Our friends Ben and Cassidy Bolick had just gotten married and happened to be in France at the same time as us on their honeymoon, so we met up with them and went to Versailles, Notre Dame, L' Arc d' Triumphe, the Moulin Rouge, and the Sacre Coeur.
This is in front of the Chateau de Versailles. It was so much fun to take the tour inside and around the gardens. King Louis XIV moved the royal courts from downtown Paris to this elaborate palace. Everything is just over the top spectacular. King Louis XIV loved to dance, party, and show off his wealth. I'm currently learning all about him in my dance history class, and it's fascinating to learn about him after having been to his house.
The Hall of Mirrors. One side is all windows, and the other is all mirrors. Louis wanted to "bring the nature indoors" so the mirrors reflect everything outside, making the hall feel like an enormous ballroom. It is decorated so incredibly, with chandeliers every few feet, and carvings all over the walls, along with the elaborately painted ceiling. However, although so much was put into decorating this area of the castle, it simply was only used as a HALLWAY.
The overview of the MASSIVE gardens. Where you see green, those are the gardens for Versailles. The day we were there they turned on all the fountains and played classical music throughout the gardens. It was so magical.
This would be all the boys in our group. Holding all the purses..ahem, sorry, man bags. The girls didn't have to carry a thing! What great gentlemen. Also, behind them...gorgeous gorgeous gardens. The water way in the back is called the Venice Petite and they have all these people in boats going around in it, and the boat guides sing to them. Kinda like the Venician in Vegas, only in France...and awesomer.
At L' Arc d' Triumphe. Napoleon had this made to be a memorial of French Army.
We found the Disney Store in Paris. I was a happy lady.
Notre Dame
Moulin Rouge. The (ahem) prostitute district where the Can-Can was invented. Hence our attempt at a Kickline.
The Sacre Coeur. Priests work in relays to keep prayers going 24 hours a day. They have been praying here for 125 years straight.
The church is up on a very high hill. We conquered the several hundred steps to get up to the church. We turned around, and this is what we saw. Breath taking.
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