Tag Archives: Palace

My Virtual Vacation Day 8—Versailles France

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We had hoped in retirement to travel the world. So far we have done a pretty good job with trips to Mexico, Hawaii, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and The Czech Republic. However the pandemic has stopped all of that for a while. So while waiting for Africa, Alaska and Scandinavia, our current travel is going to have to be virtual. Today’s stop is the Paris suburb of Versailles. There are so many reasonable day trips from Paris. Unpack once and train your way to a variety of amazing places.

The Palace of Versailles is an amazing world heritage site, It was the principal royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolution in 1789, under Louis XVI. It is located in the region of Île-de-France, about 20 kilometers southwest of the centre of Paris.

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Monte Carlo

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Last year I wrote about the Casino of Monte Carlo and the Changing of The Guard at the Castle of Monaco. However as I review my pictures of last October’s trip, I realized I have shared little about Monte Carlo itself.

Monte Carlo is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco. It is a beautiful natural harbor filled with exquisite yachts. The streets are the course for the world famous Grad Prix and one can only imagine the thrill of watching the race from a hotel or apartment balcony over the streets. Walking through the town takes you from one park to another with stops along the way to look at the race cars that people drive around town. You can smell the money. It has the highest per capita income by far of any place on earth.

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Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo

Changing of the Guard at Monaco Palace

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We got lucky on our visit to Monaco and arrived at the Palace when they were changing the guard. Of course there were a few thousand tourists lined up in front of me but I still managed to get a few images. Not as dramatic as Prague Castle or Tomb of The Unknown Solider but still dramatic.

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Monaco Palace

Changing of The Guard

Changing of The Guard

Just a Couple of Ducks

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There is nothing really special about this image. Just a couple of ducks on a pond. OK, well the pond is in Bavaria at Schloss Nymphenburg and that makes it special to me. I am happy that my journey through life took me there on an autumn day to meet these beautiful ducks.

Other than that, nothing special.

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Just a Couple of Ducks

Schloss Nymphenburg

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People say this palace is reminiscent of Versailles. Its actually the other way around. Schloss Nymphenburg was built in 1664 about 20 years before Versailles. It was the summer residence to the birth of the long-awaited heir to the throne, Max Emanuel, who was born in 1662 to the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria and his wife.

You can take the subway from Munich directly to the castle. The building is magnificent and although the gardens are not as large as Versailles they are beautiful and well managed.

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Schloss Nymphenburg

Heidelberg Sculpture

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I wish we had more time when we were in Heidelberg. I feel we only scratched the depth of the city and want to go back there in the Summer since it was cold,rainy and grey the whole time we were there. I did have time to stop to take this picture of the this unusual sculpture with the Heidelberg castle in the background.

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Heidelberg Sculpture

Heidelberg Sculpture

Castle Ruins

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Heidelberg Castle is a essentially a ruin in the Rhineland section of Germany. It sits on top of a hill overlooking the town of Heidelberg and dates back to 1214. In 1294 a second castle structure was joined to the first. However in 1537 a lightning bolt destroyed part of the castle and later in 1764 the rebuilt section of the castle was also destroyed by lightning.

For years it was discussed if the castle should be restored or destroyed. After the completion of a rail link, more and more people began to arrive in Heidelberg as visitors. Mark Twain, the American author, described the Heidelberg Castle in his 1880 travel book A Tramp Abroad and is sometimes credited with an explosion of American tourists. Since that time the castle has been maintained as a ruin and is one of the most popular tourist attraction sin Germany.

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Heidelberg Ruins

Heidelberg Ruins

Heidelberg Germany

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This is a view of Heidelberg Germany from the one of the castle overlooks. Even on a day when rain seemed imminent the small town looks beautiful from the castle ruins. Rain never did fall but the day remained gray and cold as we toured the ancient ruin and lovely city and University along the river which is a tributary of the Rhine. I would love to be there on a sunny day!

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Heidelberg Germany

Heidelberg Germany

A Palace Near the Castle

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Heidelberg Castle is a essentially a ruin in the Rhineland section of Germany. It sits on top of a hill overlooking the town of Heidelberg and dates back to 1214. In 1294 a second castle structure was joined to the first. However in 1537 a lightning bolt destroyed part of the castle and later in 1764 the rebuilt section of the castle was also destroyed by lightning.

In a future post I will post pictures of the castle but as I waited in line to take pictures of the view of Heidelberg from the castle. I noticed to the left this beautiful structure. The guides didn’t talk about it, nobody else seemed interested in it but I wondered what the story was behind this beautiful palace that was just below the castle with the same magnificent view.

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The Palace near the Cstle

The Palace near the Castle

Sunday in Paris

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We live in a violent world. A friend reminded me yesterday of two other hideous events that happened this week in Beirut and Bagdad where more lives were lost than in Paris. Yet the violence in Paris impacted me more. Why? I guess because I have been there a few times and Paris is familiar. Of course that doesn’t make rational sense, horror is horror and terror is terror. It does however make emotional sense in the same way that seeing the fall of the World Trade Centers forces a visceral response.

In any case today is Sunday and although the season is wrong, this is the way I think of Paris on Sundays. I hope Parisians are taking to the streets,buying baguettes and enjoying the gardens.

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Sunday in Paris

Sunday in Paris