So Day Number Two in France we jaunted down to Versailles to check out the digs of "The Sun King" Louis XIV (1659-1715). The place is so opulent even the weather is rich. And what a beautiful day it was. Emerald blue skies were bespeckled with white puffy clouds.
The chateau is really a small city in itself. Statues of marble and bronze adorned the seemingly endless miles of the property.
The grounds are opento the public, so you could easily spot a jogger or a picnic. We on the other hand decided to partake in the gardens which were neatly manicured. We also continued to partake in the ritual of expensive lunching. But hey, when in France.....After a leisurely two hour lunch we walked over to Marie Antoinette’s chateau on the grounds, which were lovely but unfortunately 95% closed for renovation.
The main house of course was in a word: decadent . Everywhere you turned, there was gold and velvet, Rococo decor. It was simply a fabulous feast
for the eyes. I especially liked the Hall of Mirrors which were outside the royal living quarters.
My only thought was “It’s good to be the king!” But then there was that Bastille Day thing. But maybe it was worth it? I mean they couldn’t feel it right?We finished the day with our family going to the Eiffel Tower. What an awesome structure. Built in three stages over the course of a year, the tower was completed in 1836, and currently sports four elevators to the top. Apparently, the tower is continually being painted. It takes 26 years to paint it, and by the time they are done, its time to get started again.
Our attempt to get to the top was interrupted by a slight hurricane.(no joke!) So we decided to duck into a cafe for a small dinner. By the time we left, the good weather had returned and we continued our quest. The view from top went well with how we are feeling on this whole trip: on top of the world.
Wish you were here!
-Gabe
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