Paris Day 4 (vendredi)

I paid 5E for the breakfast at the hotel today - BORING! Hot chocolate and a baguette with butter and jam. I took the metro and then a double-decker train (I HAD to sit upstairs!) to Versailles to see the chateau where Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette lived. The grandeur was so over the top! I was impressed, but not with the riches. I was impressed by the fact that any human being can be so clueless about the fact that they are human beings! This whole castle and their lifestyle was at the expense of the "common people." I am not surprised these people cut Louis and Marie's heads off! I am much more impressed with people who live close to the earth and have almost nothing. Compared to them, I might as well live in a chateau (which I do, comparatively). Things that make you go hmmmm.....

I got back to Paris mid-afternoon and went back to wander more in Maris & Bastille. I found Cacao et Chocolat - now THAT impresses me - chocolate! I bought some chocolates with exotic South American and Asian ingredients. I can't wait to share them with mon amour! (Notice I said share with, not give them to! I mean, it is Chocolate!) The small piece I bought to eat today almost made me stop in the middle of the street and close my eyes - the taste was so intense!

After almost four entire days of nothing but walking, I went back to my room to REST! I rested for about two hours and then left to treat myself to a nice dinner on this my last night in Paris. I walked by chance on Rue Mouffetard and found myself in the middle of the most amazing food market I have ever been through. Fruits, pastries, cheeses, wines, chocolates, meats and people in a tiny cobble-stone street. Since it was Friday night, the couples were out en mass and they were so cute! There are so many interracial couples here - I love it! Asian-European, African-European, Asian-African - it is beautiful to see. The ones with babies, of course, have incredibly beautiful babies!

All of the restaurants were completely empty. It was almost 8 pm and I was getting hungry. I took a chance at a place with a set menu with a reasonable price. It was called L'Volcan. I had:

1. Escargots de Bourgogne (I made myself eat these 6 snails - they weren't really that appealing in taste - they tasted like dirt, but now I don't have to wonder what they taste like!)


2. Pan fried Salmon with rice, veggies potatoes and green beans


3. Charlotte au Chocolat - WOW!!!! I'm going to learn to make that, too!


4. Un pitchet (small pitcher) or red wine

The service was VERY slow, which I appreciated. I was able to people watch from my window seat. It was probably good because I had a little too much wine! Tonight, at this romantic little restaurant, I missed Bill terribly! It was the first time I missed him, but it hit me hard!

I hope he and I can come to Paris and enjoy it together one day. Though I am so glad that I'm taking this trip by MYSELF! :)