Versailles

My posts are going to get shorter and shorter as we take more exhausting trips!

Today we toured Versailles. I've been before, so I forgot how impressive the chateau actually is. The front is being redone so that it can be gilded (the parts that are painted are phenomenal - the gold against a pale blue sky - ah it was transfixing!). The interior is mostly the same, tons of old oil paintings, a few tapestries, two bedrooms, the room of war, the halls of mirrors, and the room for peace.

oddly, taylor mentioned to tres and i about the unique situation that the war and peace room are in. the war room, of course decorated with images of hercules, mars, and caesar is located on one side of a wing. the peace room is located exactly opposite of the war room, and is decorated in french blue and female imageries. these rooms are connected by the hall of mirrors, and imfamous hall of chandaliers and mirrors. the rooms, symbolically are opposite of each other, but they are linked by a reflecting room. imagine being a dignitary, preparing maybe for war. you would walk from the peace room, all the while thinking, reflecting on the decision to go to war. once arriving at the war room, you declare conflict. the same vice versa. ooh the french were such clever symbolic people.

the best part of versailles is hands down, the gardens. i had never been out into the gardens before, but this experience is one that i'd love to replicate. we stumbled across two weddings, children played in the massive mazes and labyrinths that could occupy hours of playtime. there is a lake where King Louie 16th staged mock naval battles, where now you can rent a row boat and go out on the lake. the fountains are spectacular, as are the thousands and thousands of ivory marble figures of greek deities (who i of course, knew all their names too. i'm promising you, mom and dad, a degree in classics isn't useless!) i wish i could have spent more time, wandering around. the colors of everything were awesome!

to take a moment for a commercial break - i love my chacos. i have worn them almost every single day here in paris. when i get home, i'm going to buy another pair. my feet didn't ache after a full day of walking around...and i was impressed. i normally would have had shin splits by now, but no! *impressed* these shoes are worth their weight. seriously. my tevas failed, tennis shoes didn't even make it, but these chaco flip flops are troupers.

annnnnyway, the sun just set, so that means it's now 11pm. (isn't that crazy? the sun doesn't set until around 10pm. it messes seriously with your sense of time. thats why people here eat so late, because there's still daylight left!) i'm going to pass out, and attempt to get up in the morning and (ugh groan) and write a paper.