The Palace of Versailles was like walking through a dream. My younger self roamed wild that day. My face grinned from ear to ear exploring the many rooms of the palace. My neck was crooked and stretched as I attempted to memorize the beautifully done paintings on the ceiling. One's imagination is set free in a place like Versailles. I felt like putting my best gown on in the sweet attempt of conquering the magnificent ballroom or better yet the palace.

The awe and wonder I felt was true joy. The marble hallways, the intricate woven tapestry, and the glittering gold was too much to bear. I was beyond gone in my own imagination and storytelling. As I listened to the stories of King Louis and Marie Antoinette it stirred fascination and curiosity in my heart. King Louis the 14th was quite the jealous man and built the palace in that mind frame. He put on appearances of power and wealth. His narcissistic demeanor ruled him and played on his fears of bloodshed. The court was so reliant on him that he manipulated people into praising him. Each room we walked through became even grander than the next to the point that once you would have a meeting with the King you would be in awe and fear.

The palace antagonized my fairytale heart to run wild and play but the village, now the village inspired sheer joy and animation. My feet couldn't run fast enough to see everything. When I found out that King Louis the 16th built the village for Marie Antoinette to play peasant in my fascination wouldn't be stopped. The village was enchanting with whimsical cottages and wild gardens almost like a scene from a Jane Austen book.

The palace was a means to show off their wealth and power to the people. It was never a home to laugh, love with one another, and grow. The palace was decorated in might and beautiful intricate paintings. It was an appearance that held high responsibility and unrealistic expectations of what reality and life truly mean. The make believe village and mansion were a way to escape. It was a place where they could be themselves and be away from the grand illusion they created.

While exploring the winding pathways of the cottage it fascinated me that many girls play princess or queen but Marie Antoinette, a grown women, would play peasant. It painted their lives with a whimsical outlook. That the king and his queen so lost from what life truly means spent time playing in a village or mansion. I felt as though I had stepped into history all day long. It was so fun to step into the past of princesses and kings for a day. It brought my inner child out again so full of wonder and joy. The whole day was spent jumping in puddles or exploring ancient hallways. I will never forget the light joy and heaviness of Versailles.