Historians largely believe that the apocryphal “Let them eat cake!” quote was never actually said by Marie Antoinette, but in seeing her lifestyle at the Trianon Palace one can certainly see where the common Frenchman of the 1700’s might believe her capable of such a statement. Le Grand Trianon and […]
Travel Words
The Gardens of Versailles: My Favorite Escape
The Gardens of Versailles Perhaps two instances of an event is a bit on the early side for calling it a ‘tradition’, but spending an afternoon doing a lot of nothing in the Gardens of Versailles has been one of my favorite memories of both trips I’ve made to Paris […]
The Palace of Versailles: End of an Empire
The Palace of Versailles To say that the Palace of Versailles was the reason that the Ancien Regime of France fell is, to be sure, a total oversimplification of complex social and economic factors that were in play in late-1700’s France. To walk these halls today, however, it takes little […]
Champagne on the Seine: A Booze Cruise with Views
Champagne on the Seine: A Booze Cruise with Views You know what makes even the most mundane experience a little bit better? Champagne.
RUN the Silk Road – Marathon Running in the Mountains of Heaven
RUN the Silk Road: Marathon Running in the Mountains of Heaven It could be any marathon anywhere, but it isn’t.
Kyrgyzstan Climbing Festival: Alpinada in Ala-Archa
Kyrgyzstan Climbing Festival: Alpinada in Ala-Archa The outdoors community in Kyrgyzstan can be counted on for nothing if not an embracing sense of community and a dash of craziness. With that in mind, I set off from Bishkek on the afternoon of April 30th to join over 150 other […]