Wow Versailles is HUGE

Sunday was a big day - our plan was to visit Versailles.  We tried to get up early but I continually mess up the alarm and we finally get on the train the exact time I wanted to get to the town of Versailles.  We also made a few mistakes with the train.  If anyone out there wants to make this trip, let me know and I will share the details.

I couldn't believe how big the Chateau was.  Coming up the street from the train station is jaw-dropping.  It's too big to take a meaningful picture.  After entering the shiny gold gates we encountered a very, very, long serpentine line.  There was a sign about tickets nearby so we jumped into the line.  After a brief moment of "is this the ticket line? what are we going to do?" discussion, I ran off with one of our linemates to another building with a sign for tickets.  Bob stayed behind with the mom of the mom-daughter duo that we ended up spending the day with.  We found automated ticket machines, with no lines (this happens a lot at attractions, I find) and came back to find Bob had made good progress.  It turned out to be the line for the Chateau tour!  Thankfully we were set.

We walked around the Chateau and enjoyed seeing the art, statues, furniture and learning about the lives of the kings who built and expanded Versailles. 

The famous hall of mirrors.  You can find great pictures online of the hall, so here is one of me and Bob in a mirror:

Marie-Antoinette's bedroom.  She had it redecorated, so it's quite different from the other rooms in the royal apartments.

After lunch, here I am with our new friends Donna and Darlene.  

After entering the gardens, looking back at the Chateau. Without a panorama option, it's impossible to capture.

Again, barely the majority of the chateau and we're far away.  This is the benefit of making friends when abroad - we can have pictures together!

They had three or four strange tree statues in this area. I liked this one, it was made of bronze.

We walked over to the Grand and Petite Trianon section, on the way to the Queen's Hamlet.  We just stumbled upon this pretty scene.

In the Queen's Hamlet, the Queen's House.   It's not kept up as nicely as the Chateau...

A nice spot along the path.

From 3:30-5 they do a fountain show to music.  It's not really like the Bellagio, which we were hoping for.  Most of the fountains just starting running normally and the sound system was a few speakers hidden in the hedge.  However, we did finally find this one better fountain that changed with the music. I was lucky to get this action shot.

This probably best shows the vastness of the garden and the amazing hedges.  I don't know how they keep it all up!

 Another pretty spot.

 So, there was a pedestal with nothing on it.  The obvious response:

Off to the side of the castle we find more neat gardens.  The little town is there off my left shoulder.

Practically when we're about to leave, Bob realizes he has a panorama setting on his camera.