| Paris! ... What is the first thing that just crossed your mind? I bet 5€ it wasn't kayaking. Well, I visited Paris last weekend with no intention of spending time on the water, and yet I somehow found myself floating in a rowboat in the Grand Canal in front of the Palace of Versailles. Last weekend, Elizabeth, Sander van den CargoBroek, and I rented a tiny car and road-tripped to visit UMich friend Nicolas in Paris. We spent Saturday and Sunday making epic 10 hour walks across the city, stopping at Nicolas' swim meet, the Electronic Circus, le Pain Quotidien, Montmartre, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, the Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and many more, including a late night walk along the Seine. On Monday, we left the city center to visit Versailles before heading back to the Netherlands (with a quick stop in Belgium for dinner)... |  |
We arrived at the Palace of Versailles early Monday afternoon. The Palace happens to be closed on Mondays, so if you want to go inside, I don't recommend you visit on a Monday! We happily parked our little Picante car after a suspenseful morning driving through the most daunting traffic circles of Paris. We strolled past the castle and through some of the gardens behind. Many parts of the Palace, including the fountains, were undergoing renovations.
 |  |
A bit walked-out from the previous two days, we were (I was) ecstatic to see a flotilla of row boats next to a small rental kiosk. Magically, the kiosk was manned (as far as we could tell, there were no boats in use) and a 30 minute rental was 12 euros. The four of us piled into a boat and pushed away from shore. We were the only boat on the canal.
It was immediately apparent that none of us know how to row, but we quickly improved and made it to the center of the "+" shape of the canal. Sander braved the double paddle, while the rest of us took turns sharing the burden.
It was immediately apparent that none of us know how to row, but we quickly improved and made it to the center of the "+" shape of the canal. Sander braved the double paddle, while the rest of us took turns sharing the burden.
 |  |
On the way out of the boat, Sander, Nicolas, and I clambered awkwardly but independently onto shore. Elizabeth made a much more elegant exit in which she extended her mittened hand, requesting assistance from the kiosk attendant. He took her hand, and she gracefully exited the boat. We teased her for a least a half hour. Tough times for Queen Elizabeth.
Date: Monday, November 11, 2014
Distance: 1.25 km (< 1 mile)
Duration: 30 mins
Distance: 1.25 km (< 1 mile)
Duration: 30 mins
RSS Feed
