And Outside The Rain Fell...

Today was a different day. A quiet day. A day of uncertainty until yesterday.

The tickets for our next excursion now booked, I was quite looking forward to spending the rest of the day at the historic palace of Versailles. Switching almost 3 trains before we reached the station of Versailles, I spent my time reading “The Lost Symbol”, this time, in fact, possibly for the first time, not falling asleep on a train. It’s highly addictive!



Sau says most of my blog is about references to how expensive this place is. Haha. I totally agree. It’s crazy, especially when you aren’t earning at the same level at which you are spending.



Reaching the city of Versailles, now almost a suburb of Paris – I was terribly excited to see this historically significant city – the Treaty of Versailles, the French Revolution, and the extravagant lifestyles of the monarchy, my Class 10 history textbook was racing back to me.



The Chateau de Versailles, a set of buildings in a large complex set in Versailles had a history dating back to the early 1700s, when Louis the XIV began the construction of a massive royal palace that could be the seat of his governance of France. Apparently, construction never ceased here, and the Palace was expanded and renovated with each subsequent generation to become what it is today. Today, gleaming in gold fringed rails and ceilings, Versailles stands out as the height of French opulence and grandeur, and as I remember my history teacher drilling it in, was the reason why the Bourgeoisie finally revolted.



We passed through room after room of the lavishly decorated palace, our audio guides describing wonderfully the lives of the royalty then, their comforts, their passion for the arts, and even some good governance. A fabulously ornate room where the king met ordinary citizens seeking royal favour was a revolutionary concept, much so when it was thought of some 300 years back. Several hundred tapestries hung on multicoloured-velvet covered walls, with beautiful yet baroque mantle pieces and gilded furniture standing out. The Hall of Mirrors, the central gallery of Versailles, was a remnant of the success of the King in one his battles, and this long was adorned with several mirrors that were then both a luxury and a symbol of supremacy to the visiting dignitaries.



The apartments of the King and Queen were lavish, with huge paintings adorning the ceiling, each room dedicated to a Roman God, from Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Diana and Apollo – one for each of the kings’ nuances. Also, the beds were surprisingly small for that of a king. An interesting observation was the weird and totally ridiculous poses in which the “Sugars” had their photographs clicked, and Patwaji seemed to enjoy the thought of hating them.



A gallery where busts of French greats linings the walls particularly interested me –Charlemagne, Hugo, Descartes and even Voltaire and several French statesmen, artists, poets and philosophers of those times.

We proceeded on to the garden of Versailles, superbly landscaped gardens with conical trees, vast canal-like ponds and manicured lawns; they have apparently been preserved in the same way from the time of the kings. Several white marble (Plaster of Paris?) statues lined the huge garden, and we spent quite some time there, soaking in the suddenly chilly air, walking around, enjoying the moment.



Returning home, we prepared for what should be an amazing trip beginning tomorrow. The start of our weekend, and we plan to do it in style. More on that soon.