Reflections From and About My Grandfather
Alexander Capraro, Architect
Day Thirteen
Hotel Regina, Paris
Thursday
July 28th, 1938
Mon Cherie,
Today was the day for my visit to Versailles, about 20 miles outside of Paris. “What a place!” Probably the most beautiful place and grounds in the world. Chock-full of history, arts, and treasures beyond description. Home of Louis XIV, XV, XVIII and last but not least, Napoleon and Marie Antoinette, Madam Pompadour, and others I can’t name just now.
commons.wikimedia.org
The palace is a large separate building from the one Napoleon used, which is called the Trianon. Then there is the Petite Trianon for Marie Antoinette, and various buildings for stables and royal guests. There is the actual furniture, gold and marble tables, rare bronzes and porcelains, and the carriage that was used for Napoleon’s coronation as Emperor.
The gardens are too beautiful to describe in a letter. I went around with a horse and buggy and it took two hours to ride around the grounds.
fr:Utilisateur:Urban
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
There are countless rooms in the king’s palace, each richly furnished to a king’s taste. (Below photos courtesy of Benita.)
Royal Chamber: romeisalwaysagoodidea.wordpress.com
The ceilings are all covered with paintings, most of which were done by the same artist who painted the pictures in the Vatican. You conclude the trip by feeling dizzy and tired, such splendor I have never seen before.
Hall of Mirrors: romeisalwaysagoodidea.wordpress.com
On the return trip to Paris, we took a bus until we reached the Seine, (the river that runs through Paris), and then took a boat which plys the river to the city…a beautiful ride because it allows one to see the many fine buildings on each side, including the Eiffel Tower.
The Seine: romeisalwaysagoodidea.wordpress.com
Eiffel Tower:
romeisalwaysagoodidea.wordpress.com
The day was clear and fair and enabled me to take some good pictures both at Versailles and along the river Seine. There are still many decorations that were put up for King George of England on his visit here and I shot a few views of them.
Just two weeks earlier, on July 14, King George VI of England and his wife Queen Elizabeth had made a royal visit to Paris. You may remember the story of his brother’s abdication in the movie, The King’s Speech.
The Royal Household © Copyright 2008/09
I had dinner tonight at an Italian restaurant in the Montmartre district and after dinner, spent the rest of the evening walking around this territory which is part of Paris where all the honkytonks, nightclubs and sidewalk cafés etc. are.
Montmartre, dominated by the Sacré-Cœur (pixinn.net)
Here is real Parisian atmosphere, notorious dives, apache dance cafés with names you read about or see in the movies. Every door is a café of some kind or another, all with little tables out in front filled with people, musicians playing, radios barking, girls singing and dancing, some with clothes on and others with not so much, barkers in front of every place inviting you and telling you their place is the best or worst, which ever you may be looking for. It is Paris, the only city in the world which has such a district where anything and everything goes and nobody cares or gives a damn. I’ll tell you more about it when I get home.
Théophile Steinlen’s famous advertisement for the tour of Le Chat Noir cabaret
Tomorrow my schedule calls for Notre Dame, the Louvre, Champs Elysees, Place de Concorde, the Opera, and Church of the Madeleine. If my feet hold out, I hope to cover them all.
I’ll say good night now dear until tomorrow.
With Love, AL
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Ciao,
Judy
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