Tuesday December 9th

Today we took the train to Versailles, first to the market and then walked up to the Palace. As you can see from the photos, the market both indoor and out and is exceedingly varied, fresh and colorful. It is not uncommon for the French to shop for food on a daily basis, at least bread and meat. Speaking of meat, the market is not for the faint of heart or stomach, all kinds of game, domestic animals, and fish, much of it displayed with heads, feet, etc attached and some of it, well, downright unappetizing. We are trying to be adventurous in our tastes, but may have to draw the line at a few of the local delicacies.

The walk from town up to the Palace was cold, uphill, and rough, as much of the approach is cobblestones. Touring the opulence of the Palace, it is not hard to imagine the resentment of the common folk for the Royal family and it's inevitable outcome, the ransacking of the royal houses and the French Revolution beginning in 1789. The morning the townsfolk stormed the Palace, Marie Antoinette was able to escape through a hidden passageway in her bedroom, but inevitably met her fate with the guillotine. Much of the interiors of the palaces and the gardens were destroyed and have been recovered or recreated during the ensuing centuries to their present glory.

After the palace, we walked back down to town as it began to snow and warmed up with a latte in a little corner cafe. So cute and so French!

Back at Bill and Sue's apt, it was another gourmet meal, see pics. C'est si bon!