The Palace of Versailles near Paris, France

On July 7, 2020July 7, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn FranceLeave a comment

The Palace of Versailles is fascinating not only for its opulent, over-the-top decorations, but also for its truly interesting history. We visited during autumn, so the gardens weren’t in bloom, but they were still beautiful. There are several different sites on the palace grounds including the Royal Apartments, the Royal Stables, the Gardens, the Estate of Trianon, and the Hall of Mirrors. It is a quick train ride from Paris to reach Versailles, which is about 12 miles (20 kilometers) outside of Paris.

The original building was a grand hunting lodge that was added to and modified to become the ornate palace that it is today. Over time, additional wings were added to the main palace building and additional salons were added. Although it is interesting to understand how King Louis XIV enlarged the palace starting in 1878 until his death in 1715, it certainly wasn’t without controversy and was a significant factor that lead to the French Revolution in 1789.

As you walk through the Royal Apartments, it is hard to imagine the King and Queen sitting in their beds and receiving visitors. It is even harder to imagine that select members of court and the church would gather around the bed on the wedding nights to confirm the consummation of the nuptials. Walking through the Hall of Mirrors is certainly an experience that we will never forget as the light from the windows that open to the gardens reflect off of the gilded mirrors.

Walking around the palace and its grounds provides a glimpse into a period in time when wealth and arrogance knew no bounds. Versailles should definitely be on your itinerary when planning a trip to Paris and it will take you a full day to fully enjoy all that there is to see.

Life in a Palace

On December 5, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge6 Comments

Palaces are certainly highlights of many cities throughout the world. They can be wonderful examples of wealth and opulence, but are also reminders of how powerful rulers and other leaders can become. While we would like to shame them for their excesses, it is hard not to walk through these gorgeous “homes” and wonder what it must be like to be able to surround oneself with such incredible artwork and beautiful furnishings. We don’t think that we could ever go to the extremes that the kings and princes achieved, but we have bought artwork from many of the places that we have visited and those paintings adorn the walls of our humble home here in Colorado. We find the memories of our travels to be worth more than any amount of personal possessions. For now, we will just have to visit palaces of the past and imagine what life must have been like for those who wandered through the hallways, bedrooms, and ballrooms. This week’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge are words that start with the letter P and have at least five letters, so we have chosen a few photos of palaces from our travels.

Fountain in the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain

Palace of the Doors in Cochabamba, Bolivia

Christmas Tree in the Main Courtyard of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria

Daily Post Photo Challenge – Numbers

On June 6, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France, Photo ChallengeLeave a comment

Oddly enough, we don’t take a lot of photos while we’re travelling that contain numbers. The one exception to that seems to be clock towers, whether on churches or government buildings, there are several of those to choose from. For this week’s challenge, numbers, we found this picture from one of the bedrooms in Versailles that had an ornate clock on the mantelpiece. It captures the ornate detail of the opulent rooms, although we’re not sure if the clock actually works.