Today is Versailles day. Normally, Versaille is a straightforward train ride but due to some construction/maintenance going on in the train system, we had to take a little detour. Good thing that the train management set-up very efficient logistics in place – they gave out brochures informing people of the detour, put up signs leading to the bus they arranged for transfer and had staff in key points to help the passengers get to Versailles. What usually takes 45 minutes took us more than an hour with the rerouting but we didn’t mind at all.

At Versailles, we saw paths lined with auburn trees. We also got to pass its famous fresh produce market. Then we saw Chateau de Versailles, the royal palace home to royalty including Louis XIV (who was the prime mover in the construction of the palace) and Marie Antoinette (the famous/infamous Queen of France known for her excesses and her death by guillotine). It took a little over an hour to get our tickets since there was a long line when we got there. Tickets cost 10 euros each and includes audio guide. We got to see the Royal Chapel with it’s majestic dome as well as the State Apartments where the royal family dined and received guests (now it holds paintings). We also got to see the King’s and Queen’s quarters. What was really interesting was the fact that another exhibition was juxtaposed with the artworks on display at the palace. An eclectic artist named Jeff Koons had his work displayed alongside portraits propped in the state rooms. So we got to see “Balloon Dog”, “Rabbit”, “Bear & Police” and Gabby’s ultimate favorite artwork, “Michael Jackson & Bubbles”.

Next stop was the manicured gardens of Versailles. Since it entailed additional fees to get in, we just took photos from the outside. At this point Gabby did not seem like he was having fun so we decided to head back to Paris. Good thing that the metro line that we took this time ferried us straight to Central Paris without any detours.

Since it was our last night in Paris, we just decided to wind down a bit. We just visited Printemps, another department store similar to Galleries Lafayette and then headed off towards Champs Elyssees so we could see it at night.

Along the way we decided take a break from the walking at the Jardin de Champs Elysees. We had a subway sandwich and nutella & banana crepe while watching people walk by. We noticed that since Paris didn’t have any malls, people converged at the parks. Parents brought their kids out to play, groups of friends just hung out and tired shoppers took a respite.

At Champs, we really didn’t get into the shops (except for the huge Louis Vuitton shop which spanned over three levels of stuff that are way too expensive for us :)) but just enjoyed the walk up the Arc de Triomphe while the shop lights lit up. We thought that the whole Champs Elysees would light up since we saw Tivoli lights hanging on the trees but I guess that is reserved for special occasions. From Champs, we took the metro back to hotel earlier than we usually do (we normally go home at midnight but headed home at 9PM today) because we had to prepare for an early shuttle to Paris Beauvais airport for our Paris-Madrid flight. We stopped by our favorite sandwich place and ordered dinner and breakfast before hitting the hotel. Tomorrow it’s Madrid for us!

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Since we got home late the previous night, we slept till late in the morning and decided to do our errands before wandering around. I did the laundry while Gabs updated our website and uploaded some photos.

After having a yummy lunch at an Italian resto (run by burly Italian men) near our hotel, we headed off to Montorgueil to check out the specialty shops. Our friend, Olivier mentioned the night before that he enjoyed this market so much so we decided to check it out. The small shops sold chocolates, cheese, fruit, cured meat, different kinds of olive oil, breads, etc. It also had shops selling non-food items like accessories, clothes, home stuff. One particular store caught my attention- Pylon. Pylon is a store selling colorful graphic-designed “ordinary items”. It sold stuff like cheese grater, toasters, combs, ladles, umbrellas, door stoppers and other functional items but with each one given a creative twist. It is definitely something worth bringing to Manila. Gabby’s attention, on the other hand was caught by a chocolate atelier where he discovered his new favorite chocolate, rocher noir.

Before heading to Montmartre, we dropped by Galleries Lafayette to look for a bag for a friend. Galleries Lafayette is a department store at Boulevard de Hausmann, near the opera. It houses luxe brands, contemporary fashion, shoes, bags, etc. It is divided into Maison (home), Homme (men) and Femme (women). I think it also has a gourmet food section. At the top Galleries Lafayette is a deck overlooking Paris. It’s a pretty place to take photos.

Then it was off to Montmartre, Paris’ highest point. We got there close to sunset so we got to enjoy breathtaking views of the city. Since it was the Montmartre wine festival, we were in for a treat. Streets around the Sacre Couer were lined with produce from various regions in France. There were wines and cheeses from Champagne and Bordeaux, apples from Limousin, lavender from Provence, escargot from St. Jean and other regional produce. It was fun sampling the food stuff, drinking champagne while soaking in the energy and vibe of the makeshift marketplace made more interesting by musicians and artists.

Trudging past the market, we got to the quaint town lined with shops and restaurants. Here we saw artists at work painting portraits of tourists. The feel of the place is very touristy but also bohemian and definitely romantic. We could not help but take lots of photos, so much so that at one time, Gabby nearly fell off a steep side while I was asking him to pose for one (got me a bit scared but he recovered quickly with just his pride a bit wounded).

As we were about to head down Montmartre for dinner, we were drawn towards Sacre Coure’s façade by the sound of people singing. Apparently, there was a group of Mexican musicians playing for the crowd gathered by the stairs. Everyone was singing to the tune of “Wonderwall” and “La Bamba” while drinking wine and enjoying the night view that we could not help but join in the fun. Definitely one of the most memorable, interesting (since it was quite interesting to have these songs performed in front of a church/historic landmark) and picturesque parts of the trip so far.

Dinner for us was at Gi’raf, a nice fine dining place serving traditional French fare. Our animated waiter served us a great bottle of white wine. Gabby had salmon and I had chicken. It was quite a treat for us to go to an expensive resto but we just had to do it once in Paris, since we’re on honeymoon anyway.

Last stop for the night was Moulin Rouge, which was not too far from Montmartre. Our show was at 11pm. It was fun (I’m sure Gabby had fun and bubbly (we got to drink another bottle of champagne) but not something that you would do again. After the show we immediately headed to hotel so that we could still catch the Metro which usually close at 2am on weekends (12MN on weekdays). That ends Day 8 of the Manila to Morocco trip!

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