostar out of Gare du Nord this morning. All praise to Eurostar at the French end- the whole operation was super efficient, we were extremely well informed throughout and we even got a free breakfast before we boarded. And we had absolutely no trouble getting refunds on the emergency train tickets to Calais and the Sea France ferry to Dover that we’d booked the day before (and making those alternative arrangements was super easy too). Even getting the new Eurostar tickets was a cinch- we turned up at the station this morning and within minutes had new boarding cards in our hands for a train that was due to depart 20 minutes after that. That’s even faster than a regular day!

The journey back took a little longer than scheduled- there was a 30 minute wait on the tracks to enter the tunnel at Calais and the train went through it at half speed through- and there was a smell of burning and chemicals when we entered the tunnel, but that was kind of to be expected and made the journey all the more interesting. Apart from that it was business as usual.

So what did we do with ourselves on our extra day? Well, we got to see the Pope which doesn’t happen every day. Like I said, there were a lot worse things that could have happened….

And Amélie Chocolat got to see him too