This weekend we went to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, another western suburb. It was a royal town. being residences to many french monarchs, and during world war two was the head quarters of the Germany Army. We went there for the parks that are often associated with the chateaus. The chateau now houses an archaeology museum. We passed on the museum this time around since next weekend is the first Sunday of the month (meaning museums in France are free). We were ambivalent about it so the seven euro entrance fee was enough of a reason to skip it.
The garden, technically it's a national forest, itself was plenty to keep us occupied. We covered only one small corner of the 48 square kilometer forest. It was the section next to the museum. As it happens, there was an open air exposition in the garden. The dreary cold weather added to the ambiance to the outdoor art work. The art was dreamy french romantic. There was a bed fit for a queen floating in one of the fountains. Stark white two dimensional "statutes" shaped like children were positioned throughout the park like the historical one common in traditional french gardens. It was a delight.
The city itself wasn't too shabby either. With several Michelin rated restaurants, we'll certainly be back for further explorations.
On a culinary note, our quest for Mexican food took us back to Marly le Roi. We noticed Casa Rosa, a restaurant with enchiladas and burritos on the menu. With a menu at french prices we had high hopes for the place. Those were dashed the minute we sat down. Before walking in I had imagine Guapos - a friendly neighborhood restaurant active with diners, families, and tortilla makers. Casa Rosa was quite. The staff was as friendly which made up for the less than spicy meals. They got the plates correct - fajitas, burritos, enchilada, and chili with a few extras like hamburger. The sliver lining was the margaritas. Good to know that mix drinks translate well in any culture.
