Bonjour to all. We are having a wonderful time here in Paris. We are both completely enchanted by the city and its people, to say nothing of the wonderful sights we have seen over the past few days. Unfortunately, we must move on. Our train leaves tomorrow night for Madrid � a 14-hour overnight train ride (well, part of it is overnight).
On Wednesday, we ventured out to the palace at Versailles. As soon as we caught sight of the palace, we were enthralled. The building is so huge and so spread out that � well, let�s just say that Louis XIV really knew how to impress. The palace�s huge wings reach out and welcome the visitor into the opulence of the interior.
Inside was every bit as extravagant as I imagined � and then some. Louis had himself cast as the sun king (or sun god, depending on how you look at it), and had craftsmen carve and paint pictures of him throughout the palace. Only a very few of the rooms are open to visitors, I suppose to prevent us from having to wind through the palace for eight hours, but what is open is amazing. The palace presents Louis, and France through him, as victorious, mighty, and unparalleled in the world � just the right attitude to project if you want the world to fall to its knees in front of you.
Of course, none of the opulence of Louis XIV�s reign lasted very long. By the time Louis XVI came along, the French Revolution broke out, and the royal family was decisively (if only temporarily, but French politics get pretty confusing after the Revolution) ousted by the mob and promptly decapitated.
Beyond the palace are the enormous gardens at Versailles. Magnificent and sprawling, these acres encompass some absolutely remarkable landscaping. Beyond the gardens lies the man-made pool (1 mile long). We decided to rent a rowboat and spent the next hour tooling around the water, just enjoying ourselves. After a quick and late lunch, we were back on the Metro headed for downtown Paris. I was starting to come down with a pretty bad cold, so we got some pizza and ate it in the room, while I tried to fight off the germs.
Yesterday was no better, though. We were forced to take a day off from touring, as I was much worse than the day before. We did finally venture out in the evening, but that was only long enough to hit an Internet caf� and grab some dinner.
So that�s where we stand. We are both feeling a bit run down this morning, but we are determined not to let another day slip by us. So wish us luck.
Paul and Colleen
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