The Château de Versailles, France.

My surface knowledge of French history and politics did not prepare me for the wonder of the Château. It is absolutely breathtaking. What struck me most was the utter indulgence of the royal lifestyle, the vastness of the grounds, its combination of being both colossal and meticulously ornate -- all within a time of famine and later, disasterous military defeat in France. Wandering through the estate, I thought of Lully and his Ouvertures and the many European pilgrims who flocked to Versailles to be entertained in the lavish opera house. Imagine the gaeity of stepping to the Courante whilst ever so slightly waving a little fan!











The outdoor grounds stretched on all four sides beyond the eye could see. It was still and majestic.









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Paris, again.

This time I saw the Marsais district, the Latin Quarter, Isle de Saint Louis, the Notre Dame (I prefer St. Paul's in London!), Moulin Rouge. Ate the customary moules frites, duck confit, raw oysters -- and, surprisingly, had some of the best classic Cantonese dishes in Paris Chinatown.