Paris Day 2 & 3

For our day 2 in Paris, we decided to visit Versailles and go a fancy-schmancy restaurant.  Both were excellent choices!

 The Hall of Mirrors

 The Queens Apartment

Apollon's Fountain

 Marie Anoinette's Cottages

This was her part of the estate at Versailles where she could wear a Muslin dress and straw hat and sort of "play house."  There are several cottages, and a working farm.

We booked it back to Paris and went to our fancy dinner at Lasserre.  My landlord recommended it.  He was a chef himself, and said it would be an experience we would never forget.  He was right!  It was totally amazing.

He was worried I would embarrass myself, your know, me being not of the upper-class and all.  So, he gave me an hour lecture on how to behave myself, which included not laughing in the restaurant and not taking photographs like a tourist.

So, I have no photos, but you can look at the website to see how amazing it was!  http://www.restaurant-lasserre.com

We ate 7 courses:

course 1 - little bread with little cheese crackers

course 2 - pumpkin soup with shrimp, nutmeg and chestnuts.

course 3 - lobster with vegetables and also pumpkin or squash sauce.

course 4 - veal with vegetables and a gravy

course 5 - mixed fruits (including figs) cooked in a fig sauce

course 6 - chocolate mouse souffle' with Madagascar Vanilla ice cream in egg shape

course 7 - peppermint tea with little shell shaped cakes and chocolate truffle squares

After course 6, they brought us a little souvenir.  There was live piano music, and they open the roof half way through dinner to let in fresh air. 

The whole dinner took 3 hours, tasted amazing, and was our favorite part of the trip.  It was something I would have not thought to do myself, and I was glad that Mike suggested it.

Paris Day 3 - We visited the Musee' de Orsay.  No photographs allowed, so....also no pics.

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html

We took an English tour, and had a nice time hearing in detail some of the background of several paintings.  Whistler's Mother for example.  We also were informed in detail of a painting entitled "The Origin of the World." It was unexpected to say the least.  Apparently it's the pride and joy of the museum.  
We were most impressed with the Van Gogh collection.

Afterwards, we walked through the Louvre Courtyard, and I got to see the Pyramid, which I wanted to since taking Art History.

Then we ran to the train station!  Literally!

Great trip!  Would highly recommend Paris, and would go again!