I think Kristin got really spoiled on her first ever visit to a palace / castle. I think that this was my favorite interior or a palace/ castle that I've yet to see. Most are either have blocked off to the public or smelly or other the top or half empty or filled with reproductions or period replacements. This one had a great balance of simplicity and grandeur, you could see all of the rooms, everything was authentic, right down to the oriental-style bathroom (or squatty potty as we call them, though this one was made of nice stone) and the Egyptian made reed mats that were placed under the Turkish rugs to absorb the moisture and protect the woods and fabrics. This was the grand salon, also known as the blue room. (Although it looks real, the blue marble is just stucco, as there is no such thing as blue marble in nature).
Everywhere you go a culture will do something better than anyone else. Sometimes they are unexpected, and sometimes you don't see them for the first time in their original atmosphere. Like Chinese jade or porcelain, the Turkish rug, German engineering, whatever. Johannes and I were surprised to find that Luxembourg has some of the most stunning stained glass in their cathedrals, and while I have seen some astounding Slavic crystal (think Svarovski) I had never seen it look quite the same as the Bohemian crystal chandeliers that were hanging in this palace. They were incredible.
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