2010 Paris part 2

Here I am at the The Palais du Luxembourg. 11 years ago, when I was last here, it rained. This time, it threatened to rain. Still people were about enjoying the day.

It was Father's Day, Fetes du Peres, and families were all out with the kids enjoying Sunday at this great park that surrounds the building. There was a toy boat rental stand nearby, and kids launched the miniature sailboats from the edge of the pool and watched them sail about.

Little sailor girl, following her boat around the pool.

This kid just liked playing with the stick! No boat in sight...

Sunday afternoon, after everyone went home.

Luxembourg garden path.

Just outside of the park, there were these great carved wooden doors that no one seemed to notice. We don't have doors like that at home!

Took the train out to see the Palace of Versailles - the palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV and ("let them eat cake" fame) Marie Antoinette...

...now home to hordes of tourists! This is the Hall of Mirrors, and Louis and Marie would be turning in their graves seeing all the riff-raff here!

Opulent and grand torchieres at Versailles.

View from the top of the stairs.

This is the SMALL pond and garden off to the side... (I'm not kidding!)

To view the rest of the estate, including Marie Antoinette's private "cottage" and to cover the vast amount of other gardens and ponds, we rented a golf cart to zip around. Those who chose to walk it - saw us and had that look of longing on their faces... In the background, half of the palace -- too large to shoot in 1 picture!

At the end of the day, yes, I felt like her...