Chateaux de la Loire Part 3: Chambord

I learned something very interesting about myself when we visited the final Chateau of the day.  I learned that I am extremely sensitive to commercialism and that I do not like it at all.  Chambord is the largest Chateau in the Loire Valley, and it is world known for its French renaissance architecture.  Everything about it is grand and magnificent, so it is interesting that I didn't really like it.  Well I shouldn't say that I didn't like it, because it was truly interesting and it was cool to imagine a building so big being built without machinery.  However, it has been turned into such a large tourist attraction that I couldn't take it seriously.  The other chateaux had small little gift shops with post cards and other random knick-knacks, but Chambord had an entire store of things!  T-shirts, hats, books, food, drinks, post cards, jewelry, etc.  Plus the employees were all dressed in attire from the middle ages.  The chateau itself was so big that it was almost overwhelming to try to walk through.  There was just no warmth to it, it was impossible to have an emotional connection or imagine real people living there.  It felt like it was just built to be a form of amusement or entertainment.   As I walked around I was so surprised that my reaction was so negative.  I think it is so cool that traveling with the intent to learn about other people and cultures, actually turns out to be one giant lesson about yourself.