Yesterday the group had an excursion to Versailles in which we
- were freezing
- plotted to steal a royal sheep
- did not break anything in the restaurant even though a bunch of other people did
- experienced the weirdest bathroom ever
- saw Michael Jackson inside the palace*
- tried to find the baroque orchestra which did not actually exist
- learned about LA SYMBOLISME.

We were set to meet the group at the Versailles RER at 11:30, but Emily and I were ridiculously early (despite being held up by a crazy accordion man on our train). So we huddled in the Starbucks accross the road from the trian station with a bunch of other really early people until the rest of the group got there. Mwantuali was there with his wife, and his kids who kept tattling on us for doing "studenty things!" like sitting on the garden walls and touching the hedges. We couldn't help it, they were so spiraly. If you had seen them, you would understand. Madame Stevens was there with some guy who we initially decided was her illicit lover, but who turned out to be the art history professor who was giving us the tour.

After walking in a huge circle around the gardens (which are pretty much the size of Rhode Island in themselves), and after passing a bunch of sheep which Ellen was tempted to steal, we got to the restaurant. It was goodish, but the bathroom was the best part--it was not only tiny, like all bathrooms in France, but you had to step on this thing on the floor in order to make the sink turn on. And if you didn't apply just the right amount of pressure with your foot, you either got everyone in the vicinity (which was everyone, because the bathroom was so tiny) soaking wet, or didn't get any water at all. Good times.

Then we milled about in the garden and looked at the clouds for awhile before being let into the real inner garden, which is all swirly and ornate and full of the tallest hedges EVER. There was also a statue that looked a lot like Frankenstein's head, but I don't think that's what it was supposed to be. Unfortunately the fountains weren't running when we were outside looking at them, and, doubly unfortunately, they started going as soon as we went into the palace. I would've been happy to stay in the garden because it's so huge that you could probably stay there for a week looking at stuff.

Inside the palace, along with the weird modern art, there were big ridiculous gold ceilings, huge windows, the most absurd chandeliers ever, and monstrously big paintings. It really is pretty, but I can't grasp the concept of waking up every day in a room with a 25 foot high, solid gold ceiling with leopards carved on it. We didn't see too much of the palace--just the first few rooms (including the Hall of Mirrors), and then we were allowed to leave. I was exhausted by that point--I hate standing in one place for long periods of time, which is exactly what we were doing while the art history guy talked about la symbolisme of l'architecture.

So I took the train home with Mme. Stevens because she lives right next to mom's hotel, and met up with mom for dinner and a crepe. Last night was La Nuit Blanche, which is where they have lots of exhibitions and concerts, and museums and a lot of other public spaces are open all night for free. There were also giant neon rabbits performing a rock opera, but I wasn't sure where or if I had the energy to wrap my brain around such a concept, so I decided we shouldn't go. Then mom brought me back to Valerie's this morning in the FREEZING COLD, and I was a good little monkey and did my grammar homework. Then I tried to read Baudelaire, but I kind of failed as per usual, because he is a nutball.

I'm really not inclined to go outside today as it is still freezing and drizzly, but tomorrow I'm going to buy used books for class and to search for a pumpkin at the market with Valerie, because she thinks my jack-o-lantern plan is the funniest thing she's ever heard. She has noooo idea.

* In fact it was just a statue of Michael Jackson, but it looked a whole lot like him. It was creepy. There was an exhibition of modern art in the palace--I can't remember the guy's name, but he makes huge metal statues of balloon animals, among other things.