Versailles

I decided to be a tourist last Saturday and set off for the Versailles Palace of Louis XIV. Subtlety was definitely not his strong suite...

The sheer magnitude of the palace is Louis XIV's way of telling everyone else in the neighborhood, "Hey. I'm...kind of a big deal." So naturally, the front entrance is a place strictly for serious business:

The back gardens, on the other hand, are reserved for fun and partying:

(In case you were wondering, yes, we specifically arranged for the drastic change in weather and sky-color for the purposes of these two contrasting pictures...)

Despite the sporadically dreary weather, visitors could be found strolling the gardens and even taking a spin around one of the absurdly large, yet perfectly rectangular ponds in an adorable little rowboat. Me, I prefer the warmth. So, my rowboat fun will have to wait until the spring.

Before leaving the palace, we did make sure to stop by the infamous Hall of Mirrors, site of many a treaty-signing. Like the Treaty of Versailles. Very original guys, very original.

P.S. I'm determined to find a way to throw an epic dinner party in the Hall of Mirrors. If you're reading this, you're invited. :)