Adventures in Europe part 2
I have to go see the movie "Marie Antoinette" - I might even break down and go see it BY MYSELF (egads) this evening. When I was in Vienna, I became fascinated by Marie Antoinette's family the Hadsburgs. Mama Maria Theresa was quite something - she had about 20 children (not all survived) because back then the royals tried to pump out as many heirs to the throne as possible. The picture that I have posted is Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna - the summer home of the Hadsburgs. It was unbelievable. The palace was spectacular in itself, but then there were amazing gardens, statues, and even a waterfall to explore. I am quite proud that I spent hours at this place despite the fact that I was experiencing the evil stomach thing that I caught on my train trip to Vienna. I must have looked so pathetic wandering around whilst doubling over in extreme pain from the stomach cramps - not to mention the fact that I had to run to the bathroom every 20 minutes while I waited for the Immodium to kick in with the hopes of getting rid of the unbelievable "peeing out my ...." phenomenon - well, you get the picture.
Okay, so back to poor old Marie. Imagine your mother sending you to a different country (one that you were at war with no less) to marry some older dude when you were only 14 years old. The poor girl was stripped at the border of France and examined to make sure that she was a virgin! Mama Maria Theresa wasn't known for her touchy-feely parenting, but after being pregnant 20 times and popping out as many babies, I'm pretty sure that her brain wasn't functioning properly (all the mothers that are reading this are nodding their heads right now). So her daughter became a political pawn and then had to contend with a total dud of a husband - it took them 7 years to consumate their marriage! No wonder she had to eat cake .....
When I was in Paris I ran across another Marie Antoinette connection. I went to the Conciergerie which was the jail that was used during the French Revolution in the 1700's. I saw the cell that Marie was housed in prior to her execution. And then I saw the exact spot where the executions were done at Place de Concorde. They say that the street ran so heavy with the blood from the guillotine that the oxen pulling the condemned refused to walk down it.