Monday, November 14, 2005

Where the kings lived

Five castles in a span of two weeks. A way to see how the kings of France lived their lavish and ceremonial lives. These pictures are all from the outside, set in wonderful views of the sky.

At the city where I had my training, I was able to visit the Chateau de Vincennes. According to history, it constructed in the 14th century by Charles V and it is one of the biggest and best preserved castles in Europe







On a free day, I grabbed an opportunity and joined a guided tour to the Loire Valley, a place filled with numerous castles from different centuries. I was able to visit three.


The first: "Château de Chenonceau" ... or the " perfect " Loire Valley Castle in the harmonious setting of river Cher. It was said to be shaped by women such as Catherine Briçonney, Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medici, Louise de Lorraine, Madame Dupin, Madame Pelouze ...

A great expanse of land with a maze, a vegetable garden, a farm, and a wooded area. A beautiful place!


The second castle : Cheverny, held to be the Loire's most magnificently furnished château. It is still inhabited by the original family. Its design was inspired by the Luxembourg Palace in Paris.

The third: Chateau de Chambord. This is the largest of the Loire castles, a sumptuous Renaissance Palace, and creation of the King François I.

No trip to France is complete without a visit to "Versailles Palace" or the "Palace of Versailles". This "immense palace" of the Louis XIV represents the most prestigious monument of the 17th century French Art. King Louis XIV or the Sun King transformed his father's hunting lodge into the most impressive castle of all time. A golden palace surrounded by immense gardens filled with numerous fountains and statues.

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Lion Chaser Manifesto

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson (www.evotional.com)