Up to Paris - May 11th-24th 2011

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May 20th 2011: Versailles


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Breakfast from Hure
My pain chocolate creme d'orange from Hure. Very good. It was filled with zesty orange pieces that were neither too sweet nor too creamy. The chocolate was just the ground bits (with nuts?) on the top.
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My pain chocolate creme d'orange from Hure. Very good. It was filled with zesty orange pieces that were neither too sweet nor too creamy. The chocolate was just the ground bits (with nuts?) on the top.
Incidentally, this was the third time I visited Hure: first, second.
Sights from the Train
The train we took crossed the Seine multiple times. I grabbed a few pictures as we passed. Here on the western side of Paris was the first time I saw skyscrapers in Paris.
We also got a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.
Houses overlooking the water.
The train we took crossed the Seine multiple times. I grabbed a few pictures as we passed. Here on the western side of Paris was the first time I saw skyscrapers in Paris.
We also got a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.
Houses overlooking the water.
These houses look exactly like those one sees in the outer zones around London.
A nice street in the burbs.
This road could easily be in England.
Ditto with this commercial downtown clustered around the train station.
These houses look exactly like those one sees in the outer zones around London.
A nice street in the burbs.
This road could easily be in England.
Ditto with this commercial downtown clustered around the train station.
Another chance to photograph the Eiffel Tower. This time I was ready.
Sometimes the train ran high above the city streets.
I kept snapping pictures, trying to get a sense of what normal parts of Paris and the surrounding region look like.
Another chance to photograph the Eiffel Tower. This time I was ready.
Sometimes the train ran high above the city streets.
I kept snapping pictures, trying to get a sense of what normal parts of Paris and the surrounding region look like.
Versailles: Grand Entrance
The crowd as we approach Versailles through its main gate.
A 360 degree panoramic video of the complex as seen from the large Ministers' Courtyard. Notice especially the long line to pass through security; it's visible for about the first third of this video.
From the same courtyard, the Royal Chapel next to a wing of one of the smaller buildings in the palace. The chapel has a lot of ornaments on top.
The palace's central building, as seen through the gate separating the Minister's Courtyard and the Royal Courtyard.
The crowd as we approach Versailles through its main gate.
A 360 degree panoramic video of the complex as seen from the large Ministers' Courtyard. Notice especially the long line to pass through security; it's visible for about the first third of this video.
From the same courtyard, the Royal Chapel next to a wing of one of the smaller buildings in the palace. The chapel has a lot of ornaments on top.
The palace's central building, as seen through the gate separating the Minister's Courtyard and the Royal Courtyard.
A close-up of bright gold gate. Plus, notice all the gold on the palace itself. That's a lot of gold!
The central palace building, as seen unobstructed. I think the statues sitting on the corners of the roof are neat.
The central part of the central building and its gold-faced clock. I'm standing in the inner-most courtyard, the Marble Courtyard, as I took this. Yep, I'm still impressed by the quantity of gold.
Some of many busts looking down on the Marble Courtyard.
A close-up of bright gold gate. Plus, notice all the gold on the palace itself. That's a lot of gold!
The central palace building, as seen unobstructed. I think the statues sitting on the corners of the roof are neat.
The central part of the central building and its gold-faced clock. I'm standing in the inner-most courtyard, the Marble Courtyard, as I took this. Yep, I'm still impressed by the quantity of gold.
Some of many busts looking down on the Marble Courtyard.
A close-up of some of the statues and columns that are part of one of the buildings somewhere around here.
A close-up of some of the statues and columns that are part of one of the buildings somewhere around here.
Versailles: Grounds
Behind the Palace of Versailles are extensive grounds. This is a panorama of the main fountain behind the palace, the Fountain of Latona. The gardens extend to the left and right. Straight ahead, beyond the green strip of grass lays the so-called Grand Canal. It doesn't go anywhere but makes a big plus sign on the grounds.
A close-up of the Fountain of Latona. I think it's odd that the first view the royals get is of the statue's backside.
The alligators and turtles in the fountain's lowest tier have jets for water. Too bad they weren't on.
Yours truly posing by one of the funkily carved bushes. These carved bushes are really dense. (I touched them.)
Behind the Palace of Versailles are extensive grounds. This is a panorama of the main fountain behind the palace, the Fountain of Latona. The gardens extend to the left and right. Straight ahead, beyond the green strip of grass lays the so-called Grand Canal. It doesn't go anywhere but makes a big plus sign on the grounds.
A close-up of the Fountain of Latona. I think it's odd that the first view the royals get is of the statue's backside.
The alligators and turtles in the fountain's lowest tier have jets for water. Too bad they weren't on.
Yours truly posing by one of the funkily carved bushes.
These carved bushes are really dense. (I touched them.)
A long, 360 degree panoramic movie of Water Parterre and the back of the palace. This video focuses a bit on some of the statues adorning the palace (mostly to give a sense of how many there are). This location is before one reaches the main fountain.
A close-up of some of the statues and columns on the corner of a building.
The South Parterre with its pond and shrubbery carved into patterns. Nothing special; we'd see more impressive layouts later.
Most of the gardens have very high tree walls like these. I wonder how they trim them? A ladder? A pick-up truck with a tall machine on its flatbed? A specially designed vehicle like a fire truck?
A long, 360 degree panoramic movie of Water Parterre and the back of the palace. This video focuses a bit on some of the statues adorning the palace (mostly to give a sense of how many there are). This location is before one reaches the main fountain.
A close-up of some of the statues and columns on the corner of a building.
The South Parterre with its pond and shrubbery carved into patterns. Nothing special; we'd see more impressive layouts later.
Most of the gardens have very high tree walls like these. I wonder how they trim them? A ladder? A pick-up truck with a tall machine on its flatbed? A specially designed vehicle like a fire truck?
When you look down from above, you can see that the area hidden behind the tree walls is overgrown. I took this picture later in the day when I was at a higher point on the grounds. This picture doesn't actually look down into the same area that's hidden by the tree walls in the previous picture.
Sometimes in these tree walls we'd spot street lamps emerging from nowhere.
Sculpted metal flowers in the center of the Girandole Grove fountain.
A 360 degree panoramic video of King's Garden, an (the only?) English-style garden on the grounds. This video begins looking out of the garden toward the Mirror Fountain.
When you look down from above, you can see that the area hidden behind the tree walls is overgrown. I took this picture later in the day when I was at a higher point on the grounds. This picture doesn't actually look down into the same area that's hidden by the tree walls in the previous picture.
Sometimes in these tree walls we'd spot street lamps emerging from nowhere.
Sculpted metal flowers in the center of the Girandole Grove fountain.
A 360 degree panoramic video of King's Garden, an (the only?) English-style garden on the grounds. This video begins looking out of the garden toward the Mirror Fountain.