Life on the High Plains

After our time at the Palace of Versailles the bus took us back to the dock in Paris to meet the Viking Kari who sailed on with us. The next morning we loaded up one final time and said Au Revoir to Paris.  We boarded a high speed train to Brussels.  It traveled at about 180 mph so you couldn't even enjoy the scenery because it was all a big blur. Viking came through again with a five star hotel. It was very luxurious and I highly recommend if you're ever in Brussels.  Viking has a representative at the hotel and she took us around the neighborhood to point out grocery stores, pharmacies, and several restaurants.  It was very helpful because we wouldn't have found the restaurant street on our own. The next morning we went on our last walking tour of the trip.  The square in old town Brussels is mesmerizing.  It's named the Grand-Place and was built between the 11th and 17th centuries. You stand in the middle of the square and have 360 degree breathtaking vi...

 Versailles is one of the most impressive landmarks I've ever visited. It's massive and the architecture is spectacular! It started as a hunting lodge by Louis VIII in 1623.  It went through a series of expansions from 1661 to 1715.  In 1682, Louis XIV moved the seat of the government and the court to Versailles. Louis XV and Louis XVI continued to live and work here and mostly did only interior renovations on the palace. Then came the start of the revolution in 1789 and y'all know what happened--no more monarchy.  The palace was largely abandoned after that.  Napoleon used it occasionally to host state events. I wish all these people would go away so I could photograph these amazing gold gates. Interior of the Chapel. King's bedroom. The Hall of Mirrors.  I wish I could have 30 seconds alone in here to get some good pics of the beauty of the room.  The palace gets 15M visitors per year so there's definitely no alone time. Yes, it's as opulent as it lo...