I'm not dead. Thought I should put that out there. According to some very worried texts from mum, Paris has been gripped by a storm that has so far killed 45 and is said to be getting worse. I was sitting on my balcony this morning, soaking up the sun and thinking that I was enjoying the best weather of the trip so far when I got mum's paniced text. There was some rain last week, but horrific, city-destroying storm? No.

Yesterday actually marked the first official day of spring. To celebrate, I found what my guidebook promised was the best patisserie in Paris and spent the afternoon reading and munching macaroons in Parc Monceau, yet another of Paris's gorgeous public gardens. I've really fallen in love with all these gardens, they've been my favourite places to visit in Paris so far. I've got some good photos too, but am still having to use my phone for the Internet, so unfortunately can't upload any of them : ( Today, a little drunk on springtime, I decided to take in the mother of all these parks, the gardens at Versailles. Sprawling lakes, mazes of trees, rolling lawns and clipped toperies, I was, without a doubt, in heaven. I spent about three hours just wandering about gawking at it all before stopping to enjoy a coffee at the little cafe overlooking the main lake. Honestly, I think that coffee has been the best bit of the trip so far. Just being in those gardens being waited on by waiters in black tie makes you feel like royalty!

The palace itself was also pretty amazing. The excessive luxury France's monarchs lived in is just incredible! Unfortanately thousands ofother people seemed to think so too, the place was packed with tourists and school groups making it very stuffy and often difficult to see much of the rooms, but it was still pretty awesome to find myself standing in the hall of mirrors where they signed the treaty of Versailles and in the king and queens bed chambers!

Yesterday morning I also did the touristy thing and finally worked up the courage to tackle the louvre. That place is damned intimidating, but definitely worth it! Highlights for me were the Greek and Roman statue galleries and the hall built for louis xiv where the crown jewels are housed.

Other than that, I've been getting a bit of reading in. Finally braved Virginia Wolfe, as, apparently I'm teaching mrs dalloway this semester. I'll be honest, I didn't think I was going to like it, and didn't think much of it to begin with, but ended up totally digging all the modernist melancholy. I'm now back on my highsmith bent with The Cry of the Owl, and enjoying muchly. Very inspiring stuff, I've replotted the entire second half of my novel since I started reading it. No one does crime like her. In fact, I'm itching to get back to it, so I shall bid you all goodnight!

Margs
xo xo