quelque chose que tombe

So we visited Versailles the way to sum up Versailles is near impossible. Louis XIV was traumatized as a child when his palace in Paris was attack by nobles trying to take over the monarchy. He was snuck out and taken to the 2nd palace in the woods. Not far from the 2nd palace was his father’s hunting lodge, in Versailles. He spent most of his childhood there, and since his dad died when he was not quite 5 I think he felt very attached to the space. When he was old enough to rule he commissioned an architect to build a new palace at Versailles. He specifically wanted to integrate his father’s hunting lodge. Mind you when I say “hunting lodge” this is no log cabin in the woods. The “hunting lodge” would rival any mansion in the US but the Biltmore. Ok so Louis XIV then added on to the hunting lodge and expanded it by a zillion times, with a church, rooms, courtyards, and every painting and detail of opulence that you can imagine. The plans were so grandiose they were not finished in his lifetime. However he did live at Versailles for almost 40 years. Back to childhood trauma. So, in order to keep his friends close and his enemies closer, he order all of court to move out to Versailles with him around the time he was 40. He lived to be 86. Of the 300 or so noble families in France a representative from each family had to live at Versailles. So, the Royal family, court, 300+ nobles, 15,000 staff and countless ministers, military, clergy and visitors inhabited this enormous compound. This way Louie XIV could keep everyone literally at his beckon call. So Louis XIV loved himself A LOT. He loved his hair, legs, he was fantastically vain he even invented ballet to show them off…he loved decorating and…..anyone see where this is going? At least he produced an heir. But really the details in Versailles and the extent of his vanity is amazing and you really have to see it. BTW Louis XVI the great-great-great-grandson of Louis XIV. Louis XVI is the Louis that lost his head and was married to Marie-Antoinette.


Ok so when you go to see Versailles there a several tours. The garden tour, the sable (stable is probably bigger than the Biltmore and there are two of them), the private quarters tour (extra $700), tour of the Opera House, and the tour of the State rooms. We took the latter and it still took us hours to get through. At the very end of the tour you walk down the “Queens Steps” which is the staircase that linked the first floor, where Marie-Antoinette’s private chambers were, to the 2nd floor where her state room were. My happy ass slipped and damn near fell on my ass and slid down the stairs. At the same time all of the Euro coins in my pocket flung out. So picture an all marble room with all marble steps 3ish stories high, a gigantic American blond practically doing a back flip all to the echoing sound of coins being dropped. France, meet Rasa.


After dinner on this same day we were winding are way home through the beautiful streets of Paris. We live in the Antique shop area and it’s very very nice and expensive area to live in. I suppose with other areas of the world that attract that kind of resident you assume people conduct themselves in a certain manner. So we have been really minding our P’s and Q’s. As we were window shopping probably around 11pm, heading home. Aimee noticed something fluttering above her…she thinks, leaf…no, not possible no trees…money…no…not money. Well said item landed and Aimee stopped to see what it was. At this point I had caught up to her and looked down to see what she was examining. And it was of all things an open condom wrapper. I know Paris is a romantic city but really!