paris: part two

Due to the fact that every day in Paris presents itself with endless photo opportunities – it is going to take more than two posts to get through this trip. So here is the second installment: The next morning we got up early to head out to Versailles in an attempt to avoid the crowds. We failed. It was crowded. Asian tourists really like Versailles.

The amazing chapel.

This was Louis XIV’s room I think.

I think I liked this view better though.

Apparently, the Hall of Mirrors is a cool spot. There were a few people there to see it with us.

Talk about extravagance though – I am dumb for not knowing this beforehand – but apparently larger mirrors were very hard to come by in that day and age. So Louis decided – hey, make me a hall of them.

After feeling a bit claustrophobic and seeing the palace – we went out to see the grounds. We were greeting by the sun and blue sky! This was the first time we saw either of those since getting to Paris. It warranted a photo.

We happened to be there on the one day of the week they turn all the fountains on. It also means that is the one day you have to pay to see the gardens. Oh well. It was really enjoyable though to see the fountains and hear beautiful classical music playing throughout the gardens.

We walked over to Marie Antoinette’s estate – I guess she felt like the palace wasn’t big enough and she needed some more space. The gardens there were really beautiful. Everything is just so perfect and precise.

It turned out to be a perfectly beautiful day to wander around the gardens. You could probably spend weeks there and still not make it through the whole garden.

From there, we jumped back on the train and headed back in to Paris to make it to the Rodin Museum. Julie really wanted to go, and I am so glad we did. There is this beautiful mansion and grounds where Rodin actually lived for a period of time. His sculptures are placed around the garden, then his art collection is inside the mansion. You can probably tell that I really liked “the thinker”… it is such a fascinating sculpture and concept.

The houses surrounding the estate (and in all of central Paris for that matter) are amazing. I love the little chimney’s on every house in Paris.

This was Julie’s favorite sculpture. The Burghers of Calaith – men who turned themselves in to save their town from being destroyed during the hundred years war. Pretty amazing to see the emotions he captured on their faces.

At the center of the garden.

We hurried from the Rodin Museum to the see the Catacombs before they closed. Unfortunately, after hurrying to get there, we were greeted with this sign. Hmmm. Well, at least there was a cool metro sign to take a photo of across the street.

Then we went to see the Pantheon and saw this amazing Smart Car sized truck. That dude probably feels like a real man cruising around Paris in that orange hotness.

Interior of the Pantheon.

View outside the Pantheon.

Not bad hops for a 7 month pregnant lady right?

Luxembourg Gardens took us by surprise. We just kind of happened on to it, and it probably was my favorite part of Paris. We got there just a “the golden hour” started and the weather could not have been more perfect. Here is this meticulously manicured park in the middle of the city full of all kinds of Parisians just sitting back and enjoying the beauty. I could have stayed there for the rest of the day.

That building behind us is where their Senate/Parliament? meets. I wouldn’t mind that being my office.

As darkness approached, we stopped by and saw St. Sulpice – another amazing church.

Just another Parisian street.

We finished the day in front of Notre Dame at night.

Here is Hotel de Ville – another really cool building just as we walked down in to the metro station to head back to our apartment. Paris is quite the city.