Vindicated!

What a relief to have someone posted at our metro entrance on the day we needed help getting to Versailles!  She approached us and showed us what to select on the screen to get our tickets.  Kyle questioned her, saying “$72 is too much for the train to Versailles.  It’s only supposed to be $7 round trip.”  She said “Oh no!  This is the only way.”  I started to insert my card, but she said credit cards weren’t working as they were changing the system today.  I tried inserting cash and she said the machine wouldn’t accept the denominations of my bills, so she said she’d take care of it for us.  She waved her ID in front of the machine and retrieved three tickets for us.  Kyle was getting increasingly uncomfortable. She was waiting to get our money and Kyle said “no, thank you.”  THANK HEAVEN FOR KYLE!

Three minutes later police officers were handcuffing our “subway assistant” and her accomplice.  WHEW!  Bullet dodged.

Yesterday Jasmine felt a tug on her purse during rush hour on the subway.  She looked down and saw someone’s hand IN her purse groping for cash.  Luckily, there was none.  Jasmine glared and he moved away,  never meeting her gaze.  Good reminder for us to be cautious in the city!

Next subject: I have a confession to make.  Remember when I said yesterday I never tire of the visual feast?  I was wrong.  I’ve reached my limit.  Touring Versailles today was too much.  I couldn’t endure any more opulence.  At one time, there was a staff of 14,000 soldiers and servants!  Jasmine and Kyle felt the same way.  We regrouped, over lunch of course, and agreed that spending the rest of the day in the gardens sounded inviting.

The gardens are massive, but–not to worry–they have golf carts.  I tried to convince Jasmine they were for the gardeners but I was wrong.  Jasmine was delighted at the prospect of touring the extensive Versailles Gardens in a golf cart.  I have to admit it was fun.  I felt like a mother-in-law relegated to the rumble seat because I was facing backwards. It seemed to amuse passers by.

It was an idyllic way to spend the afternoon.  So many beautiful green spaces with rows and rows of not only manicured hedges, but trees manicured into cubes! There are beautiful rows of tall, stately poplars forming intersections graced with sculpted fountains.  And the Grand Canal is grand–one and a half kilometers long!

It was another great day–thanks to Kyle.  It may not have been so rosy if I’d coughed up cash to the scam artist.