The Versailles Gardens were the most incredible place I had ever seen. No wonder the French Revolution happened and they went down and kicked them out! King Louis was crowned when he was four so he was spoilt and had everything given to him. our tour guide was Adam, an American history teacher who was clearly passionate about this era of time.
The gardens were peaceful as it was off peak season but usually they are so busy that you cannot move! There was hardly anyone there though and I couldn’t even take in the sheer scale of the buildings, the fountains of gold trimming the lakes! It was all so surreal.
And this King built it all for himself, believing that he as a God among men and did not walk with his citizens like the royalty of the past. He had golden gates and the very sun set over his bedroom. People were invited to watch him wake up in the morning and it was a great privilege. The Versailles Gardens were mind blowing! Everything was perfectly aligned and the symmetry of everything was so perfect that it was a little frightening. It would take you an entire day to even walk around your own grounds. I took some photographs but even they did not encompass the scale of Versailles. I am taking Caitlan there an our journey back through Paris. I can’t wait for her to see it!
Versailles deserves a separate video to the others I am filming.
That night I followed Danielle to the Eiffel Tower. We did the Christmas Markets. There wasn’t much of a line up for the Tower which was great, so we could go to the top with ease. The view of Paris is incredible. The structure and building I could see from up there inspired me so much and it was like looking at a land of stars in a swimming ocean. Paris is constantly bussing with life and to witness it from the view of the Eiffel Tower at night was something I never dreamed of happening to me. Yet I was standing there watching these lights flicker and move in front of me. I felt incredibly small. But also very inspired to actually do something remarkable with my life.
There I was on the other side of the world, way up high surrounded by a different language and culture feeling small but incredibly motivated and inspired to actually have the courage to exist and chase my dreams. Fear and doubt had always held me back and in this moment with this view I felt alive and that I could confidently go in the direction of my dreams. This world is so huge yet so small and how many people actually go out and pursue their passion? I don’t know anybody. Maybe that’s why I haven’t done it myself.
All I know now is that in that moment something had changed and I made a new and different promise to myself than I had made in the past. Now to keep it.
Haley Lauren Smith 