The golden palace and the golden man

We had a great day on Sunday. We got a bit later start as we have been doing each day. Par example we are at 2:00pm and we are still here. I just went out and got coffee and croissant fresh, as I have each day. We have a bit of excuse because we were up in the middle of the night on the phone. All is very, very well! We have acted on an opportunity but more on that later.

So we set out on Sunday to conquer the RER or regional rail system, suburban trains to you. We took the train to Versailles and that was one line from a station very near us so was not very tricky except the ticket machines were a bit of challenge and we had to go get change. Credit cards are taken for just about everything but they have to be the new ones with a chip and they have to use a pin. We have the cards but no PINs so it’s an issue. Future European travellers advised!

Versaille is huge! The small stables block dwarfs the humans as you walk up and the large block looked like it was a grand house of Europe.  The Palace is just amazing and that is an opinion held by the 500,000 other people that were there to see the house and gardens! We felt like cattle going through the palace. It got to the point that the large breasted lady behind me propelling me along with said bumpers stopped being amusing after about an hour. Okay it stopped after about twenty seconds. I did have to point it out to Joyce before I gave the woman the evil eye.

We did see beautiful views across the gardens and the rooms were very beautiful and it was quite wonderful to contemplate the history of the place.  We tried to get into the gardens but our pass did not cover the entry and the ticket line at 4:30 pm was still a half hour long and we were bruised so gave it up. As it turns out we just had time to return to town to the unit change and then conquer the metro system to get to Jim Haynes for Dinner.

We may have mentioned this, we did FB about it but Jim Haynes has held a dinner at his studio every Sunday night for thirty years. Give him a google and check the videos! They even shot an After Eight commercial with him as the feature. He is a very charming and unpretentious guy. We got on to him through Jo and contacted him before we left and were welcomed warmly.  He gave us very good directions and a few block stroll from the Metro station brought us to his gate. There were already people in the garden and we were quickly welcomed and given a drink and sent off to find interesting people. And did we ever.

These are the ones that we talked with for a few minutes

Jim Haynes – Raconteur I now truly get this title!

Leslie – Team building consultant works between Sydney, where her son, is and London just finishing a contract in Amsterdam.

Perry and Sally – an older couple from England that though it all very interesting.

Rick – runs a not for profit in Portland Oregon that does environmental clean up using volunteers on the ground. They have developed a program to train volunteers and last year trained 50,000.

Christine , Casey (sisters) and their cousin Laura- on a grand tour with the sisters parents but the parentals didn’t come to the party. They are from Texas and had been in Pairs two days.

Jan – from South Africa

?? from Paris and not so old friend of Jim’s and seems to help out at these dinners very good at introducing others. (but not herself)

Seamus - Very handy at service devlivery, in logistics ;-) helps by serving up at the dinners.

?? – recently moved back to Paris from America where she grew up but has lived in Paris for two years previously. Got her Phd in Psychology and has returned for good.

Clara – from the next Atlleier English father French mother has been there for a number of years. Told us that Mattisse used to own the unit that Jim now occupies.  Jim later confirmed He doesn’t know whether he painted there but his son dropped by to have a chat with Jim!

Nick  from England who has retired from the education department and has had two “indepth” looks at Paris and NewYork. Was at Jim’s 9 years ago and says it seems the same!

Carol and Roger – From Buderim he’s ‘in the building game” he is a fanatic 4X4 and camper but his wife got him off to Europe for a month.

Matilde and her daughter’s friend Ricardo. They are from Florence Italy. Her daughter has just competed her college in Vermont in Theatre, she wants to act but has been told that her accent will be an issue so she took directing route. Ricardo in finishing his Chemistry degree but may go back into Maths.

Almadine – a friend from around the corner that helps sometimes and has been coming for 18 years

We were pointed out the two sisters from Sydney Kate and ?, the guy from Melbourne. All in all I would say there were 75 people there. As it was warm, we could spill out into the entrance garden.

The location is pretty special. There is a building on the street that has a gate into an internal lane through the building and out to the back area which is about 100meter deep and only 20 meters wide. Down the right side of this area are the atelier or studios. Some are used for living with little lofts built into them. Some are artist studios I think. Jims is a writing studio. Down the length is a wide gravel path with trees and bushes on the left for a few meters. It lovely and cool and surrounded by French architecture and odd building bits that rise 6 or 7 stores in some cases. We could see into some units and see fluorescent lighting in a modern refitted kitchen or up in the top a dormer window with rich curtains and soft incandescent glow. I saw neighbours peeking out of curtains down into the courtyard.

There was laughter and lots of talking almost right away and it was a pleasure to attend this soiree.