Blog july 11
We awoke to the gradual crescendo of light which crept at our faces from beneath the beds’ respective curtains. After rolling out of bed, we went down to another floor to eat breakfast. Our breakfast exceeded our expectations in every way, from the food to the atmosphere of the floor we found ourselves on. With a newfound passion succeeding the exhausting day prior, we biked into the city of Paris on our way to Versailles. However, we found the journey to Versailles to be much more difficult than anticipated. We found ourselves at the mercy of the sun and the series of hills that drained our energy and water bottles. By the time we reached Versailles, we were exhausted and in desperate need of water. Luckily, a semicircle of street vendors stood tall stationed afoot the grand palace. The counselors purchased water bottles for the group, and we were at last ready to enter the palace gates. When we entered the courtyard, we were absolutely amazed. The immense palace had gilded roofs and hallways of paintings, furniture, and statues. Almost every room was incredibly detailed, from the decorated floors and walls to the painting-covered ceilings. We passed by the bedrooms of the kings, queens, and others who lived in the palace from the day the Sun King (Louis XIV) moved in until the removal of his grandson. Once we left the palace we were very hungry, and finally found a sandwich shop in the commercial district of Versailles. After leaving, we were full of energy once again and ready to take on the hilly terrain. This time, however, the wind rushed through our hair as we took on steep downhills hitting speeds upwards of 30 MPH. The ride back to the hostel was far quicker than its counterpart and we enjoyed a late spaghetti dinner before finally settling into bed.
– trekkers Wiley and Samuel