In the footsteps of Kings and Queens

    

Today for the first time in TOSH world tour history we are headed to Versailles.  So this means I get to experience something for the first time along with the kids, usually I just get to marvel at their expressions when they see the Eiffel Tower for the first time or a stroll down the Champs De Elysee because I have been so very fortunate to see the sights of this beautiful city before.

This morning we started pretty early, 7 AM breakfast and I must say they were for the most part ready willing and able.  We caught a train not far from the hotel along the Marne and proceeded to city center again to meet our guide for the day and our bus to the palace.  You have by now possibly seen pictures of the Arc and the Tower and really we saw so much more of Paris that was great for the students.  May 1 is a national holiday so the city is booming and the weather is spectacular….so buckle up for a hot, sweaty busy day again!

After a full day of touring I must say Versailles is over the top...ooops FIRE!!!! Fire emoji fire emoji fire emoji...sorry girls that is the best I can do at this hour without knowing how to do those on this tablet and I am old!  What I won’t do is give everyone a history lesson on Versailles, but I can let you know that because of the structure, heads did indeed roll...haha sorry had to do it!  If you are unsure just look up the Sun King (Louis XIV and his heirs to the French throne most notably Louis the XVI).  Contrary to the monuments in the building and many of the pictures, Napoleon did not live at Versailles.  For good reason as he was against the monarchy and it simply would have been a bad look...although he did set up the apartments for his wife, he did not use it as a summer residence.  I think I may have frequented it,  I am pretty sure!!!!  Plenty of green grass to practice on and plenty of water hazards to hit over.

The story of Versailles was as interesting as the grounds, primarily a hunting residence in the summer months, it became used year round but was built for days like yesterday, 26C and not 2C because of all of the marble and the expanse, be a bugger to heat!!!  Plenty of gold to show off the wealth they had versus what the majority did not have.  We often said yesterday they simply built because they could, with complete disregard for other French people, oh the life of kings and queens during that time.  It is easy to see how the hatred  ensued and how it has really shaped the French people and the way they are today, the revolutionary spirit is very much alive throughout Paris still today.

I will make sure I get more pictures uploaded for you to see the beauty.  

Following our train ride back to the heart of the city, our supper meal was very traditional as it was at a small Parisian restaurant just east of Notre Dame in the Latin quarter.  The kids were treated to goat cheese salad as an app and then the main entrée of veal and vegetables with rice.  It was so good and the majority of the kids really liked it.  Desert of course was chocolate mousse.  Pretty hard to turn down after 21000 steps through the day.  

The plan is to have a relatively early night tonight at the hotel, with an early wake up and  departure time.  We will see just how eager they are to get up tomorrow morning.

Morning update.

We are now off to Vimy region, au revoir Paris and apologies to the girls who never got to do much shopping, not all happy with me right now, but who cares they are all asleep again and simply happy to be enjoying the great weather!!!  They will get shopping time not to worry!

Today is the day that I have been waiting for since 2017.  Myself, along with the rest of the world, didn’t see Covid coming and the repercussions that affected everyone.  We had planned to be at VE 75 and then bang….the world as we knew it changed in an instant.  Thelus visits would have to wait and a new crew of students would have to be introduced to our project, with the hope that we could rebuild the momentum to remember and keep the torch lighted at TOSH.  

Well Vimy night at TOSH proved that was a a real possibility and this adventure could be rekindled and hundreds more kids from across PEI could visit this beautiful little piece of earth that is so peaceful, such a contrast to the same time of year 108 years ago.  The weather alone will emphasize the contrast to 1917 and that’s ok, we have been here in the cold and snow so 26C will be a nice change.  We are about 45 minutes from Vimy and then back to Thelus.  First time we are backtracking but timelines are timelines and when travelling in large groups, theses young grasshoppers are finding that out quickly.  LOL their pace has quickened and it won’t be as needed when in the middle of the hustle and hustle of Paris.  Nap time before the walk into the footsteps of the ghosts of the past at Vimy and Thelus.  Great day to be Canadian but especially when visiting the Vimy memorial.  I hope they love it, all of it, half as much as I enjoy introducing them to it.