Trois: “Another summer day has come and gone away/ In even Paris and Rome”

We woke up early to a rainy morning.  We all slightly dreaded the Versailles tour in the rain but it was already booked so we prepared ourselves for a hurricane and made our way to the Palace.  Versailles did not disappoint.  Even in the rain it was magnificent.  The gates on the outside are covered in golden paint, the tapestry inside embroidered with flowers, the walls covered in phenomenal paintings and the ceilings dressed with chandeliers fit for, well, a king—King Louis XIV to be exact.  This was his castle and he made sure everyone would know it.  There are paintings and busts of him covering the palace grounds.  Poor guy, this is his “most attractive” bust according to our audio guide.

The Hall of Mirrors may very well be my favorite room in Europe (besides any place in my Trastevere apartment, of course).  The lights from the perfect rows of chandeliers reflecting in the mirrors paired with the intricate ceiling and wall décor give way to a hushed awe that captures everyone in the room.  Not to mention this room’s historical significance to the world.  President Wilson, Prime Minister Lloyd George, Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, and Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando met in this very room, 1919 to sign the Treaty of Versailles to end WWI.

With the few minutes remaining, we visited the gardens.  The gardens are massive and incredibly perfect.  I will never forget the beautiful image of the gardens, below a hazy sky, dotted with colorful umbrellas.

Once we returned to Paris, it was time to shop for more appropriate attire for the dinner cruise.  Because I had to attend the opera with Revelle in Rome, I was okay but more than happy to go along and assist.  A few hours later, we all had clothes (I’ll admit, I bought a couple things), a great lunch and a snack.  We had to hunt a little but we finally found French crepes.  I thought they would be much more common in Paris but they were definitely hard to find.  However, the Nutella and banana goodness was worth the wait.

We arrived at the dock a few minutes early, just in case.  I guess we should have figured the whole formal attire thing when we saw the red carpets and pre-dinner lounge area.  But, tonight, we were dressed for it.  And, if I do say so myself, we looked good.  We boarded the Asian themed (gorgeous woodwork and red tablecloths) Le Jean Sébastien Mouche, Restauration-Croissiére just past the two triton sculptures (yeeeaah UCSD).  Nothing says welcome to the water like two tritons, don’t you think?

We were then seated and enjoyed a great view of the Eifel Tower and the sunset.  The girls saw a spider outside that captivated all of us.  French river spiders (not the technical name, in case you were wondering) are freaking huge.

Finally we were treated to champagne, beautiful live music, and the most wonderful French food—and lots of it.  The boat left the dock and we were able to see some of the most beloved sights of Paris at night from the river.  The viewing deck was freezing but offered the best view of and photo opportunities with the Tower.  By the end of the night, we were all in the state of a massive food coma and a love of Paris.

This was one of those rare lifetime experiences.  It was one of those times I sat back, looked around and realized how lucky I am.  It was the perfect ending to a wonderful trip.

Well, the evening wasn’t quite over yet.  We left the boat five minutes before 12.  I had heard that every night in summer the Tower glitters on the hour for five minutes.  We stood on the dock and waited.  Needless to say, the show was worth the wait and absolutely gorgeous.

“Someday when I’m awfully low/ when the world is cold/ I will feel aglow just thinking of you/ And the way you look tonight” –Frank Sinatra (amazing recent cover by Maroon 5)