At Versailles (here in the Hall of Mirrors) I vacillate between wishing I lived here, and being mad that so many were poor and starving during Louis XIV-XVI's reign. So beautiful though. Utopia is where everyone can live in a Versailles without being complicit in oppression. The art, architecture, craftsmanship, landscape design is amazing here. What you can do with lots of cheap labor at hand.
This fountain (we were here during the Grande Eaux Show where all the fountains of the garden turned on accompanied by Baroque music) is made of shingles of volcanic rock of some sort as far as I could tell. Some of the shingles were actually large conch shells. This fountain was one side of an oval amphitheater. Some of the glistening behind the water is from the shells. So pretty, and with the music, I wanted to donn my tight corset, uncomfortable powdered wig with a birdcage in it, and wide wire hoop skirt so that I could walk the grounds, gossip about the similarly dressed women at court, and find a lover. Oh, to be part of the idle rich.
The gardens in their heyday were changed out with flowers of a specifice theme and/or color depending on the occasion or theme of the party, or what the royals were wearing. Today, Soren's shirt matched with the theme of the flowers.
I ate lavender flavored ice cream (Glace violette). I'm in France-what did you expect?
OK, I am usually a die-hard anti-segregationist but please leave the modern art in the modern art museum. I love modern art! BUT why, why, why would you put 2007 art in a 1700 venue. I was bewildered, verklempt and annoyed. Soren liked it though.
Marie Antoinette's Hamlet. I am sure lots of you know that she had a special country village built for her and her children to "play" in away from the hustle and bustle of court life. I would rather live here too. Built in the Norman style, the houses and dairies have thatched rooves, wattle and daub walls (think medieval Tudor). Quaint, tasteful, sweet and far away from the harsh realities of the outside world. A place to become unaware of the brewing revolution that would end her and her children's lives.
Soren and I both wishing we could live here. Today is Sunday so there were many young families out enjoying the sunny day, playing rugby, eating a picnic, bike-riding, kissing/hugging, and watching the fountains. Made me happy that in 2 days my little family will be back together again. Being here though reminds me why people sigh when they mention Paris, France. There is some kind of good taste gene they dole out maybe in the water. I remember in Edinburgh castle, the prison there housed French, Spanish prisoners and American revolutionaries (whom Britain treated as treasonous pirates). They were allowed to carve small trinkets to be sold on the outside for $. Many of the things were small boxes. A French prisoner made this amazing jewelry box by curling paper into all kinds of swirls to decorate the outside of his box while our guys were scratching angular pics of ships etc on their stone-age looking crafts. The French are just good at knowing how to say "when." Except the Louis(es) who needed to guild everything and put their symbols and initials on EVERYTHING under the sun. Oh, I forgot Louis XIV WAS the sun--his totem, the sunburst, was placed at the most sacred end of the Versailles chapel behind the altar where a crucifix typically hung. This guy had some ego! He and his relatives could commission some serious art though. Where have all the good patrons gone? Now we're left with pink balloon dogs (see above).
At Versailles (here in the Hall of Mirrors) I vacillate between wishing I lived here, and being mad that so many were poor and starving during Louis XIV-XVI's reign. So beautiful though. Utopia is where everyone can live in a Versailles without being complicit in oppression. The art, architecture, craftsmanship, landscape design is amazing here. What you can do with lots of cheap labor at hand.
This fountain (we were here during the Grande Eaux Show where all the fountains of the garden turned on accompanied by Baroque music) is made of shingles of volcanic rock of some sort as far as I could tell. Some of the shingles were actually large conch shells. This fountain was one side of an oval amphitheater. Some of the glistening behind the water is from the shells. So pretty, and with the music, I wanted to donn my tight corset, uncomfortable powdered wig with a birdcage in it, and wide wire hoop skirt so that I could walk the grounds, gossip about the similarly dressed women at court, and find a lover. Oh, to be part of the idle rich.
The gardens in their heyday were changed out with flowers of a specifice theme and/or color depending on the occasion or theme of the party, or what the royals were wearing. Today, Soren's shirt matched with the theme of the flowers.
I ate lavender flavored ice cream (Glace violette). I'm in France-what did you expect?
OK, I am usually a die-hard anti-segregationist but please leave the modern art in the modern art museum. I love modern art! BUT why, why, why would you put 2007 art in a 1700 venue. I was bewildered, verklempt and annoyed. Soren liked it though.
Marie Antoinette's Hamlet. I am sure lots of you know that she had a special country village built for her and her children to "play" in away from the hustle and bustle of court life. I would rather live here too. Built in the Norman style, the houses and dairies have thatched rooves, wattle and daub walls (think medieval Tudor). Quaint, tasteful, sweet and far away from the harsh realities of the outside world. A place to become unaware of the brewing revolution that would end her and her children's lives.
Soren and I both wishing we could live here. Today is Sunday so there were many young families out enjoying the sunny day, playing rugby, eating a picnic, bike-riding, kissing/hugging, and watching the fountains. Made me happy that in 2 days my little family will be back together again. Being here though reminds me why people sigh when they mention Paris, France. There is some kind of good taste gene they dole out maybe in the water. I remember in Edinburgh castle, the prison there housed French, Spanish prisoners and American revolutionaries (whom Britain treated as treasonous pirates). They were allowed to carve small trinkets to be sold on the outside for $. Many of the things were small boxes. A French prisoner made this amazing jewelry box by curling paper into all kinds of swirls to decorate the outside of his box while our guys were scratching angular pics of ships etc on their stone-age looking crafts. The French are just good at knowing how to say "when." Except the Louis(es) who needed to guild everything and put their symbols and initials on EVERYTHING under the sun. Oh, I forgot Louis XIV WAS the sun--his totem, the sunburst, was placed at the most sacred end of the Versailles chapel behind the altar where a crucifix typically hung. This guy had some ego! He and his relatives could commission some serious art though. Where have all the good patrons gone? Now we're left with pink balloon dogs (see above).
3 comments:
Ok this is Tracy! Bandte is my posting names - Melissa told me about your blog! Loved reading about you trip and all your adventures! Thanks for sharing!
Yay! Hi Tracy! Thanks for visiting my blog!
Post a Comment