We didn't realize that exiting the palace gardens through the public pedestrian gate would require us to walk almost 3 miles out of the way and back to the city center to catch the metro. Sunny aptly named our three mile hike the Death March!
When we reached the city center we immediately dropped into two patio chairs at an outdoor bistro and ordered lunch. I was so hungry I didn't snap a photo of what would be my favorite meal during my weekend in Paris. The meal that I still think about even now after being home in Addis. It was a salad. But not just any salad. The lettuce was dressed with a light Dijon vinaigrette. There were tomatoes, hunks of Gorgonzola cheese and layers of parma. On top was a lightly fried crepe with warm goat cheese wrapped inside. It was a meal that put the energy back in my step. I could have withered away into the stones of Versailles if it were not for that salad.
After recharging our batteries for lunch we rode the metro back home where we promptly locked our keys in the apartment and ourselves in the hallway. The frail little old lady who lived upstairs came to our rescue and hobbled down the few flights of stairs to retrieve an extra key from the landlord's apartment. It amazed me that this old woman lived in this building and carried herself and all her daily groceries up the stairs.
With keys in hand we headed to find ice cream. Always a priority. We located the famous Berthillon Glaciers at a cafe not far from our next stop, Notre Dame. I had a hot crepe wrapped around vanilla bean ice cream. It was perfection. We sat along the Seine and played spot the Americans as people walked by.
This year marks 850 years for Notre Dame and people were out in troves to see the gorgeous cathedral. We toured the inside and even sat for a portion of mass to listen to the pipe organs and singing. Such a peaceful stop for us on Sunday.
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